For great scenery, a visit to the northwest tip of the island of Tenerife, around the picturesque village of Masca, is hard to beat. The village is set in the Teno Mountains, clinging to the slopes of a deep green ravine beside a narrow road full of alarming hairpin bends. Until recently Masca was off the beaten track and not accessible by road. The zigzag drive from Santiago del Teide has now opened up the village and its magical setting, reputed to have once been a pirate's hideaway. Hikers have popularised a two-hour walk, from the village through a gully to the sea at the base of the majestic cliffs of Los Gigantes.