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Guide to Romerías in Tenerife 2019

Romería de Las Mercedes. Image Jose Mesa Some rights reserved

The year of 2019 begins with a program loaded with Romerías - pilgrimages - in all municipalities of Tenerife. And as in previous yearsLa Casa de Los Balcones have set to work to prepare the 2019 pilgrimage guide for Tenerife

Origin and History of Romerías

Romerías have always been linked to the Catholic religion; simple pilgrimages on foot, on cattle, or in carts, as people went to different towns of the islands to participate in the festivities there. Traveling difficult roads, the intention of the pilgrims was to fulfil a promise, a religious precept, go to the hermitage, or church to venerate the Saint or Virgin of the town. This did not prevent them from taking advantage of the occasion to have fun, socialize and even find a partner. When the walk could be done as a group, to the sound of timples, guitars and chácaras, it provided a very cheerful highlight in a society that worked hard all year.

Romerías Today

Currently, Romerías are huge street parties that unite the pagan and the religious with jubilation, tradition, history, culture and identity. Branded by some, with disapproval, as something that has become just a 'show', the truth is that these pilgrimages are the ideal opportunity to see Canary Islands' culture at its best.

Highlights of these festivities are the large influx of people of all ages; the huge oxen that pull beautiful wooden carts; folk songs and dances to the rhythm of popular parrandas. Emulating all the traditions of the countryside, the party-goers drink local wines accompanied by goat meat or beef. (Note the description is that the wine is accompanied by food, not the other way round!) Also livestock fairs or native craft markets often accompany these pilgrimages, where the most colourful aspects are, without doubt, the typical costumes or trajes de magos that each pilgrim wears on this special day. Some of these events include demonstrations of native sports such as arrastre de ganado (cattle dragging), juego del palo (Canarian stick fighting) or salto de pastor (literally, the shepherd's jump), or demonstrations of wheat threshing and milking, among others.

The Romerías are an attempt to keep alive the religious, agricultural and livestock traditions of the municipalities, in which each stands out above the others for its very particular smells, tastes, sounds and typical costumes.

The Most Important and Traditional Romerías in Tenerife

The most important pilgrimages of Tenerife are those of San Isidro and Santa María de La Cabeza in La Orotava, San Benito Abad in La Laguna and San Marcos in Tegueste, and that of the Virgin of Candelaria, Patroness of the Canary Islands, although they all enrich the cultural heritage.

Calendar of Romerías in Tenerife

The Romería season begins in the month of January, with the celebration of San Antonio Abad in the municipalities of Arona, Los Realejos, Buenavista del Norte, La Orotava, Chío and Güímar. The Romería del Socorro in honor of the Virgen del Socorro, in the municipality of Güímar, is considered the oldest of the islands.

JANUARY

  • 13/01/2019 - Pilgrimage of San Antonio Abad - Tigaiga - Los Realejos
  • 13/01/2019 - Pilgrimage of San Antonio Abad - Arona 
  • 13/01/2019 - San Antonio Abad (livestock fair-romería) - La Matanza
  • 20/01/2019 - Pilgrimage of San Sebastián - Adeje
  • 20/01/2019 - Pilgrimage to San Antonio Abad - Chío 
  • 27/01/2019 - Pilgrimage of Saint Anthony the Abbot and Our Lady of the Virgin of Hope - La Florida - La Orotava
  • 27/01/2019 - Pilgrimage of San Antonio Abad - Buenavista del Norte
  • 27/01/2019 - Pilgrimage to San Antonio Abad - Güímar

FEBRUARY

  • None

MARCH

  • 16/03/2019 - Pilgrimage of San José - Barranco Hondo (Candelaria)

APRIL

MAY

  • 01/05/2019 - Paseo Romero - Tíncer, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
  • 01/05/2019 - Pilgrimage for the Fiesta de La Cruz - Barrio del Calvario, El Sauzal
  • 01/05/2019 - Pilgrimage of San Alejo - San Alejo, El Tanque
  • 05/05/2019 - Pilgrimage of San Marcos Evangelista - Tegueste (Postponed from 28 Apr)
  • - Pilgrimage of the Sabina Alta - Fasnia
  • 12/05/2019 - Pilgrimage of San Isidro - El Pico - Tejina, La Laguna
  • 12/05/2019 - Pilgrimage of Our Lady of Fatima - Valle San Lorenzo, Arona
  • 12/05/2019 - Pilgrimage of San Isidro - San Isidro, Granadilla de Abona
  • 12/05/2019 - Romería de San Matías - Taco - La Laguna
  • 12/05/2019 - Romería San Isidro - Arguayo - Santiago del Teide
  • 13/05/2019 - Pilgrimage of the Virgen el Buen Viaje - Santa Cruz de Tenerife
  • 15/05/2019 - Romería Chica - Los Realejos
  • 16/05/2019 - Pilgrimage of San Isidro and Santa María de La Cabeza - Sabina Alta, Fasnia
  • 19/05/2019 - Pilgrimage of San Isidro Labrador - El Chorrillo, El Rosario.
  • 19/05/2019 - Romería de San Isidro Labrador in Guía de Isora
  • 19/05/2019 – Romería of San Isidro Labrador – Valle de Guerra, La Laguna
  • 19/05/2019 – Romería of San Isidro Labrador – Ruigómez, El Tanque
  • 19/05/2019 – Romería of Ntra. Señora de Fátima – La Sabinita, Arona
  • 31/05/2019 – Romería of San Isidro Labrador – La Corujera, Santa Úrsula
  • Close to 30 - Paseo Romero - Puerto de La Cruz

