On Tenerife, a romería is first and foremost the festival of the village's patron saint: a religious procession in the morning, then meals and music in the afternoon. On Tenerife, they blend Spanish Catholicism with ancient Guanche customs of giving thanks for harvests, and this dates back to the Middle Ages.
Romerías are popular processions that are both religious and festive, organized in honor of a village or municipality's patron saint. They combine Spanish Catholicism and Canarian agricultural tradition, offerings of fruit, parades in peasant costumes, folk music, and bring together residents and visitors in the same event.
Each romería unfolds a festive and recognizable visual and sound universe. Participants wear traditional costumes inspired by old peasant clothing, carefully made and specific to each region of Tenerife. The procession is organized around floats decorated with fruit and local products symbolizing abundance and connection to the land. Throughout the route, music plays a central role: the timple, a small instrument typical of the Canaries, accompanies folk songs and dances like isas, folías or malagueñas, performed live by local groups. Depending on the village, the atmosphere is further enhanced with decorated ox-drawn carts, riders in traditional dress, or dancers who set the rhythm of the procession, immersing you directly in local culture as it's lived.