In Spain there are truly incredible towns that are worth discovering. There is a hamlet hidden between mountains which has been nicknamed the «Spanish Machu Picchu». It is located in the Canary Islandsspecifically in Tenerife. Do you want to know what town it is?
The ‘Spanish Machu Picchu’ is in Tenerife
The most visited rural hamlet in Tenerife is Masca and only about 90 people live there. This town belongs to the municipality of Buenavista del Norte and is located in the middle Teno massif in an idyllic enclave in the middle of nature, 750 meters above sea level.
Masca was a narrow and lost corner of civilization. Electricity arrived not long ago and the roads were just dusty roads. For some years there was only one means of communication with the outside: the Way of the Guanches. This route connected this hamlet with Santiago del Teide.
The small houses of Masca are lined up on the ridges of the mountains. From the Cherfe Viewpointlocated on the road that arrives from Santiago del Teide you can see this little Tenerife town.
What to see in Masca?
Tourists who visit Masca are impressed by the natural beauty of the surroundings. The farmhouse offers craft shops, bars and restaurants. Furthermore, it is declared Asset of Cultural Interest with the category of Historical Site and this importance is reflected in the town’s Ethnographic Museum.
In Masca you can see the oldest of its buildings, the house of the Alinked in the hamlet of Piedra or a small church from the 18th century. This place brings together the charms of Teno Rural Park and the traditional architecture of the Canary Islands. If you want to see other hamlets in the surrounding area you can go to El Palmar, Las Portelas and Teno Alto.
For hiking lovers, you can do one of the most popular and impressive routes in Tenerife, the Masca ravine. It is approximately 4 kilometers long and has a gradient of 580 meters. This path runs through one of the oldest areas of the Canary Islands, with seven million years of history.
How to get to Masca?
You can reach Masca by car from Santiago del Teide or from Buenavista del Norte. The route is short, but be careful because the road is narrow, twisty, and you can frequently come across buses (guaguas). The first option will avoid a long stretch of curves, although the second will guarantee views of the cliffs. If you want to go by public transport, you can take bus lines 355 and 365 from different points on the island.
