Masca village
A hamlet clinging to a volcanic ridge, at the end of a road of tight hairpins.
Duration
2 hrs – 5 hrs
Difficulty
●●●○○
Best time
Early morning
Open
Every day
Entry price
To confirm
Masca is a hamlet of a few dozen people clinging to a volcanic ridge in the Teno massif, at six hundred metres. It was not linked by road until 1991: before that you got there on foot or by mule.
The road up is a run of very tight hairpins along a cliff, and it is as much the attraction as the village. The Masca barranco, a gorge running from there down to the sea, was closed for several years after fatal accidents and reopened in 2021 with compulsory booking and a helmet.
Getting there
An hour's drive from Puerto de la Cruz on the very winding TF-436. Parking in the village is regulated and very limited.
What the price covers
the village is free; the barranco descent to the sea requires a paid booking
Rules on site
The road is narrow, cut into the cliff, with awkward passing places: it is hard going for anyone prone to motion sickness. Walking down the barranco needs an online booking, a helmet and a boat back — it is not a stroll.
