Discover Chirche

Chirche is part of the ensemble Los Caseríos de Chirche y Aripe, which is designated as a Bien de Interés Cultural in the category of Historic Site. At the same time, the PR-TF 69 hiking trail follows the historic Camino de la Cañada to Chirche’s rural village center. This gives you two distinct points to consider when choosing a destination for your hotel stay: historical and agricultural heritage, and a hiking route. You can weigh the role these themes play in your trip by considering the architectural details, the viewpoint, and the route information.

Historic Site and Rural Heritage

The historic site of Chirche and Aripe lies in the high mid-altitude areas of the municipality of Guía de Isora, at 730 to 950 meters above sea level. Traditional buildings have thick masonry walls, with mortar made from clay and small stones. The rural heritage includes agricultural infrastructure such as threshing floors, water basins, and ovens, as well as small terraces and nateros. The heritage therefore encompasses both traditional buildings and structures from everyday agricultural life, as well as the terraced landscape.

Aripe and Chirche have an unusually high number of traditional brick ovens concentrated in a relatively small area: between 12 and 14. The brick ovens around Chirche and Aripe were often used communally in the past. The communal Los Mesas wine press in Chirche also remained in use until the recent past. Together, these sites illustrate different aspects of rural heritage: the construction of traditional facilities and their communal use in the past.

Landscape and Mirador de Chirche

The natural surroundings of Chirche and Aripe reveal a rugged landscape shaped by relatively young lava malpaíses and older basaltic and trachybasaltic materials from Series II and III. From the Mirador de Chirche, the view extends across the municipality of Guía de Isora from the summit region to the sea; the two small village centers of Aripe and Chirche are also visible. The viewpoint thus offers views both across the municipality and of the two village centers.

You can reach the Mirador from the center of Guía de Isora or via the TF-38 toward Teide National Park. Road conditions may change, so check them before setting out. The viewpoint and hiking trail are separate planning considerations: the Mirador offers a view, while the PR-TF 69 is a separate route with its own starting points and estimated duration.

PR-TF 69 Hiking Trail

The PR-TF 69 follows the historic Camino de la Cañada to Chirche’s rural village center and can be hiked in either direction. You can start at the village square in Vera de Erques or in Chío. The route is 14.6 kilometers long, with an estimated duration of six hours. This time estimate can help you set aside a separate block of time for the hike in your daily plans; it is an estimate for the route.

Before setting out, check the condition of the trail, as published route information may not reflect temporary conditions. The listed starting options give you two different starting points for the same hiking trail; the duration and distance refer to the route, not to the drive to the Mirador.

Día de las Tradiciones

At the Día de las Tradiciones in Chirche, locals and visitors take part in a portrayal of traditional Canarian life. This includes exhibitions of old tools, demonstrations of traditional crafts, and portrayals of traditional farming and livestock rearing. The focus is therefore on demonstrations and participation, giving the event a different emphasis from the historic site’s buildings and agricultural structures. If you would like to consider the Día de las Tradiciones as a possible reason to visit, check the specific event dates.

Discover more destinations: Vera De Erques, Chio, Playa De San Juan, Alcalá

For the main travel overview: Guía De Isora.