02/02/2026
We are all loving our New Year’s resolution to spend more time as a family exploring our beautiful island 💚
So far, we’ve managed a road trip most weekends in January, and it’s by far the highlight of our week. There’s something about packing snacks, jumping in the car, and seeing where the road takes us that feels deeply nourishing for all of us.
This Saturday we decided to head north, having spent the previous weekend exploring the south (incoming post about that adventure 👀). We’d never visited Sardina del Norte, and the photos online showed quiet little beaches with expansive coastal views — perfect for a gentle family beach day. We primed the kids for sand and sea… and off we went.
The drive itself was truly spectacular. With all the rain we’ve had this year, the island is unbelievably green. Flowers are blooming along the roadside, trees are starting to blossom, and we passed fields of sheep with the most incredible mountain views beyond. Even the kids enjoyed the 1 hour 15 minute car journey — there were plenty of interesting things to spot along the way.
However… one small factor we hadn’t considered: the tides 🌊
With the recent rain and storms, there were no beaches to be found — just waves crashing dramatically against the walkway. The children were understandably disappointed, and Sardina del Norte itself is very small: a couple of restaurants and a tiny maritime museum. We regrouped over a lovely seafood lunch at Restaurante La Cueva, then decided to search for something that would properly entertain the kids.
Next stop: La Cueva de Sansón.
Now, a word of warning — while the caves themselves are absolutely worth the effort, the drive there is… hairy. Think narrow, steep backstreets that really test your nerves. There’s no official parking, and when the road is eventually blocked, you can either park there or (like us) drive back down slightly and find roadside parking in the nearest streets.
From there, it’s around a 25-minute uphill walk to the caves. With a 3- and 6-year-old, it took us closer to 40 minutes — but it’s not a difficult walk at all. Both kids managed brilliantly, helped by the endless distractions along the way: dried-out snails, new plants and flowers, interestingly shaped twigs, handfuls of mountain gravel… all of which I somehow ended up carrying in my pockets on the way home 😄
And the caves? Epic.
You do need to be mindful of rockfall — especially if you climb the steeper slope into the caves, as some of the larger rocks can loosen and roll quickly. We took our time, and Miguel and Leon made it up to the higher caves, which were a bit trickier for me to reach with Poppy in tow. Even so, the sense of scale, quiet, and wildness was incredible.
We’d absolutely recommend this as a true off-the-beaten-track adventure. We didn’t pass a single person on the way up and had the caves entirely to ourselves. On the way back down (around 4:30pm on a Saturday), we saw just a handful of hikers beginning their ascent.
It felt secluded, wild, and very real. The roads alone will put some people off — but for us, it was completely worth it. A great hike, a proper adventure, and very happy kids by the end of the day 💛
