Every paradise has hidden treasures and wonders to discover and, as our fortunate residents well know, our luxury resort on Tenerife island is no exception. One of the most astounding features of our island is its unique volcanic landscape, filled with places that are simply stunning, and one of these is located a short distance from our exclusive properties: La Cueva del Viento (the Cave of the Wind). It is the largest volcanic tube in the European Union, and one of the great natural subterranean marvels of the world. Today we invite you down into the depths of the Earth to learn more about this treasure, hidden in the skirts of the Teide volcano for millennia.
La Cueva del Viento, the geological jewel of the Teide
To get to La Cueva del Viento from our luxury properties on Tenerife island, you’ll need to drive towards the north of the island about 40 kilometers until you arrive in the municipality of Icod de los Vinos, close to the Teide National Park. There, among the steep streets of Icod, just next to a parking area, you’ll find the Visitor’s Centre of La Cueva del Viento and the entrance to the cave.
Before you begin your journey, realize that what you are about to see is unique. La Cueva del Viento is the longest volcanic tube in Europe, and the fifth longest in the world after four in Hawaii. Its depth is more than 17 kilometers, and the interior is home to a multitude of beautiful subterranean passageways. It formed over 27,000 years ago from basaltic lava during the eruption of the Pico Viejo volcano, and the cascades that were emitted were very fluid and great in number. The result was the creation of a network of staggered galleries at different heights, a phenomenon that cannot be observed anywhere else in the world.
From the Visitors’ Centre, after taking in some interesting information accompanied by illustrated panels in multiple languages, your guide will bring you to the mouth of the cave in the volcano’s hillside. Get ready to walk through cylindrical tunnels as you gaze upon impressive stalactites, lava cascades, natural terraces, and lava lakes illuminated only by the lanterns of the experts who will accompany you on your journey and explain what happened to bring about these rarest of natural formations.
But that’s not all. In the pitch blackness of this cave lies a hidden trove of fauna: over 190 unique species, the majority invertebrates. It seems that they have been the only inhabitants of this cave, as the many uncovered fossils from Canary Islands prehistory testify.
La Cueva del Viento isn’t the typical cave tourism route with stalactites and stalagmites lit with garish colours and filled with gangways and railings, but rather a destination focused on the protection and conservation of a still virginal natural wonder. This is a place to immerse yourself in a fascinating landscape on Tenerife island and feel like a real spelunker exploring the unknown. And then read about more of our selected Tenerife destinations!
