You are lucky because if there is a place that we know very well in Gran Canaria is Teror municipality. We have grown up here so we can tell you what things to do in Teror. Take advantage of your stay and make it more pleasant! Ready to read?
Teror is a town in the center of Gran Canaria. It is an historical village where the religious heart of the island is located. In the past, Teror was one of the most populated places in the island, since the main source of income came from the field.
The village location influences in the climate. Teror weatheris very warm in summer and cold in winter time. Cold weather in the Canary Islands? Yes, the island is very wet in the center of the island and the humidity gets into your bones.
The legend says that around the year 1481 appeared a Virgin at the top of a pine, who was named later Virgen del Pino (Lady of the Pine) and currently she is the patron of the Diocese of the Canary Islands in the province of Las Palmas. From that historical-religious moment, the municipality turned into a pilgrimage village for residents and visitors of the island.
Teror is 20 km away from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and reachable in 45-50 minutes by bus (guagua). There are buses every half an hour from San Telmo bus Station (line number 216 and 229). Take a look to this Transport Guide and Bus routes on Gran Canaria to discover what other destinations are worth to visit.
We promise you are going to fall in love with the colorful houses, the typical Canarian houses and the nature surrounding the historical center of Teror. In fact, the area around the Basilique of the Lady of the Pine (Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pino) was declared an Historic-Artistic Site in 1979.
And don’t be scared! Because Teror name is not related with terrorism or terror. This place is very quiet and safe. So then, what does Teror mean? We tell you the secret in the fun walking tour around the historical center of Teror.
Once the brief introduction of the village is done, we proceed to tell you what to see in Teror.
This is the most important building of the town and one of the most beautiful and impressive of Gran Canaria. The currently basilique is the third reconstruction of the temple, since the floor underneath is unstable and it was necessary to remodel it last time in the XVIII century.
The Pine’s church opens every day but on Mondays mornings from 13:00 to 15:00 the main door is closed due to cleaning reasons. The access to the church is free of charge.
What is inside of the church? Our Patron, the Lady of the Pine, in her high altar. From the inside the church is impressive with all the little details. Devoted people come in and out to ask for promises and to adore the Lady of the Pine.
For art lovers, in one of the retables of the church there is an image of a Jesus Christ made by the religious Canarian sculptor Luján Pérez.
This museum is dedicated to the Virgin of the Pine. It is located at the back of the church and the access is through the stairs/ramp. The museum opens from 13:00 to 15:00h and the visit costs a few euros.
What can you find inside? As the name of the museum says, there is a room with the image of the Lady of the Pine. Which we can admire close up and touch her throne.
There are two annexed rooms. In one of them there are cape models designed for the Lady of the Pine and one of the oldest capes, the pine’s cape. In the other room there are offerings given to the Virgin: a Formula 1 helmet of Fernando Alonso, gifts of the football team U.D Las Palmas, gold and silver objects given by the latino american collectives.
Teror is a town surrounded by green in all the neighborhoods. So it seems it is an ideal place for hiking and for enjoying the amazing views. Check all the hiking routes on Teror website.
Osorio Farm Estate is 20 minutes away on foot from the Pine Basilique. It is very easy to get there and also you can access by car through the Osorio cemetery entrance. There is a parking area.
Osorio is a magic place, perfect to disconnect and connect with yourself. In some areas of the park there are tables and benches to organise a picnic or a special celebration. It is necessary to book these tables with an email to the Finca de Osorio, because its access is restricted.
Did you know that some scenes of the Spanish film “Palmeras en la Nieve” were recorded here?
In front of Teror Auditorium there is a cross at the top of a mountain called Hoya Alta. This cross is illuminated in special days of the year. We invite you to make a short hiking to get to the summit and to contemplate the views from all the historical center of Teror.
If we talk about Teror, we talk about chorizo. Because the bocadillo de chorizo de Teror is the most famous snack of the town. To avoid you choked on a piece of bread, it is recommendable to ask for a strawberry soft drink (Clipper de fresa) or Teror water (Agua de Teror). If you want to give chorizo as a present or eat it at home, buy it better in a vacuum pack in Los Nueces factory.
On the right side of the church you can find one of the oldest supermarkets of the town, known as a tienda de aceite y vinagre(corner shop). Right here they prepare the bocadillo de chorizo de Teror with or without local cheese.
Around the church there are some bars and restaurants where you can try the typical Canarian gastronomy like: papas arrugadas (salty boiled potatoes with wrinkles), goat or smoked cheese, chorizo de Teror, ropa vieja (stew), potajes (veggie soups)... Ask for the daily menu because its price goes around 10€/person. Some recommended places are: MC Cafeteria (Auditorium square), El Encuentro (next to Bankia), Bar Iris (on the right side of the church).
Fancy for a sweet? This town is also famous for the sugar doughnuts because the factory is very close from the center. Don’t be selfish and share the donut with your friend!
Teror boasts of festivities during the whole year and not only in September with the Pine Festival. And if there is something that Canary people love is spending time in the streets, enjoying the traditions and gathering with friends.
