# Tejeda and Roque Nublo

The volcanic heart of Gran Canaria, an hour from Las Palmas: Roque Nublo by reservation, the Pico de las Nieves, Bentayga and the almond village.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/canary-islands/tejeda-and-roque-nublo · Revisado: 2026-11-13

Tejeda is the municipality at the centre of Gran Canaria: an enormous volcanic caldera, broken into ravines, with two roques that can be seen from half the island, Roque Nublo and Bentayga, and a white village hanging on the hillside at 1,050 metres. Above it, the summit: the Pico de las Nieves, at 1,949 metres the highest point of the island, and the pine forests of the Llanos de la Pez. The ancient Canarians made these mountains a sacred place, and since 2019 the landscape of Risco Caído and the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria has been a World Heritage Site. From Las Palmas it is a morning's mountain drive, and it works well in a day.

## How do I get there from Las Palmas?

By car, along the GC-15: Santa Brígida, San Mateo and the climb to Cruz de Tejeda, 34 km, and from there the descent to Tejeda village, 44 km. Allow nearly an hour, with many bends after San Mateo. For Roque Nublo don't drive up to La Goleta: you can no longer park there.

By guagua, with Global: line 303 leaves San Telmo every half hour as far as San Mateo, and there the 305 climbs to Cruz de Tejeda and ends in Tejeda. On Sundays and public holidays the 305 leaves San Mateo at 8:00, 10:30 and 17:00, and returns from Tejeda at 9:00, 11:30 and 18:00. From Tejeda, line 18 takes you to Roque Nublo. You have everything in the guaguas from Las Palmas sheet.

## Do you need a reservation for Roque Nublo?

Yes, if you enter via the Degollada de La Goleta, the access to the short trail, between 9:00 and 17:00. It is free, on reservasroquenublo.com, by the hour and with a quota of 60 people per hour; on Sundays the central hours sell out. Outside those hours there is no booking. At La Goleta you cannot park: leave the car at Cruz de los Llanos or in Tejeda and go up on line 18, ten minutes from Cruz de los Llanos. The detail is in access and parking.

If you prefer to avoid the regulated access, there is a longer, guided way: the route from La Culata, 8 km from the bottom of the caldera, on Mondays from October to May.

## What do I do in a day?

Start early with Roque Nublo, an hour and a half there and back. Then drive up to the Pico de las Nieves, with a stop at the Degollada de Becerra, and come down to Tejeda for lunch: La Casa de la Almendra opens on Sunday at lunchtime. In the afternoon, the old town and its museums, Tuesday to Sunday, and a bienmesabe or a palmera pastry at the Dulcería Nublo. If you have time left, the Roque Bentayga, with its interpretation centre, free until 16:30.

## Is it worth sleeping up there?

Yes, if you want the summit without crowds and at night. In the morning you climb Roque Nublo before 9:00, without a reservation and almost alone. At night, stargazing with a telescope on the Llanos de la Pez, on fixed dates each month, or the Parador spa with its outdoor pool overlooking the caldera. For sleeping, in the village there is the Fonda de La Tea, with 11 rooms and breakfast included; at Cruz de Tejeda, the Parador and the Hotel Rural El Refugio, adults only and dog-friendly.

## When to go

January to May is the best time: in January and February the almond trees bloom around the village and Bentayga, and the air is usually clear enough to see Teide over the sea. October and November are quiet and mild. In summer the summit is cooler than the coast, but there is more calima and more cars. In winter it can freeze and, some days, snow on the Pico de las Nieves. Whatever the weather, bring a jacket: at 1,800 metres the wind cuts, and the mist rolls in within minutes.

## Dónde está
- Zonas: Starry skies in Spain
- Cerca: Agaete and the North-West of Gran Canaria (a 14.5 km), Maspalomas Dunes and the South of Gran Canaria (a 28.1 km), Anaga Massif (a 84.5 km), Teide National Park (a 105.4 km)

