Vilaflor, Tenerife: Spain's highest village

At 1,400 metres above sea level, wrapped in Canarian pine forest with Mount Teide's outline showing at the end of almost every street, Vilaflor de Chasna holds a title few villages can claim: it's the highest municipality in Spain. That's not just a trivia line for a guidebook. The altitude is why the air feels different here, why the surrounding forest counts among the oldest on the island, and why nearly every route climbing from the south to Teide National Park passes through its square at some point.

Spain's highest municipality

Vilaflor sits on the southern slopes of Tenerife, on the way up to Teide from Playa de las Américas, Costa Adeje or Los Cristianos. The village itself already stands at 1,400 metres, deep in Canarian pine country, a species that can resprout after fire and live for centuries. Local pine honey is easy to find in the village's bars and shops, one of the products the municipality is known for. Climbing up here from the coast is, in fact, the first leg of almost any excursion heading to Teide National Park from the south.

Riding a quad up to Teide

One of the most direct ways to see Vilaflor is on the way to Teide, behind the wheel of your own quad. The quad adventure through Teide National Park leaves from Playa de las Américas and covers 90 km in 4 hours along mountain roads through pine forest, passing Arona and La Escalona before a leg-stretch stop in Vilaflor. From there it keeps climbing to the park entrance, with a stop at the Boca Tauce viewpoint, 2,400 metres up alongside the volcanic formations of Las Cañadas. It costs €80 per adult, riding solo or as a pair, with an approved helmet, insurance and a guide included. Pickup is available from Playa de las Américas, Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos and Golf del Sur.

What to see in Vilaflor

• The village centre: quiet streets ringed by pine forest, a good spot to stop for a meal before or after heading up to Teide.
• The pine forest around it: part of Tenerife's Corona Forestal, with easy walks among centuries-old pines and the coolest air anywhere in the south of the island.
• The Boca Tauce viewpoint: already inside Teide National Park, at 2,400 metres, looking out over Las Cañadas and Teide itself. It's the stop made by the quad and jeep excursions that climb up from Vilaflor.

Other ways to get there without driving yourself

If you'd rather not handle the quad, the jeep safari through Teide and Masca and the full-day excursion to Teide, Icod, Garachico and Masca also cross through Vilaflor before entering the national park, with hotel pickup in the south. If all you want is the cable car to the summit, it's worth checking Teide cable car prices and times first, since slots sell out in high season.

Tips for visiting Vilaflor

1. Pack something warm: at 1,400 metres the temperature drops several degrees compared to the coast, even in summer.
2. You need a valid driving licence for the quad: no previous experience required, but the licence itself is a must.
3. Book ahead in high season: both the quad tour and the jeep excursions have limited spots.
4. Pair it with Teide: if you also want the cable car, book that leg separately and with time to spare.

FAQs

What is the highest municipality in Spain? Vilaflor de Chasna, in southern Tenerife, at 1,400 metres above sea level.

How do you get to Vilaflor from southern Tenerife? By car from Playa de las Américas, Costa Adeje or Los Cristianos, or on an organised quad or jeep excursion heading up to Teide National Park.

What can you see in Vilaflor? The village centre, the surrounding Corona Forestal pine forest and, once inside the national park, the Boca Tauce viewpoint at 2,400 metres.

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Still planning the route up to Teide? Check the cable car prices, discover the hamlet of Masca, or browse all our tours in Tenerife.