Corpus Christi Carpet Festival (La Orotava)

Corpus Christi Carpet Festival in La OrotavaThe Corpus Christi Carpet Festival in La Orotava is Tenerife’s most breathtaking “street art” tradition, when the historic town center is covered in intricate carpets made from flower petals, greenery, and famously, colored volcanic sand from Mount Teide. Typically taking place in late May or June (on the Thursday of the Octave of Corpus Christi), it’s a must-see island event where faith, craftsmanship, and community pride briefly turn streets into a walkable gallery.

What is the Corpus Christi Carpet Festival in La Orotava?

La Orotava’s Corpus Christi celebrations are best known for their alfombras (carpets), ephemeral artworks laid along streets near the town hall square. WebTenerife describes the tradition as making carpets from flowers, salt, and shrubs laid around streets near the town hall, with the main carpet filling the entire town hall square and made from different colored volcanic sand brought from Teide National Park.

The festival is both artistic and religious. WebTenerife explains that La Orotava celebrates Corpus Christi by laying flower carpets with religious and artistic designs in the historic quarter, culminating with a procession that walks over the carpets.

For travelers, the effect is unforgettable: an island town becomes an open-air museum for a single day, and then the artwork is respectfully “returned” to the street as the procession passes.

When the La Orotava carpets are typically held

The Corpus Christi carpets in La Orotava take place between May and June each year. WebTenerife states the Corpus de La Orotava festivities take place between the months of May and June, reflecting the movable nature of Corpus Christi on the liturgical calendar.

A key detail for planning is that the carpet day is tied to the Octave of Corpus Christi, meaning it is celebrated on the Thursday after Corpus Christi. A Tenerife dates guide explicitly explains that the celebration happens on the “octava” (eighth day) of Corpus Christi, described as the Thursday after the date of the religious feast.

In practical terms, you should plan your trip around “late spring to early summer” rather than expecting a fixed annual weekend. If you’re building an island itinerary, keep your dates flexible so you can catch the carpet day when it lands.

Where it happens: La Orotava’s historic center

The festival takes place in La Orotava’s old town, especially around the streets near the town hall square. WebTenerife specifies the location as the La Orotava old town and notes the largest and most spectacular carpet can be seen in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

Hello Canary Islands adds that the streets of the historic center fill with floral carpets, and highlights the Teide sand carpet created in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento as a major centerpiece. For visitors, this means your best plan is to arrive early and explore on foot, letting the carpets guide your route through the town.

A short history: how the tradition began

La Orotava’s Corpus carpets have deep roots in local creativity. WebTenerife notes the tradition became famous in 1847 when members of the Monteverde family, inspired by Leonor del Castillo, made a flower carpet to decorate the way for the Corpus platform as it passed their house.

Over time, the celebration evolved into one of Tenerife’s most distinctive cultural expressions. WebTenerife describes it as a centuries-old tradition recognized officially as a Cultural Heritage Asset, reinforcing that this is not a modern tourist invention but a long-standing community art form.

What makes La Orotava’s carpets so special

Many places create flower carpets, but La Orotava is in a category of its own because of its materials and scale.

The volcanic sand masterpiece from Mount Teide

The most famous piece is the monumental sand carpet in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, made using colored volcanic sands from Teide National Park. WebTenerife emphasizes that the main carpet is made using different colored volcanic sand brought straight from Teide National Park, which is a defining difference compared to many other carpet festivals.

Hello Canary Islands also highlights this Teide sand carpet as a major festival highlight, calling it a majestic work that pays tribute to Tenerife’s iconic volcano. For an island audience, this connection to Teide matters, because it ties the art directly to the landscape that defines Tenerife’s identity.

Flower carpets on surrounding streets

Beyond the main square, the streets of the historic center are filled with detailed carpets made from petals and plant materials. Hello Canary Islands describes vibrant carpets made from flower petals forming intricate designs and patterns, reflecting both religious devotion and artistic creativity.

A fleeting artwork, honored by a procession

The festival culminates with a religious procession that walks over the carpets. WebTenerife explicitly notes that the celebration ends with a procession that crosses these temporary works of art, which is part of their meaning: beauty created not to last, but to be offered.

How to experience the festival as a traveler

The best way to enjoy Corpus Christi Carpet Festival in La Orotava is to treat it like a full-day walking experience.

Arrive early and walk slowly

Carpet-making and viewing draw large crowds, especially near the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Because the artworks are detailed and spread across the historic center, you’ll enjoy it more if you arrive early enough to see the designs before peak midday congestion.

Build your viewing route

A simple route that works well:

• Start at the Plaza del Ayuntamiento to see the Teide sand carpet.
• Explore nearby old-town streets where floral carpets line the route.
• Stay for the procession if you want to see the festival’s most meaningful moment.

Eat like a local in the Orotava Valley

La Orotava sits in the lush Orotava Valley, and the festival day often comes with a “fiesta” atmosphere around the carpet streets. While carpet viewing is the main draw, planning a relaxed meal in the area helps you pace the day and soak in the town’s social vibe.

Practical tips for visiting La Orotava

• Wear comfortable shoes, because you’ll be walking and standing on cobblestone streets in the historic center.
• Respect the carpets: avoid stepping on them before the procession and follow any barriers or volunteer guidance.
• Consider combining the festival with a Teide day trip, since the signature carpet explicitly uses Teide sand and connects the tradition to the island’s volcanic landscape.

Pricing: what does the Corpus Christi Carpet Festival cost?

This is primarily a public cultural and religious celebration, and it is typically free to attend as a spectator. Hello Canary Islands lists the Corpus Christi carpets event and states the price is free.

Your main costs will be transport to La Orotava, food and drinks during the day, and accommodation if you plan to stay overnight in northern Tenerife.

Verified Information at a glance

• Event name: Corpus Christi Carpets (Alfombras del Corpus Christi), La Orotava, Tenerife
• Event category: Cultural and religious festival (flower carpets and volcanic sand art, procession).
• Typically held: May–June, on the Octave of Corpus Christi (the Thursday after Corpus Christi).
• Main venue / area: La Orotava old town, especially Plaza del Ayuntamiento and surrounding streets near the town hall square.
• Signature highlight: Monumental Teide sand carpet made with colored volcanic sand brought from Teide National Park in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
• Key experience: Carpets are created as temporary artworks and the celebration culminates with a procession that walks over them.
• Pricing: Listed as free to attend.

Plan your Tenerife island trip for late May or June, head to La Orotava early on carpet day, follow the floral streets up to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento to see the Teide sand masterpiece, and let this one-day-only festival show you how Tenerife turns nature, faith, and community artistry into an experience you’ll remember long after the last petal is gone.