The Canary Archipelago’s second smallest island certainly packs a punch. Considering its size of only 270 square kilometers or 100 square miles, we were blown away by the array of varied landscapes and sights that more than rival the situation on the bigger neighbouring islands.
While plenty of people visit El Hierro on a day trip from nearby Tenerife, La Palma or La Gomera, you’d definitely have to stay a little longer to really appreciate the unique sights the island has to offer. Whether it’s natural or cultural highlights, outdoor activities or culinary delights that you’re after, you’re bound to find what you’re looking for on El Hierro.
To give you an idea what to expect when coming to the island, I decided to compile a list of my favourite things to do on El Hierro. Here’s the stuff that you definitely shouldn’t miss on the Canary Island’s least touristy island.
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15 Unmissable Things to do on El Hierro
Take a walk amid the wind-bent Juniper Trees at El Sabinar
The uniquely shaped Juniper Trees on the windswept mountains at El Sabinar have developed into the most recognizable symbol of El Hierro. Pounded by centuries of constantly blowing Trade Winds, the trees grow in twisted shapes, and we couldn’t help but admire their tenacity.
A short circular walking trail leads through the copse of trees and to the Mirador de Bascos, from where splendid views of the northern El Golfo Region open up.
Visit the lighthouse at the end of the world
The Faro de Ochilla was considered the end of the known world by Europeans for a long time and standing on the nearby coastline, you can just imagine how they must have felt when they stared out over the seemingly endless Ocean.
Until 1883, the Prime Meridian used to run through this area at the southwestern tip of the island, which is evidenced by a small monument at the end of a nearby dirt road. Closer to the lighthouse itself, you’ll find the Cueva del Acantilado, the remains of a huge lava tube, which you can traverse to a viewpoint high above the clashing Atlantic Waves.
Hike the magnificent Camino de la Virgen
At 28km or 17mi., this hiking trail traverses almost the entire island from West to East. Every four years the highly venerated image of the Virgin Mary is transported from its seat in the Ermita de la Virgen to the island capital of Valverde along this trail.
Come at any other time and you’ll likely have the trail to yourself for most of the time, which was certainly the case for us. Apart from that, we were blown away by the diversity of landscapes we hiked through over the day. If you just do one hike on the island, make it this one!
Check out Cesar Manrique’s unique Mirador de la Peña
Lanzarote’s favourite organic architect also left traces on El Hierro and the Mirador de la Peña is the perfect blend of nature and architecture, seemingly growing naturally out of the rock of the cliff face. The view over the Golfo Valley is wonderful and inside the fern-decorated halls of the viewpoint you’ll find one of the island’s smartest restaurants.
Otherwise, you can drop by for a coffee and Quesadilla in the cafeteria or simply enjoy the views from one of several vantage points spread out around the restaurant.
Take a stroll through the magical Laurel Forests at La Llania
The mountains in the centre of the island are home to the wonderfully atmospheric laurel forests of La Llania. Gnarled, moss-grown trees grow so densely, that almost no daylight penetrates the canopy.
The place seems to spring right out of a (perhaps slightly creepy) fairy tale and can be explored by following one of three gentle circular walking trails. Be sure to also check out the Mirador de la Llania while you’re in the area!
Meet the endemic Giant Lizards at the Lagartario
Like most of the neighbouring islands, El Hierro has its own subtype of Giant Lizard. Due to their docility, many of them fell victim to feral cats introduced by the Spanish colonizers and until the 1980s they were actually believed to be extinct.
Ever since their rediscovery, the Lagartario monitors their development and controls their breeding before reintroducing them into the wild. You can get a look at the lizards in their enclosures during an interesting guided tour of the treatment facility.
Admire the view from Las Playas and Isora Viewpoints
On an island chock-full of impressive viewpoints, the Mirador de las Playas and Mirador de Isora blew me away the most. Looking down a steep cliff face to the eastern coast, both of them offer different views of the Roque de la Bonanza, the Hotel de la Parador and the surrounding area.
Both of them can be reached comfortably by car (the Mirador de Isora also by public bus) but if you’re in the mood for a challenging hike, you can also walk up to the Mirador de Isora from the Las Playas Area down below.
Explore Valverde, the cute island capital
With so many amazing natural riches, the island’s cultural and historical attractions might get left by the wayside. To avoid that, visit Valverde, the quaint capital in the eastern part of the El Hierro. Explore the cute main square that is home to the biggest church on the island and learn about traditional crafts at the Casa de las Quinteras Museum.
With the broadest array of restaurants and cafés on the island, we also found Valverde to be a perfect spot to try Canarian Specialties. Make sure to drop by the Fábrica de Quesadillas to try the famous local Cheescake.
