Less than an hour from Santa Cruz, the capital of Tenerife, is the Anaga Massif, a natural and living lung, natural heritage of the Island of Tenerife and Biosphere Reserve. There, Taganana is hidden between cliffs, and its spectacular beaches. And the best thing is that tourists insist on going to the south of the island to sunbathe on its beaches, missing out on this wonder of nature.
What to see in Taganana
The Caserío de Taganana, a small town full of charm in the heart of the Anaga Rural Park, was one of the first settlements founded by the Castilian conquerors. In addition to its spectacular views, which is more than enough reason to visit the town, it has two Assets of Cultural Interest: the church of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, one of the oldest in Tenerife, and the hermitage of Santa Catalina. But beyond the town, the real interest is in its surroundings and its beaches. El Roque de las Bodegas and Almáciga are the closest, but Benijo, the most isolated beach, is undoubtedly the most spectacular.
Anaga Rural Park
There are no shops on Benijo beach. No showers either. There are not dozens of restaurants. Not tourists. And this virgin black sand beach, one of the favorites of chicharreros, is one that few tourists know about. You will find nature in abundance, wild and pure. It is located in the Anaga Rural Park, and it is a beautiful beach. In fact it is beautiful.
It is located between two rocks, Benijo and La Rapadura, and is only 300 meters long, but its volcanic sand is an invitation to spend the day. And the best thing is that it is not the typical beach crowded with people as could happen in the southern part of the island, but just the opposite. So much so that it is a nudist area that is accessed through stairs. Like many wild beaches, the waves are strong and extreme caution is necessary. In fact, when I was there less than a month ago, the trail was closed to the public due to landslides and I could only enjoy it from the spectacular viewpoint.
Benijo Beach Viewpoint
It is located in the northeast of the island of Tenerife, but although, as I said, it is beautiful, perhaps the most beautiful thing is the road that leads to it. From Santa Cruz de Tenerife it is the end of a mountain road that runs through a laurel forest, and from which you have spectacular views of the Atlantic, ravines, peaks and small white towns that overlook the sea. The route by car along the TF-134 road leads to the viewpoint that overlooks the beach, it is absolutely spectacular and there is also a bus service (Titsa line 946) from the Maritime Station of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
It is also worth visiting Roque de las Bodegas, one of the coastal hamlets of Taganana with its beautiful Roque de las Bodegas beach. Although it is the busiest in the area with its 380 meters in length, it is also especially beautiful when the day is cloudy, as was the case when I visited. As it is located at the foot of the cliff of the Anaga massif, the views from below are beautiful even in the fog.
Roque de las Bodegas beach
The third beach, Almáciga, is a meeting place for surfers and, as with Roque de las Bodegas beach, it is a mix of gravel, sand and black sand. Of course, the waves are quite strong throughout the year and you have to be careful if you decide to swim.
Almáciga Beach
Personally, I do not recommend staying in Taganana, but rather staying in Santa Cruz. It is very close and one of the great charms of the Anaga Rural Park is reaching it by road. You can stay at the Barceló Santa Cruz Contemporáneo, a recently renovated city hotel less than an hour from Taganana. This way you can enjoy not only the little coastal town, but also Santa Cruz and the gastronomic offer of the Barceló Santa Cruz Contemporáneo. I recommend that you don't miss its Típicamente Sanabria restaurant and take advantage of another day to watch the sunset on its rooftop with a cocktail. A wonder.
Cocktail bar at Barceló Santa Cruz Contemporary Hotel
Where to eat delicious and cheap in Taganana
Continue the road until the true end of it, Caserio Benijo, 8. There you will find Casa Paca, a restaurant with a Canarian flavor, traditional and absolutely wonderful where you can try everything from potatoes with mojo to a stewed pota, including typical stews from the area such as a delicious stewed goat. They also have freshly caught octopus, stewed rabbit and a cheese to close that big meal in a space that only the locals know.
Facade of Casa Paca
Potatoes with mojo and octopus from Casa Paca
If you eat out, the normal thing is to order at the bar, but it is part of the charm of a non-touristy and very authentic place to which the end of the road takes us, literally. And Paca is charming and a crazy cook.
@guachinchesmodernos There are still places like those that have always been there.😍 And in the paradise of Anaga we have one of them. In the Caserio de Benijo, Doña Paca has been running the business for 45 years. He is 72 years old and it is admirable how he attends to all the visitors who arrive. It is a humble place.😳 All their food is homemade and you can see that they have recipes from yesteryear that any dish they make is delicious ☺️She counts the sum herself, and this gesture gave us a lot of tenderness.🥺 We hadn't been there for a few years but we always remembered the taste of her food, among which for us the octopus, the squid and the rabbit cannot be missed.😋 ♻️There were 5 of us We ordered: 👉1/2 Potas €6 (brutal) 👉1/2 Meat in sauce €6.5 👉1/2 Goat Meat €6.5 👉1 whole octopus €24 👉Dessert €3.50 each 👉Drink, coffee and donut 👉Total 54 euros 💳They told us They did have a dataphone. It has a terrace with some tables and two dining rooms. ⚠️It is essential not to go in any hurry, since sometimes Doña Paca is alone serving the tables. ❌They do not take reservations 📍Caserio de Benijo 8 ⏰Open every day from 10:00 to 21:00 ☎️ 922 590 244 ♿️ There is a step at the entrance but there are 2 tables outside that are accessible. 🅿️ It has its own parking 🐶 Petfriendly on the terrace ⛰️This place is ideal to eat after hiking since many routes through Anaga begin and end here. ⛱️ It also has spectacular beaches such as Benijo or Roque Las Bodegas. . #taganana #benijo #anaga #tenerife #canarianislands #hiking #beach #eating #food #canarianfood
♬ SAD FACE – Ana Mena & Emilia
You could also go to El Mirador de Benijo, which is located right at the point where you park before going down to the beach. They have fresh fish and spectacular views of the sea, but it is only open from Monday to Friday during meal times and is closed on weekends.
In Roque de las Bodegas there is the La Ola Restaurant with creative cuisine made from local products, but again, it is only open from Monday to Friday during meal times so the best option, and the one that I myself recommend, is Casa Paca.
What to do around Taganana
The most interesting thing is hiking through the Anaga Rural Park and enjoying routes such as the Afur – Taganana trail, a 14-kilometer circular route of medium difficulty, which takes about seven hours. The path begins in the Afur square and descends through the ravine of the same name until it almost reaches Tamadite beach. Then it ascends to the Caserío del Chorro and the town of Taganana and returns to Afur along the Inchirés road.
Another hiking route runs through the three black sand beaches of the Anaga massif (Roque de las Bodegas, Almáciga and Benijo), but it is demanding, with a positive slope of 1151 meters and a distance of 16.3 km. If you want something lighter, try the Las Escaleras – Las Carboneras route, just three kilometers long and without major climbs, which descends along the Escaleras path and reaches Las Carboneras to connect with Chinamada.
The best thing is that you can enjoy a complete plan that begins with a hiking route that goes into the forest, that includes a stop for lunch at Casa Paca and ends the day on the beach, watching the sunset. An appealing plan all year round.
