Kristine de Abreu, takes us on a journey to the heart of Tenerife’s authentic culture, to the hidden gem, La Orotava.

Villa de La Orotava is an unexpected gem in Tenerife. A town in the north untouched by the commercialisation and over tourism of its counterparts in the south. High-rise hotels donned in glass and steel are replaced with brightly coloured buildings of yellows, reds, browns and the odd blue and green. Their ornate wrought-iron or wooden balconies protrude above the cobblestone streets and slender, swaying palms are substituted for wild, otherworldly dragon trees which bleed a blood-red sap. Another world? Perhaps another reality, one far far away from what we know.

La Orotava – A unique town in Tenerife

The town sits separate from the rest of the island. It’s got a separate culture, traditions and even climate. As you leave the arid landscape of the south, you start to see a gradual transition from the vast desert-scape of the south to the lush, mountainous north. North Tenerife is like another country, cooler from the elevation and prone to dramatic swings in temperature.

La Orotava is half-way to El Teide. As you pass through, you see a gradual transition from the Spanish colonial era to an even more ancient geological one, as the Teide National Park houses incredible volcanic formations dating back thousands upon thousands of years ago.

A Brief History of Tenerife’s Hidden Gem

Established in the early 1500s, La Orotava is a town with good and bad history, as numerous as the many hills and terraces. From the first settlers, the Guanches, who climbed these steep hills to worship at Mount Teide to the more recent violence of the Spanish Civil War, La Orotava withstood the test of many epochs of humanity’s story. 

Firstly, the island’s first inhabitants, the mysterious Guanches, had a stronghold here. It was the mighty kingdom of Taoro which included other northern towns of Los Realejos, Puerto de la Cruz, Santa Úrsula, La Victoria de Acentejo, and La Matanza de Acentejo. At the time of the Spanish conquest, it was ruled by a legendary Guanche king named Bentor, who fought the Spanish until he took his own life by jumping from the very mountainside these towns occupy. 

After the conquest, the Spanish started to build up the island. It was mostly used for agriculture as the valley was and still is very fertile. Bananas, grapes, and an array of vegetables and fruits dominated the local economy. Churches and religious traditions started to develop. Tourists then started visiting the town in the 1800s which led to the construction of rustic and historic hotels like the Hotel Victoria and Hotel Rural Orotava. 

La Orotava was not excluded from the turmoil of the Spanish Civil War. Tenerife was the base (and exile) for the infamous Francisco Franco, a detail that has faded into the background of history for many. Franco visited La Orotava during its festivals and some residents tried to conduct secret rebellious activities before getting caught.

An Architectural Gem – The Best Preserved Spanish Colonial Town

It has the prestige of being the most well-preserved colonial town in Spain. You’d find that the chipped paint and a couple of abandoned Spanish-styled townhouses more charming than unsavoury and you can tell that each structure holds its very own history. Perhaps one of the most popular and classic examples of this is La Casa de Los Balcones.

On the outside, it is a grand work of art with intricate designs on the wood and iron balconies and incredibly detailed moulding and tiles. On the inside, we see a more humble, modest dwelling frozen in time. Characteristic of Andalusian patios, it is a courtyard with ornamental plants, preserved antique furniture and personal items of the family who built the property and two stories of open, wrap-around hallways. The bedrooms, kitchen, pantry, living area and library have not been touched to show Canarian life in the 1600s.

La Orotava – An Artists Paradise

The town highly favours art and the preservation of heritage; not just from the stunning architectural beauty of the Baroque and neoclassical churches and colonial residential buildings but also the unique indigenous style artworks from potters and other artisans. The main medium for these works? Lava! The island’s tumultuous geological past has served local communities well by providing unique raw materials which innovative artists have manipulated to create sculptures, paintings, murals and jewellery reminiscent of the islands’ first people, the Guanches. 

Unique festivals make La Orotava worth visiting

The town’s character truly comes alive when there are festivals. La Orotava is not short of some of the island’s most intimate, unique and colourful celebrations. Catholic feast days, particularly Semana Santa, Corpus Christi, the Feast of the Assumption of Mary and others bring both locals and visitors together to participate in illustrious processions of statues of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and saints. Whether you are an onlooker, a member of the town’s brotherhood which processes around the town or simply curious, they are a must-see.

La Orotava is not simply an artist or history buff’s dream. It is a botanist’s. One such garden is the Marquesado de la Quinta Roja Garden which translates into the Garden of the Marquis of the Red Mansion. The “Red Mansion” refers to the famous bright red estate home dating back to the 18th century. It is now a heritage building with a restaurant serving Canarian delights and a great view of the town.

On another end of the property is Hijuela del Botánico which means ‘Botanic Garden Branch’. You will walk through a dense miniature forest sporting the island’s iconic dragon trees, giant palms, succulents, bird of paradise flowers, ferns and more. You will find even more variety at the Acclimatisation Gardens of La Orotava located in Puerto de la Cruz, the next town over which goes down to the rocky, volcanic coast.

Local Canarian Cuisine – Authentic Tapas

La Orotava serves typical Canarian cuisine. The restaurants have a very local vibe. Residents frequent their favourite spots in the evening time and enjoy the soft golden sunsets that settle over the town. As it is in Spain, they don’t usually have full meals, but tapas. You can get your fix of croquetas, gambas al ajillo, Papas con mojo picón, Canarian beef, puchero canario and of course, JAMON! La Orotava also has some great ‘guachinches’ which are quintessential Canarian restaurants. Not glamorous by any means, guachinches are family-owned, humble establishments that evoke authenticity and comfort.

Is La Orotava worth visiting?

The verdict? The town speaks for itself. Not only is it a historic and artistic gem that has maintained its integrity for the last five centuries but it is also a chance to see the real side of the largest Canary Island.