Website Guide : Homepage ¦ Holiday Rentals ¦ Europe ¦ Canary Islands ¦ Tenerife ¦ Puerto de la Cruz
|
|
Tenerife Puerto de la Cruz Search Puerto de la Cruz Tourist Information Map of Puerto de la Cruz Useful FAQ's Puerto de la Cruz Holiday Extras |
|
Puerto de la Cruz Holiday Resort Information Puerto de la Cruz Rentals: Puerto de la Cruz Apartment Rentals ¦ Puerto de la Cruz Villa Rentals Puerto de la Cruz is Tenerife's most visited site, and due to its favored climate one of the most visited towns of Spain all the year through. Its picturesque townscape alone makes it worth a visit, but there are many more attractions. Situated on the northwest coast of Tenerife, Puerto de la Cruz is one of the main tourist centres on the island yet has a small population of around 30,000 people. It is an old colonial town which has long been a favourite destination for visitors from northern Europe. If you are looking for a cultured, elegant vacation experience away from the partying areas, Puerto de la Cruz, with its small town ambience is everything you've been looking for. Puerto de la Cruz started life as a port city and fisherman's haven, and unlike many other cities in Tenerife, has retained a great deal of its original architecture and charm. Though there is a modern Spanish element to the town, you'll still find plenty of shady streets, lovely tree-lined avenues and secluded plazas. Puerto de la Cruz is one of those cities that you could spend days exploring and delighting in the little secret places that have been preserved for hundreds of years. The old town of Puerto de la Cruz is centred on Plaza Charco which is surrounded by ancient buildings. For a good time that leaves you feeling refreshed and restored, head to Puerto de la Cruz for a deeply restful, wonderfully lively experience with the culture of the Canary Islands.
Situated
on the northern coast of the island, at the feet of El Teide, Puerto
de la Cruz offers its visitors a cosmopolitan town which, after a
century of tourism experience, today retains all the flavour of a
conurbation open to the sea and to every cultural background. It is
also the home to the extensive and exquisite design of leisure parks
and the charming colour of the most typical and picturesque corners of
the small fishing village that it once was.
|
Our Puerto de la Cruz Villas & Apartments are located in the resorts of: Buenavista ¦ El Teide ¦ El Rincon ¦ Sa Juan de la Rambla
Puerto de la Cruz Resort
Information
To
enjoy the sea, this northern municipality has much to offer: coves of volcanic
sand, the saltwater swimming pool complexes of Lago Martiánez, Playa
Jardín and Punta Brava. Naturists. Playa Jardín is a
volcanic sand beach well-known for its natural beaurty, located near to Loro
Parque. A natural environment, where you can stroll along convenient
pathways, with gardens full of Canarian plants. Playa Jardín has
won the blue flag which recognises the cleanliness and quality of its
water. You will have all sorts of services such as bars, restaurants,
public toilets, games areas, sunbathing, a bandstand and other recreational
areas In Puerto de la Cruz, Martiánez beach offers two different
swimming areas. At one end, nearest to the Martiánez Lido, a breakwater
prevents the ocean swell reaching the beach providing excellent swimming
conditions most of the time. At the other end of the beach towards the cliffs
the waves are quite impressive and therefore it attracts surfers and
body-boarding. 
Puerto
de la Cruz is renowned for its high quality night-time entertainment. Due to
the wide range of night spots, pubs and discotheques, the quality of the service
and the good climate, this has become the place to be in the north of Tenerife.
Taking a stroll through the streets in the evening, having a drink or dancing
are activities which you can enjoy in a very special atmosphere; pleasant,
welcoming and secure. The Centre (Plaza
del Charco, Canal de Suez, Calle Iriarte, and Muelle Pesquer), the Avenida
Generalísimo, La Paz, and Calle la Hoya are four very well visited areas. Here
there is a wealth of restaurants, discos, bars and fast food areas.
There are many exciting attractions
in the Puerto de la Cruz area. The botanical gardens, with species of
plants from all five continents; Casino Taoro, which towers over the town from
its high vantage point, or Loro Parque, all of which will deserve the visitors´
praise.
For history and heritage, there
are a number of churches around the centre which are worth a look including the
Ermita de San Juan which dates back to 1599. The old customs house (Casa de la
Aduana) was built in 1620 and now houses a selection of artisan shops. For a
great example of Canarian architecture take a look at Casa Miranda (c/ Santo
Domingo, 13) which now serves as one of Puerto de la Cruz's finest restaurants.
The helpful tourist information office in Plaza Europa provides details of all
the main sights.
