Periplo 2026 at a Glance
Dates: 19–25 October 2026
Location: Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife
Main venue: Lago Martiánez
Event: International Festival of Travel and Adventure Literature
Programme status: The 2026 programme is currently being released
Last updated: 27 September 2026
What is Periplo?
Periplo – Festival Internacional de Literatura de Viajes y Aventuras is Puerto de la Cruz's international festival dedicated to travel and adventure literature. It has been held in the town since 2013, bringing together writers, journalists, travellers and other voices whose work explores places, people and different ways of understanding the world.
Literature remains at the heart of the festival, particularly through conversations with invited authors and experts, but Periplo extends beyond books. Its programme can also include educational activities, cinema, music, performing arts and other cultural formats connected with travel, exploration and contemporary issues.
The festival also has a strong connection with Puerto de la Cruz itself. Rather than existing separately from the town, Periplo uses local spaces for conversations, encounters and activities, continuing Puerto de la Cruz's long association with travel, cultural exchange and visitors from different parts of the world.
Periplo 2026 Programme
The full Periplo 2026 programme has not yet been published. The festival is currently announcing its invited voices and confirmed appearances, with further names and activities expected before the event begins.
Tuesday 20 October
20:30 – Margaryta Yakovenko
The Ukrainian-born journalist and writer will present Ocupación, her 2026 book exploring family history, displacement, war and the relationship between Russia and Ukraine.
Thursday 22 October
18:00 – Antoinette Tidjani Alou
The Jamaican-Nigerien writer, academic and translator will present Mano, el hijo de oro, a novel concerned with return, family ties, fragility and belonging across different worlds.
19:15 – Josep M. Palau Riberaygua
The journalist, photographer and travel writer will present Mi madre se convirtió en pájaro, revisiting an expedition to the Manu rainforest in the Peruvian Amazon through memory, travel and environmental change.
This is not yet the complete programme. We will update this page as Periplo publishes the remaining authors, talks and activities.
Authors and Participants Announced for Periplo 2026
Periplo is revealing its 2026 guests gradually. Three participants have been confirmed so far, with more names expected to be announced ahead of the festival.
Margaryta Yakovenko
Margaryta Yakovenko is a journalist and writer born in Tokmak, Ukraine, and resident in Spain since childhood. Her work explores migration, identity, memory and the experience of living between different places and cultures.
At Periplo 2026 she will present Ocupación, a work rooted in her own family history and the effects of war, displacement and the loss of a place of origin.
Antoinette Tidjani Alou
Antoinette Tidjani Alou is a Jamaican-Nigerien writer, academic, translator and cultural promoter whose work explores memory, exile and identities formed between cultures.
She comes to Periplo through Casa África's Letras Africanas programme and will present Mano, el hijo de oro, published in 2026.
Josep M. Palau Riberaygua
Josep M. Palau Riberaygua is a journalist, photographer, writer and university lecturer with a long career connected to travel and reporting from different parts of the world. Since 2022 he has directed the Spanish travel magazine Viajar.
His Periplo appearance will focus on Mi madre se convirtió en pájaro, which returns to an earlier journey through the Peruvian Amazon and explores the links between travel, memory and a changing natural environment.
Periplo 2026 Short-Story Competition
The IV Certamen Literario Periplo 2026 is now open for short-story submissions under the theme La humanidad que resiste – “The humanity that resists”.
The competition is open to people aged 16 or over who are resident in the Canary Islands, regardless of nationality. Entries must be original, unpublished short stories written in Spanish and must not exceed 300 words, including the title and any other text forming part of the submission.
Each participant may submit one story, written under a pseudonym. Entries must be sent in Word format to certamen@festivalperiplo.com.
Submission deadline: Monday 12 October 2026 at 12:00.
The jury will select three winning stories, with further entries potentially chosen for inclusion in the Periplo 2026 anthology. The results are due to be announced on Sunday 25 October through the official Periplo website and social channels.
Where is Periplo 2026?
The main location listed for Periplo 2026 is Lago Martiánez in Puerto de la Cruz. Cultura Puerto de la Cruz identifies Lago Martiánez as the venue for this year's festival.
Lago Martiánez is on the seafront at the eastern side of central Puerto de la Cruz, close to Avenida Familia de Betancourt y Molina, Playa Martiánez and the San Telmo promenade.
As the detailed 2026 programme is still being released, individual activities may later be assigned to specific festival spaces. We will update this section when the full venue information is published.
Visitor Information
Periplo runs from 19 to 25 October 2026. The festival combines literary conversations with other cultural and educational activities connected with travel, exploration and different perspectives on the world.
The complete timetable, admission arrangements and any booking requirements for individual activities have not yet been published. We will add them here as soon as they are officially confirmed.
If you are planning your visit around a particular author or activity, check this page again closer to the festival, as additional participants and programme details are still being announced.
Local Tips for Visiting Periplo
Lago Martiánez is in one of the easiest parts of Puerto de la Cruz to combine with the rest of a day in town. The San Telmo promenade, Playa Martiánez and the main shopping and restaurant areas are all nearby.
If you are staying centrally, walking is often the simplest way to reach the festival area. Visitors coming from farther away should allow extra time once the full programme is published, particularly if they are attending a talk or activity with a fixed start time.
Because Periplo usually develops into more than a single event or stage, check the individual activity location before setting out once the detailed 2026 programme is available.
More Puerto de la Cruz Information
If you are planning to visit Puerto de la Cruz for Periplo, these guides may also be useful:
- What's On in Puerto de la Cruz – see more current and upcoming events around the town.
- Where to Stay in Puerto de la Cruz – compare the main areas of town, including the Lago Martiánez area.
- Beaches in Puerto de la Cruz – including nearby Playa Martiánez and San Telmo.
Official Periplo Information
Periplo is still releasing details for the 2026 festival. For announcements directly from the organisers, visit the official Periplo website and follow its official channels.
We will continue updating this guide as the remaining 2026 programme, participants and practical information are confirmed.