Santa Cruz de Tenerife walking tour & city guide

From the port to the old center

Plaza de España, by the waterfront, is the heart of the city, with a large shallow pool that reflects the surrounding buildings. Behind it, Calle del Castillo is the main pedestrian shopping street, and the lanes around the Church of the Conception, the city's oldest, keep the low, colourful houses of old Santa Cruz.

The Parque García Sanabria is a large tropical garden in the center, with fountains, sculptures and a floral clock, and the Rambla, a wide tree-lined avenue, curves through the upper part of the city.

Modern Santa Cruz

On the seafront, the white curved roof of the Auditorio de Tenerife, designed by Santiago Calatrava, has become the symbol of the city. Nearby, the Parque Marítimo has saltwater pools, and the TEA arts center shows contemporary art in a building by Herzog & de Meuron.

Every February, the Carnival of Santa Cruz fills the streets with parades and costumes and is one of the largest carnivals in the world.

Beaches and day trips

Las Teresitas, a long beach of golden sand a short drive north of the city, sits below the village of San Andrés and the Anaga mountains, whose laurel forests and hiking trails start just outside town. The university city of La Laguna, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a tram ride away, and the road up to Mount Teide takes about an hour.