10 Best Things to Do in Puerto de la Cruz

Positioned in the north of the Old Town, a few steps away from El Muelle Beach, Plaza del Charco (Puddle Square) is a lively green spot covered with taro, Indian laurel and palm trees. Boutiques, restaurants and ice cream stalls surround the square, which also hosts a small children’s playground. As the main meeting point in Puerto de la Cruz, Playa del Charco is buzzing until late at night and it seems there’s always something going on here. The ideal location to pick your apartment or hotel, stay near Plaza Charco.

The Old Town is the beating heart of Puerto de la Cruz. The city dates back to the early 16th century and has been known as a tourist destination for privileged people since the end of the 18th century. Stretching around Plaza del Charco, it’s like a maze of narrow streets interspersed with squares. Lined with boutiques, bars and restaurants, Puerto de la Cruz Old Town curiously looks rather modern and features only a few historical buildings and pedestrian paved lanes. It’s nevertheless a pleasant area to hang around.

Lago Martiánez is a huge open-air swimming pool complex located 600 meters northeast of Plaza del Charco. Filled with sea water, the 6 pools and the lagoon are very clean, and the size of the complex means it's never too crowded. The sea around Tenerife is quite rough, so Lago Martiánez offers a safe place to swim and have fun. The complex entrance fee and the many bars and restaurants in the water park are reasonably priced. When picking your accommodations, choose a hotel conveniently located nearby in San Telmo Promenade.

Built in 1620, Casa de la Real Aduana is the only remaining civil building of this period left standing in Puerto de la Cruz. Its historical value makes it one of the most photographed landmarks in the city. Today, Casa de la Real Aduana hosts the tourist information office, the Museum of Contemporary Art Eduardo Westerdahl and interesting artisanal and cultural exhibitions. It’s the place to go to get the latest information about music and festive events held in Puerto de la Cruz.

Founded at the end of the 18th century, the Puerto de la Cruz Botanical Garden (officially named Jardín de Aclimatación de la Orotava) is a great place to wander around tropical and sub-tropical plants. Located in the southeastern part of the city, it covers 20,000 square meters, and is considered one of the most important botanical gardens in the world due to the rare species of trees it hosts. Meander through the alleys of this oasis-like garden that offers a pleasant break from the hustle and bustle of the city. When picking your hotel, browse the options situated in the La Paz area.

Designed by Canarian artist César Manrique, Playa Jardin is an urban garden with 3 black-sand beaches: Castillo, Charcon and Punta Brava. Filled with local plants and featuring stone walls and waterfalls, the garden is a cool area to cross to get to the beaches. With beach clubs, a children’s playground, sun-loungers and umbrellas, toilets and showers, Playa Jardin offers all the facilities required to spend a day on the seaside. The only downside is that swimming here is hazardous, but there plenty of pool hotels located in the area of Garden Beach you can choose from.

Located 700 meters southwest of Plaza del Charco, Puerto de la Cruz Municipal Market is in a modern 3-storey building. You’ll find a large choice of goods from fresh fruits and vegetables to honey, meat and fish, as well as second-hand items. There’s no better place to mingle with locals than at a market. Go to the roof terrace to find the most interesting goods. Snacks and drinks stalls are also at hand for you to sample local favorites.

The area around El Muelle Beach and Muelle del Puerto de La Cruz offers a lively bar scene, making it a popular spot for drinks after dinner. Established on Plaza de Europa, The Molly Malone is a lively and friendly Irish pub where live Irish folk tunes are played every night. Overlooking El Mueller Beach, La Fragata is a small venue that offers a warm and inviting atmosphere to its patrons. 100 meters away, on Calle Agustin de Bethencourt, don't miss the excellent cocktails and convivial ambience of Africa Gastrobar.

Puerto de la Cruz is close to El Muelle Beach and walking distance from the Old Town. It’s quite a small port but it offers a cool place to stroll around as it hosts a cool choice of chiringuitos (stalls selling snacks and drinks) at which you can sample delicious Canarian specialties. From papas arrugadas (wrinkled potatos) covered with mojo picón (local spicy sauce) to sancocho canario (whole-cooked fish salted and spiced), you’ll certainly enjoy the fresh and authentic Canarian cuisine. You also can enjoy traditional Spanish favorites such as tapas and paella.

Seafood is widely available at most restaurants in Puerto de la Cruz's Old Town. The area holds a fair choice of excellent seafood restaurants, but we’ve selected 3 of them that stand above the lot. Dine on mussels and grilled fish while enjoying the sea view at Cofradia de Pescadores, located on Plaza de Europa. Restaurante Régulo, at the corner of San Felipe and Perez Zamora Streets, serves pan-fried sole and gambas in garlic. Another famed venue is El Pescador on Calle Puerto Viejo. It serves an array of seafood dishes as well as delicious paella.