In this fourth and final blog about the smaller Canary Islands, it is time for El Hierro, the smallest Canary Island. We will take you again on a virtual road trip and show you the best places to visit in El Hierro. Here are all our travel tips.
This blog is written by Ella and Geert, who asked Traveltomtom to share their passion for traveling to the lesser known Canary Islands through a series of guest blog post about La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro.
- Arriving at El Hierro
- Valverde: first impressions of the island
- Mirador de La Peña - Drive into another world
- El Golfo - Lava fields
- La Frontera - stunning vineyards
- El Hierro West coast
- Playa del Verodal & El Sabinar
- Faro de Orchilla - End of the world
- La Restinga – Amazing Scuba Diving
- Mirador de Roque de Bonanza
Arriving at El Hierro
El Hierro can also be reached by boat and plane. If you want to go by plane, this is only possible from the other Canary Islands and then via Tenerife is the best option. But for El Hierro too, it is best and most fun to take the boat from Tenerife. It takes 2 hours and departs from Tenerife in Los Cristianos and arrives in El Hierro in the port of Puerto de la Estaca, on the north-east side of the island.
El Hierro is also a volcanic island, but with a very special shape. It is a volcano of which the 'half' has partly risen out of the water. A high mountain ridge of the volcano actually forms the southeastern side of the island and on the northwestern side the island slides into the sea via the El Golfo valley. You really have to see it to understand this.
El Hierro is a raw, wonderfully raw tourist destination in every way. The landscape, the nature, the people, it is all raw in a breathtakingly authentic and warm way. A wonderful island!
Puerto de la Estaca
When you arrive by boat on El Hierro, you immediately feel that this island is different. You arrive by ferry from Tenerife in the port of Puerto de La Estaca, a somewhat sleepy port that greets you on quiet days with the soft sound of rippling water and the fresh sea breeze. No mass tourism, no crowds, only pure tranquility and the promise of untouched nature.
El Hierro immediately invites you for a road trip that takes you to it's hidden treasures. Ready for a relaxing counter-clockwise ride across this island? Let's go!
Valverde: first impressions of the island
The adventure begins as soon as you leave the port, and decide to first drive a bit along the east coast via the HI-2 to Valverde, the capital of the island. Valverde is only 7 kilometers from La Estaca, and the drive up takes you along winding roads with immediately great views over the ocean.
Valverde is not a bustling town, but that is precisely what makes it so attractive. There are only 7000 people living on El Hierro, so that gives you an idea of the lack of hustle and bustle. Valverde is a sleepy town with white houses and narrow streets. Here you can relax and drink a very good coffee on a terrace for a euro, while enjoying the view of the surrounding green hills.
Take your time to stroll through the streets and feel the relaxed atmosphere that hangs in the air everywhere.
Be sure to visit the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, the beautiful church in Valverde, which dates back to the 18th century. Here you can feel the soul of El Hierro, far removed from the modern world.
From Valverde you can also head 'inland' to the lush laurel forest of El Pinar, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve known for it's rare flora and fauna. This fairytale forest seems to come from another world on this relatively small island and is perfect for a short, invigorating walk.
Mirador de La Peña - Drive into another world
Before continuing along the north coast on the HI-5, it's nice to take a short detour to the coastal town of Tamaduste, small, picturesque and with wonderful views over the sea.
Then continue along the northern coastline towards the famous Mirador de La Peña, one of El Hierro's most iconic viewpoints and best places to visit.
But before you visit Mirador de La Peña definitely take a detour to Pozo de los Calcosas almost at the northern tip of the island. Here you will find a number of 'natural' swimming pools in the sea where it is wonderful to take a dip.
Even if you don't feel like taking a refreshing dip, Pozo de los Calcosas is great to visit, if only to walk along the rocks and see the sea splashing on the rocks.
As mentioned one of the highlights of El Hierro is Mirador de la Pena and it can be reached by taking the HI-1 exit from the HI-5. Designed by the famous architect César Manrique from the Canary Islands, this viewpoint offers a breathtaking panorama of the rugged coastline of El Golfo, a huge valley formed by the impact crater that gives the island its characteristic shape.
The glass windows of the restaurant built into the Mirador ensure that you can enjoy the spectacular view while you have a delicious lunch. Taste the local cheeses and fresh fish here, while in the distance you see the volcanic cliffs rising from the Atlantic Ocean.
Take your time here to simply absorb the beauty of El Hierro.
El Golfo - Lava fields
After visiting Mirador de la Pena take the HI-10 back to the HI-5 and continue along the coast. The HI-5 runs along the coast and goes into a tunnel and at the end of the tunnel you drive straight into the El Golfo valley. Prepare yourself for a great view when you drive out of the tunnel, this is really an experience in itself.
El Golfo is the large, fertile valley surrounded by steep volcanic cliffs. There is an almost surreal atmosphere here. The landscape can really be called dramatic, with black lava fields, lush fields and old, winding vines that cling to the ground.
