An Enchanted Corridor in the Heart of Anaga
Tenerife is an island famed for its diverse landscapes, ranging from volcanic beaches to high mountain peaks. Yet, beyond the most popular tourist spots, there are hidden corners that can surprise even those who think they know the island well. One such place lies concealed in the heart of the Anaga Rural Park, just minutes from the well-known Mirador del Pico del Inglés. It offers a scene many compare to settings from fantasy films.
A Scene From a Storybook
This is not a film set or a theme park. It is an old section of road, carved directly into the rock and now disused, which maintains a damp, green atmosphere thanks to the surrounding vegetation. A brief stroll through this natural corridor is enough to understand why it has gained fame on social media and in travel guides. The path winds between vertical walls covered in moss, ferns, and other species native to the Canarian laurel forest.
Overhead, the branches of the laurisilva form a natural vault that filters the light and enhances the feeling of stepping through a place outside of time. The constant humidity, encouraged by the trade winds, explains the intense greenery of this enclave. Fog frequently appears, enveloping the landscape and adding an aesthetic reminiscent of fictional trails like those in The Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. Hence, it is popularly known as the “Fairy Tunnel”, though its origin is purely functional.
How to Find the Fairy Tunnel
The spot is located next to the Mirador de Pico del Inglés, one of Anaga’s scenic viewpoints. The access road is the TF-114, a branch that leads off the TF-12 up to the viewpoint. Just a few metres away, a no-through road leads to the old section where the famous moss-covered walls appear.
This corridor, popularly known as the “Fairy Tunnel”, is an old road dug into the mountainside and flanked by vertical walls covered in moss and vegetation—the very scene that floods social media and travel guide covers. Today it is explored on foot (motorised access is limited), which helps preserve its jungle-like charm.
A Protected Natural Treasure
The surrounding area belongs to the Anaga Rural Park, a protected space and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since June 2015. It is a humid mountain massif covered in laurisilva and dotted with traditional hamlets. The constant presence of the trade winds explains the frequent fog, humidity, and consequently, the moss that carpets the walls.
Directions and Visiting Tips
How to get there: From La Laguna, head up the TF-12 towards the Anaga summit. Shortly after Cruz del Carmen, take the TF-114 turn-off to the viewpoint. The old path begins on a branch clearly signposted as a “no through road”, a very short distance from the viewpoint itself.
On foot and at a leisurely pace: It is a brief, flat walk along the old section; many visitors combine the stop with the viewpoint itself and nearby signposted walking trails (PR-TF network).
This enclave brings together, in just a few metres, what defines Anaga: sculpted geology, ancient greenery, and a misty atmosphere that occasionally clears to reveal the sea and the ravines. The entire area forms part of the Anaga Rural Park, declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2015. It is one of the oldest massifs in Tenerife, with unique biodiversity and numerous traditional hamlets.
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