El Lance Viewpoint

From the railing the whole Orotava valley opens out below: villages strung across the slope, farmland between them, and the coast at Puerto de la Cruz beyond. On a clear day Teide stands above the head of the valley.

On the deck stands the statue of Bentor, the last mencey (king) of Taoro. Tradition holds that he leapt from the Tigaiga cliffs, just along from here, when the Castilians took the island, and he is still remembered as a hero on Tenerife.

The deck is usually quiet. Midweek you can have the view to yourself, which suits a long sit with the valley in front of you.

• There are no toilets at the viewpoint, and none nearby.
• The PR TF 41 trail passes about 560 m away; its guidepost gives Playa de El Socorro at 3.5 km and the summit of Teide at 24.3 km.
• The footpath near the deck runs across steep ground on the escarpment; wear proper walking shoes if you set off on it.
• The north side of Tenerife catches the trade-wind cloud, and when it settles on the slopes the valley disappears. Check the sky before driving up.

The deck sits right beside the road through Icod el Alto, so there is no walk to speak of. The car park is about 15 m from the railings, and a flat paved surface runs from the car to the view.

By bus, two stops both named Mirador El Lance lie about 50 m and 80 m away. By bike, it is a climb up from Puerto de la Cruz on the old road through the villages, with the valley opening wider the higher you go.

Best: a clear day, from late morning, once the sun has climbed out of the view to the east.

Avoid: grey days when the cloud sits low on the slopes.

The deck faces east over the valley, so early sun shines straight into your eyes and camera, while the trade-wind cloud that gathers on the north side can hide the valley entirely.