Masca – The Lost Village

On Tenerife’s northwest is the tiny village Masca, or “the lost village.” According to folk tale, this is an old pirate village, but pirates ruled the nearby seas in the 16th century.
The first road to the village was built in 1972, and until then the village had been closed off in a deep valley between high mountains, inaccessible except on foot.

The road is bendy and steep, but the village is absolutely worth the drive, despite the hairpin bends.

There are only around 100 inhabitants in Masca. Half of the houses were destroyed in forest fires in 2007, but thankfully no lives were lost.

Hiking

For hikers, there is another and more advanced way to Masca, which is by boat from Puerto de Santiago, a nearby town. The hike from the small beach up to Masca takes approximately 3-4 hours one way, where you’ll sometimes need to use your hands too.

On Viator you can find expert tour guides that offer various tours to Masca Valley.