Los Silos where lasting values and Boreal Festival count much

Indeed, La Villa Los Silos which is town since 1921 can't be described with a few words, as it would be little known worldwide without its yearly September event.

Boreal event of 2024 Los Silos art and Eco-Festival from September 18 to 22

El Boreal has received first prize for its category for Spain, as it's utterly dedicated by artistic means to environmental principles. You can learn about its workshops, markets, film-shows, talks and concerts at its Festivalboreal Org website. Concerts for the young seemed to be the highlights in 2024.

There were a few exhibitions, such as for soap making. No Story telling called Cuenta Cuentos for the little people took place. Personally, I was somewhat disappointed, as the variety of previous years was amiss. 

My first encounter with Los Silos and its Boreal

Get yourself a cup of tea or a long drink and make yourself comfortable for my first trip to this important town of the Isla Baja of Tenerife...

Titsa bus 363 from Puerto de la Cruz took me there within half an hour. It arrived on the old road TF43 the one to Buenavista del Norte where a road signs for walkers point to Monte del Agua, Terra de Trigo, Cuevas Negras, Erjos and Las Moradas. Then right away, came the next surprise. 

Only a few meters separated the bus stop from the hub of town with its 2017 Boreal festival
   

There, thousands of gay Festival de Boreal flags greeted me. They danced in the morning breeze. Unfortunately, the celebrations would not start on its first day before about 8 p.m. at night, while the following Saturday was going to have events before noon, as well. 
   

This settlement that was founded by the Portuguese Gonzalianes in the early XVI isn't as rural as I expected. Actually, it's a perfect mix of the worldly and the down to earth.

What does the hub look like in Los Silos ?

White washed, traditional houses with picturesque Canarian balconies and bay windows excel. Cobble stone streets abound. In the old quarters, some buildings date back more than 400 years. None have more than three stories.

Everything frames a charming stage for cultural festivals. Its preservation of the traditional architecture is a valuable asset that gives visual credit to the past. The platform for cultural events connects with the world and provides lasting quality for the future.

A good environment for social life

The massive former convent San Sebastiano from the middle of XVII seems to lend its weight to it. Its neighbor Iglesia de La Luz the elegant white XVI church with its slender towers has rendered a luminous, bright contrast since 1920. Then, the architect Mariano Estanga gave it a new facade of Modernist (art nouveau) style, although not as elaborate as his work at the Circulo de Amistad in the Tenerife capital.

Its setting against blue skies and green forests in the distance is picture perfect. The Town Hall the previous Casona de los Trujillo rounds off this beautiful outlay at the head of the "Plaza del Kiosco the party square". Another design by Estanga, by the way...

A town panorama

I climbed a steep, narrow cobble stone alley beside Casa La Ranita the youth hostel by the main square.

This almost hidden path leads you to one of the top ends of town where much Tabaiba grows.  The view down to its hub is divine. And I glimpsed it all through a wire fence, as the photo shows.
   

Part of several impressive peaks of the Teno Massif with Monte del Agua and ancient Laural forests portray a majestic sight. Banana plantations border them behind the houses with their Terracotta tiled roofs.  
   
In the opposite direction part of Costa Sibora.

Almost a million cubic meters fit in the water crater. They help when the water from five galleries isn't enough to irrigate the farms of Isla Baja.

What find by El Puertito and Costa de Sibora?

The Charco of  Don Gabino  

Playa Agua Dulce for Surf and bodyboard championships as well as other sports

A gigantic assembled whale skeleton near the Silos swimming pools which see at unusual museums in Tenerife

El Puertito a tiny fisherman enclave.

The chimney of the last sugar mill of Sibora and one of the  former four XVI century Silos the coastal stores that gave the town its name.

The latter were hidden from my view, too. 

However, I could see enough that took my breath away after only a little bit of exploring around town.
   
Why little?

Well,  the town with its mere 5000 inhabitants isn't that big. However, the total area with surroundings amounts to 24km2. That is three times as much as Puerto de la Cruz.

Alley way to suburb Fatima and back to the hub

The passage Dr.Jordan 1 led me back to the main urban conclave. I ventured into the suburb of Fatima.

There, colorful facades take turns with white ones.

A charming pastry shop named El Armario de los Dulces (Cupboard of sweets) was on my way back to the hub.

Little children love the shop also for its sweet toys, while adults may appreciate its amazing designer pastries and good cakes to take away. Unfortunately, it now seems to be closed during the Boreal. Friends and I found its doors closed in 2023.
   
Walking on i arrived by the yellow ex-convent again.

Former Convent Saint Sebastian with interesting past

Today, this superbly restored recluse with magnificent patio and first floor galleries houses more than a center for photography, art and culture. More about the history of this former convent of nuns and its yearly international Festival del Cuento, just now.

Cultural center Los Silos in ex-convent

Education about the environment with fauna and flora are important at the center, as bird photos with descriptions show. Workshops, cultural events, such as festivals, art exhibitions, concerts and more provide lasting values.

