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0871 423-5051
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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!
As a city Santa Cruz is more manageable than Las Palmas, most of the sights and museums are based within easy walking distance from Plaza Espana - the central hub. Moving down to the waterfront from Plaza Espana is Santa Cruz's busy port handling not just general cargo but also the large ferries coming in from Las Palmas on Gran Canaria, Cadiz on mainland Spain and Agate on the west side of Gran Canaria. Pick up one of the free maps from the tourist information centre in the Cabildo Insular next to Plaza Espana and potter about noting the Iglesia de San Francisco, a 17th/18th century Baroque chruch, and the 19th century Teatro Guimera (a venue for classical music during the Jan/Feb Music Festival).
Walking west along the pleasant waterfront promenade you'll arrive at the new striking Auditorio Tenerife, home to the acclaimed Tenerife Symphony Orchestra. Less noticeable near this modern concert hall is Castillo de San Juan which served not only as a defensive fort, but also as a trading point for African slaves. Further along is the Parque Maritimo Cesar Manrique, and if you're arriving in Santa Cruz with children they'll love it here. There's a choice of three tasteful swimming pools, sunloungers and cafe bars, a kids play area, a restaurant, a small beach, a gym, plus a huge collection of palms (about 300 sprecies). A palm tree museum is underway here too and the entrance fee is very cheap. Parque Maritimo Cesar Manrique, Avenida de la Constituci—n, s/n, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tel 922 202995. Open 10 am to 6 pm.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife is renowned for it's festivals and lively carnivals. The big Carnaval takes place here in February (if you're planning to stay in Santa Cruz during this event and month, book well in advance). Dia de la Cruz on the 3 May celebrates the founding of Santa Cruz. Another big event on the Santa Cruz events map is the Festival de Musica de Canarias (Music Festival). The central venue for music events during this music festival is the Auditorio de Tenerife (with some events taking place at the Teatro Guimera), and the festival runs annually from 7th January through February. (see weblink right for details). The focus is on classical music, and numerous concerts are held in both Santa Cruz and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, as well as locations in Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and La Palma. If your a classical music fan you might want to take a few days in Santa Cruz, then hop on a ferry over to Las Palmas to enjoy more classical music events!
Santa Cruz de Tenerife Tourist Information, Plaza Espana s/n, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Tel: 922 23 95 92. The Tourist Office is situated inside the Cabildo Insular building.
The Museum of Man and Nature in Santa Cruz (Calle Fuente Morales s/n, Santa Cruz. Tel: 922 20 93 20) is a big affair, and a must visit on your tour of Guanche sites and history on the Canary Islands. Alongside the Museo Canario in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, this museum lays bare the archeological finds from pre-hispanic settlement sites on Tenerife and elsewhere in the Canaries. It also explores indepth the flaura and forna of the Canary Islands, with exhibits and information on numerous geologists, naturalists and archeologists who have come to Tenerife over the years. Checkout the weblink right for more details. Written guides in English are provided throughout the museum. The building which houses this museum is of interest in itself - it used to be a hospital. Disabled access is superb here!
Check out too the Centro de Fotografia Museum on Plaza Isla de la Madera s/n. (open 11am to 1pm and 6pm to 9pm from Mondays to Fridays). Here you'll find an excellent selection of contemporary photographic art and visual media. It's particularly lively here in November during the FotoNoviembre photo fesitval (weblink right). More superb museums in Santa Cruz include the Museo de Bellas Artes (Municipal Museum of Fine Arts) (Calle Jose Murphy 12, Santa Cruz. Tel: 922 24 43 58). Free Entrance! Of particular interest here is the depiction of the landing of Spanish conquerors on the beaches of Anazo, with a rather eccentric looking Alonso Fernandez de Lugo standing by his giant wooden cross.
The painting is by Gumersindo Robayna Lazo and dates from 1494 and is typical of smug colonialist art - we see the same image elsewhere in depictions of movement west crushing Native Americans or indeed on the pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock. In this painting a Guanche warrior crouches behind a cactus looking on to the pomp and circumstance of de Lugo's landing - crouched and submissive. Catholicism and military might have arrived. Not quite the true picture though - Guanche resistance on Tenerife particularly was relentless and the most longstanding of all the Canary Islands.
Also in Santa Cruz is the Regional Military Museum, c/San Isidro, 1 (Castillo de Almeida), Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Tel: 922 843 500. Open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10am to 2pm (free admission). In Puerto de la Cruz checkout the Museo Arqueologico (Archeological Museum) Calle Lomo 9, Puerto de la Cruz. Tel 922 53 58 16. There's a good exhibition on Guanche artefacts here.
Opened in 2003, the Auditorio De Tenerife on Santa Cruz's waterfront certainly catches the eye. As far back as 1970 local residents were pushing for an Opera House in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Plans for the initial project got underway around 1977, with architects Fernandez Alba, Vicente Saavedra and Javier Diaz Llanos at the helm and the planned location at El Ramonal decided. However, by the late 1980s there'd been a complete turnaround. The Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava Valls was contacted, and a new location adjacent to Castillo de San Juan decided upon.
Anywork, earthwork finally got underway in 1997 (27 years after the original concept). And here it is, an aesthetically pleasing modern opera house with a huge main hall and a 50m high overhanging roof. The acoustics in this building are rightly celebrated. Architect Santiago Calatrava is also a civil engineer, and his work also includes Stadelhofen Station in Zurich, Bach de Roda bridge in Barcelona and the Monjuic Telecommunications Tow specifically errected for the 1992 Olympic Games.
As well as being the central venue for the Canary Islands big classical music festival held annually in January and February, it's also a venue for cutting edge pop and rock acts increasingly (particularly homegrown Canarian or Spanish/Latin American acts). Checkout the website right for upcoming performers.
Auditorio de Tenerife, Avda. Constituci—n, 1, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 38003. Telephone: +34 922 56 86 00.
Ferries running from Santa Cruz's harbour to other Canary Islands and mainland Spain tend to be huge and rather cumbersome. The only exception is the Fred Olsen Express which runs a regular daily service between Agate on the west side of Gran Canaria to Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The trip only takes about 60 minutes, and if you're heading on from Agate to Las Palmas (say for the music festival in February) it's only a 20 minute drive across the top of Gran Canaria on the motorway to Las Palmas! You can take you car on this ferry too!
The Trasmediterranea ferry coming from Cadiz on mainland Spain stops first at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, then onto Santa Cruz de Tenerife, then to Santa Cruz de La Palma. It's a slow and expensive route this though, and unless you're desperate to take a car with you to La Palma you'll be much better flying via Binter Canarias from Tenerife North Airport to all the other Canary Islands.
The fast ferry from Santa Cruz to Agate on West Gran Canaria though is the exception and certainly a good option for getting across to Gran Canaria. For advice, assistance and booking for Santa Cruz de Tenerife Ferries contact Iknow-Holidays direct on 0871 423 5056.
One of the prettiest beaches on Tenerife is actually just a hop and a skip north of Santa Cruz de Tenerife! Large quantities of Saharan sand were shipped over in 1973 to improve Playa de las Teresitas beach - and so it has. The beach is nicely sheltered by a breakwater and is huge with one and a half ilometres of sands dotted with Canarian Palms and coconut palms.
Car parking is ample and adjacent to the beach, and other facilities include free showers, toilets, telephones, a restaurant, kiosks and sunbeds available for hire. It's popular with local Canarios from Santa Cruz, as are the many superb seafood restaurants in San Andres.
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