Anaga Rural Park

Mist hangs between the trees at Cruz del Carmen, and the cloud never sits still: a ridge shows, fades, then shows again. The laurel forest is wet and green, moss on the trunks, the air damp and cool, and the whole place feels a world away from Tenerife's coast.

The ground underfoot is the oldest on the island, raised by volcanic activity 7 to 9 million years ago. Anaga has been a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2015 and holds the greatest concentration of endemic species in Europe. Waymarked trails leave straight from Cruz del Carmen into the forest. The massif also keeps Guanche burial caves, source of the Mummy of San Andrés, and its own folklore: at El Bailadero, legend puts the Witches of Anaga dancing round a bonfire.

• The car park at Cruz del Carmen fills by mid-morning; arrive early to get a space and a quieter trail.
• Mobile signal is often absent on the trails, so download your maps for offline use before setting out.
• Dress in layers and pack rain gear: the forest starts cool and damp, and the climbs warm you fast.
• Wear shoes with good grip; the stairs and steep sections turn slippery after rain.
• Staff at the visitor centre help you pick a trail, and there are free toilets at Cruz del Carmen.

Cruz del Carmen, on the TF-12 at the southwestern end of the massif, is where most visits begin. You arrive by car or by bus: a stop named Cruz del Carmen lies about 60 m away, and a free car park sits right by the visitor area.

Nothing much remains on foot before the forest. An information board for the Sendero de los Sentidos stands about 20 m away, and several waymarked trails set off from the same spot, so you can leave the car and be under the trees straight away.

Best: early morning, on a dry day.

Avoid: mid-morning onwards at Cruz del Carmen, and the days right after heavy rain.

The car park fills by mid-morning and rain leaves the stairs and steep sections slippery, so a dry, early start gets you both a space and sure footing.

Anaga is a protected rural park and, since 2015, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, with the greatest concentration of endemic species in Europe. Keep to the waymarked trails, and leave plants, rocks and anything from the archaeological sites where you find them. Dogs are allowed in the park.