San Cristóbal de La Laguna: Culture, Festivals and Anaga

San Cristóbal de La Laguna comprises an upper town that grew organically and a lower town planned according to a grid. The lower town is arranged around the founding square, Plaza del Adelantado. As the first unfortified Spanish colonial town, La Laguna had a grid model that served as the direct blueprint for settlements in the Spanish colonial territories of the Americas.

Culture

Casa Lercaro presents the institutional, social, economic and cultural development of Tenerife from the 15th to the 20th century. It also offers cultural and educational activities. CEDOCAM combines exhibitions, guided tours and school activities with research and library services. Interested individuals and groups may visit its facilities by arranging an appointment in advance by telephone or in writing.

Festivals and Traditions

In the municipality of La Laguna, the Romería de San Benito Abad takes place on the second Sunday in July and holds the status of a festival of national tourist interest. It includes traditional island costumes, folk singing and the offering of representative culinary products.

In August, the festival Los Corazones de Tejina takes place in Tejina, in honour of the patron saint San Bartolomé; since 2003, it has been recognised as an asset of cultural and tourist interest. During this festival, the residents of the three main streets, El Pico, Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo, build the structures and carry them to the church square.

La Librea de Valle de Guerra is listed in the municipality of La Laguna for October as part of the festivities in honour of the Virgen del Rosario; it includes a procession and an auto sacramental performance. Since June 2021, La Librea de Valle de Guerra has belonged to the platform for Spain's intangible cultural heritage, a recognition granted by the Spanish Ministry of Culture.

Geographical Setting

Tenerife's tram network has two lines and connects Santa Cruz and La Laguna. The main routes to the Anaga massif from La Laguna run along the TF-12 road through Las Mercedes.

The Cruz del Carmen Visitor Centre in the Parque Rural de Anaga provides information about the park and its hiking trails and presents an audiovisual programme as well as a permanent exhibition about the park. Casa de Carta has reopened to the public with a renewed exhibition design. At its site in Valle de Guerra, it presents the exhibition “La Casa de Carta y las tradiciones”, which has been part of the MHAT's museographic offering since 2004. The Museo de la Ciencia y el Cosmos offers sensory experiences and interactive experiments.

Nature and Hiking

The Parque Rural de Anaga is a biosphere reserve. It encompasses laurel forests and numerous hamlets traditionally integrated into the landscape. In the municipality of La Laguna, numerous hiking trails cross the Anaga area; some run from the mountainous region and others from the coast. The Chinamada–Punta del Hidalgo section of PR-TF 10 is an officially approved hiking trail in the municipality of La Laguna.

Coast and Cuisine

In Punta Del Hidalgo, the San Juanito celebration includes a procession from the Iglesia de San Mateo to its coastal chapel. The swimming pools in Bajamar offer opportunities for a peaceful swim in the sea.

Laguneros are puff pastry rings filled with angel hair. In the municipality of La Laguna, the Mercado de San Cristóbal de La Laguna sells, among other things, fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, cheese and confectionery.

Other location pages: Tejina, Guamansa and Valle De Guerra.

To the higher-level travel overview: Tenerife.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Arico Viejo, Arico, Vilaflor.