670 metres of chorizo: Teror sets a delicious record

Some festivals sound too good to be true — and then they are. In Teror, the pilgrimage town in the green heart of Gran Canaria, volunteers this Saturday built a chorizo sandwich 670 metres long and handed it out, piece by piece and free of charge, to the crowd. It was the first edition of the "Feria del Chorizo" — and a record straight away.

The setting could hardly have been more fitting: in Teror, to talk about the flavours of the town is to talk about chorizo and water, as the mayor put it in essence. And those are precisely the two ingredients at the centre of these July days.

A sandwich for the record books

The numbers read like a kitchen fairy tale: 670 metres of bread, filled with 490 kilograms of chorizo, divided into 10,120 portions — all free. The original target was 600 metres; in the end it was 70 more. Around 50 volunteers had started as early as five in the morning on Plaza de Sintes, slicing loaves and spreading them.

Hundreds came together, from various islands and even from mainland Spain. It was less a competition than a street party: you queued, got your piece, ate standing up and stayed for a chat. That's what community tastes like.

Why Teror of all places?

Chorizo de Teror is a Canarian speciality: a soft, spreadable, paprika-seasoned red chorizo that you spread on bread rather than slice. In many island families it belongs to breakfast or the afternoon snack — and Teror is considered its home.

Then there's the town itself: narrow lanes, the famous wooden colonial balconies and the Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pino, the spiritual heart of Gran Canaria. Those who come for the chorizo usually stay for the place.

Part of the Fiesta del Agua

The Feria del Chorizo is embedded in the Fiesta del Agua, Teror's traditional water festival, which this year runs from 10 to 19 July — with the individual neighbourhoods taking part. Water plays the leading role: processions, music and the exuberant water fight in the streets that is so typical of Teror.

For visitors that means the whole town is in festive mood during these days. If you join in, expect to get wet — and that is exactly the point.

For visitors: what remains

Even if the record was a one-off moment, Teror is worth it all year round. The Sunday market around the Basílica is one of the finest on the island, and at many stalls and shops you can buy the real chorizo de Teror to take home. Half a day is enough for a first impression; with the market and lunch it becomes a full one.