The
restaurants in Puerto de la Cruz serve varied dishes of flavours which arise
from the abundance and variety of vegetables, together with a great
variety of fish and meats. Hors
d’oeuvres are typical Canarian cuisine, usually of white goat’s cheese with
olives. The cheese, although it can be served mature or sometimes smoked,
is generally eaten unripened, with a pleasant taste which is not strong at all,
which gives it a very different personality from that of certain European
goat’s cheeses. Other famous hors d’oeuvres are the traditional
“chicharrones”, prepared with the crackling from the pig or alternatively
the “morcilla dulce” or “sweet black pudding” which contains dried
fruits and raisins. From the sea, there are sardines, fried chicharros (horse
mackerel), camarones (shrimps), lapas (limpets) or of course boiled
octopus. Stews (potajes) are generally the first dish in the Canarian diet
and they are normally made with green vegetables or specifically with pumpkin,
courgettes, water cress or cabbage. Canarian
fish have an exquisite taste. They are generally prepared simply boiled - or
sancochados as they say in the Canaries – seasoned with oil, vinegar and hot
pepper, or alternatively with green mojo sauce, made with coriander, or red mojo
picón. One of the best loved fish in
the Canaries is the “vieja” (parrotfish. There are two traditional
meat dishes: goat and rabbit in salmorejo. The so-called “carne de
fiesta” is also very traditionally prepared with small pieces of seasoned
pork. This food is typically prepared at street festivals, being sold from
stalls or bars during the celebrations. Canarian cakes and desserts are
vary abundant with flavours of honey, almonds and even sweet potatoes.
Located in
Puerto de La Cruz, Loro Parque is home to the world’s largest
collection of parrots. Loro
Park (known as ‘Loro parque’ in Spanish) is the man-made paradise
featuring parrots, killer whales, sea lions, dolphins, penguins, gorillas,
chimpanzees, jaguars, tigers, alligators, sharks and many other animals: You
will need a full day to enjoy the entire park. Loro Park is opened the whole
year. 
Located
at the Hotel Botánico, The oriental Spa garden is a wonderful sanctuary
of health and beauty, inspired by oriental relaxation centres, set amid the
gardens of Hotel Botánico. The Oriental Spa Garden has 22 individual
cubicles and 3 private Spa cabins for couples. The outdoor and indoor thermal
circuits have a Japanese sauna, turkish bath, aromatherapy rooms.
February
is a great time for a winter break in Puerto de la Cruz and it's the festival of
Carnaval time. The Puerto de la Cruz Carnival is a smaller version of the wild partying that happens in Santa
Cruz, but this party is still one that can take your breath away with its
vibrancy and joy. The streets of
Puerto de la Cruz are constantly bustling with activity, the participants
invite the onlookers´ involvement in the festivities, its a party for all. The
Puerto e la Cruz carnival has been declared of international tourist interest,
being one of the longest-standing carnivals of the island. It has always managed to find a place in the hearts
of the people of Puerto de la Cruz. The Burial of the
sardine, held on Ash Wednesday, and the Grand Carnival Parade, on the following
Saturday, are quite spectacular, with the participation of many individuals,
groups, floats, comparsas, murgas (carnival music groups) and several
delegations from the carnivals of other countries, including Dusseldorf, which
has been taking part in the carnival of Puerto de la Cruz for over twenty five
years.
The
main centre of Puerto de la Cruz offers a wide and attractive range of
shops with high quality products at competitive prices. The lively street
atmosphere and many open-air cafés and restaurants are other reasons to visit
this tourist town for a shopping trip where, for the benefit of tourists, many
shops are open on Sunday. To the west are the main shopping streets where you'll
find some of the best duty free shopping opportunities on the island amongst the
maze of tiny streets. There are great deals on electronics, alcohol and tobacco
products but be careful to make sure they're authentic before buying. The main
nightlife is also centred on and around Plaza Charco. 
La
Orotava is a charming and picturesque place. The Villa
de la Orotava (pop. 36,042) lies on the banana plantations of the Valley
which bears its same name. This old town distinguishes itself by its magnificent
and monumental architectonic structures, by its characteristic well shaded
Canarian patios, squares and ancestral mellow houses. From La
Cuesta de la Villa, there is a splendid panorama of the valley and El Puerto de
la Cruz. The place as a whole is a beautiful sight, with beautiful gardens,
balconies and stately houses. Especially outstanding among its sights are la
Concepción's with its Baroque façade, San Juan's and the Hermitage of El
Calvario.
Also remarkable is the collection of hand-made objects of the Canary Islands and
of Spain, which can be admired in the so-called Casas de los balcones, the
Houses with the balconies, two residential buildings of the 17C, built with the
typical resin-rich wood from the old pines of the island. From La
Orotava, it is impossible not to visit Las Cañadas del Teide after crossing
the upper part of the valley and the forest of Aguamansa. It is a huge crater
with a circumference of 80 Km at an altitude of 2,000 m. There are large piles
of lava of different colours, multicoloured ashes covered with sand and pumice
stone. This is the place where El Pico del Teide stands amidst a scenery of
great beauty. The Teide, with its snow-capped top in winter, is one of the most
widely known, beautiful pictures of the archipelago. Ca cable car reaches the
summit in fourteen minutes. Las Cañadas del Teide National Park is another
visit of great interest. There is a Parador in the park. Facing the waters
of the Atlantic Ocean, the coast of La Orotava offers the visitor small
beaches, tranquil, solitary and surprising due to the peculiar nature of their
volcanic sand. El Bollullo, Martín Alonso and Ancón are but three coves where
to forget the rest of the world.
Geographically
the resort lies at the mouth of the Orotava valley, on the rugged northern coast
of Tenerife, which is the cooler side of the island, and as a consequence the
transfer time for those visitors arriving at the Reina Sofia International
Airport