Our Marketing Manager Bex recently enjoyed a week of winter sunshine and having spent several holidays entirely on the south coast in the past, this time decided to get out and see something new with a day trip to the Island’s capital city, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Read on for her experience.
Bex in front of the Santa Cruz sign!
‘On this trip to Tenerife we’d decided to hire a car for ease of exploring so our journey to Santa Cruz was very straightforward, straight on the TF-1 motorway as it passes by Costa Adeje and heading north. The journey only took about an hour and the TF-1 hugs the coast for much of the distance, so is a scenic drive.
Visitors who don’t have access to a car can reach the capital easily by public bus, with the 110 service departing frequently from Costa Adeje and Playa de las Americas, and the 112 serving Los Cristianos.
On arrival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife our sat-nav guided us onto the TF-4 which runs directly past the striking Tenerife Auditorium designed by famous Canarian architect César Manrique. We found plenty of parking in this area, including undercover parking at the auditorium itself, a blessing to keep the car out of the strong spring sunshine.
Tenerife Auditorium
We started with a look around the immediate area, where Castillo de San Juan Bautista, a 17th century fortress, creates an interesting juxtaposition behind the modern design of the Auditorium. The Palmetum Botanical Garden is close by, but with limited time to explore today we decided to leave it for a future visit.
Castillo de San Juan Bautista
We began with a walk uphill into the newer part of Santa Cruz city, where I couldn’t help but indulge in a tiny bit of retail therapy at the Meridiano shopping centre, home to a range of Spanish and International brands. Following this we set out at a leisurely pace, taking in the architecture of the city and heading towards the old part of town, which lies at the other side of the Barranco de Santos ravine, and accessible by various bridges.
The old town dates back to 1494 and was once a key trade port between Europe and the Americas. Churches and beautiful historic buildings line the streets, and several picturesque plazas offer a spot to stop in the shade and enjoy a cool drink.
The old town streets are peppered with small boutiques, souvenir shops, recognisable high-street brands and independent eateries. We meandered our way to Plaza de Espana, an iconic public space where visitors will find the remains of an ancient castle, various sculptural works and an attractive manmade lake, perfect for to sit beside with a takeaway lunch.
The old town streets of Tenerife
Bellies full of Jamon Sandwiches and Fanta Limon, we set off for part two of today’s adventure, a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of San Cristobal de La Laguna; very first city established in the Canary Islands and situated just to the north west of Santa Cruz. Rather than move our hire car we hopped on the local tram just around the corner from Plaza de Espana. Tickets are easily purchased right on the platform, and the return trip cost less than €3 per adult. Trams run every few minutes throughout the day.
After a pleasant journey of about 30 minutes, we alighted at Trinidad station at the end of the line and made our way toward the historic part of town (top tip: look for the cathedral tower and head that way!)
The architecture here is unlike any we’ve seen elsewhere in Spain, with the grid system of streets lined with colourful low level buildings, often featuring intricately carved woodwork around doors and windows, and some with wooden or ironwork balconies, festooned with flags or flowers. To me the streets were reminiscent of the American wild west I’ve seen in movies, although I’m not sure if this is a coincidence or if there is some connection through those early trade ships passing by en-route to the new world.
Palacio de Capitanía General de Canarias
There are plenty of bars and tapas restaurants dotted within these streets, where passers-by can stop for a light meal or a small beer, as church bells ring out from all sides on the hour. Having explored thoroughly, and regretted not having time to visit the History of Tenerife museum (another thing on the list for next time) we made our way back to the tram and returned to Santa Cruz, where the end of the line station at Intercambiador was a short walk from the auditorium where our hire car awaited us.
Back on the road and back to the south of the island, we reflected on a great day of leisurely exploring, and wondered why we’ve never ventured north before! This will just mark the start of discovering all that Tenerife has to offer beyond bucket and spade holidays, and we’ll certainly be back for more’.