SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Feb. 21 (EUROPE PRESS) –
In 2021, La Cueva del Viento received visits from 12,499 people despite the limited capacity established by the health authorities.
The Minister of Museums of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Concepción Rivero, explains in a note that “the visitor data confirm the interest that the cave arouses among tourists who visit Tenerife and also among the local population”, for which they have had to adapt to the circumstances so that visitors could get to know the cave “in a safe way”.
Rivero details that the Cueva del Viento, managed by the public company Ideco, reopened to the public in mid-February and, little by little, its visitors increased with the limitations of each moment.
“The arrival of the Ómicron variant was a new setback, but currently we have increased the routes to up to 30 a week to be able to meet the demand of people who want to discover one of the most important volcanic tubes in the world,” he underlines.
Last year a total of 1,226 guided tours of the cave were organized in Spanish, English, French and German.
In addition, an investment of more than 37,000 euros was made for the improvement and modernization of the Visitor Center, the comprehensive cleaning of the entrances to the cave and the acquisition of two nine-seater vehicles to transport visitors to the entrance of the cave. .
“We continue to work on new improvements, such as the creation of an adapted visit for schools, with the idea of doubling the number of visitors this year and offering more than 1,900 routes”, indicates the island councillor.
LONGEST VOLCANIC PIPE IN THE WORLD
Located in the municipality of Icod de los Vinos, the Cueva del Viento is the longest volcanic tube in Europe and sixth in the world.
Originating from the lava flows from Pico Viejo, located next to Mount Teide, it was formed 27,000 years ago and its name is due to the significant air currents that occur inside it.
Thus, it is a unique place because its galleries extend over three superimposed levels, it has numerous ramifications that have not yet been explored and it presents a great variety of structures of primary origin such as lava stalactites, lava waterfalls, lateral terraces or lava lakes.
Added to its physical beauty is a high ecological, scientific and archaeological value, as it is home to unique species, such as the underground loboptera eyeless cockroach, and houses remains of Guanche burials and fossils of vertebrates already extinct on the island such as the Houbara or the giant rat and lizard.
The visit to the cave, which is made by reservation on the web www.cuevadelviento.nethas a price of 20 euros for adults and 8.50 for children over five years of age, although for Canarian residents the price is reduced to 10 and 5 euros, respectively.