On Sundays you have a plan in Teror. From the XIX century approx started to become popular Teror’s market in the historical center. This is an outdoor market with gastronomy, plants and cloth stands.
Local and foreign people join the experience and it is an excellent opportunity to fill the stores of food with local products. We recommend you to buy corn bread (pan de millo) and egg bread (pan de huevo) in the gastronomic stands. These breads are only sold on Sundays. The market is opened until 3 pm.
Pine Festival is the most awaited festival for the inhabitants of the island. Teror become more festive than ever in September and it is full of people from all the corners of Gran Canaria.
It is celebrated that the Lady of the Pine (Virgen del Pino) appeared on 8th September, so the main days are the eve with the pilgrimage-offering and the main day with the mass and the military parade.
During Pine’s eve, on 7 September a lot of inhabitants of Gran Canaria walk to Teror to get to the town before midnight. This is a religious-spiritual tradition kept by young people and adults.
Apart from visiting typical and traditional stuff, we invite you to get out of the scheduled route to do other interesting plans.
Come to the most adventurous and local plan of all ages. In this guided tour you are going to discover the mysteries and secrets of Terorwhile you overcome Canarian challenges. This is a very dynamic and interactive tour for all ages and those who feel young in heart. There is an incident in Teror to reveal!
Sometimes there are places we can not find on the internet or in the guidebooks because these are only known by local people. That’s why we recommend you to visit the tourist information office of Teror to get valuable information of Teror. That info is going to be your treasure and you won’t share it with anyone!
Have you already drunk Teror water? If you haven’t done it yet, now is the time. Like the title says, the name of the fountain means sour water. When you drink the water seems that it contains gas but it is only a mineral texture.
The fountain is 15 min on foot from the church and you need to walk down and later to go up a big hill. Teror residents fill in water bottles without cost.
Even if you don’t like any of the suggested plans of things to do in Teror, another plan is to sit down on a bench in María Teresa de Bolívar square between trees and get relaxed.
Ready to become a pilgrim in Teror?
Written by: Elena Castellano
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Una forma novedosa de conocer un sitio tan agradable y único como Teror, en el corazón de Gran Canaria. La guía hace un trabajo espléndido, con el valor añadido de que es del mismísimo pueblo de la Virgen del pino. ¡Felicidades a las emprendedoras de Handy Visits!
Yesterday I took part in a sightseeing tour around Vegueta in Las Palmas on Gran Canaria. It was an different experience. The tour was created interesting and interactive with a small treasure hunt and at different quests with a little friendly competition.
Una muy buena e innovadora experiencia. Me sorprendió gratamente ya que al residir en la misma ciudad no esperaba descubrir/aprender grandes cosas, ¡pero lo consiguieron!. Lo recomiendo si quieren descubrir la ciudad de una forma diferente y divertida.
A great introduction to the city and Gran Canaria. This is the most fun you will ever have on a tour, as Aida and Elena make the tour fun and interactive and let you experience first-hand the friendliness of the people of Gran Canarian, as well as the food, language, music and many more things that make this island so great. A must do for anyone new to the island!
If you like discovering local culture in a funny way, you will love Handy Visits! The tours are full of challenges and small games really fun to do. A unique way to learn more about the place you are. Just go!
Handy Visits is a start-up whom unique value proposition is to offer a new concept of interactive tours in Canarias. Young and local guides will lead you around in town in order to discover secrets and tips unknown at any other tourist, including backpackers.
Una visita genial y diferente, llena de juegos. Experiencia innovadora y para rematar nos invitaron a una tapa de comida típica canaria. un 10!.
They make discovering the old town of Las Palmas a game with lots of group tasks, quizzes and stuff. I had a lot of fun, lost track of time and learn a lot of interesting facts about the city, its conquering and foundation and canarian culture. Way better than just listening to someone telling you the buildings history. 100% recommended
Hice su visita en Teror y Vegueta, fue muy divertida. Elena y Aída son personas encantadoras. El tour tiene una forma especial, y pude conocer la cultura canaria con ellas. No se puede comparar a otros tours que hice en otras ciudades. ¡Muy recomendable!
I did the Teror tour - it was awesome! :-) Elena and Aída are doing a great job showing you around in a funny and entertaining way. Both are originally from Teror and know everything about the city. That makes it super authentic. We also got some water and snacks of local products, which is quite convenient (water) and interesting to experience (snacks). I would definitely recommend it!
Do you like challenges? Say goodbye to those boring tours while you travel to Gran Canaria. Handy Visits is the best option to get to know the island, but in a funny and always-on-the-move way. I took the gastronomic tour in Teror, a lovely village in Gran Canaria. Found out interesting things about the place, explored hidden treasures and solved urban challenges. All this in a great and multicultural company. After this experience, Teror quickly became my favourite place on the island!
Thanks a lot Elena & Aida for the lovely tour in Teror. Discovering the beauty of Teror and got to know a lot of insights with the special interactive tour. You are doing a great job