## Qué hacer
- **Roque Nublo trail from the Degollada de La Goleta** (1 h 30 · 3 km · Families with children who can walk · Free · booking compulsory from 9:00 to 17:00): What it is
The Roque Nublo is the basalt monolith that can be seen from half the island: a needle of over 70 metres on a plateau at more than 1,800 metres above sea level, in the municipality of Tejeda. Beside it are the Roque del Fraile, shaped like a praying friar, and the Roque de la Rana. The classic path leaves from the Degollada de La Goleta, on the GC-600 road between the Llanos de la Pez and Ayacata, and in a little under 3 km of gentle, steady climbing, on a well-marked path, reaches the Tablón del Nublo, the rock platform at its feet.
Booking: from 9:00 to 17:00
The Cabildo has regulated this access since February 2025. To enter via La Goleta between 9:00 and 17:00 you need a free booking at reservasroquenublo.com: you choose the day, time and number of people and the confirmation arrives by email. Groups of up to 60 people per hour are admitted and, once inside, there is no time limit. Outside those hours there is no booking. Registered residents of Tejeda and Artenara are exempt. At weekends and on public holidays the central hours sell out: book several days ahead.
Where to leave the car
At La Goleta you can no longer park; only people with reduced mobility may leave a car there for up to two hours. The nearest car park is Cruz de los Llanos: from there it is about ten minutes on the Global line 18 bus to the Roque Nublo stop, or nearly an hour on foot. The other is in Tejeda village, with the same line 18. Check the access and parking service before setting out.
What you see at the top
From the Tablón you see the whole Tejeda caldera, the Roque Bentayga, Artenara and Acusa, the dams to the west and, to the south, the Maspalomas dunes. In clear air the Teide appears above the sea, in Tenerife. Allow an hour and a half for the way up, the way back and a while at the top.
With children
It is the shortest climb on the ridge and many families do it. There are no difficult passages, but the edge of the Tablón drops sheer: hold little ones by the hand. Climbing the rock is prohibited without a permit.
- **Pico de las Nieves viewpoint** (45 min · Everyone · Free): What it is
The highest point of Gran Canaria, at 1,949 metres, on the divide between Tejeda and San Bartolomé de Tirajana. Unlike the Roque Nublo, here you can drive right up to the viewpoint. From the railing you see, to the south, the Tirajana caldera, an amphitheatre of ravines dropping towards the coast; to the west, the Nublo Rural Park with the Roque Nublo and the Bentayga, and on clear days the Teide, in Tenerife, floating above the clouds.
Getting there
From Cruz de Tejeda you climb the ridge road towards the Llanos de la Pez and take the signposted turn-off to the peak. On the way, the Degollada de Becerra is another natural viewpoint over the Tejeda caldera, with a visitor centre. No bus goes up to the peak. The eastern side is a well-known cycling climb, one of the hardest in Spain according to Turismo de Gran Canaria: at weekends you will find cyclists on the road.
When to go
First thing or at sunset, when the light is low and the sea of clouds usually stays below. In winter it may freeze or snow on the ridge; if there is a warning, check the state of the roads before going up. Always wrap up: at almost 2,000 metres it is quite a bit colder than in Las Palmas.
With children or a dog
It is a short stop, with hardly any walking, which works for any age. With a dog, on a lead; the viewpoint is beside the road.
- **Roque Bentayga and its interpretation centre** (1 h 30 · Everyone · Free): What it is
The Roque Bentayga is the great isolated crag in the middle of the Tejeda caldera, opposite the Roque Nublo. For the ancient Canarians it was a sacred place: at its base is an almogarén, a place of worship from which the passing of time was followed and the equinoxes were marked, and around it there are caves used as dwellings and granaries, engravings, paintings and holes cut in the rock. The site forms part of the cultural landscape of Risco Caído and the Sacred Mountain Places of Gran Canaria, a World Heritage Site since 2019. The Cuevas del Rey, on the slope, are in the same archaeological park.
The interpretation centre
It is at Finca El Majadal, at the foot of the rock, on the road that crosses the centre of the island. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 to 16:30, with last entry at 16:00, and admission is free. It is closed on Mondays, on 1, 5 and 6 January, on 1 May and on 24, 25 and 31 December. It is small: you see it in half an hour, and it helps you understand what you are going to see up there. Its phone is 699 100 085.
Getting there
