7 of the best things to see and do in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Tenerife's lively capital is criminally underrated, and discerning sun-seekers will find plenty here to enjoy.
Hands up if you’ve been to Tenerife? And keep your hands up if you’ve stayed in – or even just been to – Santa Cruz de Tenerife? Most visitors to this massively popular island will now have their hands down, as Tenerife’s capital is little visited, bar those lucky enough to stumble upon it on a cruise ship.
It's a shame, because this vibrant port city is a destination in its own right. It makes a brilliant alternative base in Tenerife's north with its own superb beach, plus easy access to the Anaga Mountains and the old town of La Laguna, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife is also remarkable in itself, a city where life is lived outdoors year-round with cafés, bars and restaurants bursting from its palm-fringed streets. It also has a world-class auditorium with shades of the Sydney Opera House, and is home to the world’s second largest annual carnival after Rio.
This is a city you'll want to linger in – here are seven reasons to visit.
1. Make the most of carnival season
You'll not forget a visit to Santa Cruz de Tenerife during the massive annual carnival, which lasts for three weeks at the start of every year. If you plan on staying over, book accommodation well ahead as the city gets seriously busy. But it's busy in a good way, as the streets come alive with locals and visitors partying from dusk until dawn.
Some of the biggest events are ticket-only affairs, but there are plenty of parades and outdoor festivities that anyone can hurl themselves into.
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2. Marvel at Tenerife’s answer to the Sydney Opera House
The Auditorio de Tenerife is the city’s must-see sight. It's best visited at sunset, when its striking white hulk is bathed in orange and ochre – you'll want to photograph it from one angle, then another, then another still. Architect Santiago Calatrava designed it to resemble a breaking wave and it hits its mark, breaking out over the Atlantic below.
READ MORE: 8 things you probably didn't know about Tenerife
Try to catch a performance here, whether it’s a pop concert or something more laid-back, or just enjoy a sundowner at the bar at the entrance. If you’re up for a morning jog, the city’s waterfront promenade sweeps past the landmark.
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3. Enjoy a slice of park life
Santa Cruz de Tenerife is awash with green spaces. Parque Garcia Sanabria is one of the most popular and is handily located right in the centre. Let the kids fly around the playground and walk by a vaulting fountain with a striking modern sculpture in its waters.
You can also take it easy in the park’s wine bar with a glass of seriously underrated island wine – Listan Blanco (white) and Listan Negro (you guessed it, red) are the most popular local grapes.
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4. Immerse yourself in culture
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, as the island's capital, is home to a sprinkling of museums and galleries. The Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre sweeps through the story of the island as far back as the Indigenous population, the Guanches. You can also learn about the island’s colossal Mount Teide, still an active volcano and Spain’s highest mountain.
TEA (Tenerife Espacio de las Artes) brings you back to the present, its sleek modern lines and swathes of light creating an ideal setting for an ever-changing array of modern art exhibitions in multiple galleries. Check out their café and arthouse cinema too.
The Museo de Bellas Artes is the place to come for the classics, with must-sees by the likes of Bruegel and Rodin.
5. Indulge in some retail therapy
Santa Cruz de Tenerife is a great city for shopping. We’re not talking faceless malls – though you can find those on the city’s fringes – but a swathe of pedestrianised streets in the city centre alive with independent shops and small outlets from bigger brands. You'll find plenty of cafés and ice cream parlours too, so shopping tends to be a relaxed affair, with plenty of refuelling stops.
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If you love food, don’t miss the gloriously old world Mercado de Nuestra Senora de Africa, which dates back to the 1940s. The building itself is a joy, weaving together Moorish and South American influences, and the two floors are filled with stalls selling fresh fish, exotic fruit and vegetables and cooked meats and cheeses, whose aromas will have you salivating.
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6. Savour a swim in an artistic wonderland
The Parque Maritimo Cesar Manrique is no mere swimming pool. For a start there are a collage of different pools to make a splash in, but it’s the aesthetic of this oasis that's the real joy. Legendary Canarian architect Cesar Manrique did most of his work on Lanzarote, but he dusted the other isles with his magic as well.
Here he employs his trademark conceit of weaving the natural world and manmade realm together, using the local lava rocks and greenery to create a setting fit for a fashion shoot. Sip on a cool cocktail, wander around taking it all in... and then it’s time for a dip.
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7. Escape to the beach
It’s always a joy when a city has its very own beach. Santa Cruz de Tenerife’s sands lie just a twenty-minute bus ride away at Playa de las Teresitas. The sand has been shipped in and a breakwater carved out to keep it in place.
Setting-wise, it’s spectacular. The strand sits beneath the verdant Anaga Mountains with the pastel-hued houses of San Andres village sprawling across the lower slopes, making the scene seem more like South America than the Spanish Costas. The village comes in handy at lunchtime as there's a smattering of places to enjoy fresh seafood – think prawns fried in oil with garlic and zingy octopus salads with vinegar and peppers. There are beach bars too, but the food in the village is better.
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The beach’s waters are shallow, so it’s ideal for families too. Wade out further if you want to swim, and get here early at weekends if you want the chance of snaring a sunbed.
READ MORE: 6 exciting activities you won't want to miss in Tenerife
Lead image: Balate Dorin/Shutterstock
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