//
Southwesternmost of the Canary Islands
Photo: CARLOS TEIXIDOR CADENAS, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
El Hierro is the smallest island of the Canary Islands. Despite this, the island is a tiny planet, where you can find all the possible climates and landscapes (except the polar), from the desert around La Restinga to the most exuberant tropical in the Valverde area, without forgetting the beautiful and shocking volcanic landscapes.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
If you travel uphill the old road from Frontera, you will arrive to a flat area (llano means flat in Spanish) with a small parking lot and water source. From there, there are two hiking trails. One leads to a rainforest, and the other uphill to a volcanic crater and into a pine forest.
El Sabinar is a forest of "sabina" threes - Phoenician junipers - at the western tip of the island. Nearby is the church Santuario de la Virgen de los Reyes.
At the southwestern corner of the island stands the lighthouse that once marked the point of the Ferro-meridian. Finished in 1933, it's not nearly as old as the Ferro meridian, used as a reference point on 17th-century maps. It's accessible by a rough gravel road through an even rougher moon-like landscape.
Los Letreros. Here you can find traces of the Bimbaches, the first inhabitants of the island. It's in a region with few trees, accessible by foot only. There's a visitor center accessible by car, where you can learn about the people, the settlement and the rock inscriptions. The sites themselves may be accessed by tour only, which needs to be reserved at least one day ahead.
Three attractions near each other. The Poblado de Guinea is a museum village where you can see how people lived up until the 1960s or so. This attraction is free and without any guide (a single page with few explanations in English and a map can be requested at the information centre). The two others attractions cost €9.5, last approximately 1 hour and have a Spanish-speaking guide. The tubo volcánico is a volcanic tube (a single page with few English explanations will be given). The Lagartario is a home to giant lizards, looking like small dragons, that earlier were on the verge of extinction (posters are translated in English).
Walled natural swimming pool, most popular bathing resort in summer, well suited for lap swimming (fitness)
Wild natural swimming pools, made accessible by stairs and wooden walkways
Beautiful, blue (azul) seaside resort
Swimming pool integrated into nature, particularly suitable for children
Stony (round stones), remote, impressive rock formations. In Echedo
With an old fishing village and a large solidified lava flow. Below El Mocanal.
Sheltered bay, above with a couple of artificial, blue-tiled toddler pools. Near the airport.
Very well protected deep bay, no waves at low tide, therefore also suitable for non-swimmers and children. Near the airport.
Boat trips for swimming and snorkelling on the calm Atlantic Ocean in Mar de las Calmas between La Restinga and the Faro de Orchilla lighthouse. German, English and Spanish are spoken.
In La Restinga, Fredi offers trips on his boat for a maximum of 13 passengers to the lighthouse (Faro de Orchilla) or to the Roque de Bonanza, if you are lucky, whale-watching (depending on the season) and the setting of the sun on the sea. Fredi speaks Spanish and English.
Geological Cave Excursions El Hierro with Heidrun and Jörg
6-7 hour excursions with interesting facts about the geology, volcanology, island formation and exploration of several caves in the languages Spanish, English and German with your speleology team on El Hierro, Heidrun and Jörg. There's also a combined boat and cave tour, in cooperation with the diving school Extra Divers.
Quesadilla bakery.
Bakery.
Pizzeria.
Canarian home-style food.
Barbecue restaurant.
Bbq restaurant, also salads and breakfast.
Tapas and a few more expensive meat dishes.
Mainly Spanish cuisine: salads, meat, seafood.
Fish and seafood restaurant.
Barbecue restaurant.
Fish, seafood and meat.
Fine dining restaurant with tasting menus of many small dishes of the traditional Canarian and Spanish cuisines.
Describes itself as an Asian restaurant, though there are foods from all over the world.
Barbecue restaurant.
Fish, seafood and traditional Canarian cuisine.
Bar.
Bar.
Bar and cafe.
Pub and nightclub.
Disco.
Espresso bar.
Café.
The classiest hotel on the island is the state Parador. Rooms are equipped as upscale hotel rooms in first world countries in general. A/C, Wi-Fi, restaurant on premises, conference facilities.
Another great hotel is the Balneario at Pozo de la Salud. Wi-Fi in public areas, rooms have tv, private bathrooms. There's a restaurant, bar and wellness area and free parking.
The smallest hotel on the island (and in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records of 1984 as stated on the hotel's website) is in the northeast of the El Golfo Valley near Punta Grande, but it is expensive and usually fully booked. It's an adults-only hotel, and there are no "disturbing" amenities (however also no air conditioning) and activities such as swimming pools but a place to enjoy the landscapes and the ocean. The hotel has a restaurant, a cigar club and a small museum with maritime equipment.
You can live very cheaply and nicely in Frontera in El Sitio, a small apartment complex with a German owner, who built in a vineyard and has small houses with a kitchen, bathroom and their own terrace.
The hotel is owned by a very open-minded gentleman. Breakfast included in the rates, free Wi-Fi, private parking. Closed for vacation until 17 January 2025.
The only official campsite with fire pits, firewood, sockets, showers and toilets is in the pine forest a little above El Pinar
Souvenirs and handicrafts.
Gift shop.
By boat
Naviera Armas and Fred Olsen Express sail from Los Cristianos in Tenerife to Valverde (2 hours 30 minutes, one sailing a day each and prices range between €50 and €60 (Dec 2025).
By car
A hire car is the best option for discovering the remote wilderness regions. They can be rented at the airport, in Valverde or Frontera. Reputable companies include CICAR, Cabrera Medina, PaylessCAR.
By thumb
On this small island, it's easy to hitchhike. Locals do it all the time, regardless of age, and you won't need to wait for long for someone to offer you a ride.
By bike
There are mountain bikes, e-bikes and normal bikes for rent. Some rental companies can bring the bike to your accommodation.
By bus
In the Canarian fashion, buses are called guaguas. They're operated by Transhierro; check the route planner on their website to see how to get where you want to go.
By taxi
Individual taxi drivers listed on the official tourism website of the island:
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
El Hierro Island · Regional · VDE
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about El Hierro and Spain.
Travel tipsUnderstand travel insurance for a Schengen visa in 2026. Learn mandatory €30,000 medical coverage, zero deductible rules, and embassy-approved policies.
7 min read
Travel tipsEstimate your Europe trip cost for 2 weeks in 2026. Compare realistic budgets for lodging, Eurail trains, dining, and sightseeing across three styles.
8 min read
Travel tipsFind the cheapest countries to fly to from the US and UK in 2026. Compare realistic round-trip flight deals, budget airlines, and prime booking windows.
8 min read
InspirationExplore the best places to visit in November across autumn foliage, mild desert warmth, southern spring blooms, and off-peak travel bargains.
7 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.