Santa Cruz, Tenerife, Canary Islands
Located on the east coast of Tenerife, Santa Cruz is the island's capital and a popular cruise port. A city of attractive streets with a great number of shops and a selection of restaurants.
Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz is a pleasant city of plazas and park gardens, shops and museums, pavement cafes and trendy bars. It is easy to explore on foot and there is a smashing beach as well as the Anaga mountain range just a few minutes away for a change of scenery.
Read more about: Beaches | Things to Do | Out and About | Nearby Attractions | Santa Cruz Reviews
Beaches
The golden sand of Playa de las Teresitas is approx 5km north of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Backed by the Anaga Mountains, the beach is approx 1 mile long and offers a picturesque setting complete with palm trees and car parking. The pretty little village of San Andres is just a couple of minutes walk away and has a number of nice places to eat.
Things to Do
Explore the scenic and winding roads through the Anaga Mountains stopping off at the charming mountain villages. Stop for lunch at the picturesque little fishing village of Taganana on the north coast and watch the surfers off of Playa Benijo.
The Natural History Museum has 3 floors of exhibits with English audio-guides available as well as a courtyard with a coffee shop and children's play area. Across the bridge from the museum, you will find the Church of the Conception with it's 5 naves and landmark bell tower.
The huge modernistic architecture of the Auditorium on the seafront is quite a landmark you would find hard to miss. It is located next to a large plaza overlooking the sea where you will also find the Black Castle and a riot of artworks painted onto the rocks.
Next to the Auditorium lies the landscaped Parque Maritimo, designed by Cesar Manrique, which has 3 lagoon pools and a selection of restaurants.
Out and About
The Plaza de Espagna, near the port, is a popular place to rest; surrounded by terrace cafes and shopping streets, the square has a large water feature, benches and shady trees. The narrow cobbled streets in the La Noria district hide some great mojito bars, tapas bars and pavement cafes.
Parque Garcia Sanabria is a popular and attractive park in the heart of the city and a welcome resting point if you are walking La Ramblas. The park has leafy walkways and tropical gardens, a beautiful fountain, a children's play area and a choice of cafes.
The African Market is located in a historic building with courtyards and a great atmosphere. It is a prime location for buying fresh food; meat, fish, fruit and vegetables, bread and dairy as well as flowers and craft items produced by local artisans.
Nearby Attractions
The pilgrim town of Candelaria is approx 20 minutes drive south along the coast (20km). See the basilica which sits in a large square behind the beach, prominently guarded by 9 bronze statues of Guanche chiefs. There is a children's play area behind the square and plenty of pavement cafes and restaurants in the surrounding streets.
Tenerife Resorts
Search the sunshine.co.uk website:
×