Moya
Description
A quiet town in the north with two things worth your time: the laurisilva of Los Tilos de Moya in the barranco below, and a genuinely local character that makes it an excellent coffee stop before heading into the central mountains. It is the birthplace of the Canarian poet Tomás Morales, whose family home is now a museum, and that gives the town a cultural dimension all its own. The church of the Virgen de la Candelaria and the view from the square over the deep green barrancos are simple pleasures.
The access road that runs through Los Tilos, the GC-700, winds through some of the most lush and shady terrain on the island, a total contrast to the arid south. The forest is the main attraction here: 90 hectares of ancient laurisilva, a living relic, best explored on foot along the barranco trails.
Moya is a rewarding detour from the coastal corridor of the GC-2. The village is quiet, genuine and unhurried. The road it sits on, the GC-75, is arguably among the most beautiful on the island and certainly among my favourites.
