El Roque combines a hiking trail between the hamlet and Monte de Cho Pancho with a range of cultural themes. The route passes traces of earlier agriculture; the Museo de La Papa is housed in Casa Don Gregorio, and El Drago is one of San Miguel de Abona’s traditional pottery centres. This gives you a perspective on the area that ranges from landscape and agricultural history to food, island culture and ceramics. Depending on your interests, you can focus more on the trail or on the cultural themes.

Hiking through agricultural landscapes

The Monte Cho Pancho–El Roque hiking trail connects El Roque with Monte de Cho Pancho and is also known as “La Silleta”. The route passes through areas once used for agriculture, where threshing floors, ovens and traditional buildings have been preserved. These structures connect the trail with the landscape’s former uses. It also offers views of the coast and the surrounding mid-altitude areas of the region. Weather and vegetation may affect the views. As trail conditions and signage can change, check the latest information before setting out.

The Área Recreativa Cho Pancho

The Área Recreativa Cho Pancho is at the end of the hiking trail from El Roque. It has areas adapted for accessibility, children’s play areas and a sports area. There are also fire pits with firewood, tables, toilets, rubbish bins and springs. The site thus combines play and sports areas with other facilities for spending time outdoors. Individual facilities may change or be temporarily unavailable; check which ones are accessible before your visit.

Potato culture and pottery

Casa Don Gregorio features traditional architecture; the restored building houses the Museo de La Papa. The museum explores the importance of potatoes to the island’s food and culture. Visitors can learn about cultivation techniques, the tools used and the potato’s cultural value. Its economic importance in San Miguel de Abona is also covered: potato cultivation is presented as an important economic foundation for the municipality. Educational activities at Casa Don Gregorio also give visitors the opportunity to engage with the topics presented.

Another cultural point of interest is El Drago in El Roque, one of San Miguel de Abona’s traditional pottery centres. Together, the museum and this named pottery centre offer different perspectives on cultural history: here the focus is on potato cultivation, food and the economy, while there it is on the pottery tradition. This allows you to explore the area’s cultural themes according to your own interests, without conflating them with the hiking route.

The August festival

The festival in the hamlet of El Roque takes place every year in the second half of August in honour of San Roque and lasts three days. It also includes the veneration of Our Lady of Lourdes. If you want to plan your trip around the festival, this recurring time of year is a helpful guide. Check the specific dates for the relevant year before planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Las Zocas.

Go to the main travel overview: San Miguel.