Culture, Food & Drink

The cuisine of Tenerife is a trinity of Spanish, African, and Latin American tradition — influenced by the Guanches, the Spanish colonizers, and the returnees from Venezuela and Cuba. The result is a cuisine that is simple but ingenious: few ingredients, perfectly prepared, and always with fresh local products.

The Canarian Classics

• Papas Arrugadas con Mojo: THE national dish of the Canaries. Small, wrinkled potatoes, cooked in seawater (or heavily salted water) until the skin forms a white salt crust. Served with two sauces: Mojo Rojo (red, with paprika and chili — spicy) and Mojo Verde (green, with coriander or parsley — fresh). Simple, perfect, addictive. From 3€ as a tapa.
• Gofio: Roasted flour made from wheat, barley, or corn — the staple food of the Guanches, still central in Canarian cuisine today. Stirred into soups (Gofio escaldado), eaten as porridge, formed into balls, or served with banana and almonds as a dessert. Tastes nutty-roasted and is surprisingly versatile.
• Conejo en Salmorejo: Rabbit in a spicy marinade of vinegar, garlic, thyme, oregano, and paprika — slow-cooked for hours. The traditional Sunday dish.
• Sancocho Canario: Salted fish (Cherne = wreckfish) with sweet potatoes, potatoes, Gofio, and Mojo. The Canarian festive dish, especially at Christmas and Good Friday.
• Ropa Vieja: "Old Clothes" — a stew of chickpeas, meat, potatoes, and vegetables. Sounds simple, tastes incredible. The Canarian version differs from the Cuban one.
• Queso Asado con Mojo: Grilled Canarian goat cheese with Mojo. The cheese of Tenerife — especially the Queso de Arico — is excellent and has won international awards.
• Barraquito: THE Canarian coffee: Espresso with condensed milk, frothed milk, Licor 43, and a pinch of cinnamon — served layered in a glass. Sweet, strong, and irresistible. The perfect afternoon drink. 2–3€.

Tenerife's climate allows for the cultivation of tropical and subtropical fruits that you won't find in this quality anywhere else in Europe:

• Plátano de Canarias: The Canarian banana is smaller, sweeter, and more aromatic than the imported banana — and has an EU origin label. It grows everywhere in the north and is the symbol of Canarian agriculture.
• Papaya: Grows year-round in Tenerife. The local variety is sweet, creamy, and a fraction of the price on the mainland.
• Mango: The Canarian mango (harvest: September–November) is one of the best outside the tropics. In supermarkets from 3€/kg.
• Aguacate (Avocado): Tenerife produces top-quality avocados. In autumn at the markets: incomparably creamy.
• Tuno (Prickly Pear): The fruit of the prickly pear cactus grows all over the island. Sweet, juicy, full of seeds. In summer at markets from 2€/kg.

The Best Markets

• Mercado de Nuestra Señora de África (Santa Cruz): The largest and most beautiful market hall in the Canaries. Fish, meat, cheese, fruits, flowers — all under a Moorish-inspired roof. Flea market in the basement on Sundays.
• Mercadillo del Agricultor (Tacoronte): Saturday and Sunday market with local farm products: wine, cheese, honey, fruit. This is where the locals shop.
• Mercado de La Laguna: Freshly renovated market hall in the UNESCO old town. A good mix of traditional stalls and modern gastro concepts.
• Mercadillo de Tegueste: Sunday market in the small town of Tegueste (near La Laguna). Authentic, without tourist frills. Local wine, Gofio, cheese.

The Canarian Soul

The Kanarios — as the inhabitants of the Canaries call themselves — have a unique identity that is neither purely Spanish nor African, but unique. They are proud of their islands, their history, and their culture — and differ in many ways from the mainland:

• Language: The Canarian dialect is immediately recognizable: The "s" at the end of words is swallowed (instead of "buenos días" you hear "bueno' día'"), the "c" and "z" are pronounced like "s" (not like "th" on the mainland). Many words come from Guanche or Latin American Spanish — the Canaries often feel closer to Latin America than to Madrid.
• El Silbo Gomero: The whistle language of the neighboring island La Gomera is UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Shepherds communicated across ravines by translating the Spanish language into whistles — audible up to 4 km away. On La Gomera, El Silbo is still taught in schools.
• Timple: The Canarian ukulele — a small, five-stringed plucked instrument that shapes the sound of Canarian folk music. Ubiquitous in bars and at fiestas.
• Lucha Canaria: The Canarian wrestling is the national sport of the islands. Two wrestlers try to bring each other to the ground in a sand circle (Terrero) — without punches, only with grips and techniques. The rules date back to the Guanches. Competitions are held regularly — an authentic sporting experience.

Holidays & Festivals

• Carnival (Feb/Mar): The most important festival. In Santa Cruz, the second largest in the world, but every village celebrates.
• Corpus Christi (May/Jun): Flower carpets in La Orotava — one of the most beautiful festivals in the Canaries.
• Romería de San Roque (August): Pilgrimage in Garachico with decorated ox carts, traditional clothing, and lots of wine.
• Día de Canarias (May 30): Holiday of the Canary Islands with folk music, Lucha Canaria, and traditional food.
• Noche de San Juan (June 23): Summer solstice. Bonfires on the beach, midnight swimming, fire jumping — the most magical night of the year.