Eating out in Puerto de la Cruz is a bit of an experience with everything from fine dining to McDonalds! You must seek out Café Paris which is located along the seafront. Everything is served with style and one may think you really are in Paris. With all the waiters dressed appropriately in long black aprons and crisp white shirts. It is not the cheapest of places, but reasonably priced for the service you will receive and the standard of the food and drinks served in this delightful place is high. I have to admit I spent a good part of my week relaxing in the Café Paris. Breakfast was gourmet style, whilst the cakes to choose from for afternoon tea where out of this world. Then in the evening there was live music, fine wine, cocktails, tapas, or you can choose from the delicious menu.
There are also a couple of good pizzerias which are located in the cliff face, by the seafront. You can go down some stone steps, by the old town or there is a slop leading down from the promenade. I took a table in one of the pizzerias, so I could look down at the crashing waves; it was a great experience eating here. The food was very good and reasonably priced.
The cafes are still open in the evenings, some serve meals whilst others are just open for coffee and drinks. The one on the promenade has seating inside or outside, and has tables right by the promenade wall so you can look out to sea whilst dining. The menu here is not expensive and offers fish and chips, chicken, hamburgers and pies. There is another popular café situated behind the church in the old part of the town. In the evenings, most people get comfortable in the large wicker chairs outside this cafe to enjoy a glass of fine wine or a cup of good coffee with a cake.
It does not matter what sort of budget you have as there are all sorts of places to eat here in Puerto de la Cruz and you will enjoy looking around to decide what is good for you. Enjoy!
Today I visited the Parque Taoro which you can easily walk to this is just outside the main town, you will have to go up quite a few steps to reach the top. Take your time and make sure you have a bottle of water with you. The park looks down on the rest of the town, so do take your camera as the views are good. As I walk further into the park there are seats around to rest and I timed it well, so I could watch the sunset up here. The main attraction for me was to see Mount Tiede in the distance. It looks very mystical partly covered by clouds.
Although there are a fair few visitors here it is very peaceful in the park. In the centre of the park is a grand old mansion, it was once a glamorous casino. There is an information board outside advertising that there was a conference held here in the mansion about the Volcano how interesting this stately house is. Within the park there is also a Botanical Garden to visit. I have really enjoyed my afternoon up here, and leave the park feeling very relaxed.
After a bit of relaxation in the garden area at my Hotel I decide to go out and get my bearings; I walk through the main Hotel doors and am at more or less the beginning of the promenade. The promenade starts with a selection of souvenir, and gift shops. There is a coffee shop with a takeaway bakery attached and this catches my attention, I am on a budget for my travelling around Tenerife and need to buy something for my lunch. The bakery is busy so obviously popular. The savoury pasties look good, and there are freshly made rolls. I am asked if I would like my purchases warmed up. This is a find! and the fresh bread also looks good, tomorrow I will buy some and eat with some ham from the supermarket. Picnic lunches will keep me within my budget, and there are plenty of places to sit along the promenade. I make a plan to stroll right along and see what the promenade has to offer and then I will break for my lunch.
As I walk along there are more Hotels and I know from looking on the internet they are all of different standards and prices. Their position is good here on the seafront. The Las Vegas Hotel where I am staying is clean, fairly modern and the price suited my budget. Some of the other Hotels are a lot more expensive. There is a lido area along the promenade, it looks nice, and I expect is very busy during the summer months. I walk right to the end of the promenade and discover a beach cove where people are standing around watching the younger generation body-boarding on the waves, which are just right in this little cove for this sport.
To my left there is a path that leads right around this little bit of beach which I can see is popular. Along the path are a couple of café bars, and people are enjoying a drink and the view. I walk back along the path, and this is where the promenade ends really. Across from the little beach is a big perfumery and cosmetic shop. I have noticed here in Puerto de La Cruz there are a lot of Perfume shops, more than in other tourist areas. The reason for this is this resort attracts a more mature clientele, and the ladies have the money to do a lot of shopping. Further along there is a supermarket, where I stop to buy water and a newspaper. I decide to walk back to my Hotel, and take the street that is behind the Hotels. Along here are some different shops and a few bars. I end up back at my Hotel and plan the rest of my time here in this interesting and mixed resort.
