Right ahead of you stands Casa Lercaro, easily spotted by its large and elegant façade with creamy stonework, decorative wooden balconies stacked above the main entrance, and flower-filled windows-just look for the most grand building on this stretch of Calle Colegio, especially the balcony bursting out just above the doorway.
Standing here, you’re in front of a house that’s almost like a “Who’s Who” of Canarian nobility-welcome to Casa Lercaro, or if you want to impress your friends, you can also call it Casa de Ponte-Grimaldi or Casa de Ponte-Fonte. Let’s set the scene: It’s the 17th century, and you’re walking past the home of Jerónimo de Ponte-Fonte y Pagés, whose marriage to Catalina Grimaldi Rizo de Lugo started a family line that would shape La Orotava’s story for generations. The house itself is no shrinking violet, taking up over 3,000 square meters if you count the gardens and orchard, and almost 900 for the main building-rumor has it, you’d need roller skates just to get from one end to the other.
Look up at that striking U-shaped building. The grandeur is no accident! Its main face is decked out in true baroque style, showing off a keen sense for symmetry: two windows on either side of the door, stacked balconies in the center creating a sense of importance that climbs upward-each balcony is more grand than the last. The top floor once served as a granary, so not only did the family live in style-they also stashed their potatoes and wheat right above their heads. If you peek closer at the carved balconies, you’ll spot intricate wooden work, iron railing, and Corinthian columns that seem to say, “We may be in the Canaries, but we know all about Italian flair.”
You’ll notice the façade itself mimics solid stone blocks, even though it’s all clever craft, and every opening-doorways and windows alike-are dressed up with etched floral designs. The noble ground-floor door is a masterpiece, a mix of armored studs and panels, a real showstopper. If you’re curious whether symmetry ever met a challenge, take a look to the right: there are two tiny windows for balance-because, thanks to this street’s steep slope, the architect had to get a little creative.
Here’s a fun detail: right above the broad main door, you’ll find a family crest carved in marble. That’s a mashup of every big name in the family: Ponte, Lugo, Grimaldi, Fonte, and Rizo. If only they had Instagram back then!
During festivals, imagine this house bustling with life. The noble floor-where the family actually lived-would glow with light from inside as nobles entertained guests, and people hurried about on the ground floor taking care of food, deliveries, or everyday business. Walk just a bit inside (don’t worry, you’re safe with me), and you’d encounter a vestibule flanked by a stone-forged iron gate dated 1913, hinting at later family pride. The main patio-open to the north-features chunky corinthian columns atop what, believe it or not, are old millstones buried as foundations.
On the upper levels, a closed gallery with sash windows creates a bright passageway above street level, offering sweeping views-and maybe a spot for peeking at the neighbors’ gossip. The house is topped with classic Arabic roof tiles, and a little glassed-in lookout towers at the southeast corner, like a perching spot for daydreams.
If you stood here centuries ago, you could have seen carriages arriving, animals clattering by, and the occasional flourish of a cloak and powdered wig. The back garden once overflowed with fruit trees, and the patios echoed with footsteps and laughter. Today, its massive doors may be quieter, but Casa Lercaro stands as a testament to the ambition, style, and resilience of La Orotava’s most distinguished families. And now, you’re part of its story-so give your best aristocratic wave before we move along!
