Puerto de la Cruz is the largest resort in north Tenerife, it's very popular with Spanish tourists and maintains its Canarian character. It is cooler than the resorts in the south due to sea breezes and more cloud cover, which in the height of the summer can be a real advantage if you don't like the searing sun.

The town has some high rise hotels on the sea front dating from the first tourist boom in the 1960s. The old town and fishing port are very pleasant and charming with historic buildings, good cafes and excellent restaurants. There is also a Lido on the seafront for those hot sunny days and is a lovely complex of pools with islands and palm trees where you can relax and sunbathe.

Puerto de la Cruz was once a port for the town of La Orotava higher up in the hills. It transformed into a tourist centre in the 1960s when charter flights began bringing tourists in large numbers. Puerto de la Cruz was first used as a tourist centre in the 19th century when wealthy people from England stopped off here during voyages. Puerto de la Cruz attracts more tourist than any other resort on Tenerife, even though it can be cloudy, particularly in the winter.

Where is Puerto de la Cruz?

Puerto de la Cruz is located on the northern coast of Tenerife at the foot of the La Orotava Valley approximately 90km from Tenerife Sur airport. The location of the resort is shown on our Puerto de la Cruz map page.

Puerto de la Cruz Attractions

Thanks to its hotels and leisure options, Puerto de la Cruz is a popular holiday destination. But it also has a beautifully preserved town centre that was declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1985, the heart of which is the vibrant Plaza del Charco. Here is a great place to set off on a tour of the towns sites such as Casa de la Aduana, Casa Miranda, the La Peña de Francia church and the Marquesa Hotel. One of its busiest and most popular spots is the fishing harbour, near the seaside neighbourhood of La Ranilla. You shouldn't leave the town without visiting its 17th-century Botanical Gardens located at the upper end of the town at La Paz.

Puerto de la Cruz is a very lively resort. Plaza del Charco is the hub of all activity in Puerto de la Cruz, it's buzzing with bars and restaurants as are the surrounding streets. The plaza itself is shaded by massive palm trees. It has seats, kiosks and kids playground where local families come to relax and socialise. The plaza is also the venue for the town's fiestas. The old town and the promenade around the Martinez lido are the most vibrant parts of the resort, with a traffic-free promenade lined with restaurants with outdoor terraces.

Puerto de la Cruz is divided into 4 main districts, Botánico, San Antonio, Martiánez and Playa Jardín.

The Botánico area includes La Paz, which is considered the smartest part of Puerto de la Cruz, with modern buildings and lots of bars and restaurants. However, it is a bit of a walk to the centre of the town and beaches. La Paz is up a steep hill from the town centre and beaches, so may not suit some people, but you can always get a taxi to the resort centre.

San Antonio - Parque Taoro is a quiet residential district someway from the centre of Puerto de la Cruz up a hill around Parque Taoro. There are no tourist facilities as such up here apart from a handful of good hotels and café bars. So you will need to head down the very steep hill to get to the main resort bars and restaurants. The very lovely Parque Taoro is a tranquil place to spend some time.

Places to Stay in Puerto de la Cruz

Martiánez is the main tourist area of Puerto de la Cruz, located right on the seafront and promenade. This is where most of the bars, restaurants and most of the resort's hotels are located. The promenade and back streets are car-free zones where there are many shops and boutiques. There is also a small black sand beach here Playa Martiánez.

Playa Jardin area is named after Puerto de la Cruz best and well-kept beach. The district has bars, restaurants and some hotels.

Bring your Spanish phrasebook as the primary clientele are the Spanish, so some shops don’t speak much English. However, it is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants and bars.

Puerto de la Cruz Beaches

If you want to play in the sea, then head for Playa Jardin which is to the west of the resort, this is a beach of black volcanic sand. Don’t be put off by the colour of the sand, as the beach is as good as any. It also has a superb tropical garden with a maze of palm trees and a restaurant and snack bar. There is also the black sand beach Playa Martianez at the eastern end of the resort promenade, by the Lago Martianez, that has a beach bar and a surf school. There is also the fabulous Playa Bollullo, a secluded beach out of the town to the east, which you can walk to through banana plantations. A nice walk to Playa Bollullo beach.

On the seafront, there is also the Lido Martianez, where you can swim in the saltwater pools and sunbathe by the pools or in the well kept tropical gardens.

The resorts in the south of the island.

How far is Tenerife South Airport from Puerto de la Cruz?

The distance from Tenerife South Airport to Puerto de la Cruz is approximately 90km by road taking about 60 minutes.

How To Get From Tenerife South Airport To Puerto de la Cruz