Icod de los Vinos

Icod De Los Vinos situated in North Tenerife between Garachico and Puerto de la Cruz pulls in the daytrippers mainly for it's celebrated Drago or Dragon tree, thought to be more than 1000 years old (although officially it's dated at 800 years old). Indeed the Drago Tree is a sight worth seeing, set in the main pretty Plaza San Marcos. Dragon trees are the oldest species of fauna on the Canaries and this dragon tree in Icod is one of the largest on the Canaries, stretching upto 17 metres, with a 20 metre base.

There's more to Icod though than just the Drago tree. Essentially it's a Canarian town, and rather large at that with a selection of good specialist shops selling Tenerife wines and some fine restaurants. Icod makes a good central North Tenerife base, with easy access west to Garachico and the Teno Mountains, and east towards Puerto de la Cruz, La Orotava, Santa Cruz, La Laguna and the Anaga Mountains. A little knowledge of Spanish will help you here as English is not widely spoken in this work-a-day Canarian location.

Drago Park is one of the most popular tourist attractions still on Tenerife, and the mammoth Dragon Tree situated in the centre of the park is a captivating site. You've two choices - if you're a fan of gardens, particularly of the cactus variety then paying to get into Drago Park is certainly worth doing. If you're based in Icod just nearby down on the coast is another of Tenerife pretty black sand beaches - Playa San Marcos.

If not, head to the Plaza San Marcos for some good panoramic free views of Icod's Drago tree. San Marcus church and pretty adjacent plaza has some nice cafes and makes a pleasant spot to spend a few hours in. You can enter the church, plus there's a small sacred art museum on-site. Drago Park Icod De Los Vinos. Tel: 922 81 44 36, open 9am to 6.30pm. (if you want a guided tour of the park you need to ring prior to your visit).

There's another attraction in Icod situated just near to Drago Park. The Mariposario del Drago, Avenida Canarias, Icod de los Vinos, Tenerife. Tel: 922 81 51 67. In Summer it's open 9am to 6pm from Monday to Saturday, and 9.30am to 6pm on Sundays. In Winter opening hours are 9am to 6pm Mondays to Saturdays and Sundays 9.30am to 7.30pm. It's a good opportunity to learn lots about butterfly - the butterfly house is essentially a big greenhouse and butterflies roam free. The kids usually enjoy this bit - expect the butterflies to occasionally land on you!

Icod de los Vinos Tourist Information Centre, Calle San Sebastian, Icod, Tenerife (it's right near the main plaza). Tel: 922 86 9600.