Santa Cruz de Tenerife Named Spain's Capital of Gastronomy for 2027

Santa Cruz de Tenerife is set for a year-long celebration of food, culture and local produce after being selected as Spain's Capital of Gastronomy for 2027.

The Tenerife capital was officially announced as the next holder of the prestigious title on 8 September, following a unanimous decision by the judging panel. The award will see Santa Cruz take over from Jerez de la Frontera, which previously held the title for 2026. It also marks the first time a Canary Islands city has received the distinction since the award was established in 2012. 

The city's successful bid was presented under the slogan, “Santa Cruz de Tenerife, cruce de sabores”, meaning “Santa Cruz de Tenerife, a crossroad of flavours”. Rather than submitting a conventional technical proposal, the city built its application around the idea of a traditional recipe book. The concept will now be brought to life during 2027, with the city planning 137 gastronomic activities and events across the year. From food festivals and workshops to tapas routes and competitions, the initiative aims to involve as many of the city's restaurants, markets and producers as possible. 

The Spanish Capital of Gastronomy (CEG) has established itself as a major annual accolade for destinations seeking to showcase their culinary identity and attract visitors through food. Since the initiative was launched in 2012, cities awarded the title have used it to raise the profile of their local cuisine, producers, restaurants and gastronomic traditions, helping generate increased interest among tourists.

Over the years, the honour has travelled to destinations across Spain, highlighting the country's remarkably diverse food culture. Previous recipients have included Logroño in 2012, followed by Burgos (2013), Vitoria (2014), Cáceres (2015), Toledo (2016), Huelva (2017), León (2018) and Almeria (2019).

Murcia held the title across 2020 and 2021 before Sanlúcar de Barrameda was selected for 2022. Cuenca followed in 2023, with Oviedo taking the honour in 2024, Alicante in 2025, and La Rioja becoming the title-holder in 2026.

For all press enquiries contact Jessica Harvey Taylor on Jessica.harvey@tourspain.es or the Spanish Tourist Office’s PR agency LOTUS on spain@wearelotus.co.uk.