What to see in Garachico: the town the lava redrew
Garachico sits on Tenerife's northwest coast, on a tongue of land reaching into the sea, and few places on the island show so clearly how a volcano rewrote a town's fate. In the 16th century this was Tenerife's main gateway, shipping sugar and Malvasia wine to the Americas, Great Britain, Flanders and Angola. In 1706 the lava of an eruption buried the harbour, and the town still lives on the lava flow that ran into the sea back then.
The old town has been a protected historic ensemble since 1994, and in 1980 it received the Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts for preserving its built heritage. The association Los Pueblos Más Bonitos de España (the most beautiful villages of Spain) also counts it among its members.
A little history: the port that vanished
The town was founded at the end of the 15th century by the Genoese banker Cristóbal de Ponte. The 16th and 17th centuries were its golden age: by the end of the 17th century it had two churches, a hospital, a fort, five convents, several chapels and plenty of wealthy mansions. Until then the town had recovered from many disasters: a raging sea in 1559, plague between 1601 and 1606, a flood in 1645, locusts in 1659, and fires in 1692 and 1697.
But in the early hours of 5 May 1706 the volcano erupted. According to Spain's National Geographic Institute (IGN), the eruption lasted 40 days, from 5 May to 13 June, and the lava, blocks and ash reached the town and the port. The lava split into two arms as it poured down onto the town, and the bay shrank to the small anchorage you see today. Farming and fishing took the place of trade, and in the 19th and 20th centuries many people from Garachico emigrated to the Americas.
Walking the lava line: the old town
The old town is best explored on foot, following the traces of the old port:
Puerta de Tierra. The surviving gate of the 16th century port: every person and every cargo passed through it. In the park around it you can see the old wine press of the Hacienda de San Juan Degollado, and it is also home to the stone and bronze obelisk unveiled on 5 May 2006 for the 300th anniversary of the eruption. Park listing.
Plaza de la Libertad. The main square, which has changed its name several times (Santa Ana, la Constitución, la República, General Franco and finally la Libertad). The bandstand, remodelled in 1912, follows a Mexican model, and the statue of Simón Bolívar was a gift in 1970 from the Garachico community in Venezuela; Bolívar's ancestors came from here. Around the square stand the former Franciscan convent, the town hall, the Casa Palacio de los Condes de La Gomera and the church of Santa Ana. Square listing.
Iglesia de Santa Ana. The lava spared only its two stone façades, and it had to be rebuilt. Its most valuable piece is a 17th century crucifix by the Sevillian sculptor Martín de Andújar, and a museum of sacred art occupies the back of the church.
The Franciscan convent. Today a cultural centre, with a permanent exhibition on the islands' volcanoes called "Canarias, volcanes en el Océano".
Convento de Santo Domingo. Seven balconies resting on bulbous bases, in the Portuguese tradition, run along its façade, which the town's tourist office calls the most beautiful of any convent in Tenerife. Thanks to its position it escaped the eruption.
Convento de las Concepcionistas. The only convent still active in town: the cloistered nuns make traditional sweets to order, "pañuelos" filled with angel hair jam, rosquetes and magdalenas.
Motín del Vino monument. It recalls the wine riot of 1666, when locals stormed the port's wine cellars in protest against the English monopoly.
The Castillo de San Miguel and El Caletón
The coast is guarded by the Castillo de San Miguel. Philip II authorised its construction in 1575, and it survived the 1706 eruption; above its gate you can see the coats of arms of Charles V. A narrow staircase takes you up to the gun platform, with a good view of the lava that became El Caletón.
The natural pools of El Caletón formed when the lava cooled abruptly on hitting the sea, and here the lava won land from the ocean. Each pool has its own name: Las Viejas, Los Niños, Los Chorros. In summer there is a lifeguard, and there is a restaurant right on the lava, parking and a public pool next door. El Caletón listing.
