Magical island
El Hierro is the smallest island in the Canarian archipelago. But don’t let its size fool anyone... The scenery and the charming village of Valverde (which comes from the words meaning ‘green valley’), in the east of the island, offer more activities than you might imagine. The friendly islanders and unhurried atmosphere are also aspects you will encounter both in Valverde and in the rest of the island. Another thing to bear in mind is that, because of the size of the village, everything is nearby (except for the port).
Port of La Estaca
One of the peculiarities of Valverde is the fact that the port is not close to the village. Quite the contrary. It lies nearly 8.5 kilometres from the town. Valverde can be reached by bus, however. You can take either the number 07 or the 11. Both the journey up to the village from the port and the return trip down to the port from the village takes over 20-25 minutes. The port has a ferry terminal, a waiting room and bathrooms. A visit to the little shrine of San Telmo is also recommended.
Walk around the centre
What could be better for relaxing than a quiet stroll around the centre of Valverde? After arriving by bus, it is a good idea to get off at the stop by “correos”, or “balustrada”. From here, walk along Calle de la Constitución or Calle Dr. Quintero. These are the main thoroughfare of the village and in them we can find shops, cafés and restaurants where we can take some refreshment and buy some handicrafts.
Ayuntamiento de Valverde
To visit the town hall, go to the end of Calle Dr. Quintero, where there is a bend and Calle Licenciado Bueno begins. On the left (or the right, depending on where we are coming from) we will see another street that goes down, Calle Pérez Galdós. The building we see as soon as we arrive here is Valverde town hall. We recommend going to the square in front of it to take a good picture.
Church of La Concepción
If we go to the back of this same square, we can take a beautiful photo of the church, and of the area around it. This is a church that was built in the 18th century (the same period the image of the Virgin dates back to). Inside, the outstanding feature is the Cristo de la Columna, of Genovese origin and great artistic value. Entering the church is highly recommended, as this is one of the town’s most outstanding buildings.
Viewpoint
Although it is not exactly a viewpoint, it is a good place for taking a great photograph of Valverde. Exit Calle Pérez Galdós the same way as you entered it, and carry on along Calle Licenciado Bueno, until entering Calle San Francisco. From here, carry straight on until you reach an area on the left which has no buildings, but a handrail. The spot offers some extremely interesting views.
Ethnographic Centre
After visiting this area, the best idea is to find out a little more about the culture of El Hierro. And the best way to do that is by visiting the Casa de las Quinteras ethnographic centre. To reach it, carry on in the same direction as the one we went in to go to the viewpoint. Follow the bend and continue along the same street (Avenida Dacio Darías). You need to go around 400 metres down this road. Along the way, there is a sign pointing to the museum.
Trip to La Caleta
The best way to visit La Caleta is by going to the bus station. To reach it, we walk back along the same way. The only difference is that you have to turn right into the first street, entering Travesía El Molina, and turn left at the second street, and then go down to where the buses are. Take the number 06 bus. La Caleta is a charming fishing village, and the biggest attraction here are some natural swimming pools on the coast. We can also take some refreshment in the area.
Trip to Tamaduste
Tamaduste is another fishing village. It is a favourite destination among islanders. To reach it, take the number 06 bus.again but instead of going towards Valverde, stop at Tamaduste (the next village the bus passes through). There is a promenade on the seashore and it is close to the bathing areas. The promenade blends into the landscape perfectly, as it is made of volcanic stone from the island.
Trip to Mocanal
From the sea to the mountains. For this trip, take the number 6 bus again to return to the station. When you are there, you can choose either the 03 or the 05 bus. Ask the driver to drop you off in Mocanal. This is a good area for discovering more of the rural architecture of the island of El Hierro, and its nature. It is not far from the town of Valverde (about 15 minutes by bus). In this area, as well as strolling around the streets and along the pathways, you can also have a drink in one of the bars.
Bus station
Unfortunately a significant part of the trip (over 40 minutes) is consumed by the journey from the port to the town and vice versa. When you decide to come back from Mocanal, we advise you to go back to the bus station. From there, you can return to the port. To reach the port of La Estaca, take the number 07 bus, or the number 11. Pay attention to the bus timetable, to ensure you reach the port on time.
