San Andrés y Sauces

The municipality of San Andrés y Sauces

The town of Villa de San Andrés has been declared a cultural heritage site

The Canary Islands government has now declared San Andrés a Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC) - a cultural heritage full of traditional and popular architecture.

The birthplace of the biosphere reserve

The springs of Marcos y Cordero have brought wealth and the unique Los Tilos laurel forest to the municipality in the north-east of the island of La Palma.

It was the birthplace of the Biosphere Reserve in 1983, which UNESCO has since extended to the entire island and part of the marine habitat. 

The San Andrés y Sauces area stretches between Puntallana and Barlovento from the sea up to the peaks of the Caldera de Taburiente.

Although it benefits from the northeast trade winds, the climate is pleasant all year round. Clouds and fog nourish the evergreen forests, while the lower areas are pampered by the sun. 

San Andrés y Sauces covers 43 square kilometres and the 4,000 inhabitants live in very different zones

In the middle altitudes, fields are cultivated with potatoes, vegetables, oranges or the water-loving "ñame", a type of yam. 

The two names of the municipality stand for Villa de San Andrés and Ciudad de Los Sauces.

The current main town of Los Sauces, at an altitude of 250 m, which was created later, is quite different.

Most important festivals

Nuestra Señora de Montserrat

The patron saint of the municipality is celebrated twice a year in the village of San Andrés y Sauces. 

Once in the second half of April, with religious and cultural aspects in the foreground. Then again, with wide-ranging activities and Romería (traditional pageant), in the first half of September.

Gran Poder de Dios

This festival attracts more visitors to beautiful San Andrés in the first two weeks of July. 

Nuestra Señora del Carmen

Our Lady of Mount Carmel was chosen as the patron saint of the sea, fishermen and the Spanish Armada in Spain.

The celebration in her honour at the beginning of August therefore takes place on the seashore and is held in Puerto Espíndola (San Andrés).

The "cucaña" a humid and merry competition in which a flag has to be captured on a slippery log above the water, a huge paella and the ship procession are also very popular with young people.