Mount Teide

Mount Teide is the highest peak in Spain, a volcano rising 3,715 metres over the island of Tenerife from a vast, surreal caldera of lava fields, twisted rock and desert colours. A UNESCO national park often crowned with snow above a sea of cloud, its otherworldly landscape is reached by a spectacular cable car, with the very summit by permit, and its dark skies are famous for stargazing.

What you'll find

• The summit and cable car - the ride up the volcano and the view from near the top.
• The caldera - the surreal lava fields and rock formations of Las Canadas.
• The sea of clouds - the peak rising above the cloud layer.
• The night skies - the famous stargazing in the clear dark air.

When to go

Year-round; spring and autumn are clearest, winter can bring snow to the peak. The very summit needs a free permit booked ahead. Bring warm layers, as the top is cold even when the coast is hot.

Good to know

The top is cold and thin-aired even when the beaches below are warm, so bring layers. The cable car can close in high wind, and the final summit cone needs a free permit booked well ahead. It is a long drive up from the coast.

Nearby

The resorts and beaches of Tenerife ring the coast; the other Canary Islands are nearby.

Key facts