Until 1706, Garachico was Tenerife's busiest port, the one that shipped most of the island's wine trade to the Americas and the rest of Europe. That year, a lava flow ran straight down to the sea and buried the harbour in a single night. The town survived, rebuilt itself on top of its own lava, and ended up with something that now draws thousands of visitors: El Caletón, a set of natural pools carved into the volcanic rock where you can still swim today.
The eruption of the Trevejo volcano lasted several days, and its lava flow reached the coast, where it wiped out the harbour that had made Garachico the island's most prosperous trading town. With the port buried under lava, maritime trade shifted elsewhere on Tenerife, and the town never regained the economic weight it once had.
Not everything was lost: the Castillo de San Miguel, a 16th-century fortress, held against the advancing lava and is now a cultural space open to the public, steps from the coast. The Puerta de Tierra also survived, one of the old harbour's arches, left stranded inland by the flow, far from the sea it was once built to guard.
The same flow that buried the harbour, once it cooled by the sea, left behind a set of connected natural pools and rock pools: some deep and open to the swell, others more sheltered and calm, good if you're travelling with kids. Access is free year round, with steps built into some pools so you can get in and out without slipping on the rock.
Just offshore sits the Roque de Garachico, a small islet that shelters seabirds and gives the town its most recognisable silhouette, the same one you see from the viewpoints on the road down from Icod. On days with a heavy swell, the outer pools can close for safety, so it's worth checking sea conditions before going if your plan depends on swimming.
Garachico is part of Spain's network of most beautiful villages, and it shows the moment you park the car and start walking: cobbled streets, old houses with Canarian pine balconies, and squares that invite you to sit down. The Convento de San Francisco, now a cultural centre and museum, is one of the few religious buildings that withstood the eruption. The Plaza de la Libertad, with its centuries-old laurel tree and the town hall, is the usual meeting point before heading down to the pools.
If you're staying in the south and would rather someone else drive, the tour to Mount Teide, Icod, Garachico and Masca picks you up at your hotel, climbs first to Teide National Park through the volcanic formations of Las Cañadas, then drops down to Icod de los Vinos, with free time to see the Drago Milenario. From there it continues to Garachico before finishing in the village of Masca. It runs 8 hours and costs €59 per adult, in an air-conditioned vehicle with a live guide and hotel pickup included.
What happened in Garachico in 1706? Lava from the Trevejo volcano reached the sea and buried the harbour that had made Garachico Tenerife's most prosperous trading town. The village was rebuilt on top of its own lava flow, which over time formed the El Caletón natural pools.
Is it free to swim at El Caletón? Yes, access to the natural pools is free year round, though the areas most exposed to the swell can close for safety on some days.
How do you get to Garachico without a car? The easiest way from the south is the tour to Teide, Icod, Garachico and Masca, which picks up at hotels and stops in the village on the way to Masca.
Still planning your route through the north? Visit the Drago Milenario in Icod de los Vinos, discover the village of Masca, or see all our tours in Tenerife.
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