See also: 6 Fun Things to Do in Valverde, El Hierro’s Tiny Capital
Walk to El Hierro’s cloud-milking Garoé Tree
The Garoé Tree was venerated by the native Bimbache People due to its ability to condense water out of low-passing clouds, seemingly sprouting rain right out of its branches. Unfortunately, the actual sacred tree was destroyed during a storm in 1610 but a replacement has been planted in the original spot the 1940s.
While the tree itself is therefore rather small, the beautiful surroundings are well worth visiting, and with a little imagination you can just see the Bimbache people scooping water out of the cisterns they dug underneath the tree to collect the precious water.
Enjoy the Canary Islands best diving at the Mar de las Calmas
Scuba Divers flock to El Hierro to explore the ‘Mar de las Calmas’, an amazing underwater Reserve that features impressive sub-surface volcanic rock formations and rich marine life. During my dive, I spotted huge Groupers, plenty of Trumpet Fish, some Trigger Fish and two amazingly colourful Leopard Eels.
If you’re lucky, you also have a chance to see Dolphins, Sharks and Turtles. The small beach town of La Restinga has a number of diving schools and resorts, some of which are open year-round. I dived with Arrecifal Diving School and absolutely loved my experience.
Explore the sleepy fishing village of Pozo de las Calcosas
At the northeastern tip of the island, an old fishing village has been turned into a small summer resort, full of attractive straw-roofed houses. In the summer, you will find the Herreños enjoying the pretty historic surroundings.
Any other time of the year you’ll likely have the village completely to yourself, as was the case for us. Wander through the abandoned cobbled alleyways and to the small swimming holes on the seashore, allowing for a dip when the sea is calm.
Visit the Roque de la Bonanza, one of the island’s symbols
The impressive stone arch Roque de la Bonanza, off the eastern coast of the island, can be found at the northern tip of Las Playas Bay. Bordered by steep rock walls, the surrounding area manages to feel somewhat foreboding and beautiful at the same time.
At the southern tip of Las Playas sits the Parador Hotel, the island’s most luxurious accommodation and home to El Hierro’s fanciest restaurant.
Check out the ancient Petroglyphs at El Julán
The Bimbpache People left their traces all over the island but never in such density as in the Julán Area on the southern slopes of the island. The Centro Cultural El Julán is a good place to familiarize yourself with what is known about the culture of El Hierro’s first inhabitants, but the main attraction can only be experienced on a four-hour guided tour.
Near the Tagóror, a traditional meeting place, several rocks have been covered by intricate Petroglyphs. While they are thought to have been influenced by similar rock carvings from North Africa, so far they haven’t been decoded (and perhaps never will be). This doesn’t lessen the appeal of visiting these artworks, which are thought to be at least 1,200 years old.
Take a Dip at Charco Azul, the island’s most picturesque Swimming Hole
The coast of the Golfo Valley is full of Charco’s – natural swimming holes allowing you to take a plunge as long as the sea is calm. Of all these, Charco Azul was our favourite, owing to its beautiful location in a partially open lava tube.
Make sure that the sea isn’t too rough, as it can wash over into the pools when you don’t expect it, making getting in and out of the pool a bit challenging.
Visit the isolated Ermita de la Virgen Sanctuary
Home to the highly venerated statue of the Virgin Mary for most of the year, the cute Ermita de la Virgen tends to appear like a vision in the unpopulated La Dehesa Area in the island’s west. While the main altar certainly is attractive, I most enjoyed the peacefulness of the little enclosed courtyard surrounding the church.
Also make sure to check out the nearby Cueva del Caracol, in which shepherds used to take shelter in times gone by. This is the wildest and most spectacular part of the island and many other smaller sights are scattered around the surrounding countryside.
Map of El Hierro
All the places described above can be found in this map.
Where to stay in El Hierro
The island is small enough to make staying in a single location and exploring El Hierro from there a viable option. The most useful bases would be the capital of Valverde or the pretty Golfo Valley in the north.
If you want to stay at a truly unique place, Hotel Puntagrande is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the smallest hotel in the world. Converted from an old marine trade station, it has a prime location on a lava tongue jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean.
The wonderful Apartments at El Sitio are located in a cluster of historical stone houses sitting in the beautiful surroundings of La Frontera. There is a pretty common garden with incredible view into the Golfo Valley.
If you have to pinch your pennies, staying in Valverde might be a good idea. One option would be pretty Hotel Boomerang, which is close to the main square and has a café attached, which serves awesome breakfasts. Have a look at the map above to find more options.
See also
The Ultimate Three Day Itinerary for El Hierro, Canary Islands
Reaching El Hierro by Ferry From Tenerife – A Short Guide