What to see in Icod de los Vinos-Besides the Millennium Dragon Tree
Icod de los Vinos may be familiar to you because of the famous Drago Milenario, but it also has incredible places to enjoy that you can't miss.
Icod de los Vinos
The toponymy of this place refers to fire, as Icod in the Guanche language refers to fire; while de los Vinos refers to the production of this drink in the area, which has been going on since the 16th century.
It is located in the northwest of the island of Tenerife, in a space formed by a continuous slope of gentle gradient from its extensive pine forest mass to the sea, with almost 10 km of coastline.
The old quarter of Icod de Los Vinos is an Asset of Cultural Interest, such as the town hall, Calle San Antonio towards El Aserradero or Calle Hércules towards Caleta de San Marcos and a group of buildings distributed along Calle San Agustín to El Calvario, whose urban development began in the 18th century.
What to see in Icod de Los Vinos
Casa Lorenzo-Cáceres
Dating from the end of the 18th century, it was ordered to be built by Nicolás de Lorenzo Delgado y Cáceres, on the site of several burnt-down houses. As a curious fact, it is said that it has 365 openings between its windows and doors, one for each day of the year.
It is a beautiful neoclassical building with an unusual use of wood in numerous construction elements. It is currently used as the Casa de la Música and as a venue for exhibitions of all kinds.
St Mark's Church
It is located on the way to El Drago Park, in the Plaza de Lorenzo Cáceres. It is a church in the colonial Canarian style. The current appearance of this church is due to the last alterations it underwent in the 18th century.
Within its walls, you can admire different works of imagery from workshops in different parts of the world, such as the Mexican Cristo Yacente made from corn paste, the sculpture of Santa Rosa de Viterbo, from the Sevillian school, or the Gothic-style San Marcos, among others.
Drago Butterfly Farm
Undoubtedly, a unique space that houses more than 800 specimens of exotic butterflies, belonging to some 150 species, as well as being a botanical garden that contains flora and fauna from the most remote places on the planet.
You will be able to observe at first hand the evolution of the growth of these marvellous insects.
San Francisco ex-convent
It is one of the best-preserved convents in the Canary Islands, dating from the mid-17th century, and houses an interesting chapel in the Portuguese Rococo style.
It is one of the few Tenerife convents that contains a neoclassical sculpture of Poseidon in its interior courtyard surrounded by wooden balconies. It currently houses the Municipal Library of Icod de los Vinos.
ArtIandya- La Finca
It is a unique museum of its kind, which houses the works of more than 50 international artists and dolls and teddy bears, unique pieces for all tastes and of all sizes. Highly recommended for all audiences.
Guanche Museum
This ethnographic museum is located just a few minutes away from the Drago Milenario, and provides an insight into the culture of the indigenous people of the Canary Islands, the Guanches.
You can see different recreations of daily life and life-size reproductions of the ancient inhabitants of the Canary Islands.
Cueva del Viento
The Cueva del Viento-Sobrado underground complex is the largest volcanic tube in the European Union formed some 27,000 years ago and ranks as the fifth longest in the world.
One of its peculiarities is that it is home to approximately 190 species of plants, animals and fungi. It was formed by lava flows from Pico Viejo, located next to the Teide.
Cueva del Rey Winery
Undoubtedly, this is one of the most representative wineries, both for its size and for the quality of the wines produced, which have been awarded several international prizes, a vineyard steeped in history.
In their facilities you can learn about viticulture from experts and enjoy a wine tasting with privileged views of Mount Teide.
Casa del Drago
What is the most visited place in the historic centre of Icod de los Vinos?
Undoubtedly, it is this old Canarian house surrounded by a garden with views of the Drago Milenario that offers a wide range of local gastronomy such as cheeses, local wines, liqueurs and more.
Drago Park
It is the main attraction of Icod de los Vinos, located next to the parish church of San Marcos. It is home to the thousand-year-old dragon tree, a natural, cultural and historical symbol of the Canary Islands.
This tree is considered to be the oldest in the archipelago and is surrounded by a garden containing native species of flora such as small dragon trees, cacti and tabaibas, among others.
There is also an all-day picnic area inside and a re-enactment of an ancient Aboriginal burial as well as several examples of traditions that still remain on the island.
The Millennium Dragon Tree
It is the longest-lived tree of its species and was declared a National Monument in 1917. It is identified as the true symbol of the city, where, in its surroundings, a beautiful natural park of plants native to the Islands has been set up; the Drago Park, which we mentioned earlier.
It was immortalised by artists such as Bosch in his famous work "The Garden of Earthly Delights". This specimen of Dracaena Draco is considered to be one of the oldest living beings in the world, with an estimated age of 1,000 years.
Do you want to enjoy more amazing places in Tenerife?
If you are visiting Tenerife, you will be interested in more spectacular places to see around this Canary Island:
- What to see in Candelaria
- What to see in Puerto de La Cruz
- What to see in San Cristóbal de La Laguna
- What to see in La Orotava
- Seafaring village
