TEIDE NATIONAL PARK
Information
There is no charge for entering the park. There are also no fixed opening hours – many people arrive after dark, to observe the stars. There are two information points within the reserve: on the west-north side of El Portillo (tel 922356000; codz. 9.00-16.00), and from the south of Cañada Blanca (tel922373391; codz. 9.00-16.00). You can learn a lot about history in both of them, fauna and flora of the park and get excellent maps with marked hiking routes. In addition, a botanical garden has been created next to the center in El Portillo, in which the plants found in the park are grown.
Communication
The best way to get to the park is by car, which you can also move around within it. The picturesque road offers breathtaking views and allows you to reach the lower station of the Teide cable car, to the parade and several beautiful viewpoints. The entrance to the park is provided by four roads: from the north TF-21 from La Orotava, from the south TF-24 from La Laguna, to the east TF-21 from Wllaflor and to the west TF-38 from Chlo. Tourists are also transported by public transport buses from Puerto de la Cruz (#348; departure from the Puerto de la Cruz bus station at 9.15, return from the stop in front of the parade of Fr. 16.00; 1 at; ok. 5 €) i The Americas (#342 przez Christians; departure for Fr. 9.15, return from the stop in front of the parade of Fr. 16.00; 1 at, 30 min; ok. 5 €).
Accommodation and gastronomy
It is not allowed to camp or have picnics in the park – however, this does not mean, that you can't get a bite to eat or stay overnight. At the heart of the protected area, the luxurious Parador Nacional de Turismo has been built (tel 922374841, fax 922382352, canadas@parador.es, www.parador.es), which – unlike the rest of the network – it is a new building and, in addition, it does not suit its surroundings. The second overnight option, reserved exclusively for walkers, is the Altavista hostel (cl San Francisco 5; tel 922010440, fax 922287837; pn.-pt. 8.00-14.00). An overnight stay in a shelter costs approx. 20 € and must be booked well in advance – there are really many amateurs of admiring the sunrise (Caution, the shelter may be closed after snowfall).
Several restaurants are concentrated along the road that runs through the park, focused exclusively on tourists, therefore the food they serve does not sin with quality or reasonable prices. For a really good meal, you can go to any of the towns on the edge of the park (e.g.. Vilaflor).