Hotels in Teror

Teror

Teror is a historic town in the north of Gran Canaria, about 540 metres above sea level and some 20 km from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, with around 13,000 inhabitants in its municipality. It is the island's most important place of pilgrimage: after shepherds reported an apparition of the Virgin near a pine tree in 1481, the Virgen del Pino became the patron saint of Gran Canaria. Her feast on 8 September draws pilgrims from all over the island to the Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Pino, whose history goes back to 1767. The old town centre is protected as a monument and is one of the best preserved on the island, with white houses and carved wooden balconies. Calle Real, a cobbled street lined with 17th- to 19th-century houses decorated with flowers and wrought iron, leads from the entrance of the town to the square in front of the basilica. Every Sunday morning a popular market fills the streets around the basilica with local produce, traditional pastries and the famous chorizo de Teror, a soft spiced sausage spread. Two kilometres from the historic quarter, the Finca de Osorio estate protects patches of laurel forest and large chestnut groves and is the main natural area of the municipality. The surrounding green hills are also known for their springs, and bottling mineral water is an important local industry. The town makes an easy day trip from the capital and a quiet base for walking in the lush north of the island. Teror suits travellers interested in Canarian traditions, architecture and religious heritage, and walkers looking for the green, rural side of Gran Canaria.