By car from Tejeda village it is a few minutes along the road towards Artenara, with a signposted turn-off to the Bentayga. There is parking beside the centre. From there a short path leads to the base of the rock and the almogarén. No bus stops at the centre.
With children
The caves, the engravings and the history of the ancient Canarians usually appeal to children and teenagers. The path is short but steep and with loose stone: closed shoes and watch the edges.
- **Guided walk to the Roque Nublo from La Culata** (4 h · 8 km · Those used to walking · Desde 49 € per person): Most people climb the Roque Nublo by the short La Goleta path. This route does it from below: it leaves from La Culata, the hamlet at the bottom of the Tejeda caldera, and climbs with a guide through Canary pine forest and volcanic terrain to the Roque Nublo viewpoint, with the rock ahead of you for much of the way. It is about 8 km, with 350 metres of ascent and as much descent.
From La Culata to the rock, there and back
The path starts in the hamlet and climbs a mountain trail through Canary pine forest and volcanic terrain, towards the monolith of over 70 metres that crowns the caldera. The goal is the Roque Nublo viewpoint, and from there you return. Senda Ecoway rates it moderate in the description and easy in its FAQs: with 350 metres of ascent and sections of loose stone, think moderate if you do not often walk in the mountains.
Mondays from October to May, from €49
It is organised by Senda Ecoway, an active-tourism company registered in the Canary Islands for hiking and mountaineering. It leaves on Mondays, from October to May, from €49. It includes a qualified mountain and tourism guide, activity insurance, water and a snack, and is run in Spanish, English or French. The company offsets 25 kg of CO₂ for each booking. They ask you to book at least three days ahead, on their website, on 650 75 99 87 or at hello@sendaecoway.com.
What the listing does not make clear
The website gives two different durations: about three hours round trip in one place and four to six hours in another. Allow a long half day. It also does not publish the time or exact meeting point at La Culata, the minimum age, the group size or whether there is transport: ask all of this when booking. Also ask about the regulated access to the Roque Nublo, which the Cabildo has controlled since February 2025 at the Degollada de La Goleta; if the route does not enter that way, it may not affect you, but confirm it with them.
Rucksack
The company asks for comfortable footwear, water, sun protection, a cap and a camera. On the ridge the weather changes quickly: a warm layer in the rucksack is not a bad idea between October and May.
Who it is for
For people who walk regularly and want to see the rock away from the La Goleta queue, with someone explaining the caldera and the pine forest. For teenagers used to the mountains it works well. With small children, the short path from La Goleta is easier. On the way down, the centre of Tejeda is a few minutes by car, and La Casa de la Almendra is open on Mondays in winter from 11:00 to 22:00.
- **Cruz de Tejeda, the island's crossroads** (45 min · Everyone · Free): What it is
It is the pass where the road from Las Palmas reaches the ridge, at about 1,560 metres, and from where the Tejeda caldera suddenly opens up, with the Roque Nublo and the Bentayga opposite. A great stone cross presides over the entrance to the Parador. Here the old roads that crossed the island from end to end met, and from here trails still leave for Tejeda, Artenara, San Mateo and the summit.
What is there
In the morning there are stalls of local products: almond sweets, such as bienmesabe and Tejeda marzipan, and crafts in stone, clay, leather, basketry and openwork. Around it are roadside bars and restaurants, the Parador with its terrace and, ten metres along the GC-150, the Hotel Rural El Refugio.
Getting there
By car, about 34 km from Las Palmas along the GC-15, passing Santa Brígida and San Mateo. By bus, line 303 takes you from the San Telmo station to San Mateo and there the 305 climbs to Cruz de Tejeda on its way to Tejeda village. There is parking beside the cross, which at weekends fills up by mid-morning.
Who it is for
It is the stop for everyone who goes up to the ridge. With children it is easy: the viewpoint is beside the car park. With a dog, on a lead.
- **Tejeda old town and its museums** (2 h · Everyone): What it is
Tejeda is the village of the caldera: white houses with wooden balconies hanging on the hillside, at about 1,050 metres, with the Roque Bentayga opposite and the Roque Nublo above. It belongs to the association of the most beautiful villages in Spain and is the almond municipality: its sweet-makers have been making bienmesabe, marzipan and almond biscuits for generations. It can be covered on foot in a morning.
The three museums
According to Turismo de Gran Canaria, all three are open Tuesday to Sunday, from 11:00 to 14:15 and from 15:00 to 17:00:

