Hotels in Fontanales

Fontanales

Fontanales is a mountain village in the uplands of the municipality of Moya, in the north of Gran Canaria, about 1,000 metres above sea level. It lies eleven kilometres from the town of Moya and around 40 kilometres from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The village was founded in the mid-17th century by the landowner Juan Mateo Trujillo, who had the first hermitage, dedicated to Saint Bartholomew, built around 1635. Its name recalls the springs and water channels that made its farms possible, and the surrounding hills still show terraces, threshing floors, irrigation channels and old mills. Fontanales lies close to the Doramas Rural Park, whose Los Tiles de Moya reserve protects one of the last pockets of laurel forest on the island. A circular hiking route starts in the village and crosses the green landscapes of the Altos de Moya. The village is known across the island for its cheeses, and local restaurants serve several varieties from nearby dairies. Every year on 24 August the Fiestas de San Bartolomé bring a pilgrimage and a livestock fair that draw visitors from all over Gran Canaria. The climate is cooler and greener than on the coast, ideal for walking in spring and autumn. It suits travellers looking for rural tranquillity, traditional food and hiking in the north of the island.