Telde: the fusion of nature and Canarian culture

A Spanish city and municipality located some 13 kilometres from the capital of Gran Canaria, Telde is the second most populated municipality on the island, and the largest in the eastern region of Gran Canaria. In pre-Hispanic times, this city was one of the two kingdoms into which the island of Gran Canaria was divided, which is why today it is full of archaeological sites such as Baladero, Tufia, Cuatro Puertas, Tara and Cendro, as well as its historic quarter and the beautiful surrounding countryside. Telde has three main districts, an extensive coastline of about 10 km, numerous beaches and a very long history.

Telde not only has a lot to see, but also a lot to taste, with its wide range of gastronomic offer. From its famous Navel oranges, whose taste is at once intensely sweet, somewhat sour and subtly bitter, to the operation of the olive oil mill and the olive packing line, the only one of its kind in the Canary Islands.

The beauty of Telden lies in the neighbourhoods of its historic quarter: San Juan, San Francisco and San Gregorio. When touring the city centre, it is essential that you visit all its corners to fully enjoy your stopover there. So let's start in the San Juan neighbourhood, home to two main churches, the Plaza Mayor, and the Casa Museo de León y Castillo.

The San Juan quarter

The Church of San Juan Bautista is one of the oldest churches in the Canary Islands, with origins dating back to the end of the 15th century, but whose construction lasted until the 18th century, hence the diversity of styles in its architecture. It is divided into three naves with a presbytery flanked by chapels, cylindrical columns on which rest semicircular arches, except for the pointed arches at the side headers. Inside, we should highlight the Gothic-Flemish altarpiece of the High Altar, a sculptural group of six scenes from the life of Christ, a Crucified Christ, and the Flemish triptych of the Adoration of the Shepherds.

Another church that also deserves a detour is that of San Pedro Mártir de Verona. Located at the entrance to Telde, it is currently an exhibition centre on the history of the municipality of Telde.

Continuing our tour, we head towards the Casa-Museo León y Castillo, the birthplace of the brothers Fernando and Juan de León y Castillo, famous politicians of the late 17th century. Open from Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays (with some exceptions) from 10:00 to 18:00, this museum researches, studies, conserves, exhibits and disseminates the legacy of these brothers, as well as the museum's collections.

The San Francisco neighbourhood then appears, quiet and scenic, with its narrow streets and low houses with gabled roofs and long whitewashed walls. Here you will also find the aboriginal caves of Baladero and the century-old aqueduct that bears its name, a true emblem of the city. But the most curious will soon understand that San Francisco is much more than a small conglomerate of narrow streets in the city of Telde. It is a neighbourhood of artisans, a former Jewish quarter where those who worked for the bourgeoisie of the nearby San Juan neighbourhood lived. In the Plaza de los Romeros, an open space where we can get a more extensive panoramic view of our location, with views of the Tara and Cendro sites and the Puente de los Siete Ojos (Seven Eyes Bridge), a bridge built in 1868 by Juan de León y Castillo. In addition, the San Francisco neighbourhood is home to its own church of the same name, which in turn houses the Cristo de la Agonía (Christ of the Agony).

The San Gregorio quarter

We finish our tour of the historic quarter in the district of San Gregorio, the settlement point of traders and craftsmen. In this area, the Church of San Gregorio, a neoclassical parish church built by Diego Nicolás Eduardo in 1848, is located in the square of the same name in the centre of Telde. Inside there are many neoclassical altarpieces by the great Canarian painter and restorer José Arencibia Gil, as well as the iconic carving of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores which was made at the end of the 19th century by Silvestre Bello. Finally, the Church of San Gregorio also has a small museum based on its collection of objects, some of which are of great historical value, such as the crozier and mitre of Bishop Codina, among other things.

As already mentioned, Telde stands out from the other municipalities of Gran Canaria for having been one of the two kingdoms into which the island was divided in pre-Hispanic times. Also known as the city of the Faicanes, Telde has more than a hundred archaeological sites. Among them, the best known is undoubtedly that of Cuatro Puertas. It is one of the clearest examples we have today of what life was like for those who lived here before the conquest, especially those who lived in Gran Canaria.

The most characteristic feature of this large artificial cave, excavated by hand out of the volcanic tuff, is its four north-facing doors that lead to the great hall. Next to this almogarén we find a multitude of caves such as the Cueva de los Papeles and the Cueva de los Pilares, which can be reached by following the path carved into the tuff that runs along the southern side of the hill.

Apart from its archaeological remains, the city of Telde also has an extensive coastline of almost ten kilometres, with the beaches of La Garita, Melenara, Salinetas, Ojos de Garza and Tufia. The first of these beaches is blue, particularly during the high season. Its sand is dark and fine, of volcanic origin, born of a platform that the lava created, in the shape of an open shell, in the last volcanic episodes that occurred on the island.

Nestled in the 260 metres of black sand we find a very unique geological formation where the tide enters through an underwater hole that floods the large hole of this curious site and then comes out under pressure through a small one, thus producing a geyser-like jet of water that generates a very characteristic sound. Known as "El Bufadero de La Garita", it attracts a large number of visitors every year. In La Garita you can also find the ruins of an original settlement, which shows us the importance of this place since the islanders' ancestors.

This beach has many services for its visitors, such as public and PRM adapted toilets, access ramps, car parks, information panels and lifeguard service, among others, but it is absolutely forbidden to swim in El Bufadero as it is very dangerous. So it is advisable to enjoy the charm of this place with great caution and then head for any of the nearby beaches if you just want to take a dip.

The Orange Fair

Since 2011 Telde has been holding an Orange Fair, as Telde's star agricultural product is its navel oranges, also known by their English name "navel". Its cultivation, however, is not new, as there are already bibliographical references in the 16th century indicating its production in the area.

This annual meeting between consumers and producers is not only for tasting and buying oranges, but also to promote their use in all kinds of gastronomic preparations, such as making carnival omelettes with orange marmalade, for example. In addition, the fair always has other local producers offering breads, wines, cheeses, papayas, pastries... It is well worth a visit.

Los Olivos

We come to the other star product of the region, olives and extra virgin olive oil. Just 5 minutes from the city of Telde is the Centro Ecológico Cultural Los Olivos, a beautiful 50,000 m2 estate with more than 1,000 olive trees, where olives are grown organically.

This unique theme park was born with a dual agricultural and educational vocation. Every year it welcomes more than 11,000 schoolchildren, and also houses more than 70 varieties of animals that find in its facilities a home where they feel protected and cared for.

There are options for family, school or group visits, as well as campsites, picnic areas and even a cafeteria. Los Olivos is truly a park that has a lot to offer.

Telde can be reached from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria by two roads:

• The GC-1, the modern and straight motorway.
• The C-812, a winding but very scenic road that enters the city via the famous Puente de los Siete Ojos (Seven Eyes Bridge).

In case you prefer to use public transport, there are many lines that will take you to Telde, and that from various starting points. If you are coming from Las Palmas, the most direct line is the n°80. In case you want a more scenic route or if you are coming from another part of the island, we advise you to consult the website of Guaguas Global where you will find all the information you need to choose the line and route that best suits your plans.