Garachico

Introducing Garachico

A gracious, tranquil town located in a deep valley flanked by forested slopes and a rocky coastline, Garachico has managed to retain its Canarian identity and is one of the few coastal towns where you may still need Spanish to order a beer. There are no big hotels, probably because there is no real beach, though swimming in the natural, volcanic coves along the rocky coast is a rare delight.

Named for the rock outcrop off its shore (gara is Guanche for island, and chico is Spanish for small), Garachico is a peaceful place. You’d never guess the history of calamities that lies behind its whitewashed houses and narrow, cobblestone streets. Garachico was once an important commercial port, but its unlucky inhabitants suffered a series of disasters that all but finished off the hamlet: freak storms, floods, fires, epidemics and, in 1706, a major volcanic eruption that destroyed the port and buried half the town in lava, reduced it to a poor shadow of its former self.

Just outside town, you can hike trails that follow the path of the disastrous lava flow.

The tourist office (922 13 34 61; Calle Esteban de Ponte 5; 10am-3pm Mon-Fri) stocks maps of the town and can advise on casas rurales.

Last updated: Sep 23, 2008