Holiday apartment in Puerto la Madera: Coast, archaeology and hiking trail

Puerto la Madera is home to the protected Juan Fernández-La Fuentecilla zone, a northwest-facing section of coastal cliffs with an average elevation of around 80 to 100 metres above sea level. At low tide, an extensive marine platform is exposed there, supporting a rich intertidal fauna and seabirds.

TITSA bus route 023 serves Puerto de la Madera on the route between Tacoronte and El Pris. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Puerto la Madera, you can compare travel dates, room categories and cancellation policies on the accommodation pages and consider separately the local highlights that matter to you, from archaeology and coastal paths to seascapes.

Culture and history

Juan Fernández-La Fuentecilla is protected as a Bien de Interés Cultural. The archaeological zone includes caves used by the island’s prehistoric population as dwellings or burial niches. On the coast of Tacoronte, it represents a possibly seasonal prehistoric habitat associated with herding activities and the gathering of marine resources.

The landscape within the zone also has distinctive features: relatively well-preserved and floristically rich tabaibal-cardonal vegetation is widespread there. La Fuentecilla has a narrow, very steeply inclined channel with several springs originating at different elevations. West of the estate are ethnographically interesting washing places made from worked basalt blocks.

The name Puerto de la Madera derives from the coastal settlement’s use in the 16th century as a loading point for timber obtained from the Agua García forest. La Cruz de Juan Fernández is associated with 25 August and the place known as Cruz de Juan Fernández.

Paths by the sea

The El Pris–Mesa del Mar hiking trail is 900 metres long and follows a broad, easily walkable path. In Mesa del Mar, it passes through a tunnel to the promenade beside Las Arenas beach and continues to the charco Sagrero coastal pool at the mouth of the Barranco de Guayonje.

Along the coastal path, you are accompanied by a diverse selection of native flora typical of the Canary Islands coast. There is also a water gallery along the route that supplied the agricultural fields of Puerto de la Madera. The natural swimming pool of El Pris is separated from the open sea by an unobtrusive wall.

Beach and viewpoints

The nearby Playa de las Arenas in Mesa del Mar is a black-sand beach. A small tunnel provides access to Playa de las Arenas. The Mirador Cruz de Juan Fernández offers panoramic views of Tenerife’s north coast and the Atlantic Ocean, as well as views of Mount Teide on clear days.

Other places in the same destination area include San Juan del Reparo, Charco del Pino, La Esperanza, Garachico, Vilaflor, San Juan De La Rambla, Los Realejos and Guaza.

To the main travel overview: Tenerife.