If you’re visiting Tenerife soon, make sure Masca is on your itinerary!
This stunning village was one of the highlights of our week-long trip, and its beauty is something you must experience.
Masca is a tiny village, home to around 100 people, and it’s situated at around 650 meters above the sea level. It’s surrounded by some of the most beautiful mountains and vegetation you’ll ever see.
Keep reading thing blog post to find out all you need to know about this magical village.
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WHERE IS MASCA
Masca is a small mountain village located on the island of Tenerife, Spain. Masca’s location is in the Teno Mountains, high above the sea level, so it’s not the easiest attraction to visit. You’ll find it in the northwestern part of the island, within the municipality of Buenavista del Norte.
For a long time, there wasn’t even a road to get there, and due to difficulties of reaching the village, it’s only become such a popular attraction on Tenerife in the 2000s.
HOW TO REACH MASCA
Reaching Masca is not an easy feat, and here are a few options you should explore before deciding what’s the best one for you.
Read more >>> ONE DAY ON TENERIFE BY CRUISE
BY CAR
The best thing you can do on Tenerife is to rent a car and drive yourself wherever you want to go. The roads on the island are great and you don’t have to be the most experienced driver to get from place to place. HOWEVER, that is not the case when it comes to Masca.
To reach Masca you need to drive along the scenic and winding TF-436 road from the towns of Santiago del Teide or Buenavista del Norte. While the drive offers breathtaking views, it’s really challenging due to sharp bends, narrow roads, and steep cliffs.
DO NOT drive up there if you don’t think you’re a confident driver. You’ll certainly have to react quickly and if you panic easily, you could ruin the whole experience for yourself by driving.
If you’re not a confident driver, go by bus or get a tour to Masca. If you’re confident in your abilities, make sure you rent a car as small as possible, it will make all the difference. We rented a Volkswagen Polo and didn’t have any difficulties.
BY BUS
If you don’t feel like driving after reading all that, get on a bus. Public buses (known as “guaguas” in the Canaries) run to Masca from nearby towns. There’s a Bus Line 355 which connects Santiago del Teide with Buenavista del Norte, and stops at Masca.
It takes around 15 minutes to get from Santiago del Teide to Masca, and around 30 minutes from Buenavista del Norte to Masca. The buses are frequent and quite cheap (1.5-3 euros per way), but they get quite crowded during the day as they’re smaller buses than usual, because of the roads they drive on.
BY TOUR
If you don’t feel like driving or just forcing yourself to go there by public transport, you can always book a tour of Masca with one of the local tourist agencies. They usually do longer tours and include some additional landmarks and attractions such as Garachico or Banana Farms. You can check out some of them below!
THE ROAD TO MASCA
If you’ve decided to drive up to Masca yourself, here are some tips you need to know before visiting.
The main road to Masca is the TF-436 road. This road connects the towns of Santiago del Teide and Buenavista del Norte, with Masca somewhere in the middle. You can reach Masca from either of the two towns. We chose to come from Santiago del Teide as it was a quicker/shorter drive.
From Buenavista del Norte you have around 30 minutes of driving (17 km), while from Santiago del Teide you have around 20 minutes of driving (only around 5km!). The second one is more popular and often has more people driving.
THINGS YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT THE TF-436 ROAD
It’s narrow and winding
This road is really narrow, with sharp bends that can be challenging for anyone, especially for inexperienced drivers. Additionally, there are steep cliffs on the side of the road, with no barriers in some areas, so it can feel dangerous driving up there. However, if you drive slowly and carefully, with loads of patience, you really should have too much trouble.
The views are breathtaking
With all this talk of how challenging this drive is, there must be a reason why so many people still decide to do it. The views are the reason. You’ll get stunning views of the surrounding mountains, deep ravines, and lush vegetation. The views are really unlike anything you’ve seen, and there are many incredible viewpoints along the way where you can stop and marvel at the view or take photos.
It’s a two-way road
The road is two-way, which is often the biggest problem you face while visiting Masca. The road can be too narrow for cars to pass in some sections, requiring careful maneuvering and patience. You always have to be mindful of other cars coming, especially in really sharp bends where you can see them until it’s too late.
MASCA PARKING
One of the biggest challenges is the parking near Masca. Parking space is limited, accommodating roughly 50 cars at a time. The cars on the road are constantly moving, so there’s no time for you to stop and wait for a possible free parking space. That means that if you don’t find a place once you reach Masca, you’ll have to come back another day.
In order for that not to happen to you, come as early as possible. We arrived at around 11 a.m. and barely snagged a parking spot. Make sure you come before 10 if you want to easily find a parking spot.
IS IT WORTH VISITING MASCA?
