Agaete & Puerto de las Nieves

Introducing Agaete & Puerto de las Nieves

The town of Agaete, 10km southwest of Gáldar, is a relaxing small place with a handful of seafood restaurants and some low-key sights. Nearby, Puerto de las Nieves was the island’s principal port until the 19th century and is now the terminal for the ferry to Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It’s nothing to go overboard about, and the beaches are small, black and pebbly, but the buildings, with their brilliant blue trim against dazzling white stucco, look as though they have been transplanted from some Greek island. There are also several unpretentious and good seafood restaurants by the port, mainly frequented by locals in the know.

Just in from the beach is the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción. Built in 1874, it is strikingly Mediterranean in style. Inside are two parts of a 16th-century Flemish triptych by Joos van Cleve. The centre panel is preserved in the nearby chapel, Ermita de las Nieves.

Around Agaete the coast takes on a sterner countenance than further north. From the jetty you can see the see the stump of the Dedo de Dios (God’s Finger), a basalt monolithic rock that was a serious tourist attraction until it took a tumble in a 2005 hurricane. Take a look at the photos outside its namesake restaurant.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009