He Council of Tenerife has started talks with the City Council of Icod de los Vinos to buy the property where the Cueva del Viento visitor center is located. This was pointed out by the Island Councilor for Museums, Concepción Rivero, after a meeting with the mayor of Icod de los Vinos, Francis González, about this volcanic cavity of the icodense municipality that was formed 27,000 years ago with lavas from the first eruptive phase of the Pico Viejo volcano, next to Teide.
During the meeting held at the Icod City Council headquarters, Concepción Rivero stated that the acquisition of the municipal property where the visitor center is located “It would serve to expand the provision, increase the quality of the services and improve the experience offered to the visitor”. And it is the Cave of the Wind, the sixth longest volcanic tube in the world and the largest in Europeallows visits in a part of its surface.
The island councilor highlighted “the value of the Cueva del Viento both for its condition as a natural space and for the attraction it presents for visitors.” In the last quarter it was visited by 24,368 people on 1,773 routeswhich represents an average occupancy level of 91.63%.
In the meeting between Rivero and González, the improvements that have been carried out in the visitor center, as well as the recent acquisition of transport vehicles, defibrillators, a special evacuation stretcher and an emergency communication system. Councilor and mayor also highlighted the creation of a security plan and the use of evacuation drills to prepare staff for emergency situations.
The routes through the Cueva del Viento are back. The volcanic tube has resumed guided tours inside. Eleven months have had to elapse since the state of alarm and confinement paralyzed all of Spain and, with it, also the possibility of discovering this cave.
The Cave of the Wind is Managed by the Cabildo de Tenerife and the City Council of Icod de los Vinos. The public company Ideco, dependent on the Island Corporation, is in charge of the activity. This institution has reported that, during the months in which the facility has been closed, different actions have been carried out, such as the aforementioned comprehensive reform of the visitor center and security actions.
The manager of the Autonomous Organization of Museums, Carlos González, who was also at the meeting at the City Hall, added about these improvements “the geological and geotechnical study projects on security inside the cave, the 3D scanning of the section visitable and the scientific importance of the results provided by studies on radon gas to the scientific community worldwide.
The Guided tours to the Cave of the Wind They can be done in Spanish, English, German or French, and are priced at 20 euros for adults and 8.5 for children over five years of age, although for residents the price is reduced to 10 and 5 euros, respectively. Reservations can be made through the web www.cuevadelviento.net.