Abraham Cárdenes Sculpture Museum, dedicated to the Canarian sculptor, born in Tejeda.
Ethnographic Museum, with the history of the municipality and of life on the ridge.
Medicinal Plants Centre, about the local plants and their uses in medicine, cosmetics and religion.

Ask for prices at the village tourist office: we have not found them published.
What else to see
The parish church of Nuestra Señora del Socorro, from 1921, with three naves and a notable altarpiece, presides over the square. The main street, Calle Doctor Hernández Guerra, has the viewpoints over the caldera, the Dulcería Nublo and the craft shop.
Getting there and parking
Tejeda is 44 km from Las Palmas, nearly an hour by car along the GC-15 and Cruz de Tejeda. There is public parking at the entrance to the village. By bus, the 303 to San Mateo and the 305 to the Tejeda station, or line 18 from the south.
- **Stargazing with telescopes at Los Llanos de la Pez** (2 h · Everyone; warm clothing compulsory · Desde 10 € per person): What it is
The summit of Gran Canaria, above the sea of clouds and far from the coastal lights, has one of the darkest skies on the island. AstroEduca, an astronomy company with guides certified as Starlight monitors, takes groups to an observation area near the Llanos de la Pez, in Tejeda. First a talk and the sky with the naked eye; then telescopes to see stars, planets and clusters up close. About two hours.
When and how much
It does not run every night: they publish a monthly calendar of dates. In November and December 2026 there are sessions, including two special nights for the Geminid meteor shower, on 12 and 13 December. The time depends on nightfall: around 19:00 in winter, from 19:30 to 20:30 in spring and autumn and from 21:30 in summer. The published price is from €10 per person, with a €5 subsidy for Canarian residents over 15 and a special rate for under-14s.
Getting there
On your own and by car: at night there are no buses to the ridge. The exact spot is sent by email to those registered and may change depending on the weather. There is no walking and the area is accessible to people with reduced mobility. If you sleep in Tejeda or at Cruz de Tejeda, you are a quarter of an hour away.
With children
It is a quiet activity, standing or sitting, which works with children who can stay awake. The website gives no minimum age. Bring more clothes than you think: at 1,900 metres, at night, it is cold even in August.
- **Spa circuit at the Parador de Cruz de Tejeda** (1 h 30 · Adults; children aged 6 to 13, the first two hours · Desde 40 € per person): The Parador de Cruz de Tejeda, at 1,560 metres, has a spa circuit that is also open to people who are not staying there. What you remember is the outdoor part: a pool overlooking the Tejeda caldera, with the Roque Nublo and the Bentayga opposite and, on many afternoons, the sea of clouds below. It is the landscape of Risco Caído and the Sacred Mountain Places, a World Heritage Site since 2019.
Inside and outside the circuit
Outside, the outdoor pool and a sun deck. Inside, a jet and hydromassage pool, sauna, Turkish bath, sensation showers and heated loungers. The circuit lasts 90 minutes: plenty of time to go round everything and return to the outdoor pool.
€40 without staying
For non-guests it costs €40. Guests pay €35, as do Canarian residents and Amigos de Paradores members even if they are not staying. Children aged 6 to 12 pay half. It is open Monday to Saturday from 12:00 to 20:00 and on Sundays from 11:00 to 20:00. Places are limited: book your time by phone, on 928 012 500, or by email at cruztejeda@parador.es.
With children, only the first two hours
Children aged 6 to 13 can only enter in the first two hours of opening, that is, from 12:00 to 14:00 on weekdays and from 11:00 to 13:00 on Sunday, and always with an adult. If you are going as a family, that is the slot to book.
Swimwear and flip-flops
Swimwear and rubber sandals are compulsory. If you do not bring flip-flops, they sell them at the spa reception, so you will not be turned away for forgetting them.
Before or after the ridge
It fits after a walk: to the Roque Nublo from La Goleta or to the Roque Bentayga, which you have in front of you from the pool. It also saves a cloudy afternoon when the ridge shows you nothing. If you stay for dinner up here, the Tajinaste del Refugio is ten metres along the GC-150, and the stargazing at the Llanos de la Pez is a quarter of an hour away.
Getting to Cruz de Tejeda
By car, about 34 km from Las Palmas along the GC-15, passing Santa Brígida and San Mateo. There is parking beside the cross, which at the weekend fills up by mid-morning. By bus, the 303 takes you from San Telmo to San Mateo and there the 305 climbs to Cruz de Tejeda.

## Dónde comer
- **La Casa de la Almendra** (Restaurant, Tejeda, €€). Qué pedir: the grilled Tejeda cheese, a stone-grilled meat and, for dessert, the almond flan or the ice cream with bienmesabe
- **Tajinaste del Refugio** (Restaurant, Cruz de Tejeda, €€). Qué pedir: the set-menu dinner of the day, French-inspired, after a route on the ridge
- **Dulcería Nublo** (Bakery, Tejeda, €). Qué pedir: a palmera on the terrace and a jar of bienmesabe or a wood-oven marzipan to take away

