Hierro Attractions
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Hierro, the most westerly of the Canaries, lies 130km/80mi from Tenerife. As a holiday place it is still the preserve of a few individualists.TopographyAt first sight Hierro, surrounded by cliffs up to 1,000m/3,300ft high, with only a few small beaches, looks distinctly inhospitable. The center of the island is occupied by an upland region with Mt Malpaso (1,500m/4,920ft) as its highest peak. This area and the lower country on the north side of the island offer the most favorable conditions for settlement and agriculture.
Valverde, Spain
Valverde, the chief place on Hierro, still justifies its name (''Green Valley''), being surrounded by numbers of small fruit orchards, fields of vegetables and flower gardens. It has an 18th century church and two small museums.
El Golfo
From the Mirador de la Peña there is an extensive view over the bay of El Golfo on the northwest coast. Below the sheer rock faces is a fertile plain.
Hierro, Frontera
The village of Frontera is a municipality of El Hierro.
Puerto Estaca, Spain
A few kilometers southeast of Valverde is the island's port, Puerto Estaca. Until the beginning of the 20th century passengers and goods had to be brought to land in small boats: hence the name of the town, from the mooring-pole (estaca) to which the fishermen tied the boats. It was only after King Alfonso suffered an involuntary dunking during transshipment in 1906 that it was resolved to build a pier. On the way to Valverde is an access road to the Parador Nacional El Hierro.
La Restinga, Spain
The southern village of La Restinga is an ideal site for underwater fishing as well as traditional surface fishing.
Hierro, Sabinosa, Spain
The medicinal property of the waters is a major draw for Sabinosa.
Tinor, Spain
Pyramids of ash amongst the fields are a curiosity of Tinor.
La Punta de Orchillas
La Punta de Orchillas, the most western part of Hierros, is the site where Ptolemy fixed the first meridian.A lighthouse at the tip guides ships along the route that Columbus followed.
La Dehesa
The giant savin trees of La Dehesa are unique in that are shaped like giant sculptures.
El Tamaduste
El Tamaduste is a natural pool renowned for its clear, calm waters.
Las Lajiales
Ancient lava streams have formed extravagantly shaped sculptures of molten rock.
