Malpaís de Güímar

Malpaís de Güímar is a protected volcanic landscape located in the municipality of Güímar, on the eastern coast of Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands. The site consists of a volcanic cone, several subsidiary cones, and extensive basaltic lava flows, together covering an area of about 290 hectares.

What does "malpaís" mean?

The term "malpaís," literally "bad land," is used across the Canary Islands to describe terrain covered by hardened, jagged lava flows — ground that is difficult to cross and largely unsuitable for agriculture. At Güímar, it refers to this extensive area at the base of a volcanic complex, shaped by ʻaʻā-type lava flows: lava with a rough, blocky, broken surface texture typical of relatively young eruptions.

How old is this volcanic terrain?

The lava flows that make up Malpaís de Güímar are geologically recent, dating to less than 10,000 years old. This youth means the landscape still displays many features typical of freshly solidified lava fields — an irregular, jagged surface and clearly defined cone shapes that have not yet been significantly worn down by erosion.

What is the main volcanic cone here?

The centerpiece of the area is Montaña Grande, the largest of the volcanic cones within the complex. It reaches a height of 276 meters and, together with its subsidiary cones, forms the distinctive silhouette of this stretch of the Güímar coastline.

Where exactly is it located?

The site sits on the eastern coast of Tenerife, within the municipality of Güímar, part of the Canary Islands archipelago belonging to Spain. Its approximate geographic coordinates are 28.312°N, -16.371°W.

What protection status does the area have?

Malpaís de Güímar is registered as a protected area in Spain. This status reflects the site's natural and landscape value, both for its distinctive volcanic geology and for the relatively intact character of its lava terrain — a landscape form not often preserved in such well-defined condition.

Frequently asked questions

What distinguishes a "malpaís" from ordinary volcanic terrain? The term emphasizes the rugged, hard-to-cross surface of a lava field — a local Canary Islands geographic label for land covered by solidified lava flows.

How large is the area? The full complex covers roughly 290 hectares, including the main cone of Montaña Grande, its subsidiary cones, and the surrounding lava fields.

Can visitors still see signs of volcanic activity? Yes — because the lava is less than 10,000 years old, the terrain retains clear geological features typical of recent eruptions, including the characteristic structure of ʻaʻā lava.

How tall is the main cone? Montaña Grande, the highest point of the complex, reaches 276 meters in elevation.