## By car: By car from Las Palmas along the GC-15
The car is the most convenient way to see the ridge in a day: Cruz de Tejeda is 34 km from Las Palmas and Tejeda village 44, nearly an hour along the GC-15, a mountain road with many bends after San Mateo. With a car you reach the Pico de las Nieves and the Bentayga, which have no bus. For the Roque Nublo you leave it at Cruz de los Llanos or in Tejeda and continue on line 18.
Presupuesto orientativo: 70–150 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're driving
- **Hotel Rural Fonda de La Tea** (Small hotel): An inn in the middle of the village
The Fonda de La Tea is a rural hotel of 11 rooms spread over four floors, in a refurbished 19th-century house in the heart of Tejeda, within the Nublo Rural Park. According to its website, botanists, artists, novelists and poets passed through it. It has an inner patio with wooden balconies, a lounge with a fireplace for the cold nights on the ridge and a terrace from which you see the Roque Nublo, the Roque Bentayga, the Roque Nariz and the Mesa de Acusa. In 2025 it received the ASETUR award for the best rural hotel in Spain.
The rooms
They have air conditioning, satellite television, minibar, safe, hairdryer and free internet. The buffet breakfast is included in the price. There is a lift, a relaxation area with showers and hammocks, and massages by booking. Dinners are served at the Cueva de La Tea restaurant, Canarian cooking, in the same village. The house also manages apartments and country houses in Tejeda, such as La Casa de la Esquina, opposite the church.
Getting there and getting around
By car, from Las Palmas, nearly an hour along the GC-15 and Cruz de Tejeda. The hotel has free covered public parking. Without a car, bus 305 from San Mateo reaches the Tejeda station, a few steps away, and line 18 leaves from there for the Roque Nublo. The inn organises walks with or without a guide, bicycle hire and airport transfers with advance booking. For a summer swim there is the municipal pool.
Who it is for
For anyone who wants to sleep inside the village, dine and breakfast without taking the car and set off walking from the door. If you are travelling with a dog, the website does not mention it: ask before booking.
- **Hotel Rural El Refugio** (Small hotel): A refuge at the crossroads
El Refugio is an adults-only rural hotel at Cruz de Tejeda, ten metres from the GC-15 along the GC-150, surrounded by garden and by the royal roads that leave the cross for the whole island. Its motto is "centre of all roads": from the door you have routes to Tejeda, Artenara, the Roque Nublo or the ridge. It has lounges, large terraces and a seasonal pool, from June to September, which the website now announces as heated.
The rooms
Doubles with a double bed or two beds, superior doubles with more space, a sofa, fridge and coffee maker, a suite with its own entrance on the ground floor and a kitchen, and attic rooms also intended for groups or walkers on the Camino de Santiago of Gran Canaria. All have free wifi, television, heating, a ceiling fan and a private bathroom. Check-in is from 14:00 to 17:00 at reception; later, online. Check-out is at 11:00.
Eating
Breakfast and dinner are served in the Tajinaste del Refugio dining room, also open to the public. At midday there is no service, only 24-hour food and drink machines; for lunch, go down to Tejeda.
With a dog
It presents itself as a dog-friendly hotel: it admits dogs on request, at €10 per night, and limits how many stay at the same time. Cats and other animals are not admitted.
Getting there
From Las Palmas, take the GC-15 to km 24.5, at Cruz de Tejeda; you turn left onto the GC-150. Bus 305 has a stop at Cruz de Tejeda. The hotel offers private transfers.
- **Parador de Cruz de Tejeda** (Spa hotel): Sleeping above the clouds
The Parador is at Cruz de Tejeda, at 1,560 metres, between the Nublo Rural Park and the Cumbres Protected Landscape, 34 km from Las Palmas along the GC-15 and San Mateo. From its terraces you see the landscape of Risco Caído and the Sacred Mountain Places, a World Heritage Site since 2019: the Tejeda caldera with the Roque Nublo and the Bentayga. On many afternoons the sea of clouds stays below.
Rooms and spa
It has standard and superior doubles, junior suites and adapted rooms. Among its services: free wifi, free outdoor parking, charging for electric cars, gym, garden, restaurant and room service. The spa is what sets it apart: a 90-minute circuit with an outdoor pool facing the caldera, sauna, Turkish bath and hydromassage pool; €35 for guests. Paradores has discounts for Canarian residents.
Eating
The restaurant serves regional Canarian cooking: watercress potaje, papas arrugadas with their mojos, baifo (kid) and fish from the island's coast. It is convenient for dining without moving after a day on the ridge.
With a pet
The Parador admits pets, with conditions that are worth checking before booking.
Getting there
By car, about 50 minutes from Las Palmas along the GC-15. Without a car, bus 303 to San Mateo and 305 to the Cruz de Tejeda stop, at the door. A few steps away are the stone cross, the sweet stalls and the Hotel Rural El Refugio.
### Servicios
- **Global line 18 to the Roque Nublo**: The bus linking Tejeda, Cruz de Tejeda, the Cruz de los Llanos car park and the Roque Nublo stop; several departures also on Saturdays and public holidays.
- **Regulated access and car parks for the Roque Nublo**: Free booking to enter via La Goleta from 9:00 to 17:00; no parking at La Goleta: car at Cruz de los Llanos or Tejeda and bus 18.

