Tejeda, which is in the west central part of Gran Canaria, is quite small. There is a primary school, some churches and a post office, as well as some squares, but the population is only about two thousand. The Cruz de Tejeda is nearby and this is a carved stone cross whicih is 1580 metres above sea level and marks the centre point of the island.
Things to Do
There are bars and restaurants at Cruz de Tejeda, since it’s a popular tourist spot, and you can buy local specialities like honey, bienmesabe and marzipan. The kids can also do donkey rides here. Canarians like to visit Cruz de Tejeda at the weekend so if you want to visit when it’s relatively quiet, don’t go on a Saturday or Sunday! The Canarians aren’t known for being quiet!
Photo by RVR
Walking and Hiking
There are some nice walks around this area if you are interested in walking and hiking in Gran Canaria, although the high peaks might look a bit daunting to amateurs. There are also easy walks and the beautiful scenery in this area makes the easy walks just as enjoyable as the challenging ones. Some of the walks are new ones and others are based on the ancient tracks the Guanches used. The Guanches were the first known Canarians.
There are cornfields, vegetable cultivations and orchards around Tejeda. There are also paintings, rock engravings, caves, graves and other archeological points of interest. This village is a nice place to stop for lunch and it is especially pretty in the first two weeks of February when the almond trees are in blossom. If you aren’t driving, you can get the number 18 bus from Maspalomas to Cruz de Tejeda.