Puerto de la Cruz: The Complete City Guide

Puerto de la Cruz is where tourism on Tenerife began — and it's still the north's most rewarding base. It has the island's best-known animal park, a genuinely historic old town and the liveliest nightlife outside the south's resorts, all wrapped in a climate that stays green and comfortable all year. Here's how to spend your time.

Beaches and pools

The town's centrepiece is Playa Jardín, César Manrique's masterpiece of black volcanic sand, rock gardens and wind sculptures, designed so the waves provide the music. It's one of the most beautiful urban beaches in the Canaries, with a gentle swimming area, kids' paddling pool and seafront cafés. On rough days the man-made tidal pools at the foot of the cliffs offer a safe alternative — the locals' favourite.

What to see

• Loro Parque — Tenerife's flagship park and one of the best zoos in the world, famous for its orca show, penguinarium and tropical gardens. Book online and arrive early.
• Plaza del Charco — the old town's palm-shaded heart, ringed by cafés and colonial buildings. It's the perfect spot for a coffee, a people-watching session or an evening drink.
• Jardín Botánico — founded in 1788 by royal decree, this green oasis holds 2,000-year-old fig trees and tropical plants from around the world (€3 entry) — and it's the star of our Tenerife gardens guide.
• Casa de la Aduana — the 17th-century customs house, now an art gallery, right on the seafront.

Eat, drink and nightlife

Puerto has the best restaurant scene on the north coast — see our restaurant picks for where to eat. For a drink, head to the bars along Calle de las Lonjas and the seafront after dark; for a proper night out, the Playa Jardín area comes alive from around midnight. July brings the town's biggest party, the Fiestas de Julio, and summer nights are filled with music at the Veranos del Taoro festival.

Staying in Puerto

Puerto is a walkable town, so the best hotels put you right in the middle of it: the grand refurbished Gran Hotel Taoro (5★, from €150), the family-run classic Hotel Tigaiga (4★, from €110) with its famous garden pool, and the lush retreat Hotel Botánico (5★, from €280). On the hillside above town, the views-first Panoramica Garden apartments overlook the bay, and the budget Hotel Don Manolito (3★, from €68) is a solid family base.

Getting there and beyond

Tenerife North airport is 20 minutes away; line 102 links Puerto to Santa Cruz and the airport. From the town, line 348 climbs through the forests to the Teide National Park in about an hour — one of the great scenic bus rides in Europe. Other north-coast treasures like the lava pools of Garachico are a short hop by the TITSA network. And if Puerto is too quiet for you, the cities of Santa Cruz and La Laguna are an easy day trip away.