## Car-free: Car-free, by bus from Las Palmas
The ridge is done by bus, with patience: the 303 takes you from San Telmo to San Mateo every half hour and there the 305 climbs to Cruz de Tejeda and Tejeda. On Sundays and public holidays the 305 makes only three trips each way, so the day is organised around it. From Tejeda, line 18 brings you closer to the Roque Nublo. The Pico de las Nieves and the Bentayga are not on any line.
Presupuesto orientativo: 60–130 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir without a car
- **Hotel Rural Fonda de La Tea** (Small hotel): An inn in the middle of the village
The Fonda de La Tea is a rural hotel of 11 rooms spread over four floors, in a refurbished 19th-century house in the heart of Tejeda, within the Nublo Rural Park. According to its website, botanists, artists, novelists and poets passed through it. It has an inner patio with wooden balconies, a lounge with a fireplace for the cold nights on the ridge and a terrace from which you see the Roque Nublo, the Roque Bentayga, the Roque Nariz and the Mesa de Acusa. In 2025 it received the ASETUR award for the best rural hotel in Spain.
The rooms
They have air conditioning, satellite television, minibar, safe, hairdryer and free internet. The buffet breakfast is included in the price. There is a lift, a relaxation area with showers and hammocks, and massages by booking. Dinners are served at the Cueva de La Tea restaurant, Canarian cooking, in the same village. The house also manages apartments and country houses in Tejeda, such as La Casa de la Esquina, opposite the church.
Getting there and getting around
By car, from Las Palmas, nearly an hour along the GC-15 and Cruz de Tejeda. The hotel has free covered public parking. Without a car, bus 305 from San Mateo reaches the Tejeda station, a few steps away, and line 18 leaves from there for the Roque Nublo. The inn organises walks with or without a guide, bicycle hire and airport transfers with advance booking. For a summer swim there is the municipal pool.
Who it is for
For anyone who wants to sleep inside the village, dine and breakfast without taking the car and set off walking from the door. If you are travelling with a dog, the website does not mention it: ask before booking.
- **Hotel Rural El Refugio** (Small hotel): A refuge at the crossroads
El Refugio is an adults-only rural hotel at Cruz de Tejeda, ten metres from the GC-15 along the GC-150, surrounded by garden and by the royal roads that leave the cross for the whole island. Its motto is "centre of all roads": from the door you have routes to Tejeda, Artenara, the Roque Nublo or the ridge. It has lounges, large terraces and a seasonal pool, from June to September, which the website now announces as heated.
The rooms
Doubles with a double bed or two beds, superior doubles with more space, a sofa, fridge and coffee maker, a suite with its own entrance on the ground floor and a kitchen, and attic rooms also intended for groups or walkers on the Camino de Santiago of Gran Canaria. All have free wifi, television, heating, a ceiling fan and a private bathroom. Check-in is from 14:00 to 17:00 at reception; later, online. Check-out is at 11:00.
Eating
Breakfast and dinner are served in the Tajinaste del Refugio dining room, also open to the public. At midday there is no service, only 24-hour food and drink machines; for lunch, go down to Tejeda.
With a dog
It presents itself as a dog-friendly hotel: it admits dogs on request, at €10 per night, and limits how many stay at the same time. Cats and other animals are not admitted.
Getting there
From Las Palmas, take the GC-15 to km 24.5, at Cruz de Tejeda; you turn left onto the GC-150. Bus 305 has a stop at Cruz de Tejeda. The hotel offers private transfers.
- **Parador de Cruz de Tejeda** (Spa hotel): Sleeping above the clouds
The Parador is at Cruz de Tejeda, at 1,560 metres, between the Nublo Rural Park and the Cumbres Protected Landscape, 34 km from Las Palmas along the GC-15 and San Mateo. From its terraces you see the landscape of Risco Caído and the Sacred Mountain Places, a World Heritage Site since 2019: the Tejeda caldera with the Roque Nublo and the Bentayga. On many afternoons the sea of clouds stays below.
Rooms and spa
It has standard and superior doubles, junior suites and adapted rooms. Among its services: free wifi, free outdoor parking, charging for electric cars, gym, garden, restaurant and room service. The spa is what sets it apart: a 90-minute circuit with an outdoor pool facing the caldera, sauna, Turkish bath and hydromassage pool; €35 for guests. Paradores has discounts for Canarian residents.
Eating
The restaurant serves regional Canarian cooking: watercress potaje, papas arrugadas with their mojos, baifo (kid) and fish from the island's coast. It is convenient for dining without moving after a day on the ridge.
With a pet
The Parador admits pets, with conditions that are worth checking before booking.
Getting there
By car, about 50 minutes from Las Palmas along the GC-15. Without a car, bus 303 to San Mateo and 305 to the Cruz de Tejeda stop, at the door. A few steps away are the stone cross, the sweet stalls and the Hotel Rural El Refugio.
### Servicios
- **Buses from Las Palmas to Cruz de Tejeda and Tejeda**: Global line 303 from Las Palmas to San Mateo and line 305 from San Mateo to Cruz de Tejeda and Tejeda; three departures on Sundays and public holidays.
- **Global line 18 to the Roque Nublo**: The bus linking Tejeda, Cruz de Tejeda, the Cruz de los Llanos car park and the Roque Nublo stop; several departures also on Saturdays and public holidays.
- **Regulated access and car parks for the Roque Nublo**: Free booking to enter via La Goleta from 9:00 to 17:00; no parking at La Goleta: car at Cruz de los Llanos or Tejeda and bus 18.

