Article primarily for tourists planning to visit here for leisure. I’ll tell you everything you need to know about the mountains and volcanoes in the Canary Islands. Some fear eruptions, while others love mountain hiking and want to peer into the crater of a real volcano. You’ll learn where dormant volcanoes are, where active ones are, how long ago they erupted, and what potential dangers exist today.
Mountains in the Canary Islands: General Information
Briefly and succinctly, let’s delve into the geology of the Canary Islands to understand why there are so many volcanoes and mountains on the islands.
- The Canary Islands are located on the African tectonic plate. They are just 100 km from Africa and over 1000 km from Europe. So, geographically, the Canaries are Africa, but in reality, they belong to Spain and Europe. More details on this and many other interesting facts in the article: where the Canaries are located on the world map.
- The Canary Islands are far from the edges of the African tectonic plate, about 800 km away.
- Moreover, beneath the islands lies a fracture in the plate, through which magma emerges to the surface. This is known as intraplate volcanism.
It’s important to know and understand:
It is at the junctions of two tectonic plates, when one plate meets another, that strong earthquakes occur and mountains are formed. Many also believe that if there are active volcanoes, it indicates a seismic danger zone where strong earthquakes and tsunamis can occur. This is partly true, but not everywhere.
The situation in the Canary Islands is as follows: it is a region with very low seismic activity because it is far from the edge of the tectonic plate. Yes, earthquakes are recorded here, but they are not strong, all of them are associated only with volcanic activity, not with the movement of tectonic plates.
However, volcanic and geothermal activity here is heightened, as there is a fracture directly beneath the archipelago through which magma can reach the surface.
A seismic hazard region is not the same as a region with volcanic activity!
History of the islands’ formation:
The Canary Islands emerged approximately 70 million years ago as a result of underwater volcanic eruptions in this part of the ocean. All the islands and mountains are of volcanic origin.
Volcanoes in the Canary Islands
Now let me tell you about the main volcanoes in the Canary Islands, which are extinct and which are not. I’ll also include any interesting facts about the volcanoes.
- Teide – the main volcano in the Canary Islands and beyond, located on the island of Tenerife. It is a dormant volcano and shows no activity today. It is the highest peak in all of Spain – 3718 meters above sea level. The last major eruption was in 1909. In 1706, an eruption of Teide destroyed the town of Garachico. Technically, the eruption occurred not from Teide’s main crater but from the Trevejo crater, but it’s essentially one entity. Today, the town has been rebuilt and is a popular tourist attraction.
What to see in Tenerife, the coolest tourist spots.
Useful to know:
Teide volcano poses no threat today as it sleeps. It is believed that Teide awakens approximately once every 10,000 years. Also, the height of Teide from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean is 7,500 meters, making it the highest mountain in the Atlantic Ocean.
- Pico Viejo, also known as Montaña Chahorra, a stratovolcano on Tenerife. Its height is 3125 meters above sea level. It is located in the same area as Teide and technically is part of it. The last eruption was in 1798. It is the second-highest peak in the Canary Islands. Today, the volcano poses no threat. You can hike to the crater, which has a diameter of 800 meters. But more on that later.
On the islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, all the volcanoes are extinct; in fact, there are no mountains higher than 1000 meters. The last eruption on Fuerteventura was over 130,000 years ago. Let me tell you a bit more about Lanzarote:
- The eruption of Timanfaya (remember this name) began on Lanzarote in 1730 and lasted for 6 years. The fissure was over 14 km long, and lava erupted from 30 craters. Lava covered almost 30% of the island, reaching over 50 meters in height in many places. Today, the site of the eruption is the Timanfaya National Park, where you can see lava fields, volcano craters, and a bonus for tourists, which I’ll explain below.
- On the island of La Gomera and Gran Canaria, all the volcanoes have long been extinct.
And now, the most interesting part: about the volcanoes in the Canary Islands, specifically on the island of La Palma. Most tourists only know about Teide and ask me questions about its eruption on Tenerife. But Teide is a bunny compared to the volcanoes of La Palma. Here’s what you need to know:
- The island of La Palma is located northwest, about 70 km from Tenerife.
- Today, practically the entire island is an active volcano. Underground pressure is rising, magma is rising to the surface, and a super volcano is forming. Scientists predict that a major eruption could occur sometime this century.
- There are around 30 active volcanoes on the island.
- The last major eruption occurred very recently – in 2021, the Cumbre Vieja volcano erupted. The volcano erupted for 85 days, resulting in the evacuation of 3 villages and one town.
- The resort town of Puerto Naos was completely evacuated and closed for 3 years due to the formation of toxic gases when lava entered the ocean. It reopened only in February 2024. There’s a really cool urban beach with black volcanic sand there, highly recommended.
- In 1971, there was a major eruption of the Teneguía volcano in the southern part of La Palma. Today, it’s also an active volcano.
