Puerto de la Cruz
A historic port town in the greener, wetter north, with a completely different character to the southern resorts.
Puerto de la Cruz was Tenerife's original tourist resort, long before the south coast was developed, and it still has an old-town core of colonial-era buildings, plazas and narrow streets that the newer resorts don't.
The north coast gets more cloud and rain than the south, so beach weather is less reliable, but the trade-off is lush scenery, banana plantations, and closer access to Loro Parque and the Orotava Valley.
Lago Martíánez, a seafront complex of seawater pools designed by César Manrique, is the town's answer to the rougher natural swimming conditions here.
The town centre is genuinely walkable, with a working plaza, local markets and a mix of restaurants that lean more toward Canarian home cooking than the international menus common in the south. It also makes a practical base for exploring the rest of the north — Garachico, La Orotava and the Anaga mountains are all a manageable drive away.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Vibe | Historic, green, more authentic, less predictable weather |
| Best for | Travellers who want character over guaranteed beach weather |
| Nearby | Loro Parque, Orotava Valley, La Laguna |
Practical tips
- ✓Pack for both sun and rain — the north coast's weather is genuinely more changeable than the south.
- ✓Lago Martínez is a good alternative to sea swimming when conditions are rough, with several connected pools and a small artificial beach.
- ✓Prices for food and accommodation are generally lower here than in the southern resorts for a comparable standard.