Cactualdea Cactus Park

Peacocks walk the paths between the cactus beds, and ducks and roosters wander loose among them. Around them grow cacti, euphorbias and palms from the Americas, Africa and the Mediterranean, all in the open air at the bottom of a sheltered valley, with no greenhouse over any of it. Mosaics and artworks are set into the garden, and the light shifts across the valley as the day goes on.

Music plays throughout the grounds. A board lists the songs, so a track you liked can be found again once you are home. A cinema runs a film about cacti in three languages, and the wine cellar, café and restaurant turn a walk round the beds into a longer visit.

• The roads into the valley twist through the mountains; if a passenger gets car sick, plan for it.
• Entry is paid, and cards and contactless payments are accepted.
• A café and a restaurant are inside the park, with customer toilets on site.
• Dogs are allowed. Keep them, and small children, clear of the spines along the paths.
• Cacti are on sale to take home, alongside the souvenir shop.

Cactualdea sits at Tocodomán, in the valley of La Aldea de San Nicolás, away from the island's main resort areas. The drive in crosses mountain roads with tight bends that can leave passengers queasy; anyone prone to car sickness should take the front seat.

At the end there is no walk to speak of: a free paved car park for visitors lies about 25 m away, and free street parking is available as well. By bus, the Tocodomán stop is about 230 m away.

Best: in the morning, soon after opening.

Avoid: the middle of a summer day, and arriving close to closing time.

A cactus garden in a sunny valley takes the full force of the midday sun, and the beds, the film and the café all reward an unhurried visit.