The overlooked little Spanish island that now receives the most migrants
- Our Hidden Earth
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
The island is not short of impressive claims. As the youngest, most southern and most western of the Canary Islands, it is also the smallest one with people living on it, with only the uninhabited La Graciosa being smaller.
Its name comes from the ancient geographer Ptolemy, who in the 2nd century AD chose its far western point to mark the prime meridian.
For more than sixteen centuries, this lonely stretch of land was used as the world’s main reference point for measuring longitude, until it was replaced by Greenwich in England in 1884.
The island, shaped a little like a heart, was also a safe stop for Christopher Columbus, who stayed for 17 days to collect water, food and supplies while waiting for the right winds to take him towards the Americas.
In Spanish, El Hierro is called the “Meridian Island” because, for many years, people believed it marked the edge of the known world.
Its steep, rocky cliffs, natural pools and dark volcanic soil give you the feeling of standing at the edge of civilisation, which it truly was before the Americas were discovered.
El Hierro is still wonderfully quiet and untouched by huge crowds of tourists, offering beautiful beaches such as the black volcanic stones at Timijiraque, the red sands of Playa del Verodal and the bright white shore of Arenas Blancas.
However, to really enjoy the island, you need to be someone who enjoys exploring and adventure.
With 270 kilometres of old footpaths crossing the island, walkers can discover everything from dramatic coastlines to slopes shaped by volcanoes.
Water lovers can enjoy fantastic diving in the Mar de las Calmas Marine Reserve and swim in the charcos, which are natural rock pools formed by lava.
Steady trade winds allow paragliding almost all year, and mountain bikers can ride along quiet trails through forests, beside cliffs and over volcanic landscapes.
Anyone wanting to learn about local culture can visit museums and historic sites to understand more about El Hierro’s past and the traditions of its first people.
But the island also faces problems. Alongside climate change, which has brought tough droughts and powerful storms, another challenge has appeared.
El Hierro has become one of the main arrival points for refugees and migrants travelling from West Africa. Now known as the “Lampedusa of the Atlantic”, more than 20,000 migrants reached the island in 2024.
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