Valverde on El Hierro: Church, Garoé and Volcanic Landscapes

Valverde on El Hierro begins with an unusual founding story: the Villa de Valverde was founded at the beginning of the 15th century and, after the pirate attacks subsided, remained inland instead of being relocated to the coast.

Townscape and Location

The cobbled streets of the Villa de Valverde lead to buildings such as the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, the Ayuntamiento, the Centro Etnográfico Casa de Las Quinteras and the Casa del Conde. The Villa de Valverde is easily accessible by road and is located near El Hierro Airport.

Culture and History

The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción has three naves, a stone façade and the largest bell in the Canary Islands. Its 18th-century Baroque architecture includes an altarpiece with the Immaculate Conception, sacred art and a clock of French origin that was donated in 1867. The church and its tower are part of a religious tour open to visitors.

The Centro Etnográfico Casa de Las Quinteras is a restored former residence of the Las Quinteras family in the Villa de Valverde. Historical exhibits, ethnographic collections from the island and pre-Hispanic ceramics are displayed in four rooms. The boutique sells locally made handicrafts.

During the Bajada de la Virgen de los Reyes, held every four years, the residents of El Hierro carry the Virgin from her sanctuary to Valverde. The Fiesta de Tesine is a traditional festival in the Tesine neighbourhood of Valverde on El Hierro and, during this Bajada, forms part of the route of the Virgen de los Reyes, an event held in honour of the island’s patron saint. Echedo is considered a wine-growing area of the municipality; it is home to old wooden wine presses, some of which have been restored.

Landscape and Trails

Hoya de Fireba is the best-preserved of only three calderas of this type; a restored path provides access to its interior. The Paisaje Protegido de Ventejís lies within the municipality of Valverde, covers 1,143 hectares and contains dry-stone walls and dry-stone structures typical of the island.

The Camino de Jinama runs between the municipalities of Valverde and La Frontera and follows the historic access route to El Golfo. The Ruta de La Llanía begins in Valverde in the northeast of El Hierro and leads through various island landscapes with forest, black volcanic sand and the area before El Golfo.

The Centro de Interpretación del Garoé presents the history of the site of Garoé. Garoé was sacred to the Bimbaches because it condensed the moisture carried by the trade winds, thereby becoming the only available source of water. The Garoé area is open to visitors.

Sea and Water

Within the municipality of Valverde, La Caleta offers a seafront promenade and seawater pools. The natural swimming pool at Tamaduste is suitable for swimming as well as diving and paddleboarding; improvement works make access easier for people with reduced mobility.

Other places: Erese, Isora.

To the higher-level travel overview: El Hierro.

More Destinations

More places within the same destination:

Mocanal, Frontera, Taibique, El Pinar De El Hierro.