Did you know that in Tenerife there is a place visited by thousands of pilgrims from all over the island? Do you want to know where to eat fresh fish at a reasonable price? Then read on and discover everything you need to know about Candelaria: a town full of tradition right by the sea.
The Candelaria Village is in the east of Tenerife, between the municipalities of Arafo and El Rosario. It is part of the Güímar Valley and, although the centre is on the coast, it also has some neighbourhoods in the higher areas and natural spaces for hiking.
Below, you can watch a video of some air footage recorded with a drone where you can have a taste of its beauty.
Although there is a main festivity (15th August) which is one of the most important in the Canary Islands, the municipality of Candelaria is characterised by its varied and constant cultural offer throughout the year. If you are looking for something interesting to do in Tenerife, here you have the events calendar of the Town Hall of Candelaria. Every month they update it with new events: concerts, exhibitions, presentations, workshops…
Every year this town fills up with thousands of pilgrims who come on foot from all corners of the island to be in the Plaza de la Patrona on the 15th of August. This day is a bank holiday because it celebrates the Assumption of the Virgin, but in Tenerife and the Canary Islands it is not related to this event, but to the Virgin of Candelaria, who has the ‘title’ of Patron Saint of the Canary Islands. Starting on the afternoon of the 14th, those who want to follow the route begin the walk, which, depending on the starting point, can take more than 20 hours and continue through the night. At the end of the route many bring flowers to the virgin as an offering, to give thanks or to ask for something.
Below you can see a news item from the regional television of the Canary Islands (RTVC) which shows part of the experience of the pilgrims on the 14th and 15th of August.
In addition to the pilgrimage, numerous events are held in honour of the Virgin of Candelaria, who is affectionately called La Morenita: processions, religious representations, a military parade and the popular ofrenda, which can even be watched on television.
A week after the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival, considered the second best carnival in the world, has concluded its celebrations, it is the turn of the Candelaria Carnival. On a much smaller scale, it offers numerous events with different carnival groups: comparsas, murgas, etc. In addition, you can dance at night at the verbenas (open-air dances) that are held by the sea, in the Plaza de la Patrona de Canarias.
In addition to the typical events that you can see in other Carnivals, characteristic of the Candelaria edition are the Cosito: a children’s parade in which children from local schools are involved; and the Encuentro Regional de Murgas, in which some of the most popular murgas (choral and satirical groups typical of Carnival) take part.
If you want to learn more about the vocabulary and traditions of the Canarian Carnival, don’t miss our previous posts:
Here you can see the complete video of the last Gala of the Carnival of Candelaria in the year 2024.
Candelaria is popular for its basilica and traditional celebrations, but nature lovers and hikers also have many options to enjoy the trails that this town has to offer.
Candelaria is mainly known for its basilica and the pilgrimage to it during the festivities in August, but do you know one of the main paths to get there from the north of the island? No? No problem, we’ll show you in this video.
As you can see in the previous video, this is a route through a rural area, in the middle of nature that connects the north of the island (La Laguna) with the highest part of the municipality of Candelaria. It has been used as a connecting route for pilgrims since the 16th century. Not the whole original route is in good condition, but there is still a designated route suitable for walking it nowadays. The importance of connecting these two parts of Tenerife is due to the fact that La Laguna was at that time the capital and Candelaria was an area of religious worship.
The ravine of Las Goteras in Candelaria is one of the trails offered by this municipality for nature lovers and those who enjoy spending a different kind of day outdoors.
As well as bordering it following one of its hiking routes, you can also go down it and practice the descent. Here you can see a video of some people descending the ravine.
If you are not afraid of heights, we recommend the route along the old water gallery and the Chacorche ravine. Located in the neighbourhood of Igueste de Candelaria, in the upper part of the municipality, you can walk along the ravine following the old channels of the now abandoned gallery.
Over the years, different human remains (mummies) and tools of pre-Hispanic origin have been found in some caves and places in the region. Although to see these remains you have to go to the Museum of Nature and Archaeology, which is in Santa Cruz, you can always walk around the area and, who knows, you might find something.
There are two different places in Candelaria where you can see sculptures representing the Menceys of Tenerife. But… what is a mencey? The menceys were the chiefs of the Guanche tribes who lived on this island before the Spaniards and the Guanches were the inhabitants of Tenerife in pre-Hispanic times. If you want to see the figures made of metal, you can find them right in front of the Plaza de la Patrona, next to the Basilica. If, on the other hand, you prefer to see a stone version, you should walk along Puntalarga Avenue.
In Candelaria there are many restaurants where you can find all kinds of food: Canarian, Spanish, Indian, Italian, Mexican… But if you want to try something local, fish is the best option.
Do you know what a cofradía de pescadores is? It is an association of local fishermen who sell the fish and seafood they catch themselves. In many cases these fishermen’s guilds have a small restaurant where customers can eat the fresh product at a fair price. In Candelaria there is a small cofradía de pescadores where you can try the local fish, accompanied by papas arrugadas and other Canarian specialities.
If, on the other hand, you prefer to eat meat, you should go to one of the typical restaurants found in the middle or upper areas of the area. Although chicken is as popular as anywhere else and you can try it prepared in many different ways, we recommend you try some of the Canarian specialities: conejo en salmorejo, carne de fiesta, escaldón de gofio, etc.
If you want to know more about the typical food of the Canary Islands, read our post on essential Canarian vocabulary.
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