## By plane: Flight to Gran Canaria and a car or bus to the ridge
From the Spanish mainland you fly to Gran Canaria airport, at Gando, with direct flights from many Spanish cities. From there the ridge is a little over an hour by car: along the GC-1 towards Las Palmas and then the GC-15 via Santa Brígida and San Mateo to Cruz de Tejeda. Without a car, three buses are chained together, and some hotels in the area offer a transfer.
### Dónde dormir if you're flying
- **Hotel Rural Fonda de La Tea** (Small hotel): An inn in the middle of the village
The Fonda de La Tea is a rural hotel of 11 rooms spread over four floors, in a refurbished 19th-century house in the heart of Tejeda, within the Nublo Rural Park. According to its website, botanists, artists, novelists and poets passed through it. It has an inner patio with wooden balconies, a lounge with a fireplace for the cold nights on the ridge and a terrace from which you see the Roque Nublo, the Roque Bentayga, the Roque Nariz and the Mesa de Acusa. In 2025 it received the ASETUR award for the best rural hotel in Spain.
The rooms
They have air conditioning, satellite television, minibar, safe, hairdryer and free internet. The buffet breakfast is included in the price. There is a lift, a relaxation area with showers and hammocks, and massages by booking. Dinners are served at the Cueva de La Tea restaurant, Canarian cooking, in the same village. The house also manages apartments and country houses in Tejeda, such as La Casa de la Esquina, opposite the church.
Getting there and getting around
By car, from Las Palmas, nearly an hour along the GC-15 and Cruz de Tejeda. The hotel has free covered public parking. Without a car, bus 305 from San Mateo reaches the Tejeda station, a few steps away, and line 18 leaves from there for the Roque Nublo. The inn organises walks with or without a guide, bicycle hire and airport transfers with advance booking. For a summer swim there is the municipal pool.
Who it is for
For anyone who wants to sleep inside the village, dine and breakfast without taking the car and set off walking from the door. If you are travelling with a dog, the website does not mention it: ask before booking.
- **Hotel Rural El Refugio** (Small hotel): A refuge at the crossroads
El Refugio is an adults-only rural hotel at Cruz de Tejeda, ten metres from the GC-15 along the GC-150, surrounded by garden and by the royal roads that leave the cross for the whole island. Its motto is "centre of all roads": from the door you have routes to Tejeda, Artenara, the Roque Nublo or the ridge. It has lounges, large terraces and a seasonal pool, from June to September, which the website now announces as heated.
The rooms
Doubles with a double bed or two beds, superior doubles with more space, a sofa, fridge and coffee maker, a suite with its own entrance on the ground floor and a kitchen, and attic rooms also intended for groups or walkers on the Camino de Santiago of Gran Canaria. All have free wifi, television, heating, a ceiling fan and a private bathroom. Check-in is from 14:00 to 17:00 at reception; later, online. Check-out is at 11:00.
Eating
Breakfast and dinner are served in the Tajinaste del Refugio dining room, also open to the public. At midday there is no service, only 24-hour food and drink machines; for lunch, go down to Tejeda.
With a dog
It presents itself as a dog-friendly hotel: it admits dogs on request, at €10 per night, and limits how many stay at the same time. Cats and other animals are not admitted.
Getting there
From Las Palmas, take the GC-15 to km 24.5, at Cruz de Tejeda; you turn left onto the GC-150. Bus 305 has a stop at Cruz de Tejeda. The hotel offers private transfers.
- **Parador de Cruz de Tejeda** (Spa hotel): Sleeping above the clouds
The Parador is at Cruz de Tejeda, at 1,560 metres, between the Nublo Rural Park and the Cumbres Protected Landscape, 34 km from Las Palmas along the GC-15 and San Mateo. From its terraces you see the landscape of Risco Caído and the Sacred Mountain Places, a World Heritage Site since 2019: the Tejeda caldera with the Roque Nublo and the Bentayga. On many afternoons the sea of clouds stays below.
Rooms and spa
It has standard and superior doubles, junior suites and adapted rooms. Among its services: free wifi, free outdoor parking, charging for electric cars, gym, garden, restaurant and room service. The spa is what sets it apart: a 90-minute circuit with an outdoor pool facing the caldera, sauna, Turkish bath and hydromassage pool; €35 for guests. Paradores has discounts for Canarian residents.
Eating
The restaurant serves regional Canarian cooking: watercress potaje, papas arrugadas with their mojos, baifo (kid) and fish from the island's coast. It is convenient for dining without moving after a day on the ridge.
With a pet
The Parador admits pets, with conditions that are worth checking before booking.
Getting there
By car, about 50 minutes from Las Palmas along the GC-15. Without a car, bus 303 to San Mateo and 305 to the Cruz de Tejeda stop, at the door. A few steps away are the stone cross, the sweet stalls and the Hotel Rural El Refugio.

