Spain's highest mountain is a volcano standing in the middle of an island in the Atlantic, and that alone makes Teide worth the ride. It rises to 3,715 metres above sea level, and from the ocean floor it is one of the tallest volcanic structures on Earth. The national park around it, listed by UNESCO in 2007, is a high desert of pumice, lava and strange rock towers, set in an ancient caldera, the Cañadas, and the road across it is among the most extraordinary on any motorcycle map. The Roques de García, a cluster of twisted, wind-carved pillars, stand in front of the mountain like a stage set.
The ascent is the main event. Whichever side you climb from, the road leaves the green, humid slopes and enters pine forest, then breaks above the clouds into a bare, orange-brown landscape where the air is thin and dry. Bends are broad and well graded, but the road can be busy with tour buses and rental cars, especially around midday, so an early start is best. Weather can change quickly, with wind, cold and even snow in winter, which can close the road, so check conditions before you go. In May and June the slopes bloom with the tall, red-flowering tajinaste, an endemic plant that looks like a rocket.
La Guancha and Vilaflor, with five thousand and two thousand people respectively, are small, and the better choice is one of the bigger coastal towns. Vilaflor is one of the highest villages in Spain, at about 1,400 metres. A parador, a state-run hotel, stands near the base of the cable car, and a cafe there offers a hot drink with a view.
Remember that the park is strictly protected, so do not take stones or sand, and keep to the marked paths. At night the sky is so clear that the observatories on the slopes are among the best in the world. If you can, stay for sunset, when the whole mountain turns pink, then violet, then black.