Full-day Teror, Tejeda and Fataga tour with typical Canarian lunch

Villages, viewpoints and volcanic rocks dot Gran Canaria's jagged spine. This tour weaves its way through some of the island's most dramatic landscapes, stopping along the way to visit gems such as Teror, Tejeda and Fataga. David, one of our local guides, says, "The legend of the apparition of the Virgin Mary in Teror still intrigues me. It was in 1481, amid the Castilian conquest of Gran Canaria, and it helped change the island's destiny."Your first stop is Teror, where you'll stroll past the balconied townhouses of Calle Real de la Plaza towards the mountain-framed Basilica of Our Lady of the Pine. Then it's on to Tejeda, a bit of a looker too, with red-roofed, whitewashed houses sprinkled across a valley slope. David adds, "Every time there's a list of Spain's prettiest villages, Tejeda is near the top. Its setting is unbeatable." From here, you'll continue through the mountains to Las Tirajanas viewpoint for photos of the vast volcanic landscape.Next up is a local lunch in a family-owned restaurant in Fataga, nestled in the Valley of a Thousand Palms. Afterwards, you'll have time to wander this cosy village, known for its cobbled lanes, palm-fringed views and traditional Canarian architecture. Before returning to your hotel, you'll stop at an aloe vera plantation to get the lowdown on the plant's medicinal properties and the role it plays in local life.