Dragon Tree Park, Icod de los Vinos

The Drago Milenario of Icod de los Vinos is the oldest and largest dragon tree in the Canary Islands and one of the island’s best-loved symbols. Dragon trees are native to Macaronesia and grow very slowly, so their age is hard to measure; the park presents this one as more than eight hundred years old, while local legend once claimed a thousand. Its massive trunk splits into a crown of branches shaped like an umbrella, and when the bark is cut it bleeds a red resin known as dragon’s blood, prized since ancient times. The tree stands in the Parque del Drago, a botanical garden in the heart of Icod that grows Canarian plants, cacti and succulents and has displays on the island’s natural history and customs. The park opens every day from ten until six, and the Tiqets ticket lets you walk right up to the tree.

How it works: buy a ticket online and show it at the park entrance near the main square of Icod de los Vinos. You can cancel or reschedule until midnight the day before. The town is on the north-west coast, about twenty minutes west of Puerto de la Cruz and a little over an hour from the southern resorts. There is paid parking near the centre, and the walk to the park is short.

What to expect: the garden is small and easy to see in under an hour, with paths winding down past native plants to the base of the tree. You can see the dragon tree from the square by the church of San Marcos without a ticket, but the park gives you the close-up view and the context. The town around it is attractive, with a pretty church, wine shops selling local Icod wines and cafés on the square.

Making the most of it: combine the dragon tree with Garachico, a historic port a few minutes further west with lava-rock swimming pools, and with Loro Parque or the Teide National Park on the same day. Many tours of the north stop here, so arrive early or late in the day for a quieter visit.