Tablas de San Andrés – a tradition that looks wild, yet has deep roots
Every year at the end of November, something unusual happens in the northern town of Icod de los Vinos.
Streets so steep you automatically straighten your back suddenly turn into a downhill track — and locals… well, they grab wooden boards, sit on them, and slide down as fast as gravity allows.
Sounds crazy?
Sounds like “who even came up with this?”
Exactly — and that’s why you have to experience it.
This celebration is known as Tablas de San Andrés, part of the traditional Día de San Andrés festivities.
Where did it come from?
Back in the day, winemakers in Icod had a problem: how to quickly transport heavy wine barrels down steep streets to the cellars?
So… they slid them down on wooden planks.
And that’s how the tradition was born — except today it’s not barrels making the ride, but people.
The boards are smoother, oiled, sometimes with handles, sometimes with a sack on top for “extra comfort”.
What does this day look like?
Crowds gather along the streets well before the first slide.
Kids, teenagers, families, grandparents — everyone waiting for the same moment: the first board to hit the slope.
Someone shouts, someone claps, someone films.
The air smells of roasted chestnuts and freshly opened young wine. After all, San Andrés is also the patron saint of wine.
And when the first brave slider pushes off and rushes down — the whole street goes silent for one second.
Then you hear that unmistakable scraping sound of wood on asphalt, mixed with laughter and pure chaos.
It’s unforgettable.
Can anyone slide
In theory — yes.
In practice — be careful. This is not a protected track but a real street.
Locals have been sliding since they were kids, so they know exactly how to control the board. If you’re a visitor — watching is just as thrilling, and much safer.
When does Tablas de San Andrés take place?
Every year on 28–30 November, with early slides often starting before the official dates.
The most intense atmosphere is in the late afternoon and evening.
Useful tips
- Come early — best spots fill up fast.
- Bring something warm, the north gets chilly in the evening.
- Watch out for the slide path — the boards can go really fast.
- Try chestnuts and new wine — it’s part of the tradition.
- With kids: stand a bit further back from the main slope.
Why you should see it
Because this is one of those traditions you simply cannot explain well enough — you have to feel it.
It’s noise, adrenaline, laughter, chaos and community — all in one.
And when you go back home and someone asks:
“So, what’s the craziest thing you saw in Tenerife?”
You’ll have a story no one can top.
