Roberto Melo López has rehabilitated an ancient 17th-century barn in the hamlet of La Quinta, in the midlands of Adeje, where he will open a tavern with cultural space. The property lacks heritage protection.
An ancient 17th-century barn, located in the hamlet of La Quinta, in the midlands of Adeje, has been rescued from ruin by Roberto Melo López, a local resident linked to the area through his ancestors. After years of negotiations, Melo has managed to gather the eight properties into which the building was divided, including one that belonged to a Russian citizen, and has rehabilitated it while respecting the vernacular architecture. His aim is to convert the space into a small tavern with a cultural area.
La Quinta is one of the oldest hamlets in Tenerife, with fewer than 30 inhabitants, situated in the midlands of Adeje, far from the tourist bustle of the coast. Its origins date back to the late 18th century when part of the land passed into the hands of the Marquises of La Quinta Roja, from which it takes its name. The traditional economy of the area, based on vineyards, potatoes, cereals, and livestock, has almost completely disappeared, and today only subsistence farming is practiced.
Margarita Galindo Bello and Damián Rodríguez Bello, a couple living next to the hermitage that presides over the square, are witnesses to the transformation of the neighbourhood. Margarita grew up in the old barn that Melo is now restoring. "I inherited part of the barn, but my uncle swapped that for a little room he had. That’s where we built the house we live in now," she recalls. The couple values the tranquility of the place and the ease of parking, reasons why, after retiring, they returned to the original nucleus of her parents.
The restoration of the barn, which was in a ruinous state, has been a complex process. Melo explains that "one of the owners was Russian" and that "I saw an ad from a real estate agency and we seriously considered buying it part by part." The result, however, is an architectural gem that preserves original elements such as wooden floors, doors, and windows from the 17th century. "If we wanted, we could tear the whole building down and make a new construction," Melo points out, but he chose the difficult path of respectful rehabilitation of the heritage.
Despite its historical and architectural value, La Quinta has no heritage protection that prevents speculation or poor practices in its hamlet. Melo criticizes this lack of institutional support and advocates for greater sensitivity towards the conservation of traditional architecture in the midlands. "The building is crying out for a certain level of heritage protection from the administrations," he asserts.
Melo's project is not limited to physical restoration. His goal is to open a small tavern with cultural space, which will serve as a meeting point for locals and visitors, and help to reactivate the life of the neighbourhood. The initiative has been well received by residents like Margarita and Damián, who welcome any activity that brings life to the hamlet without altering its essence.
La Quinta, with its hermitage, stone houses, and peaceful atmosphere, is an example of rural Tenerife that survives outside of mass tourism. Melo's restoration of the barn is a gesture of love for heritage that, according to those who know it, deserves to be replicated in other similar nuclei on the island. For now, the dream of the cultural tavern is closer to becoming a reality, and there are already those eagerly awaiting its opening.
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