Long before the Castilian conquest, the territory of Tegueste was one of the nine menceyatos into which Tenerife was divided, ruled by its own mencey (chief). Its importance is attested by one of the island's most valuable archaeological sites: the Barranco de Agua de Dios, and in particular the Los Cabezazos site, declared a Zone of Archaeological Heritage. Dwelling caves, funerary spaces and abundant tools have been documented there. Research by the University of La Laguna made public in 2024 dated at least six hundred years of continuous Guanche occupation in the Cueva de los Cabezazos, roughly between the mid-7th and the 13th century, with pottery, remains of consumed fauna, necklace beads, millstone fragments and awls that make it one of the richest sources for understanding aboriginal life in Tenerife.

During the conquest, the menceyato of Tegueste allied with Taoro and Tacoronte —and later with Icode and Daute— on the warring side, taking part in decisive battles such as Acentejo and Aguere. When the conquest concluded in 1496, some Guanches resisted in the mountains for years. After incorporation into the Crown of Castile, the Adelantado distributed land through datas among conquistadors and settlers; the area supplied timber at Pedro Álvarez and stone at El Portezuelo for the construction of neighbouring La Laguna.

Religious and community life developed around San Marcos Evangelista (Saint Mark the Evangelist), to whom a first, modest church was dedicated around 1530. In 1606 San Marcos was established as a parish. The present church began to be built in 1699, was enlarged throughout the 18th century and completed in 1847; it has three naves in a Latin-cross plan and a slender tower. The historic ensemble surrounding it was declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 1986.

Politically and administratively, Tegueste was constituted as a constitutional municipality in 1813, under the Cortes of Cádiz. In the mid-19th century, the figure of Prebendado Pacheco promoted local education and infrastructure, building the town hall and cemetery. The Mendizábal disentailment and emigration, however, encouraged the concentration of land ownership and an absenteeism that hampered agricultural development for decades.

Tegueste has always been a deeply rural municipality, devoted to agriculture, livestock and the use of its woodlands. Its most recognisable hallmark is the vine: its vineyards belong to the Tacoronte-Acentejo Designation of Origin, the first wine Designation of Origin created in the Canary Islands, in 1992, famous for its young listán negro reds grown on the northern slope of Tenerife.

Geographically, Tegueste presents a singular peculiarity: it is completely surrounded by the municipality of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, with whose historic centre —a World Heritage Site— it maintains a close relationship. To the north, its mid-slopes climb towards the Anaga massif, of which the municipality shares a portion within the Anaga Rural Park, declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2015. Covering about 26.4 km², at around 550 metres of altitude and with nearly 11,500 inhabitants, Tegueste received the title of Villa (town) in 1996.

Today Tegueste combines its agricultural and wine-growing character with its role as a commuter town within the metropolitan area. It preserves remarkable traditional vitality, which culminates each spring in the famous Romería de San Marcos —one of the most popular in the archipelago— and is sustained throughout the year by its renowned Farmers' Market, a showcase for local produce.