On arriving in Cruz de Tejeda, you will feel like you are in another world, especially in the Winter and also if you have never experienced the island away from the coast.
The old man with his donkey sits patiently on the wall waiting for people to take a ride on his “Burro”. Chickens literally cross the road to get to the other side. Bikers stop to take in the views, tourists and locals alike make a stop in the heart of Gran Canaria.
Small market stalls line one side of the street, selling fruit, typical Canarian items and also ponchos (which come in handy for those who arrived in short sleeves in Winter). The novelty being that you can leave the south of the island with 24ºc degrees and end up in a very frosty, foggy Cruz de Tejeda!
A huge cross el Cruz is the centre of this rural place and was a marker back in the 17th century for travellers. Cruz de Tejeda is also recognised as one of Spain's prettiest towns, which you will understand when you visit.
Cruz de Tejeda Restaurants
There are a couple of restaurants in Cruz de Tejeda, one of them Yolanda Grill Asador which has won a rural tourism award. The menu offers typical Canarian cuisine such as a warm bowl of gofio, papas con mojo and peppers in a cosy house type setting with a view point from where you can people watch or see Mt. Teide.
Due to it's location and reputation and the very welcoming staff, it's no surprise that people from all over the world stop by at “Yolanda Restaurant”, when visiting the island. Yolanda Restaurant now seems to own El Refugio Hotel’s restaurant too. They have a lovely sunroom which can be very cosy on a cold day or outdoor seating for warmer days.
Celebrities have clearly made it known as a favourite, you may have sat in the same chair as Julio Iglesias or Fernando Alonso. When someone famous comes to visit, the owners add their name to the chair backs on a leather strip, so you can celebrity chair spot whilst you are there.
When it comes to dessert, Hotel Parador de Tejeda across the street is perfect for coffee and cake. It has wonderful views of the woodland and the small pool from the spa area of the hotel. On a clear day you have views of Mt. Teide in Tenerife and the petrified trees below in the valley.
You can enjoy the sun terrace on a warm day or snuggle up by the log fire on a cold day. With 43 rooms, a spa, view points, restaurant and swimming pool, it is the ideal retreat. As rural as it is, it does have wifi so you can connect to the outside world if you wish.
After enjoying some food, we recommend that you head up the road to Pico de la Nieves, the highest point on Gran Canaria at 1,949 metres above sea level. On a clear day you can enjoy view of Roque Nublo and Tenerife's Mt Teide! This is the perfect spot to take photos so make sure you have your camera ready. In the small car park there are some steps that lead up to a smaller lookout and also a padlocks of love location.
(This post was originally published on Gran Canaria Blog 24th January 2010)