## As a family: The ridge with children, in short stops

The ridge works with children if you alternate a short walk, a viewpoint from the car and something sweet. The Roque Nublo trail is short and without difficult passages, and the rest can be seen with almost no walking. Watch the edges: the viewpoints and the Tablón del Nublo drop sheer.

### What works best
The Roque Nublo trail: a little under 3 km of marked path, with booking from 9:00 to 17:00

The Roque Bentayga interpretation centre, free, with caves and engravings

The viewpoints at Cruz de Tejeda and the Pico de las Nieves, beside the car park

Stargazing at the Llanos de la Pez, with no walking

### Sleeping
Hotel Rural Fonda de La Tea, in the village, with breakfast included

Parador de Cruz de Tejeda, with a spa for children aged 6 to 13 in the first two hours

El Refugio is adults only

### Eating
La Casa de la Almendra, with stone-grilled meats and almond desserts

Palmeras from the Dulcería Nublo on the terrace

### Bear in mind
It is cold and windy up top: bring a coat for everyone, in summer too

The GC-15 has a lot of bends: stop if anyone feels sick

The 305 bus has only three trips on Sunday

### Qué hacer as a family
- Roque Nublo trail from the Degollada de La Goleta
- Pico de las Nieves viewpoint
- Roque Bentayga and its interpretation centre
- Cruz de Tejeda, the island's crossroads
- Tejeda old town and its museums
- Stargazing with telescopes at Los Llanos de la Pez

## With a dog: On the ridge with a dog

At Cruz de Tejeda there are two places to sleep that admit dogs, and the viewpoints and village streets can be walked with one on a lead. What no source we have seen makes clear is whether you can enter the regulated Roque Nublo trail with a dog: ask when booking the access.

### Walks
The viewpoint and stalls at Cruz de Tejeda, on a lead

The Pico de las Nieves viewpoint, beside the road

The streets of the Tejeda old town; dogs cannot go into the museums

### Sleeping
Hotel Rural El Refugio, dogs on request, €10 per night

Parador de Cruz de Tejeda, admits pets with conditions

### Bear in mind
The Roque Nublo is a Natural Monument: check the rules on dogs first

In summer, the asphalt at the viewpoints burns at midday

### Qué hacer with a dog
- Pico de las Nieves viewpoint
- Cruz de Tejeda, the island's crossroads
- Tejeda old town and its museums

### Dónde dormir with a dog
- Hotel Rural El Refugio: On request, €10 per night
- Parador de Cruz de Tejeda: Check the Parador's conditions before booking

## Consejos

### Go up before 9:00
No reservation, low light and almost no people on the Tablón.

### Check the return guagua
On Sundays the last 305 leaves Tejeda at 18:00.

### Bring cash for the stalls
At Cruz de Tejeda they sell almond sweets and crafts in the morning.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How long does it take from Las Palmas to Tejeda?
Nearly an hour by car along the GC-15, 44 km. By guagua, the 303 to San Mateo and the 305 to Tejeda.

### Do you have to pay to climb Roque Nublo?
No. The reservation is free, but compulsory from 9:00 to 17:00 if you enter via La Goleta.

### Where do you park for Roque Nublo?
At Cruz de los Llanos or in Tejeda, and from there on Global line 18. At La Goleta only people with reduced mobility may park.

### Can you go without a car?
Yes, with Global lines 303, 305 and 18. The Pico de las Nieves and Bentayga have no guagua.

### What do you eat in Tejeda?
Meat grilled on a hot stone, Tejeda cheese, stews and, above all, almond sweets: bienmesabe and marzipan.

### Can you go with children?
Yes. The Roque Nublo trail is short and the Pico de las Nieves and Cruz de Tejeda can be seen from the car park.