Cercados de Espino is a traditional Canarian village just 15 minutes drive from Arguineguin in the south of Gran Canaria. The windy road that leads to this rural Gran Canaria village is full of character and begins at the Arguineguin barranco.
This small and off the beaten track location is one of the friendliest places you will visit and a true taste of Gran Canaria. Try the homemade Canarian food at family restaurant Bar El Mato ( currently closed ) and take in the breathtaking views from their outdoor terraza.
If this village had a soundtrack, it would be chickens crowing and tropical birds, with the friendly greetings of the villagers who dwell there.
This sleepy pueblo has a population of around 400 people, however during the annual street parties and fiestas it really comes alive. You will be amazed at how different life is there, compared to the more touristic areas a short drive away.
The fiestas which take place around the beginning of September are in honour of La Virgen de los Dolores y el Santo Cristo. So, if you are a resident of Gran Canaria or a holidaymaker looking for a fiesta in a real Canarian village pay a visit. All the villagers dress in their traditional Canarian clothes, offer carts of food to the Virgen in a procession, whilst enjoying some folklore music into the early hours.
El Horno
If you are visiting during our rainy season which is usually sometime in October, you might be lucky to watch the Caidero Oscuro or Dark Falls, waterfall in the close by village of El Horno. Watching the barrancos fill with water after a heavy rainfall in the mountains is also spectacular to see.
El Horno, which amusingly translates to ‘the oven' is a residential area and on the other side of the barranco so it's actually falls under the Ayuntamiento de Mogán.
If you are looking to relocate to Gran Canaria or if you live in Gran Canaria and want to stay somewhere peaceful, far enough from the tourist areas but not too far, Cercados de Espino and El Horno are two areas which should be on your list for consideration.