Tigaiga: Tradition, History and Landscape

Tigaiga combines community festival traditions with historic architecture, an old path and a protected landscape area. If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to Tigaiga, the timing may be important to consider first: one festival takes place on a specific date, while the Ermita, Lavaderos, Camino de las Vueltas and landscape offer other thematic highlights. This lets you plan your trip around a date or the topics that interest you most.

Festivals with Different Dates

For one day, more than 300 Tigaiga residents transform the village into ancient Palestine for the Belén Viviente. This tradition has existed for more than forty years. The Belén Viviente is scheduled for December 24; check the current event dates before your trip.

The Romería de San Antonio Abad in Tigaiga takes place on the Sunday closest to January 17. The two events therefore follow different calendar rules: the Belén Viviente is set for a fixed date, while the Romería is tied to the nearest Sunday. If one of the festivals is a deciding factor in your trip, plan around the confirmed event date.

Ermita and Lavaderos: Building History and Water

The Ermita de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción had already been built on land in Tigaiga when Marciana Grimón endowed it with thirty silver reales in November 1617. The single-nave building has a presbytery and adjoining rooms. The Ermita also houses an anonymous 18th-century image of the Immaculate Conception. The building’s form, the image and the dated endowment provide different points of reference for exploring the history of the place.

The historic water supply is the focus at the Lavaderos de Tigaiga. An old spring rose at the foot of a Barbuzano tree; its water was channelled and distributed at the Lavaderos via basins, watering troughs and washing areas. The island council recognized the Lavaderos as serving the public interest in 1701. After a period of decline, they were restored and enhanced. While the Ermita is described through its architecture and image, the Lavaderos show how water was distributed for different uses and their public-interest status, recorded in a specific year.

Camino de las Vueltas and Ruta 040

The Camino de las Vueltas is an old pre-Hispanic route that connected the Menceyatos of Icode and Taoro. Ruta 040 begins at El Aserradero, climbing along this old Camino, and continues via the Camino de las Piedras to Calle Tigaiga. One section of the Camino de las Vueltas climbs for more than a kilometre along a winding, paved path to the TF-342. The descriptions thus distinguish the route’s historical significance from the specific sequence of paths and the section of Ruta 040 described here. As trail conditions can change, check the current conditions before setting out.

Protected Landscape and Nature Watching

The protected landscape of Los Campeches, Tigaiga and Ruiz forms a geographical and landscape unit comprising the three natural areas of Los Campeches, Tigaiga and Ruiz. It has a high biodiversity of endemic species: the cliffs are home to rocky plant communities, lower elevations have Cardonal-Tabaibal vegetation, and mid-elevations have Fayal-Brezal vegetation and remnants of laurel forest. The area is designated a Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA).

The area around the square in Tigaiga is also an interesting observation point for numerous species. Sightings are seasonal and variable. This is a different focus for your planning than festivals with fixed or calendar-based dates: nature watching depends on possible sightings, which can vary in both timing and species.

Getting There from Puerto de la Cruz

For the drive from Puerto de la Cruz, the recommended turn-off is the one after the motorway tunnel near the San Vicente district. From there, the route continues through Realejo Bajo to Tigaiga. Check current road conditions before setting off.

Discover more destinations: Icod El Alto, Llanadas, Palo Blanco, Brezal, Cruz Santa

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