Masca is absolutely worth visiting! It is considered one of the most beautiful and iconic destinations you must visit in Tenerife. You just must experience the stunning natural landscapes and the incredible feeling of being surrounded by deep ravines, lush greenery, and dramatic cliffs.
The views from the village and along the roads leading to it are simply spectacular, and that alone makes it worth visiting. Additionally, the village of Masca is a well-preserved and it’s one of the oldest settlements on the island, so visiting it is a must.
MASCA TICKETS
You don’t need any tickets for Masca. Masca is a village which you can access and explore anytime during the day completely for free.
MASCA WEATHER
Weather is really important when you’re visiting Masca because it greatly affects your access and ability to do and see things once you get there.
The best time to visit Masca is during spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November) when the weather is mild, sunny, and perfect for hiking or exploring the village without extreme heat or rain. These seasons provide comfortable temperatures and clear skies, ideal for enjoying the stunning views. You can also easily get a permit for the hike during those times.
Keep in mind!
Masca is in the Teno Mountains, so it can be affected by low clouds or mist, especially in the morning.
You should visit in the late morning or early afternoon for the clearest skies. (That’s why most people visit during the day and you have terrible problems with the parking!)
Rain is more common in the winter months (December to February). Check the weather forecast before planning your visit, especially if you intend to hike the Masca Gorge because it might be closed due to weather.
HOW LONG IS THE VISIT TO MASCA
Quick Visit (1-2 Hours)
If you’re just visiting Masca village you can do that in around 1 to 2 hours. Once you reach Masca, all you have to do is take in the scenic views, stroll through the streets, visit the local cafes and artisan shops and take photos at the viewpoints.
Full-Day Visit (6-8 Hours)
If you plan to explore the village and then do the Masca Gorge hike (Barranco de Masca), you’ll need 6-8 hours to complete the hike and return. It will take you around 3 hours to reach the Masca Beach. To come back by hiking it will take you another 3 to 4 hours.
If it’s possible, you might want to take a boat from Masca Beach to Los Gigantes to shorten your trip back.
MASCA HIKING
If you’re looking to hike in Masca, you’ll discover one of Tenerife’s most popular trails.
The Masca Gorge hike begins in Masca Village and descends through the Masca Gorge (Barranco de Masca), a deep canyon with towering cliffs on both sides. It finishes on Masca Beach.
In order to hike this trail you need to get a hiking permit at their official website. The permit is free for Federated Mountaineers, and it’s around 30 euros for anyone else.
The trail is safe for experienced hikers, but it can be challenging for beginners due to the rocky terrain and steep descent. Make sure you go hiking only if you feel prepared for it. The trail is rocky and uneven, and it’s of moderate to high difficulty. The hike is around 3 hours long and it’s not recommended for unexperienced hikers. Make sure you have hiking boots on, as you’re not allowed to hike in running shoes/trainers.
THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN MASCA, TENERIFE
VISIT THE VIEWPOINTS
There are quite a few incredible viewpoints along the TF-436, so make sure you stop at some of them at least.
We stopped at Mirador de Masca, somewhere half-way from Santiago to Masca village. The view of the mountains and vegetation is absolutely incredible. There is a small car park where you can stop and enjoy the view for a few minutes and continue on.
Next, we reached Masca and explored the viewpoints within the village, such as Mirador Carretera Masca, Mirador de Masca, and Viewpoint Masca.
Finally, we stopped at Mirador La Cruz de Hilda. There’s an incredible bar & restaurant up there with an incredible view. Unfortunately, it was closed when we visited so we didn’t stay for long.
EXPLORE THE VILLAGE
The Masca village is really small, so you can see it completely in under 30 minutes. There is the main square of the village, a few streets, and the Visitor’s Centre. There’s also a small church – Church of the Immaculate Conception – built in the 18th century.
TAKE INCREDIBLE PHOTOS
You can take some of the most beautiful photos on the island in this tiny village. The village is full of traditional Canarian charm, with incredible and colourful buildings. Besides that, you’re surrounded by some of the most breathtaking vegetation and mountains you could experience, so wherever you turn, your photos will be incredible.
MARVEL AT THE FAMOUS MASCA PEAK – ROQUE DE CATANA
Roque de Catana is one of the most recognizable natural landmarks in the area, due to its jagged shape and dramatic presence towering over Masca. The peak makes Masca one of the most picturesque destinations on the island, and a must-visit destination. You can’t hike or climb the peak, only admire it from the village or one of the viewpoints.
EAT AT BAR FIDEL
One of the best bars & restaurants in Masca is Bar Fidel. They serve traditional Canarian food such as goat and rabbit meat, cactus jam, Canarian potatoes and so on. The restaurant is not expensive and has raving reviews, which made us interested. Along with the great food, you get incredible views of Masca as well.
