Casa de los Balcones — Attraction in La Orotava

This is one of the main attractions in La Orotava. Here you can find the Carpet Art Centre and some of the most ostentatious and representative stately homes of the town’s aristocracy. You can see the façade of the Méndez Fonseca house or "Casa de los Balcones", the Ximénez Franchy house, which houses the Carpet Art Centre, and the Molina house. Just ahead, at number 3 on Calle San Francisco, is the Méndez Fonseca house or "Casa de los Balcones", a name that it was given due to the exquisite carved wooden balcony perched on its façade. The wood used in traditional carpentry in La Orotava is pine and in some cases Canarian laurel wood. Its style has an indisputable Portuguese influence.

Let's look at the house next to this one, number five. This is the Ximénez Franchy home and it currently houses the Carpet Museum.

It was originally a domestic building whose construction began in the mid-17th century. Here again you can see the fine Portuguese-influenced woodwork on the balcony and the door and window frames. Inside, you can see how the floor is arranged around a central courtyard, a typical feature of traditional Canarian architecture.

This building was used as a private citadel, with rooms divided and rented out at low cost. The citadels, which proliferated in the 19th century, were small communities of citizens from disadvantaged backgrounds. They lived in large buildings, and sometimes entire families shared their everyday lives side-by-side. Some convents in La Orotava that were expropriated from the church during the Spanish Confiscation also fulfilled this function, such the Santo Domingo Convent.

In this museum, you’ll see the process of creating both sand and flower carpets and historical images of the carpets.

Let's look at the huge house in front of the Carpet Art Centre, Casa Molina. Built at the end of the 16th century, it occupies a huge plot that takes up an entire block on Calle San Francisco. Inside you can find a courtyard in the traditional Canarian style.

The enormous façade is of the late Renaissance style with some plateresque details. Its carved pilasters stand out. Carving was used at the end of the Renaissance and consists of a partial sculpting out of the pilaster, giving a play of light and shadows.

After multiple changes of ownership, the property went into decline at the end of the 19th century. Its courtyard and spacious rooms began to be used as a cockfighting venue. After a fierce dispute, the cockfight bettors destroyed and ransacked the house. It was declared a ruin at the beginning of the 20th century and was later...

Built back in 1632, this charming house once belonged to a wealthy family and is a perfect example of traditional Canarian architecture. Its famous carved wooden balconies are a true symbol of La Orotava — you just can’t miss them. Today, it’s a museum where you can step into the everyday life of people from the 17th to 19th centuries.

I was pleasantly surprised by how many rooms there are and how carefully everything has been preserved. Each corner is full of little details — from the bedroom and dining room to the vintage bathroom and kitchen, which especially caught my eye. Walking through the house, you just want to slow down and take in every piece — from the furniture to the smallest decorations.

The visit takes about 30 minutes, but these half an hour will take you on a real journey back in time. If you’re ever in La Orotava — I highly recommend stopping by!

By the way, the balconies here are more than just beautiful. In traditional Canarian architecture, balconies helped protect homes from the sun and rain, served as spaces for socializing, and even reflected the family’s status. That’s why they’re so elaborate and iconic — they truly define the character of this house and the city.

Plus — it’s such a photogenic spot! From the detailed woodwork to the charming old rooms and cozy courtyard, this place is perfect if you’re looking for unique and...

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La Casa de los Balcones is a beautiful step back in time. This 17th-century Canarian mansion is famous for its carved wooden balconies, but what really makes it special is how it shows life in Tenerife centuries ago. Inside, you can walk through rooms furnished as they would have been in the past, see traditional crafts, and get a feel for how wealthy families lived here. Built in 1632, the house belonged to the Méndez-Fonseca family and later became a symbol of La Orotava’s rich cultural heritage. Today it’s part museum, part cultural center, with exhibitions of Canarian embroidery, traditional costumes, and everyday tools. The courtyard filled with plants is stunning, and the craftsmanship in the woodwork is incredible. It’s not a long visit, but it’s a must if you’re in La Orotava. For a small entrance fee, you leave with a real sense of Tenerife’s history and traditions, and it’s a great complement to exploring the town’s...