JUNE

  • 02/06/2019 – Romería of San Isidro Labrador – Los Realejos [Fiesta of national tourist interest] (Date as been modified, due to the local council elections on 26 May 2019).
  • 02/06/2019 - Romería of San Isidro - Guamasa, La Laguna
  • 09/06/2019 – Romería of San Isidro Labrador and Santa María de La Cabeza – Las Mercedes, La Laguna.
  • 09/06/2019 – Romería of San Antonio de Padua – Granadilla de Abona.
  • 09/06/2019 – Romería of San Isidro Labrador – Barrio de La Mancha, Icod de Los Vinos.
  • 16/06/2019 – Romería of San Isidro – Tacoronte.
  • 23/06/2019 (17:30hrs) – Romería of San Juanito – Igueste, Candelaria.
  • 23/06/2019 – Paseo Romero of San Juanito – Punta del Hidalgo, La Laguna.
  • 24/06/2019 – Romería of San Isidro – Las Carboneras, La Laguna.
  • 29/06/2019 – Romería of Ntra. Sra. del Perpetuo Socorro  – Barrio de San Antonio, La Matanza.
  • 29/06/2019 – Subida del Santo (Romería Chica) – La Orotava.
  • 30/06/2019 – Romería of San Isidro – La Orotava [Fiesta of national tourist interest].
  • 30/06/2019 –  Romería of Santo Hermano Pedro de San José de Betancur – Llano del Moro, El Rosario.

JULY

  • 01/07/2019 - Romería of Santo Hermano Pedro de San José de Betancur - Llano del Moro, El Rosario
  • 07/07/2019 - Pilgrimage of La Cruz and San Pedro - Las Aguas, San Juan de La Rambla
  • 14/07/2019 - Pilgrimage in honour of San Benito de Abad - La Laguna
  • 14/07/2019 - Paseo Romero with decorated floats (agricultural tractors) - Barrio de Ravelo - El Sauzal
  • 16/07/2019 - Embarkation of the Virgen del Carmen - Puerto de la Cruz
  • 21/07/2019 - Pilgrimage of Santa Ana and San Joaquín- El Ortigal
  • 21/07/2019 – Romería of the Virgen del Carmen – Los Campitos, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
  • 27/07/2019 - Romería Chica of Santa Ana y San Roque de La Villa y Puerto – Garachico
  • 28/07/2019 - Romería de Las Nieves, Finca España - La Laguna
  • 28/07/2019 – Romería of S. Antonio Abad y Sagrado Corazón de Jesús – El Portezuelo (Tegueste)

AUGUST

  • 04/08/2019 - Pilgrimage of San José Obrero and Santa Teresa de Jesús - Barrio de Aguamansa - La Orotava 
  • 04/08/2019 - Pilgrimage of the Virgin of Our Lady of La Esperanza - El Rosario
  • 12/08/2018 - Bajada de las Hayas - La Guancha
  • 14/08/2019 - Pilgrimage of the Candelaria
  • 15/08/2019 - Pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria
  • 16/08/2019 - Pilgrimage of San Roque - Garachico
  • 17/08/2019 - Pilgrimage of San Luis Rey - El Charco del Pino, Granadilla de Abona
  • 17/08/2019 - Pilgrimage of San Roque - Chiguergue (Guía de Isora)
  • 18/08/2019 - Pilgrimage Barquera (boat) of San Casiano - Las Galletas - Arona
  • 24/08/2019 - Pilgrimage of San Agustín - Arafo
  • 25/08/2018 - Corazones de Tejina (Hearts of Tejina) - Tejina, La Laguna
  • 25/08/2019 - Pilgrimage of San Roque and San Agustín - Vilaflor
  • 31/08/2019 - Romería of San Isidro – La Victoria de Acentejo

SEPTEMBER

  • 01/09/2019 - Pilgrimage Barquera (boat) of San Blas - Los Abrigos, Granadilla de Abona
  • 07/09/2019 - Bajada de la Virgen del Socorro - Güímar
  • 08/09/2019 - Ascent of the Virgen del Socorro - Güimar
  • 08/09/2019 - Benijos, La Orotava
  • 14/09/2019 - Pilgrimage of San José - Las Medianías - San José, San Juan de La Rambla
  • 14/09/2019 - Romería de los Roques from Fasnia to Los Roques 
  • 15/09/2019 - Romería Barquera of Our Lady of Las Mercedes - El Médano, Granadilla de Abona.
  • 21/09/2019 or 28/09/2019 - Celebration in Honour of Our Lady of Carmen - Las Eras 
  • 22/09/2019 - Pilgrimage of San Miguel de Abona - San Miguel de Abona

OCTOBER

  • 19/10/2019 - Pilgrimage of Saint Ursula - Adeje

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