The first tourist center of the Canary Islands, where we find the beautiful old town with its fishing harbour, where the locals take a bath on clear days. It has many bars and good restaurants.
What to do in Puerto de la Cruz:
Loro Parque
Founded by Mr. Kiesling in 1972, it is the first zoo in the world to receive the Animal Embassy Certificate in 2008. They help repopulate the planet with endangered animals such as numerous parrot species. You will see numerous tropical plants.
Historic center of Puerto de la Cruz
It consists of Plaza del Charco, Barrio de la Ranilla, a fishermen's emplacement, walking through this street you will find different paintings and murals on the houses The Church of the Peña de Francia dates back to 1684 and in July it welcomes the Virgen del Carmen, patron saint of the fishermen of Puerto de la Cruz and San Telmo, from where the processions of “Las Fiestas del Carmen”
Botanical Garden
It has a multitude of flora from around the world, with more than 2,500 species.
Lago Martianez
Designed by the Lanzaroteño Cesar Manrique. Set of saltwater pools with beautiful views of the sea and Mount Teide.
Beaches
Playa de San Telmo, Playa Jardin, the work of the sculptor Cesar Manrique, consists of 3 successive beaches and finally La Playa de Martiánez, which is home to many surf schools.
Castillo San Felipe
Construction of 1599 for the defense of the city was declared in 1949 Historic Artistic Monument
Restaurant recommendations:
- El Taller de Seve
- Tito´s Bodeguita
- Tasca Ihuey
- Mesón Los Gemelos
- El Bajío
- Bodegon La Era
The largest municipality in Tenerife, it is home to 78% of the Teide National Park. La Villa de la Orotava is a beautiful town in the north of Tenerife, a National Historical Artistic complex since 1976.
The historic center has many typical Canarian houses such as:
- La Casa de los Balcones
- Casa Lercaro
- Liceo Taoro
- Jardines Victoria
- Jardines Hijuela del Botánico
- El Ayuntamiento
- El Molino de Gofio
Restaurant Recommendations:
- Bodeguita la Charca
- Guachinche la Casona
- Dios los cría y el viento los amontona
- Bar Parada
- Bar Fariña
Beautiful colonial city that was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999 because of the configuration of its streets. It is worth walking through its streets and admiring the old buildings, the churches, such as the Cathedral of San Cristóbal and the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción and the Canarian houses with their interior “patios” and then enjoy a wonderful meal in one of its many and good restaurants.
It is also a university city, full of life, shops, bars and very good quality restaurants.
What to see:
- Anaga Rural Park: perfect for hiking through one of the last redoubts of Laurel forest. Information can be requested in Cruz del Carmen
- Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands
- Museum of Science and Cosmos
Restaurant Recommendations:
- Tasca El Tocuyo
- Restaurante El Guaydil
- Tasca La Venta de la Esquina
- Tasca El Obispado
Nice rural and fisherman village, perfect for hiking and surfing. It remained practically isolated due to the mountains; it could only be reached by sea until 1968.
Points of interest:
- The image of the “La Virgen de las Nieves”, found on a nearby beach in 1506
- The Church “Nuestra Señora de las Nieves”
- The different beaches: Almaciga, Benijos Be very carefull with the currents and waves, beautiful but very dangerous beaches
Restaurant recommendations:
- Casa Pepe Valle Lucía
- Playa Casa África
- Las Nieves
Capital of the island and of the Community together with Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
It stands out for its Colonial architecture and modern buildings
The most outstanding:
- Garcia Sanabria Park
- Calle de la Noria, very lively street with numerous restaurants
- Museum of Nature and Man
- Market of “Nuestra Señora de África”
- Auditorium of Tenerife Adan Martin, created by Santiago Calatrava
- Las Teresitas beach: Tenerife's most emblematic beach with sand brought directly from the Sahara in 1970
Charming and nice town in the northwest of Tenerife. The historic center was declared of Cultural Interest. It has many attractions:
- Drago Milenario
- Parque del Drago
- Casa del Drago
- Plaza de San Andrés
- Casa del Plátano
- Museo Guanche
- El Mariposario
- La Cueva del Viento: It is a 27,000-year-old volcanic cavity from the Pico Viejo volcano. It is the fifth longest in the world. It has an underground fauna of more than 190 known species and more than 15 new species, such as the eyeless cockroach and extinct fossils, such as the rat and the giant lizard.
- Malvasía Museum: with the possibility of tasting local wines with the local cheese and “mojos”
Restaurant recommendations:
- Casa del Drago (tapas) preciosas vistas al Drago
- La Parada
- El Mortero
One of the most important historic towns in Tenerife. Former commercial capital of the island due to its port, thanks to the exchange of sugar and wine, until 1706 when the eruption of Trevejos buried Garachico under its ashes. A town that literally rose from its ashes to become one of the most beautiful towns in Spain.
Its main attractions are:
- Plaza de la Libertad
- Parque de la Puerta de Tierra
- Castillo de San Miguel y la Iglesia de Santa Ana
- El Caletón con sus piscinas naturales
Restaurantes:
- La Perla (Fresh fish)
- El Mirador de Garachico
- Los Pinos
'Echeyde' as the ancient inhabitants of Tenerife, Guaches, called Teide. It had a strong spiritual meaning, it was where 'Guayota' the evil one lived.
Declared in 1954 as a National Park, it has the highest peak in Spain, with El Teide volcano and its 3817mts. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 2007. It is a 'must' Surprising because of the landscape and its beauty. One of the best activities to do is go hiking through its many routes. Do not forget to request the necessary permission at least 1 month in advance to visit the peak of Teide.
What to see inside the Park:
- National Parador
- Roque Cinchado and Roques de Garcia, curious rock formations of volcanic origin
- Mount Teide’s Peak, can be accessed on foot or using the cable car (buy tickets online)
On the way back to the accommodation I would stop at a 'Guachinche' to try the local wine and taste the traditional food of the area.
*Guachinches: In the past, local wine producers opened small, very rustic restaurants in the living room/garage of their property to sell of excess wine and accompanied the wine with a plate of cheese or something else. They became very famous, today it is difficult to find a real one but the ones that exist today offer very good food.
Some Guachinche recommendations:
- Guachinche Los Gomez
- Guachinche Churrasco
- Guachinche Basilio
- Mi Guachinche Casa Pedro
- Guachinche El Pino