9 Best Sights in Canary Islands, Spain

Wine and food lovers shouldn't miss this wine museum and tasting room, opened by the Canary Islands' government to promote local vintners. The surprisingly well-appointed museum, which describes local grapes, viticultural methods, and history, has English-language placards; reasonably priced tastings in various formats are held in the abutting bar area, and you can buy your favorite bottle in the shop. The complex also has a tapas bar and a restaurant with creative Canarian fare and a curious little honey museum with exhibits and tastings. Casa del Vino lies about halfway between Puerto de la Cruz and Tenerife North Airport, at the El Sauzal exit on the main highway.

This park includes the volcano itself and the Cañadas del Teide, a violent jumble of volcanic leftovers from El Teide and the neighboring Pico Viejo. The last eruption here was in 1909. Within the park you can find blue-tinged hills (the result of a process called hydrothermal alteration); spiky, knobby rock protrusions; and lava in varied colors and textures. The bizarre, photogenic rock formations known as Los Roques de García are especially memorable; a two-hour trail around these rocks—one of 30 well-marked hikes inside the park—is a highlight. Visit in late May or early June to see the crimson, horn-shaped tajinaste flowers in bloom, a dramatic sight.

You enter the Parque Nacional del Teide at El Portillo. Exhibits at the visitor center explain the region's natural history; a garden outside labels the flora found within the park. The center also offers trail maps, video presentations, guided hikes, and bus tours. A second park information center is located near Los Roques de García beside the Parador Nacional Cañadas del Teide.

This museum is the leader in contemporary art on the islands due to its sleek low-rise design and avant-garde exhibitions. Designed by the Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, it's next to the Museo de la Naturaleza. Expect 20th- and 21st-century art with a political or sociological bent. TEA's crown jewel is the hall dedicated to Tinerfeño surrealist artist Óscar Domínguez.

CAAM has earned a name for curating some of the best avant-garde shows in Spain, with a year-round calendar of exhibitions. The excellent permanent collection includes Canarian art from the 1930s and 1940s and works by the well-known Lanzarote artist César Manrique. The center, open until 9 pm, also has a fine collection of contemporary African art.

This bizarre green lagoon, which looks like something out of a sci-fi thriller, is situated at the outer limits of Timanfaya National Park just uphill from El Golfo. It gets its radioactive hue from its sulfuric content and Ruppia maritima seagrass. It's forbidden to walk to the lake as it's within the reserve, but there's a viewpoint that's clearly marked at the turnoff to El Golfo where you can snap some excellent photos, especially at sunset.  Wear grippy shoes and watch your step, as there are no guardrails around the viewpoint.

Destroyed by Dutch attackers in 1599, this chapel was rebuilt in the 17th century. Inside is a fine baroque altarpiece with rich gold leaf and wooden details. The chapel is generally open only before and after Mass.

This 14-room, two-story gallery on Plaza Príncipe de Asturias is lined with canvases by Breughel, Coecke, and Ribera as well as other famed works created between the 16th and 20th centuries. Many depict local events. 

Ride the guagua (city bus) to this park, where you can visit the Museo Néstor, home to neoclassical and modernist works by brothers Miguel (architect) and Néstor (artist) Martín Fernández. There's also a kids' play area and cultural center with temporary exhibitions. On the way there, stop off at the neighboring Parque Doramas (stops are listed on big yellow signs; buses 2, 3, and 12 generally cover the entire city) to peek at the elegant Santa Catalina Hotel. Next to the Parque Doramas is the Pueblo Canario, a model village with typical Canarian architecture.

Lava flows formed these seaside natural pools, to which stairs, paths, and railings have been added for easy access. There's a pleasant café selling drinks and snacks and a conventional swimming pool that comes in handy when the surf is rough. Far from luxurious or exclusive, the pools are owned by the town and popular with born-and-bred Tinerfeños of all ages.