Important in the water: according to Turismo de Tenerife, the water here is usually calm, but you need to be careful with the swell, because the sea along this stretch is often strong. The Canary Islands Government has already issued a coastal hazard alert specifically for Garachico, and the pools have also been closed temporarily for health reasons (E. coli). Don't dive in headfirst: a jump like that has already ended in a serious injury. The town council announces its lifeguard service for the summer months, so don't count on one in October. Before you go in, check the signs and the flag. We have written about dangerous currents here: Rip currents in the Canary Islands, and about Tenerife's other natural pools here: The best natural pools in Tenerife.
The Roque and the old pier
Just off the coast stands the Roque de Garachico, a 5 hectare islet rising 77 metres, protected since 1987. Endangered seabirds nest on it (Barolo shearwater, Bulwer's petrel, Madeiran storm petrel), so visitors are not allowed on it. On the old pier, the Tensei Tenmoku sculpture has stood since 2000, and seen from the end of the breakwater it frames the rock.
West of the old town, tucked into the old bay, lies the Playa de El Muelle. Beach listing.
Views from above
You can take in the whole town from the Mirador de Garachico viewpoint at 460 metres, beside a ravine that channelled the lava in 1706. We have gathered Tenerife's viewpoints here: The best viewpoints in Tenerife. If you fancy a hike, a moderate to challenging trail climbs from Garachico to the Chinyero volcano by way of El Lance and San Juan del Reparo. Chinyero trail listing.
Festivals, and why they are not in October
The town's big festival is the Fiestas Lustrales del Cristo de la Misericordia, held since 1970 in years ending in 0 and 5. It used to take place in October, but it was moved to July because it always rained in October. In 2025 it returned after ten years, because the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the pandemic. The Fuegos del Risco fireworks, in the bay ringed by mountains, recall the 1706 eruption. On 16 August comes the Romería de San Roque pilgrimage, which goes back to the plague of 1601 to 1606: at the end, the saint's statue is carried backwards into its chapel so that it keeps facing the town. There is also a sea procession, with decorated fishing boats.
In autumn there are two smaller customs: on 1 November children go from door to door asking for "pan por Dios", which means fruit and sweets, and on the feast of San Andrés there are fireworks in La Caleta de Interián and the wine cellars traditionally open their doors. For festivals in general, see: Canarian fiestas and romerías.
Eating and drinking
La Caleta de Interián is known for its limpets (lapas) and clams, El Guincho for parrotfish (vieja) stewed in its own broth. Garachico's wines belong to the Ycoden-Daute-Isora designation of origin. You will find local produce at the farmers' market. For fresh fish, the fishermen's guild restaurants are the best bet: Fishermen's guilds in the Canary Islands.
Getting there
By car: roughly 61 kilometres from Santa Cruz on the northern roads. From the north on the TF-42, or on the TF-5 as far as Icod de los Vinos and then down towards the coast. The open area next to the old pier is also used as a car park.
By bus: several TITSA routes link Garachico with the north coast and Santa Cruz; timetables are on titsa.com. For travelling without a car: The Canary Islands without a car.
Weather: because the coast faces north it is humid, with average annual temperatures between 18 and 20 degrees, and the sea breeze keeps even the summer mild.
We have a separate article on neighbouring Icod de los Vinos: Icod de los Vinos beyond the Drago. For the rest of Tenerife: What to see in Tenerife.
Sources: Garachico town council and its tourism site (garachico.es, turismo.garachico.es): history, monuments, festivals, food; Gobierno de Canarias, BOC (Decreto 10/1994 on the historic ensemble, Decreto 307/1999 on the Castillo de San Miguel) and press releases (coastal hazard alert); Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN), catalogue of volcanic eruptions; Turismo de Tenerife (webtenerife.com); Hola Islas Canarias; Los Pueblos Más Bonitos de España; eldiario.es.
Cover photo (cropped): Garachico. Bengt Nyman, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.