Malpais brings together several clearly distinct themes: a local hiking trail, the Iglesia de San Antonio de Padua church and its annual tradition, traces of buildings at Charca del Pino, and a natural area shaped by volcanic landscapes. Woodlands and dry-farmed agricultural land are also part of this landscape. If you are interested in hiking, local history or volcanic landscapes, Malpais offers specific points of interest for each topic.
Hiking trail and getting there
The local SL-TF 294.1 El Moralito hiking trail begins at the Iglesia de San Antonio de Padua in Malpaís. Access to the trailhead is at Parroquia San Antonio, Calle San Antonio 67, Malpaís, Candelaria. This address gives you a specific reference point; check local conditions before setting off. Route 4 is also relevant for getting there: it connects central Candelaria with Las Cuevecitas/Malpaís. Check the timetable before travelling. The address and bus connection answer different planning questions: one concerns access to the trail, while the other concerns the connection between the places mentioned.
Church and local heritage
The Iglesia de San Antonio de Padua church is in the Malpaís neighbourhood and was built in 1962. The image of Saint Anthony of Padua is honoured every year during the festivities named after him. The year of construction and the honouring of the saint highlight different aspects: the date relates to the building's history, while the annual observance describes a religious tradition.
At Charca del Pino, the remains of an old house stand beside a threshing floor and a stone oven. A threshing floor is a place for threshing grain; together with the stone oven, it is one of two specific structural features beside the house remains. Another historical trace is the estate “los Cuchillo en el Malpaís”: until the mid-19th century, the Dominicans owned this estate, among others, in Arafo. Historically, these details highlight two different aspects: the church is associated with its construction in 1962, while the estate is associated with a history of ownership extending to the mid-19th century.
Volcanic natural area
Malpais has a landscape shaped by volcanic activity, alongside woodlands and dry-farmed agricultural land. A municipal survey from 2021 states that a large part of the natural area of Malpaís is included in the Parque Natural de la Corona Forestal Natural Park, the Paisaje Protegido de las Siete Lomas protected landscape, and the Chivisaya Monte de Utilidad Pública public forest. These designations represent different types of areas: a natural park, a protected landscape and a public forest. Check local access conditions before visiting this natural area.
Malpaís de Güímar, designated as a Special Area of Conservation, is also located near Malpaís. This distinction is important for geographical orientation: Malpaís de Güímar is a separate point of reference in the surrounding area, while the natural park, protected landscape and public forest mentioned above relate to the natural area of Malpaís.
Discover more destinations: Las Cuevecitas De Candelaria, Igueste De Candelaria.
For the overview of the wider area: Candelaria.
