WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE TEROR, THE BANDAMA CRATER, AND ARACAS GRAN CANARIA – APPROX. 4 HOURS

About the wheelchair accessible Teror and the Bandama Crater tour

Explore the small town of Teror, which is a pilgrims destinations, and the Bandama crater together with us during this four-hour-long tour. The tour starts from your accommodation or the cruise port, where you find your guide and driver and private adapted vehicle. The first stop of this tour is the little but famous town called Teror.

Teror

According to most travel guides, Teror is the most beautiful village in Gran Canaria. Teror is best known as the place where Mary, mother of Jesus, appeared on a branch of a pine tree on September 8, 1481. The pine tree in question has already disappeared from the streets; however, it changed Teror into a pilgrim destination.

In the Basilica of Teror, you find the statue of Virgen del Pino, which was made in the year of the apparition of Mary. Once a year, on the 8th of September, the Fiesta de la Virgen del Pino is celebrated in which this image is central. Large numbers of pilgrims come to Teror, specifically for this celebration.

The rest of the year, Teror is a lovely village where you can admire the typical Canarian architecture with beautiful colored houses, and mainly wooden balconies that determine the street scene. The center is mostly car-free, which enhances the atmosphere. If you come here during the siesta time, you can generally take the most beautiful pictures. The locals still maintain this afternoon’s rest, which means that the shops are usually closed, and the bars and restaurants are very cozy at that time.

About the crater

After you have seen Teror, the Basilica, and the beautiful authentic streets, you head to the Bandama crater. Caldera de Bandama is the largest volcano crater in Gran Canaria. The crater is located in the north-east of Gran Canaria. At the bottom of the crater is a farmer’s house. Right next to it are the ruins of a few houses. Next to the homes are two large eucalyptus trees. You will also find several Canarian date palms in a valley. At the top of the crater is a massive green golf course. The crater is 200m deep and has a diameter of 1 km.

The crater is named after the Dutchman van Damme who had settled here. Later the name was changed to Bandama. Next to the Caldera is the Pico de Bandama, a 569m high mountain from where you have a beautiful view in the crater, and stunning views of Las Palmas and Telde.

The volcano erupted around 2000 years ago, making it the youngest volcano in Gran Canaria. The volcano became more and more explosive, and the rocks became weaker. Eventually, the entire mountain collapsed, after which the volcano came to rest and left a deep, wide crater.

Aracas

The last stop of your tour is the city of Arucas, which contains impressive architecture. In this town, you get to see the historic protected city center and the basilica.

The San Juan Bautista Basilica from 1909 is architecturally the most important building in the municipality and has great social value. The used stone, which has been formed by local master craftsmen, comes from Arucas itself. The church has richly decorated columns — beautiful windows made by the Canarian painter Cristóbal Hernández de Quintana. And a unique statue of a reclining Christ, created by the sculptor Manuel Ramos from Arucas.

After this final stop in Aracus and enjoying its beautiful surroundings, it is time to go back to your accommodation or the cruise port, where your guide and driver drop you off again.