I decide to stay at one of the Hotels located along the seafront there are several to choose from, and their tariffs are all different. The Las Vegas Hotel has everything I will need for my stay, and this time of year this hotel costs around twenty five Euros a night per person, breakfast is extra. I booked on the internet the same day. By booking on line you can get a good price, and compared to what you get back home I feel I have a good deal. In fact all you would get back home is a space to pitch your tent for this sort of price!
The hotel is very spacious bright and airy, there is a lot of hustle and bustle around reception with people checking in and out. So obviously a popular and busy Hotel. My room is clean and I have a balcony overlooking the promenade and sea. I can relax on my bed and see the sea, and I feel happy with my room. The Hotel has a restaurant, the buffet breakfast is reasonable, but I have already decided to eat out. As there are so many places to choose from in Puerto de la Cruz, and it will be fun to explore all the trendy cafes and different restaurants this town has to offer.
There is a notice board in the reception area promoting the Hotels evening entertainment. Also on the Ground floor is a bar with a café area. I particularly like the garden which you can walk out to from the reception area. There are some large wicker chairs placed around the edge of the garden. I get comfortable in one of the chairs with my book and a glass of wine. This is a sheltered area, and further on there are steps which lead up to another level where there is a swimming pool and a bar. Due to the time of year the bar is closed, and there is no one in the pool. This Hotel has good facilities to cater for all year round.
Gofio is a food speciality of Tenerife that dates from before the Spanish conquest to the times of the mysterious Guanches and is thought to be their main staple diet.
Gofio is flour made from corn or maze mixed with wheat flour which is then roasted and can then be used for a variety of things. It is sometime s sprinkled on food and is also used tothicken stews and soups as well as ice cream, deserts and sauces. Gofio is also used as a breakfast food mixed with milk and is used for other food stuffs like tortillas and biscuits of baked gofio and honey.
The Poinsettia plant that most northern Europeans will associate as Christmas potted plants grows along the rural roads of Tenerife in abundance. The plant is originally from Mexico and can grow to 2m in height, has bright red leaves that surround small yellow flowers.
Dragon Trees are found all over the Canary Islands and are quite remarkable. The trees have a distinctive narrow waist and gnarly trunk with red sap. This sap is dragon’s blood according
to legend. These trees grow very slowly, rarely flower and live for a very long time. The oldest one on Tenerife is at Icod de los Vinos in the north the island and is reputed to be between 800 and 3000 years old. This particular tree was declared a national monument in 1927.
Dragon Tree La Orotava
This is my last blog entry, we are flying home tonight. This has been an interesting journey for us, as with any journey there have been highs & lows. The good thing is we are ending on a high. We did not come to the Island to get tans (this was not a holiday) although of course we have enjoyed the benefits along the way. We have had a good week here on the Golf del Sur. Read more at http://etenerifeholidays.co.uk/golf-del-sur-tenerife.html where I have done a write up as Jane the Tourist. We will be continuing with our work at home, as there has been interest from people here in the Web Site. Goodbye.
You have got to laugh when things don’t go right I had to leave the Hotel disguised in dark shades (even though raining) with a scarf wrapped around my head as Pete thought they would not let us in! To the other Hotel, I looked so rough, virus hit me lot harder than Pete. Both feeling a little peed off with time lost we decided to abandon remainder of plans & get back down South to Gulf del Sur (have stayed here on the Gulf many times before) Firstly weather better & looking back think the way we both felt its home from home here. So been here since last wed staying at the Golf Club House (have little Studio Apt) taken some time off to sit by pool, get few rays of sun. Both now fully recovered. Will use time to add to Web Site on this area. Today plan to visit Las Galletas, will blog about it later, bye for now.
Still hear! You have no need to be green eyed about this trip. Have been really unwell, both upset now as has taken time off what we needed to do here. The virus is fairly aggressive with violent sickness. Pete caught it, and then passed onto me. Last few days we have been in Hotel right on the seafront (still in Puerto de la Cruz) to recover! All being well we hope to move on tomorrow to La Laguna. If I had to get on bus today could have been very tricky! Not up to eating much at mo. Up until we fell ill we had the yummiest cakes. (Those that know me well would know I would love this!) The coffee shops are much better here. We had some nice meals out (but have chosen restaurants with open kitchens, just our preference) Have done a lot of self-catering as well, don’t want to return bankrupt! Goodnight think I will dream of cakes.