Before the conquest, Telde was the eastern centre of the island's aboriginal Canarians; the Spanish town was founded here in 1483 and served as Gran Canaria's first capital. From the GC-1 it shows only warehouses and industrial plants. The old quarters lie inland around the church of San Juan Bautista, and the municipality holds 101 archaeological sites, among them the hilltop cave of Cuatro Puertas, the coastal settlement of Tufia and the necropolis of Jinámar.
Telde
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Language
- Spanish; English less common
- Power plug
- Type C/F, 230 V
- Visa
- Schengen
- Time zone
- UTC+0 / UTC+1 (WET/WEST)
- Tap water
- Safe; mineral taste in the south
- Tipping
- Not expected; 5–10% for great service
- Emergency
- 112
Things to do
All tours in Telde on GetYourGuide
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When to go
High season
Nov – Mar
Cooler, settled days suit the exposed archaeological sites, and while winter fills the island's resorts, Telde's old town keeps its everyday local pace.
Shoulder
Apr – Jun
Long, warm days leave time to pair the old town with Cuatro Puertas or the coast at Tufia.
Low season
Jul – Oct
Heat sits on the bare hillsides and coastal sites with no shade at midday, so walk them early or late.
How long to stay
Half a day covers the old town and the church of San Juan Bautista, whose Flemish Gothic main altar dates from before 1516. Give it a full day to add the archaeological sites: Cuatro Puertas on its hilltop above the plain, and the excavated coastal settlement of Tufia. With the airport at Gando to the south, Telde fits neatly into a first or last day on the island.
Getting around
The town centre sits inland, about 2 km from the GC-1 motorway, and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is about 15 km to the north. By car, leave the motorway at exit 8 and drive west on the GC-10, which becomes Avenida del Cabildo Insular inside the town, following the signs for Barrio San Juan or Barrio San Francisco. The historic centre lies immediately north of that avenue.
Buses run from Telde to Las Palmas (line 12), Santa Brígida (24), Agüimes (35) and, via the airport, south to Maspalomas (36 and 90).
The view from the motorway misleads: warehouses, supermarkets and office blocks, and nothing of the old town. The archaeological sites are spread across the municipality, away from the centre.
What to see
Destinations in Telde
Frequently asked questions
What is there to see in Telde?
The old town around the church of San Juan Bautista, founded in 1483, and the aboriginal sites scattered across the municipality: the cave of Cuatro Puertas, the coastal settlement of Tufia, the caves of Tara and Cendro, the tunnelled artificial caves of Chalasia and the necropolis of Jinámar, with more than 500 tombs.What is inside the church of San Juan Bautista?
A Flemish Gothic main altar from before 1516; a figure of Christ made from corn dough by Purépecha craftsmen in Mexico and brought here before 1550; and a 16th-century Flemish triptych of the Virgin Mary showing five religious scenes. The doorway is original Sevillian-Portuguese Gothic; the towers are early 20th-century neo-Gothic.What is Cuatro Puertas?
A large cave with four openings cut into the top of a mountain overlooking the plain, next to a village of cave houses with a communal barn at the back.How do I reach the old town by car?
Leave the GC-1 at exit 8 and drive west on the GC-10, following the signs for Barrio San Juan or Barrio San Francisco. The centre is about 2 km inland from the motorway.Can I get to Telde by bus from the airport?
Yes. Lines 36 and 90 run between the airport and Telde, and line 12 continues the link north to Las Palmas.