Just the dragon tree
If your time is limited, a 30–45 minute stop next to the Drago Milenario and its park is enough to get to know the town's symbol.
- Duration: 30–45 minutes
- Parking next to the dragon tree square
- Paid entrance to the tree's park
Places guide · The oldest tree on the island
Icod de los Vinos: the town of the Drago Milenario
A tree hundreds of years old that has watched an entire town grow up around it. Icod de los Vinos combines a well-preserved old town, a winemaking tradition and the most recognisable botanical symbol of the Canary Islands.
800+ yearsEstimated age of the tree
MalvasíaLocal winemaking tradition
2–3 hoursRecommended time
Why it is worth the visit
The town that grew up around a tree.
Icod de los Vinos owes its name to the winemaking tradition that shaped its economy since colonisation, especially the malvasía wine that was exported to half of Europe. But its real symbol has been planted in the centre of the town for centuries: the Drago Milenario, a specimen of Dracaena draco whose exact age nobody knows for certain, because this species does not produce growth rings like other trees.
Around that tree, an old town of cobbled streets, colonial mansions and a parish church has been preserved, having survived the passing of time almost intact, making Icod one of the must-stops in the north of Tenerife.
What to see
The places that justify the stroll.
Icod's old town is covered on foot in a couple of hours, with the Drago Milenario as the starting point.
01
The Drago Milenario
The most famous tree in the Canary Islands, with a trunk almost 20 metres in circumference. It stands inside a small botanical park next to the main square, and is visible even from outside the enclosure.
02
San Marcos Church
A 16th-century parish church, with a bell tower that dominates the town's skyline and an interior that preserves valuable pieces of silverwork.
03
Old town
Cobbled streets with mansions of wooden balconies and volcanic stonework, a witness to the time when malvasía wine made Icod one of the most prosperous towns on the island.
How to organise it
Three ways to experience Icod.
From a quick stop at the Drago to a full visit of the old town.
Before you drive
Park near the dragon tree square.
The centre is compact, but the streets closest to the tree fill up quickly in high season.
Important
There are several public car parks a short distance from Plaza de la Iglesia and the Drago Milenario park. In high season, especially mid-morning when the tour groups arrive, it is best to arrive early or leave the car a little further away and walk.
Practical information
How to get there and when to go.
In the north of the island, halfway between Garachico and La Orotava.
TF-42 from the north
About 35 minutes from Santa Cruz along the northern motorway, or 15 minutes from Garachico.
Next to the dragon tree square
Public car parks a few minutes' walk from the Drago Milenario and the Church of San Marcos.
Early morning or late afternoon
Avoid the bulk of the tour groups, which tend to concentrate in mid-morning.
Restaurants by the square
The area around Plaza de la Pila has bars and Canarian restaurants, a good place to try the local malvasía wine.
2–3 hours
Enough for the dragon tree and the old town at an easy pace; less if you only want to see the tree.
The malvasía wine route
Several wineries in the municipality, with the Ycoden-Daute-Isora Denomination of Origin, offer visits and tastings — another way to discover the tradition that gives the town its name.
Garachico, 15 minutes away
The most natural combination for a half-day route through the north of the island.
La Orotava and Puerto de la Cruz
Half an hour away, to extend the route to a full day in the north.
Before you set off
Common mistakes to avoid.
- The Drago Milenario park charges an entrance fee; you can't get close from outside the enclosure.
- Tour groups arrive mid-morning: if you want peace and quiet, go early.
- The Church of San Marcos has worship hours; check if you want to see the inside.
- Combine the visit with Garachico, just 15 minutes away, to make the most of the journey.
- Try the local malvasía wine: it is the tradition that gives the town its name.
Frequently asked questions
The essentials before visiting Icod.
How old is the Drago Milenario?
Its exact age is unknown because dragon trees do not produce growth rings like other trees. The most-cited estimates speak of several centuries, possibly more than 800 years, although there is no firm scientific consensus on an exact figure.
Is there an entrance fee to see the Drago Milenario?
Yes, the park surrounding the tree has a paid entrance at a modest price. It can be partly seen from outside, but to appreciate it up close you have to enter the enclosure.
How much time do you need to visit Icod de los Vinos?
Two to three hours are enough to see the dragon tree and stroll around the old town at an easy pace.
What is there near Icod de los Vinos?
Garachico is 15 minutes away, and La Orotava and Puerto de la Cruz half an hour: all of them fit well into a one-day route through the north of the island.
Where to eat in Icod de los Vinos?
The area around Plaza de la Pila and the Church of San Marcos has bars and Canarian restaurants, a good place to try the local malvasía wine.
Can you visit malvasía wineries?
Yes. Several wineries in the municipality, within the Ycoden-Daute-Isora Denomination of Origin, offer visits and tastings of the winemaking tradition that gives the town its name.
Next stop
A tree that has been the centre of the town for centuries.
Icod de los Vinos shows that sometimes a place's best symbol is not a building, but something that has been there far longer than any old town.
Photo of the Drago Milenario: FrDr, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) · Photo of the Church of San Marcos: Redeemer, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo of the old town: Panarria, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)