This area is a paradise for hikers and nature lovers. Immediately after the tunnel you can take the exit to Las Puntas on the northwest coast and visit the best hotel in El Hierro, hotel Puntagrande, a small hotel that is almost nestled in the ocean.
It is a boutique style hotel with a few 'small' rooms but the location and style are unique. From the valley you actually look at the volcanic wall that characterizes El Hierro. And from the valley you can take various hikes, and through the valley and up the volcanic wall.
La Frontera - stunning vineyards
Next place to visit on your El Hierro road trip should be the village of La Frontera, small and charming and known for it's vineyards. The wine growing here, where grapes grow on the volcanic soil, is special, and it is definitely worth tasting a bottle of local wine. Of course you combine this with some local tapas and you have the perfect relaxing moment that defines what a road trip in El Hierro is all about.
From La Frontera you can also visit the small cute church Iglesia de la Virgen de la Candelaria. It is a small and beautifully situated church, which also gives you great views from the church.
Also visit the Eco museum of Guinea, an open-air museum where you can learn more about the traditional way of life on El Hierro. The museum consists of a series of old houses that show the architecture of the island through the centuries. You will also get a chance to learn more about the reptiles of El Hierro, especially the rare giant rhinoceros lizard, a unique species that has found refuge on this island.
El Hierro West coast
The drive along the northwest coast and west coast from Las Puntas to Arenas Blancas via the H-500 is incredibly beautiful. Arenas Blancas is the northwest tip of the island and a volcanic outcrop and plain where you can walk endlessly with great views. It is also one of the great places to camp wild with your van if you go to El Hierro with your van.
Yes, you can take your own van to El Hierro. There are ferries from mainland Spain to Tenerife and from there to the smaller islands.
Along the coast you will pass several natural sea pools such as La Maceta, Los Sargos or Charco Azul. These are also the places where the locals seek and find their relaxation. A few kilometers before Arenas Blancas is the small village of Pozo de la Salud on the coast. We once used this as a base for a week when we stayed on El Hierro for 5 weeks.
What you will see a lot on this side of the island are paragliders. El Hierro is ideally suited for this activity due to it's location and landscape. You can easily book a tandem flight with one of the many professionals on the island. The great thing about paragliding on El Hierro is that you fly over the mountains, the volcano, the valley and the ocean.
Playa del Verodal & El Sabinar
The road trip continues along the west coast of El Hierro, to the most remote part of the island. After you have 'turned the corner' at Arenas Blancas, the first stop is Playa del Verodal, one of the few beaches on the island with reddish volcanic sand. This beach is beautiful and remote, between cliffs that rise from the sea.
The sea can be a bit rougher here, so swimming is not always safe, but a quiet walk along the beach or just enjoying the surroundings is also recommended.
From Playa del Verodal it is a short drive to El Sabinar, an area famous for it's old, twisted juniper trees. These trees are bent into bizarre shapes by the island's constant winds, and the result is an almost otherworldly landscape. The trees seem to dance in the wind, giving the landscape a mystical atmosphere. This is a beautiful spot for photographers and nature lovers alike
Faro de Orchilla - End of the world
After visiting Playa del Verodal and El Sabinar, it's time to drive to one of the island's most iconic spots: the Faro de Orchilla, the old lighthouse that was once considered the 'end of the world'. This is the westernmost point of Spain, and the feeling of solitude and freedom that you experience here is truly palpable. The lighthouse is located on a volcanic plateau and offers a beautiful view of the endless Atlantic Ocean.
Don't forget to watch the sunset here – it's one of the most beautiful places on the island to end the day. Incidentally, almost all places along the northwest or west coast are iconic for catching the sunset.
La Restinga – Amazing Scuba Diving
Via the HI-500, the HI-400 and the HI-4 you will finally arrive in La Restinga, a small fishing village on the southern tip of the island, which is known as one of the best diving locations in Spain. Even if you don't scuba dive, it is nice to spend an afternoon here.
You can take a boat trip and admire the underwater life of the Marine Reserve of El Hierro, or simply enjoy a delicious meal with fresh fish in one of the local restaurants at the harbour.
The end of the road trip on El Hierro is approaching and ends as it began – calmly, with the wind in your hair and the sea at your side along the east coast on the HI-4.
Mirador de Roque de Bonanza
But before you take the boat back in La Estaca it is time to explore the last bit of the east coast. From the Hi-4 you take the HI-1 and HI-2 back towards Valverde and at La Estaca you descend a bit further along the east coast and via the village of Timijiraque you arrive at the Mirador de Roque de Bonanza, a mighty beautiful viewpoint where you can admire the eastern side of the volcano wall and the ocean in one.
El Hierro has shown you that you don't have to travel far from Europe to reach the most unspoilt and special places in the world. El Hierro might be small, but the impact it leaves behind is great. Whether you walk through the laurel forests, look out over the rugged cliffs of El Golfo, or simply enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of La Restinga, this island will always stay with you as a raw oasis of peace and beauty in the Atlantic Ocean.