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Agua Garcia – a charming village in Tenerife North |
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Written by Steve Andrews
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 Agua Garcia is a charming village in the north of Tenerife that lies tucked away in the mountains and forests above Tacoronte, whilst being only a short run by road to the busy Los Rodeos airport.
Agua Garcia is a “must-see” for nature lovers and anyone who likes to explore the wilder countryside of Tenerife because the luxuriant forests around Agua Garcia are some of the best examples of laurisilva woodland on the island. There is so much wildlife to be found in the area that a book - El Bosque De Aqua Garcia by Maria del Carmen Brito and Vicente-Lope Lucia – was written and published all about it, along with information on the trails and pathways through the woods and mountains.
 Besides the laurisilva forest there are pine and eucalyptus plantations and the woodland creates a wonderful habitat for the many bird species found in the area. The Long-eared owl (Asio otus), the Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), the Hoopoe (Upupa epops), and even the very rare Bolle’s Pigeon (Columba bollii) have all been sighted in Agua Garcia.
Butterfly species that may be encountered in this part of Tenerife include the bright yellow Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleobule), the pretty Canary Red Admiral (Vanessa vulcania) and the attractive Canary Speckled Wood (Pararge xiphioides).
 There are volcanic tube caves under the forests and mountainsides in some parts of the Agua Garcia area of northern Tenerife and Cueva Labrada and Cueva Las Mechas are the best known of these.
There is plenty of farmland in the Agua Garcia area, where the cooler and moister climate afforded by the northern Tenerife mountains make it ideal for the cultivations of fruit such as apricots, plums, peaches, pears, apples and tree tomatoes, as well as for chestnuts. Potatoes are also grown there and cabbages.
 From the main road that goes through the Tenerife village of Agua Garcia there are views looking down across the farmland to the coast of Tacoronte.
 Agua Garcia village has various shops, bars, restaurants, a garage, and is on the bus route to Los Rodeos airport and La Laguna university city of Tenerife north. 054 is the number of a regular bus service and it also passes through Las Lajas, El Ortigal and Cruz Chica, whilst the 022 travels from Tacoronte to Agua Garcia and back, but only twice a day.
Although the Tacoronte turn off to Agua Garcia from the motorway is easily passed by, and you won’t find much information about Agua Garcia in most tour guide-books, this village of the north of Tenerife is well worth visiting to experience its unique rural charm and setting.
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Tenerife Island