Is the Casa de los Balcones worth it? Carved pine balconies, a Canarian courtyard and La Orotava’s old town

Look up before you look in. The finest woodwork on the street hangs above your head, carved from pine that has outlived four centuries of Atlantic weather.

What is the Casa de los Balcones?

La Casa de los Balcones is a 17th-century mansion on Calle San Francisco, in the historic centre of La Orotava. It was completed in 1632 for a wealthy local family, at a time when the Orotava Valley grew rich on sugar and wine exports to Europe. The house is a textbook example of Canarian colonial architecture, which mixes Spanish and Portuguese influences with local materials such as volcanic stone and Canary pine.

The name comes from the balconies on the street front, but the real treasure is inside. The patio is surrounded by two levels of wooden galleries with turned balusters, all made from tea, the resin-rich heartwood of the Canary pine. This wood is so dense and durable that it resists insects and damp, which is why so much of it has survived for almost 400 years. The Casa de los Balcones is one of the symbols of the town, whose historic centre was declared a historic ensemble (conjunto histórico) in 1976.

What to see inside La Casa de los Balcones

Your visit starts in the courtyard, the green heart of the house. Ferns, palms and flowers fill the space around a stone well, and the light falls softly through the galleries above. It’s one of the most peaceful spots in town and a great place for photos, especially in the morning before the tour groups arrive.

The upper floor holds a small house museum showing how a well-off Canarian family lived in past centuries. Rooms are furnished with period furniture, a traditional kitchen, a bedroom and a living room, along with everyday objects, ceramics and costumes. Labels are short, so you can see everything in 20-30 minutes. From the gallery you also get a close look at the carved wooden details that are hard to appreciate from the street.

Canarian embroidery and crafts

The ground floor is home to a craft shop famous for its calados, the delicate drawn-thread embroidery of the Canary Islands. Most days you can watch local women at work on tablecloths and handkerchiefs, pulling threads one by one from the linen. The shop also sells pottery, lace, local wine, mojo sauces and other souvenirs. Prices for hand-made embroidery are high, but you are paying for many hours of skilled work.

Casa de los Balcones tickets and opening hours

Things to do in La Orotava

La Orotava is one of the most attractive towns on Tenerife, and the Casa de los Balcones is only the beginning. Its steep cobbled streets are lined with manor houses, churches and gardens, all within a short walk of each other. Allow at least half a day to see the old town properly.

Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción

The parish church of La Concepción is one of the finest baroque buildings in the Canary Islands. Rebuilt after earthquakes damaged the original and consecrated in 1788, it has a twin-towered facade and a large dome that dominates the town’s skyline. Inside, look out for the marble high altar and the richly decorated chapels. The church is a five-minute walk downhill from the Casa de los Balcones.

Plaza de la Constitución and the Liceo de Taoro

Plaza de la Constitución, once known as the Llano de San Roque, is a wide square that works like a balcony over the Orotava Valley, with views across the rooftops to the sea. On one side stands the church of San Agustín with its former convent, and above the square rises the Liceo de Taoro, an elegant early 20th-century club building surrounded by gardens. For lunch, the Casa Lercaro, a historic mansion a few streets away, is a lovely place to try Canarian dishes in a wooden-galleried courtyard.

Jardines Victoria and the town hall square

The Jardines del Marquesado de la Quinta Roja, usually called the Jardines Victoria, are terraced gardens with fountains, flower beds and a white marble mausoleum at the top. From the upper terraces you get one of the best views over the rooftops of La Orotava towards the sea. Just below lies the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, the town hall square, where the famous sand carpets are created for Corpus Christi.

Corpus Christi carpets of volcanic sand

Every year, around eight weeks after Easter, La Orotava celebrates Corpus Christi with carpets of flowers laid across the streets. The highlight is a huge tapestry in front of the town hall made entirely of coloured volcanic sand from Teide National Park. Locals spend weeks preparing it, and it’s swept away after the procession. If you visit at this time, book your accommodation well ahead, as the town gets very busy.

Gofio mills and the Hijuela del Botánico

Calle Doctor Domingo González García is known as the street of the mills. Several historic water mills still grind gofio, the toasted cereal flour that has been a staple of Canarian cooking since Guanche times, and you can buy a bag to take home. Nearby, the Hijuela del Botánico is a small botanical garden behind the town hall, a branch of the famous garden in Puerto de la Cruz, with a giant dragon tree among its exotic plants.

How to get to La Orotava

La Orotava sits on the slopes about 4 km above Puerto de la Cruz, around 15 minutes away by car or bus. From Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Tenerife North airport, the drive along the TF-5 motorway takes around 30 minutes. From the southern resorts, allow about an hour on the motorway, or combine the trip with Teide by taking the TF-21 road across the national park.

A rental car gives you the most flexibility, but the old town’s lanes are narrow and steep, so leave the car in one of the public car parks on the edge of the centre. TITSA buses run frequently between Puerto de la Cruz and La Orotava, and there are direct buses from Santa Cruz.

When is the best time to visit?

You can visit the Casa de los Balcones all year. Weekday mornings are the quietest, before the coach tours arrive around midday. The north of Tenerife is greener and cooler than the south, with more cloud, so bring a light jacket outside summer. Late May or June is special if you can catch Corpus Christi and its sand carpets.

Practical information

• Tickets for the Casa de los Balcones are best booked in advance. You’ll avoid the queue at the ticket desk and can plan your day in La Orotava around a set time.
• Address: Calle San Francisco 3, 38300 La Orotava, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
• Book tickets on GetYourGuide

Hotels near Casa de los Balcones

Staying in La Orotava lets you enjoy the old town in the evening, when the day visitors have gone. It’s also a good base for an early start to Teide.

💰 Suites de Franchy

A relaxed self-catering option in La Orotava with an outdoor pool, a garden, a shared lounge and a terrace. Suites come with their own kitchen, so you can shop at the local market and cook your own meals. It’s a practical choice for families and longer stays on a budget. The Casa de los Balcones and the old town are a short drive or a pleasant downhill walk away.

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🏨 Hotel Rural Victoria - La Orotava

A charming small hotel in a historic Canarian mansion in the Villa Monumental, just a few minutes’ walk from the Casa de los Balcones. Rooms open onto a traditional wooden gallery around an inner courtyard, much like the one you’ll see in the museum. The restaurant serves Canarian cuisine, and there’s a rooftop terrace with views of the valley. It’s ideal if you want to sleep inside the history you came to see.

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💎 Hotel Botánico y Oriental Spa Garden

A five-star hotel in the quiet La Paz district of Puerto de la Cruz, around 15 minutes’ drive from La Orotava. Three outdoor pools sit in lush tropical gardens, and the Oriental Spa is one of the best on the island. Rooms are elegant and many have views of Teide or the ocean. It’s the place for a luxurious stay by the sea with easy access to the north’s historic towns.

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