Overlooking Puerto Del Carmen, Tias has a significant and interesting story to tell and provides a microcosm of Lanzarote's own history and progress over the last few centuries.
The town dates back to at around 1493, when it was first appeared in a census carried out by Alonso Fajardo, the Governer of Gran Canaria, who determined that the settlement should be named after his two favourite aunts, or in Spanish tias.
For centuries, Tias was dependent on the two sectors of agriculture and fishing, which is shows in the municipality's half green and half blue flag, signifying the sea and the fields. It became an important trading and commercial centre although its development was slowed by the expansion of Arrecife, the island's most significant port and current capital.
Regardless of the arrival of Northern Europeans in significant numbers (Tias has a large community of ex-pats), Tias retains an genuine Spanish feel and boasts a number of more low key attractions; such as the beautiful Church of Candelaria, constructed in 1796, and the church of San Antonio, built in 1959. Also you can visit the old houses of the municipality, Casa Pascacia and Casa Parroquial, along with the old cemetery.
Tias is a significant cultural centre on the island, with the local Municipal Theatre hosting a wide array of attractions; from traditional folklore events through to modern concerts.
June is an excellent time to visit Tias, as fiestas are on throughout the month, starting with the festival of San Antonio from the 1st to the 13th and finishing in the atmospheric island wide Festival of San Juan.
