Centre Tour - Cruz de Tejeda
Continuing our journey through the central massif further west, we arrive at our next point of interest, the small village of Tejeda and the nearby Cruz de Tejeda (Cross of Tejeda), a sombre carved stone cross on a mountain pass at 1580 m (5184 ft) above sea level, which marks the notional centre of the island of Gran Canaria.
At this popular sightseeing attraction you will find bustling restaurants and bars, shops selling souvenirs and other local specialities and a man offering donkey rides to children. From the Parador Nacional, a state run inn at the fringe of the crater, and some other viewpoints in the nearby surroundings you will enjoy magnificent views over the island’s mountains and valleys. If you prefer it more peaceful, then you should not come here at weekends, as this is also a favourite excursion place for the locals.
Serious walkers and climbers are obviously more attracted by the high peaks but this area is also full of relatively short and easy walks to tempt others, less trained nature lovers to a walk amid this dazzling scenery. Some of these walks are new paths, but most of them are caminos reales (royal tracks), ancient tracks only used by the Guanche to get around the interior of island.
The village of Tejeda, surrounded by terraced cornfields, orchards and vegetable cultivations, nestles – at about 1000 m (3280 ft) above sea level – in the slopes of a crater with the same name and boasts many archaeological remains such as graves, caves, rock engravings and paintings.
Without the upswing of tourism in this area, this village would be deserted long ago, as it is not possible to live alone on agricultural cultivations on this barren land. About 50 % of the inhabitants have left their village in the past.
However, Tejeda provides a nice stopping place for lunch and while you are here try – or buy – some of the delicious, local almond sweets specialities Bienmesabe (literally: ‘It tastes good to me’) and marzipan.
When almond trees are at their best in the beginning of February, this region offers wonderful sceneries and for the fiesta of the ‘Almond Tree in Bloom’, on the 7th of February, everybody – and we mean really everybody – gets dressed up for this special occasion.
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