If you’ve never experienced a Canarian romería, you’re in for a treat.
They’re not just processions. They’re a proper celebration of island life, with traditional dress, folk music, decorated carts, local food and plenty of people enjoying themselves from start to finish.
This Sunday, 12th July, La Laguna hosts the Romería de San Benito Abad, one of the largest and most important traditional festivals anywhere in the Canary Islands.
The route
The procession begins at 11am outside the Church of San Benito Abad before making its way through some of La Laguna’s best-known streets.
The route takes in Marqués de Celada, Herradores, Tabares de Cala and then along Obispo Rey Redondo, better known by most locals as La Carrera, passing the Cathedral before heading back towards the Church of San Benito.
If you’re planning to watch, it’s worth getting there early. Thousands of people are expected and the streets fill up quickly.
Something different this year
This year’s event includes something that hasn’t happened before.
For the first time, the small image of San Cristóbal, the patron saint of La Laguna and Tenerife, will leave the Cathedral to greet the image of San Benito Abad as the procession passes.
The meeting will take place near the Cathedral, where representatives from each of the Canary Islands will make a floral offering. It’s expected to be one of the most memorable moments of the day.
Safety and visitor facilities
With crowds this size, a fair bit of planning goes into keeping everything running smoothly.
There will be Purple Points offering support and assistance if needed, an Orange Accessibility Point for visitors requiring extra help, along with ambulances, public toilets and additional waste collection points spread around the route.
The celebrations don’t stop there
Once the procession finishes, the party carries on.
From 3.30pm, a traditional verbena, or street dance, gets underway at the Juana la Blanca stage on the corner of Marqués de Celada, giving everyone the chance to keep the celebrations going well into the afternoon.
A tradition that’s still going strong
The Romería de San Benito Abad began as a way for local farmers to give thanks for the summer harvest.
These days it’s grown into one of Tenerife’s biggest annual events and has been recognised as a Festival of National Tourist Interest.
Whether you’re a visitor or you’ve lived on the island for years, it’s one of those events that really captures the spirit of Tenerife. Good food, traditional music, plenty of colour and thousands of people simply enjoying the day together.