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Discover the legend of the witches of Anaga
Friday 18 November 2022
Anaga is an area of great natural beauty, not only because of its rich flora and fauna and its excellent conservation, but also because in every corner we can breathe in a bit of history, tradition and a legend or two. The Bailadero de Anaga is a well-known area where you can find one of the roads that is characterised by its many bends. Legend has it, however, that its name may have another origin: Las Brujas del Bailadero (the Witches of Anaga)
The Witches of Anaga according to the legend
According to popular belief, witches used to hold their covens in the Macizo de Anaga. They would dance around a bonfire, hence the name ‘bailadero’. In this magical place they would perform their rituals and then go down to the coast to bathe naked in the sea. Here are some words from the historian Domingo García Barbuzano, 1982:116: In fact, one of Anaga’s beaches is called Playa de Las Brujas.
“…From El Bailadero, on the days of the witches’ coven, from twelve o’clock at night, the time when these meetings ended, a large crowd would wander: the witches, dressed in black robes and warm cloaks, their friends and those other people who wanted to be initiated into the practice of witchcraft, all forming a compact crowd that would slowly descend along the rugged summit to see if they could find any walkers to curse”.
It is very likely that this legend refers to the rituals performed by the ancient Guanches to ask the earth for rain and fertility. Because they were pagan, the Catholic Church considered them to be witchcraft, and this belief has persisted over time. In any case, it is not hard to imagine that witches, or any other beings, would choose this magical place to perform their rituals.
If you want to enjoy all the legends of this place, at Montes de Anaga Hostel we are waiting for you with the best facilities to enjoy a trip in the middle of nature. All the information on our website.