Los Silos birds of prey featured at the center

    The Fish Eagle and other Tenerife threatened birds
    The threatened Egyptian vulture
    The Eurasion Sparrow
    The Common Buzzard
    The Common Kestrel
    The Barbary Falcon
    The White Barn Owl
    The Long Ear Owl

Bay winged Hawk spotted at nearby Teno Massif

Los Silos strongly advocating environmental awareness.

It did so by choosing water as the theme for the 2017 festival de Cuentos, as water is our most precious commodity. It also vouches for the preservation of wildlife and flora.

Laurisilva mist belt Monte Agua flora above Los Silos.

    Laurals (Laurus Azorica)
    Mahogany Laural (Appolonias Barbujana)
    Wax-myrtle heath (Myrica faya) and or Alpine heath
    Acebiño (Ilex Canariensis)
    Aderno tree
    Indian Avocado (Persea Indica)
    Palo Blanco (Picconia Excelsa)
    Tree Heath (Erica arborea)
    Til (Ocotea foetens)
    Besom heath (Erica Scoparia)
    Various Ferns as well as
    Moss and Lichens on tree trunks and rocks
    Sonchus arcaulis
    Bicácaro Canary Bellflower (Canarina canariensis) now emblem of town in the neighborhood of which it grows with great success.

Some of the above mentioned Teno flora has been noted as endangered in Tenerife here.

Actually, the town of lasting values has top five emblems in my mind. They are the Canarina in its healthy forests with its  good water, the Guirre monument, the library i.e.  the ex-convent San Sebastian, church Iglesia de la Luz and Plaza de la Luz. 

Mistbelt Monte Agua fauna.

Eurasian Woodcocks (Chocha perdiz)
Laural and Bolle Laural pigeons
Canaries
Common Skinks(Chalcides viridanus coeruleopunctatus)
Lizards, rats, bats, beatles and ants

Endemic flora of Los Silos

Canary Pines,
Juniper Sabinas,
Canary Phoenix palms
Tamarix Canariensis

Endangered species of the Teno see here

Special Church Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Luz

Why special? In 1955, Nuestra Señora de la Luz was declared continuous and honorary Mayoress as well as Patroness of Los Silos.

The painting where the Madonna with child looks on while desperate fishermen are rowing for their life speaks a thousand words.

Accommodation in Los Silos.

Already a few years ago,  even its suburb at Caleta de Interian had steep prices for sleeping over. You would think that a hamlet with humble looking fishermen houses would provide bargains to spend a night. Not so... Many portals in the Internet where also foreigners can book accommodation cause more of a price hike.   
Three days, one week after the festival de Boreales at the so called Eco Youth Hostel Casa la Ranita would have cost more than Euro 50 a night. Mind also that some of the four rooms available have to share bathrooms. Hence, the price isn't only too much to pay for students. Nowadays, several places in Tenerife have very affordable Youth hostels with mostly shared accommodation, as is normal. 

I never checked Air B&B in the old quarters, though. They have economical offers out of town by El Puertito.

Restaurants and the like in Los Silos

I spotted an Italian Restaurant called Tasca La Escuela in Calle La Estrella. That's the continuation of Calle la Luz by the Plaza. The restaurant looked inviting inside with its light colors but was closed on that day, as it only opens from Thursday to Sunday.

This so called Tienda Ecologica also sells freshly baked Spelt bread and rolls. Both breads and pastries carry the two certificates for organic origin. Other organic products are available there. More info at its Facebook page.

Other places for eating out by Los Silos

Restaurante La Ferreteria by Plaza de la Luz behind the church which has four stars in Trip Advisor as seen during the Festival del Cuento in 2017.

The Restaurant at the natural swimming pools of Beach Agua Dulce had quite a good cuisine, in the past. Nowadays, it even has a Swiss chef. By the way, I found it closed down for good in 2024 on a hiking trip with a friend.

El Rubio Los Silos at Caleta de Interian serves a good and very affordable Paella

I ate a menu of the day at Restaurante Brisas de Teno in an enchanting garden. This is on the TF47 the main road, just before Buenavista.  Its chicken tasted dry like paper and the white potatoes where disappointing for Tenerife standards. It's faintly spiced herbal sauce wasn't half bad. Most probably, the winter chef cooks much better. By the way, the waiter went out of his way to give a good service, while live hens were chatting in an enclosure nearby.

Supermarkets by Los Silos?

There is an Altesa Supermarket by the Titsa bus stop of Caleta de Interian by the TF 47. I know because a late friend of mine used to shop there.
By the way, there is a large modern Health Center a Centro de Salud in the middle of town. This is important to know. So is the fact that Caleta de Interian of Los Silos has a dog hotel.

Why Plaza de la Luz is the soul of the town of the Silos

Why Cuentos Los Silos is a storyteller festival where street art delights. 

Interested in more events and celebrations on the biggest Canary Island?

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