Tenerife information - Resorts - Garachico, Tenerife, Canary Islands

Garachico Map

Garachico Resort Map

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Tenerife information - Garachico, Tenerife, Canary Islands

Garachico is a very picturesque village resort on the Northern coast of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, to the west of Puerto de la Cruz.

At one time Garachico was the main port for the island, important for exporting wine until the harbour was  partially blocked by lava in a volcanic flow in 1706.

See the church of Santa Ana and the rock pools created by the lava flow

Photographs of Garachico church and a previous convent
 
Inglesia Santa Ana                      Convento de San Francisco     

The church of Inglesia Santa Ana and former convent, Convento de San Francisco, stand on either side of the Plaza de la Liberstand.  Inglesia Santa Ana is the towns main  church and was rebuilt after being destroyed in the 1706 eruption. The Convento de San Francisco has a small museum in it. Check out the old wooden balconies as you wander around it's buildings.

There is another small museum on the sea front, Museo Capinteria Antiga.

Inglesia Santa Ana and Convento de San Francisco

As you walk around the town make sure you look out for the beautiful Canarian wooden balconies that many buildings have.

San Miguel Castle (Castillo de San Miguel)

Photograph Castillo de San Miguel, Garachico

The Castillo de San Miguel, a small sturdy fort, was built in the 16th century to guard the important harbour of Garachico from pirates. The Castillo de San Miguel, fort survived the destructive lava flow. Castillo de San Miguel is located on the sea front near Garachico's volcanic rock pools. See the display of rock and fossil collection and enjoy the view from the castles ramparts.

Garachico's Restaurants

There are some good restaurants along Garachico's sea front. Most offer fish and meat dishes and some specialise in sea food.  Also check out the bars and bistros that are both on the sea front and in the town around the plaza. The band stand in the plaza is also a pleasant spot to have a drink and snack where you can sit in the sunshine or in the shade of the trees.

   
Garachico Restaurant with wooden balcony                        Bandstand                      

Garachico's Volcanic Rock pools

Garachico's Volcanic Rock pools were formed when the lava flow of 1706 blocked off the harbour.  Walkways have been paved around the pools, with areas where one can sunbathe or go swimming as long as the sea is not too rough. There are pools of different depths so some are suitable for the kids.  Next to the rock pools is a purpose built open air swimming pool.

Garachico Volcanic Rock Pools

Garachico's Swimming pool

Besides the volcanis sea pools which are very popular for swimming and snorkelling and the concrete pathways around the pool for sunbathing, there is an open air sea water swimming pool about 50 metres to the north west along the seafront.  

More of Garachico's tourist attraction photographs

The statue of Simon Bolivar, a South American hero, whose parents were born in Garachico.

The statue is located in Liberty square, popularly called Plaza de Arriba. On either side of the square stand the Inglesia Santa Ana and the Convento de San Francisco. Within the square the bandstand is located. There are also bronze Bolivarian national shields in the square

The wooden bandstand was built at the beginning of the twentieth century.

In another park like square the Juan Conzalez de la Torre Square with a popular name of Plaza de Abajo. This square contains the famous 'Puerta de Tierra' (the Land Gate) the only remains of the thriving Garachico Port. Built in the 16^th and destroyed in 1706 by the volcanic eruption. In the background of the gate photograph below left, can be seen the old wine press, shown clearly in the the photo below right.

Plaza Juan Gonzalez de la Torre

Door to the Land (Puerta de la Tierra)

The gateway between the deep water Port (Puerto) and the town andd was built along with the port in 1496. The port, the busiest in Tenerife, was buried by a volcanic erupton's lava flow in 1706.

Now the area is a beautiful garden full of trees and an interesting old vine press

Old Vine press (lagar)

Site Map

Photograph of Garachico Tenerife, rock pools, sea front and lava flows

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