Monumento Natural de Los Volcanes de Aridane

Monumento Natural de Los Volcanes de Aridane is a protected natural monument on the island of La Palma, made up of four volcanic cones rising above the Aridane Valley, near the coast between Los Llanos de Aridane and Tazacorte. The site sits at approximately 28.629 N, -17.917 W.

Which volcanoes make up this natural monument?

The protected area consists of four separate volcanic edifices arranged in a near-parallel line close to the shoreline. Two of them lie within the municipality of Los Llanos de Aridane — Montaña de Argual (320 m above sea level) and Montaña de Triana (363 m above sea level). The other two belong to the municipality of Tazacorte — Montaña de La Laguna (342 m above sea level) and Montaña de Todoque (349 m above sea level). Together, these four cones form a distinctive, recognizable ridge line across the valley landscape.

Why was this area given protected status?

The site was first protected under Law 12/1987, of June 19, on the Declaration of Natural Spaces of the Canary Islands, as a site of national interest. It was later reclassified into its current category as a natural monument by Law 12/1994, of December 19, on Natural Spaces of the Canary Islands. The protection focuses on preserving the geological value of these volcanic landforms, even though the surrounding terrain has long been used intensively for agriculture.

What does the landscape around the volcanoes look like today?

Unlike many other protected volcanic sites in the Canary Islands, the land surrounding these four cones is almost entirely shaped by human activity. The valley is filled with extensive banana plantations, and intensive farming has left almost no areas free of cultivated vegetation. The volcanic cones themselves, though surrounded by crops, have kept their form and still stand out clearly in the landscape as distinct, green-covered rises among the plantations.

Where is the best place to view this landscape?

The viewpoint recommended for taking in the whole volcanic ensemble is the Mirador de El Time. From here, visitors get a panoramic view that takes in all four cones together with the entire Aridane Valley and its banana plantations stretching down toward the coast. This contrast between the volcanic rises and the intensely green farmland is considered one of the defining aesthetic features of this part of La Palma's landscape.

How does this site relate to Tazacorte?

Two of the four cones — Montaña de La Laguna and Montaña de Todoque — fall administratively within the municipality of Tazacorte, a port town on La Palma's western coast. The rest of the monument extends toward neighboring Los Llanos de Aridane, the island's largest town, making this protected area a natural landscape link between the two municipalities.

Frequently asked questions

How many volcanoes does this natural monument include? Four volcanic cones: Montaña de Argual, Montaña de Triana, Montaña de La Laguna, and Montaña de Todoque.

Can visitors climb any of the cones? The available source facts don't specify hiking trails or access details for the individual cones — the site is primarily a scenic landscape, best appreciated from its surroundings and viewpoints such as El Time.

Why is the area protected if it's so heavily farmed? The protection is aimed mainly at the geological and landscape value of the volcanic landforms themselves, recognized as a site of national interest as early as 1987, independent of the intensive agricultural use of the surrounding land.

How old are these volcanoes? The facts available for this description don't give a precise age for the individual cones — only that they are distinct volcanic edifices that together form the protected ensemble.