One of Europe's best road trips: A stunning scenic drive to Mount Teide in Tenerife

Heading south high-up on the TF-21 road towards Mount Teide in Tenerife - one of the best drives I've ever done!

This blog is mainly about hiking - but I had to share some info on one of the best drives I've ever done on a recent holiday in Tenerife up to Mount Teide (Spains tallest mountain and the 3rd highest Volcano in the world). I really recommend doing the drive on the TF-24 road from north to south - as it's a gentler ride up towards the extinct volcano this way with amazing views of Teide around every bend. And the views coming back south down the TF-24 and TF-21 towards the popular tourist resorts of Los Cristianos and Playa Las Americas are equally as stunning. This map shows the exact route from the key points in the National Park from Lomo Pelado in the north to Vilaflor in the south. It's 72km and can be done in 1.5hrs - but will take longer as you should make frequent stops along the route, whether at the various viewing points or even to do some hikes or stop off for a drink or food at El Portillo for example :-) You can (and will of course) extend this route to get from and to wherever you are based - but the highlighted section above and below is where the photos on the rest of this blog were taken. 

This map shows some of the topography of the driving route.

Driving on the TF-24 towards Mount Teide

Note all these photos were taken from Google street view - but I just had to sleet a few to give you a feel for the ride and to inspire you to do the same. As you will see a lot of the route is quite green and lush until you get higher up in the rocky Caldera where it becomes other worldly.

Heading south high-up on the TF-21 road towards Mount Teide in Tenerife - one of the best drives I've ever done!