Spain is famous for its long, sandy coastlines, and whether you head to one of the Costas, the Balearics with its Mediterranean charm, or the volcanic Canary Islands, most of the time you'll end up in a beach resort. I often find it a struggle to pull myself away from the beach on a sunny day, but whenever I've gone inland I've always found Spanish villages and towns utterly charming.
Visiting Gran Canaria earlier this year, I was determined not to spend the entire time on a sun lounger, so we booked a trip to the mountains to explore some of the Canary Island's villages. We briefly debated trying to drive the hire car up the mountain roads, but I soon found that booking a coach trip was a rare good decision on my part.
While the main roads in Gran Canaria are perfectly easy to drive, and the locals incredibly patient with tourists, the mountain roads are a terrifying maze of narrow hairpin bends. I have never respected the driving skills of someone more than the quiet competence with which our coach driver effortlessly navigated the roads, seemingly unperturbed even when a lorry barrelled towards us, causing me to grip onto my daughter's arm tightly.
But the white-knuckle journey is well worth it when you reach Tejeda. Set among the island's highest peaks, you're literally up in the clouds, with a serenity that's in stark contrast to the buzzing beach resorts of the south. Our tour guide told us stories of village life before the roads were built, and men exploring on donkey-back, which made me incredibly grateful to be on an air conditioned bus.
Tejeda proudly boasts a sign that it's “uno de los pueblos mas bonitos de España” - one of the most beautiful villages in Spain. The Canary Islands only have one of these award-winning villages per island, and with lots of beautiful coastal and mountain settlements, it must have been a tough competition to grab the top spot.
Pulling up on the outskirts of the village the first thing you notice is the sweeping views across lush green valleys and the stillness in the air. While Tejeda has become something of a tourist spot, it's still incredibly peaceful, and there's something about the vibe that makes visitors walk round in a sort of silent awe, as if they were exploring a church.
Across the waters of a sparkling infinity pool we took some incredible photos of Roque Nublo, an iconic volcanic monolith that's become a popular hiking spot. On clear days, you can see across the sea as far as Tenerife's Mount Teide. But instead of donning our hiking boots, we enjoyed a much less strenuous stroll through the village instead.
If you set yourself the task of drawing a typical Spanish village, you'd likely come up with something that looks like Tejeda. Sloping cobbled streets are lined with whitewashed houses topped with red roofs. Outside, window boxes bloomed with colourful flowers, a result of the heavy rains earlier in the year in the Canaries.
Another thing that the rain has helped is the almond trees. The island has thousands of them, and Tejeda has lots of little cafés and bakeries where you can pick up dense and sweet almond treats. The air is full of the scent of baking almonds and melting chocolate drifting from storefronts.
You'll also find a selection of authentic Canarian restaurants making the most of the views, with restaurant terraces fighting for the best spot to take in the perfect mountain scenery. Enjoy traditional wrinkly potatoes with green and red mojo sauces, platters with cheese from mountain farms, or morcilla dulce from the nearby village of Teror, a sweet blood sausage. Despite considering myself as culinarily adventurous, I decided against trying that one.
Of course, being the Canaries there's still a touristy vibe, even in a remote village. There's a shop selling the usual jewellery made from lava and painted ceramics, although they do have some items from local artists too. You can even buy coffee grown on the island, and its climate makes it one of a handful of places in Europe where coffee plantations can thrive.
There are many coach tours that visit Tejeda, often stopping along the way in villages such as the arty Treror, or at an aloe vera factory or dairy farm. It's well worth taking some time away from Gran Canaria's coast to see more of the island and a more authentic Canarian culture. In the afternoon, we returned to sitting by the pool feeling a sense of calm from our peaceful time in the mountains and the vibe long stayed with me. No wonder people often say I have my head stuck in the clouds.
