The Finca de Osorio awakens, ready to offer quiet corners to escape the noise. You won’t have enough fingers on your hand to count them all. Its many hiding places are tucked away around the lush laurel tree forest, with footpaths lined with chestnut trees, oaks and orchards, footpaths that cross one another and submerge themselves into the vegetation, with a natural spring that either gushes out or trickles gently, depending on the time of year. There are pleasant views over potato and corn crops that come into view over the nearby plains.
These are just some of the wonders that will hit you as you walk along. The last remnants of of the most important forests on the island, the mythical Doramas Rural Park.
At Osorio, dreams and ideas flow, you can get fleeting glimpses of our past. This is a magical place which carefully safeguards a certain order, its delicate balance, which does no harm to nature, quite the opposite.
Its natural beauty bursts forth all around. It is a fine example of how to relate to and interact with nature without interfering too much. It is curious to see how, over the last few years, and following several reforestation programmes, the indigenous flora continues to sprout through the earth on the estate, especially the laurel trees, but also mocán plants, wild olive trees and cocuswood. Nowadays these local plants live side by side with imported species, lending the whole area an uncommonly varied beauty.
It is worth going round the estate when the evening is falling and the last rays of light are filtering through, painting the countryside with strange colours, and providing subtle shades to each element.
It is likely these images will remain in the mind’s eye, and never fade away, staying with you even in your sleep. Then when you least expect it, when you are somewhere else, that subtle nuance wafts by once more, the aroma of Osorio, this hidden corner of Teror, in Gran Canaria. Images that will come alive again, with no warning, just like the laurel trees do. You’ll see!
From the capital city,Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, we drive along the GC-2 North main road as far as the turning off to Arucas on the GC-20. We carry on following directions to Teror. Before we get there we come to a sign that says “La Guanchía”, and along this section we will soon see the main entrance to the Finca de Osorio to our left, a high double-barred gate.
This constitutes the most important building in the Villa Mariana de Teror, and one of the most relevant spots on the whole island, as inside it houses the figure of Our Lady the Virgin of El Pino, the Patron Saint of the Villa Mariana de Teror and of the Diocese of the Canaries.
This building is laid out in a functional monastic cloister shape. It is made up of three main bodies: the church, convent and guest quarters. Today the community is well recognised for the fabulous range of home-made sweets produced there.
The building is laid out in a rigorous monastic cloister format. It is composed of three main bodies: the church, convent and guest quarters. The resident community are currently famous for the homemade sweets they produce there.
This market is held right at the town centre of Teror, and is one of the largest, commercially speaking, and most visited in all Gran Canaria.
This is made up of three huge natural springs, and provides the largest source of income for the Town Hall of Teror. It is located at Teror ravine.
