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San Cristóbal de La Laguna

A UNESCO World Heritage colonial town and Tenerife's former capital.

La Laguna's grid-planned old town was the template for many Spanish colonial cities in the Americas, which is part of why it's UNESCO-listed. Its streets are lined with historic churches, university buildings (it's a genuine university town) and colourful balconied facades.

It has a livelier, younger everyday atmosphere than a typical historic centre thanks to the student population, with a good spread of local bars and casual restaurants.

A modern tram line connects La Laguna directly to Santa Cruz, making the two easy to combine in a single day trip.

UNESCO old townUniversity cityLocal food sceneEasy day trip
Details
VibeHistoric, youthful, authentic
Best forHistory and architecture, pairing with Santa Cruz