Silk Trade & Exquisite Hotel Hacienda

by coach & on foot

This experience allows you to enjoy the island’s lush scenery as you journey along mountain roads, passing vineyards and banana plantations, on your way to the charming town of El Paso.

On your arrival, a short stroll will bring you to the unique Silk Museum, where you can witness the 500-year-old tradition of silk weaving. This is the only place in Europe where the ancient processes have been preserved. During your visit, you'll have the opportunity to admire stunning garments crafted from this local silk.

Your journey then continues to the beautifully restored 17th century former sugar estate, Hotel Hacienda de Abajo. Most of the buildings located on-site emerged because of the lucrative trade in sugar between the estate and markets in Flanders, Andalusia, and the West Indies. The influx of new wealth also enabled the manor’s historic owners to acquire a massive collection of rare artworks and artifacts from both Europe and Asia.

Still present today, the hotels art collection boasts some of the best historical tapestries in the Canary Islands as well as valuable works from the 15th to the 20th centuries. You can also see European furniture, delicate religious carvings, and Chinese artifacts that date from the Tang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty.

This previous old sugar plantation estate, with its panoramas of the beautiful azure sea, gives you a true taste of the ancient history of the area, Completely refurbished, it consists of four buildings with years of history, set out around an interior garden. The garden was the former orchard of the hacienda and is now said to be one of the best gardens in the Canaries.

With your guide, you will explore some of the public rooms, followed by a cup of tea or coffee or a soft drink overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Before heading back to Santa Cruz, enjoy a brief photo stop at Los Llanos Square to admire this area, created by the local artist Luis Morera.