Stargazing in Tenerife

Have you ever seen the Milky Way? Along with Chile and Hawaii, the National Park is one of the world’s best stargazing spots. Unpolluted, practically cloud free skies, with the Sahara to one side and the broad Atlantic to the other, provide the perfect conditions. From Mt Teide it’s possible to see 83 of the 88 constellations annually presented by the starry skies. Dress warmly and take a blanket to beat the cold.

An arrangement of white domes silhouetted against the intense blue horizon is where the astrophysical and meteorological observations take place. It is one of the world’s most important observatories, counting on international collaboration. Check their site for open-door visits and free use of the Mons Telescope, available for astronomy students and amateurs. Guided visits are organised by volcanoteide.com.

José Antonio Paris, an accredited and very knowledgeable Starlight guide, will join you on an interesting small-scale private tour to Mt Teide, explaining and pointing out the stars in our galaxy. His infectious enthusiasm will make sure that in one evening you will learn more about astronomy than in all your years at school.

Tenerife’s most exclusive stargazing tour is called ‘Sunset and Stars on Teide’. After ascending by cable car to 3555 metres, you’ll see Spain’s highest sunset followed by a cocktail dinner designed by a renowned Michelin-star chef. A Starlight guide will then help you discover planets, galaxies and clusters by the use of professional telescopes. Other astronomic tours are also available.