- From 1915 to 1920, the largest eruption in modern history in this region occurred: the eruption of the Taburiente volcano on the island of La Palma. It destroyed 35 villages and 4 towns completely. Today, in the crater’s place – the explosion was heard 200 km away – there’s a huge caldera 8 km in diameter. And now there’s the Caldera de Taburiente National Park.
As seen, the most active volcanoes are on La Palma, and they’re not dormant here; they erupt several times in 100 years. And the eruption of the super volcano forming under the Cumbre Vieja ridge in the southern part of the island, marked with arrows and ovals in the photo above, could completely destroy the island.
Mountain locations for tourists: hiking, excursions, lava fields, volcanoes, vineyards
Here’s a list of cool locations for those interested in mountains, volcanoes in the Canary Islands, and everything related to them. I’ll list them briefly and provide links for more detailed information.
- Teide and Pico Viejo volcanoes on Tenerife. This is now a national park with plenty of hiking trails, lava fields, a cable car straight to the top of Teide, Los Roques de García, and more. This place is a must-visit for anyone arriving on the island. A comprehensive review of Teide National Park, with lots of useful information on how to buy a cable car ticket and hike to the summit.
- Timanfaya National Park on the island of Lanzarote. Check out the lava fields, peer into the volcano craters (from the bus window). Walking alone inside the national park is prohibited. And the most interesting thing: this is where the El Diablo restaurant is located, right on one of the craters. The volcano is extinct, but there’s still geothermal activity here, and they barbecue right on the volcano. A review of the best attractions on the island of Lanzarote, including El Diablo and prices.
- On the slopes of volcanoes, on the black volcanic soil of the same Lanzarote, there’s a mega-cool wine region. There are unique vineyards where the vines grow differently from what we’re used to. And there are about 10 private wineries where you can taste and buy local Malvasia wine. Highly recommended for wine lovers. More details in the article: alcohol in the Canaries for tourists.
- For active tourists who love hiking, beautiful views, and mountains, I recommend choosing the islands of La Gomera and La Palma for their vacation. There are dozens of hiking routes through the mountains, each more beautiful than the last. If you want more information about this, here are two great articles
- What to see and do on La Gomera Island.
- A list of the best activities and attractions on La Palma Island. There you’ll learn about the eight-kilometer caldera of the Taburiente volcano and how to get there.
Interesting to know:
La Palma and La Gomera are the greenest islands in the archipelago. Here are the most beautiful mountains and picturesque hiking trails.
- The highest peak on the island of La Palma is the Roque de los Muchachos (2426 meters). There’s an ideal astroclimate here for stargazing. This is where some of the largest astrophysical laboratories and telescopes in the world are located. You can drive here and see everything with your own eyes. There are even night and star-gazing tours.
Where is the risk of volcanic activity today?
As you’ve already understood, the volcanoes on Tenerife pose no danger today. The most dangerous region in terms of potential volcano eruption is the island of La Palma.
It’s important to know:
Today, a super volcano is forming under the island of La Palma, where the pressure is already several times higher than normal and continues to rise. Over the past hundred years, there have been 3 major eruptions, and there will be more. Moreover, according to scientists’ forecasts, this will be the most powerful eruption, stronger than all previous ones, even stronger than the eruption of Taburiente, when 35 villages and 4 towns were destroyed, and an 8 km caldera was formed from the explosion.
But I want to reassure everyone immediately, the island is not dangerous for tourists. You can confidently fly here for a vacation. Here are a few facts:
- Any eruption is preceded by seismic activity over several weeks.
- Today, scientists can determine when a volcano is awakening. Sometimes this happens 4-5 days before the eruption, sometimes 2 months.
- The eruption of Cumbre Vieja in 2021 began 5 days after scientists declared an orange alert. Residents were evacuated and three towns were closed. More than 10,000 buildings and structures were destroyed by the volcano, and there was only 1 death: a local resident entered a restricted area and died from a collapsed roof.
Even if any volcano starts showing activity, you’ll have plenty of time to leave the island safely. Modern methods allow us to know about all volcano awakenings well in advance.
In conclusion: mountains and volcanoes in the Canary Islands are an integral part of vacationing here. All the islands here are of volcanic origin, and there are mountains everywhere. For active tourists, I recommend the islands of La Gomera and La Palma, for those seeking exotic experiences – Lanzarote and barbecue from a volcano crater. And for achievers, of course, the highest peak in Spain – Teide volcano and a three-thousand-meter peak to add to your achievements.
Useful links to help you plan your dream trip to Canary Islands:
- Car Rental: LocalRent or DiscoverCars – the most popular car rental platforms.
- Accommodation:
- Trip.com – the largest accommodation booking platform.
- or TripAdvisor – to compare prices among other platforms and choose the best one.
- Budget-friendly vacation packages to Spain and Canary Islands: CheapOair.
- Tours and activities: GetYourGuide or Viator – hundreds of offers, whales and dolphins, entrance tickets with discounts.
- eSIM and internet: Airalo.
- Flights: WayAway compares prices among dozens of companies.
- Travel Insurance: EKTA.