Tenerife Tourism Guide - Tenerife North

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Tourist Guide

Santa Cruz de Tenerife looks like a capital - great hulking local government buildings, a busy working port, and work-a-day vibe - there's even temping agencies here - gulp! At the time of writing (2006) much work is afoot in the city to build a comprehensive tram system, which should ease it's huge traffic problem. Santa Cruz and Tenerife residents like their cars, and the number of cars here has increased massively in recent years. When the tramline is finished it will connect Adeje in the south to Santa Cruz, making it even easier to visit this historic Canary Islands city from Tenerife's southern resorts. If you're planning to focus you holiday on exploring the cultural and rural sights of North Tenerife then Santa Cruz makes an ideal base.

Some of the best shopping and museums in the Canary Islands are here in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Tourists mix with sombre looking, mostly business men and local shoppers. It's up there with Las Palmas on Gran Canaria as a city with immense history, a local Canarian vibe and plenty going on including it's spectacular nearby beach - Playa de las Teresitas and pleasant stopover San Andres with it's many bars - then off you go over the stunning Anaga mountains towards Taganana and La Laguna - magic!

La Laguna Travel Guide

Calling all you bohemian and cultural fans out there, if you're in Tenerife and planning some tours, or looking for a cultural and historical base then La Laguna, one time capital of Tenerife, is where to head. Situated in the north close to Santa Cruz, San Cristobal La Laguna feels like a historic small town than mammoth sister Santa Cruz - it's a joy with some superb specialist clothes shops, beautiful churches, lazy day cafe squares and some of the best examples of eccentric Canarian architecture in the Canary Islands - unmissible indeed, and bonus there's some superb museums here too exploring Guanche history, Canary Island art and a science and technology museum.

Hit La Laguna in September during the festival period and have a ball, with lots going on for kids in the square, bustling markets, live music and general partytime with a real family oriented festival feel. Definitely a highlight on any Canary Island itinery!

Garachico Tenerife

Gara is the Guanche word for island, and Chico is Castillian for small islet. The obvious reference point for it's name is the small rock island which sits just off-shore from the town. Garachico is well worth considering for a quieter north Tenerife holiday base, although it's not so quiet when the many day trippers arrive in Garachico (usually around lunchtime). There's much to attract contemporary visitors including the volcanically formed natural saltwater pools on this stretch of rocky coast. It's go it's own natural wave machine as well! Adjacent to the saltwater pools is a friendly restaurant where you can sit and admire the view and the divers. A spot of diving of the underwater kind also goes on along this rocky coastline.

Guimar Tenerife Rural Tourism

Guimar to the south east of Puerto de la Cruz has become an internationally renowned location due to it's Piramides de Guimar. They've been much restored in recent years, and indeed studied by notables such as Norwegian scientist Thor Heyerdahl. The crux of the existance of these pyramids is the question that they throw up - whether the Guanches has some contact with America before Christopher Columbus! The pyramids here at Guimar bear a strong similarity to pyramids found in Mexico, ancient Mesopotamia and Peru.

The Guimar Pyramids a major tourist attraction on Tenerife, pulling in many daytrippers. Guimar itself is an attractive rural Tenerife village, elevated and with views down to the coast. You're within easy reach of Puerto de Guimar and Playa de Abajo, and just to the south is El Escobonal and the Archeological and Ethnographical Museum of Agache.

Icod De Los Vinos Tenerife Guide

Icod De Los Vinos situated in North Tenerife between Garachico and Puerto de la Cruz pulls in the daytrippers mainly for it's celebrated Drago or Dragon tree, thought to be more than 1000 years old (although officially it's dated at 800 years old). Indeed the Drago Tree is a sight worth seeing, set in the main pretty Plaza San Marcos. Dragon trees are the oldest species of fauna on the Canaries and this dragon tree in Icod is one of the largest on the Canaries, stretching upto 17 metres, with a 20 metre base.

There's more to Icod though than just the Drago tree. Essentially it's a Canarian town, and rather large at that with a selection of good specialist shops selling Tenerife wines and some fine restaurants. Icod makes a good central North Tenerife base, with easy access west to Garachico and the Teno Mountains, and east towards Puerto de la Cruz, La Orotava, Santa Cruz, La Laguna and the Anaga Mountains. A little knowledge of Spanish will help you here as English is not widely spoken in this work-a-day Canarian location.

La Orotava Rural Tourism North Tenerife

La Orotava is probably the prettist spot on Tenerife and ranks up there with some of the best Canarian towns and villages across the Canary Islands. If you're a lover of eccentric Canarian architecture - a la wooden balconies, buzzing flower decked plazas and old narrow streets - you'll be in your element in La Orotava. It's a location on Tenerife that's included on most Island Tour excursions (certainly North Tenerife tours anyway), and if you're in a Tenerife car hire it's definitely a spot to include on your driving itinerary. As a Tenerife base you've easy access to Puerto de la Cruz on the coast, and into Tenerife's interior and the Teide National Park.

La Orotava Tourist Information Centre, Carrera Escultor Estevez 2, La Orotava, Tenerife. Tel: 922 32 30 41. Open 8.30am to 6pm daily.