The capital of Tenerife, Santa Cruz is situated on the north-west coast of the island, and is the second most populated city in the whole of the Canary Islands, with around 200,000 inhabitants. The city’s location between America, Africa and mainland Europe affords it a privileged status and it is one of the busiest commercial ports in the world.
For tourists, Santa Cruz’s main appeal is in its variety of cultural venues, buildings and monuments, including a Concert Hall and an array of museums. The city also boasts tree-lined streets, plazas and parks, as well as a distinctively Spanish/Latin American feel, owing partly to its sizeable community from these parts of the world.
Santa Cruz is also where the North Airport is located in Tenerife, although this is primarily used for domestic flights. If you are arriving from elsewhere in Europe, you will arrive into Tenerife South Airport, which is approximately one hour and 15 minutes away by road.
Given the substantial distance from the airport to Santa Cruz, the most economical way of connecting to the resort is by taking one of the public buses that departs from the airport at regular intervals every day.
Tenerife is known for its perfect all-year-round weather, and Santa Cruz is no different: average temperature rarely drop below 60C and frequently rise above 80C.
Even better, humidity is not a problem, with cooling sea breezes providing respite from the high temperatures.
Whilst the summer in Santa Cruz is a popular time to visit, so is the winter thanks to the continued warm weather. Winter visitors should be aware, though, that evenings can get cold, so pack accordingly.
Santa Cruz is a fine city to enjoy on foot, boasting tree lined streets, and numerous plazas and parks, the main one being the grand Parque Municipal García Sanabria which dates back to the 1920's and is full of exotic plants, trees, flowers and fountains. Visitors can also enjoy permanent exhibitions of sculptures by some of the world's most famous artists.
There are also several buildings and landmarks of interest in Santa Cruz. The Church of San Franciso and the adjacent former convent both date from the 18th century and the latter now houses a Museum of Fine Arts. Behind these buildings is the Plaza del Principe, a pleasant park.
A charming and unspoilt side of Santa Cruz can be found around the cathedral, Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de la Conception. The streets and squares around this area are quiet and peaceful and are home to some pleasant cafes and bars that come alive late in the evening.
Santa Cruz’s harbour is one of the busiest in Europe, as well as being the deepest in the world. The harbour bustles with activity, with boats, yachts and cruse liners coming in and out all day. With many bars and restaurants situated around the harbour, it is a great place to sit back, relax and watch the world go by.
Santa Cruz is also widely recognised as being the shopping capital of Tenerife. Most tourists will begin at the Plaza de España, located on the seafront. From here you can work your way up Plaza de Candelaria which offers top international brands.
One thing that Santa Cruz does lack is a beach of any size, though the stunning Playa de Las Teresitas lies just 7km north of the city at the nearby fishing village of San Andrés. Additionally, within Santa Cruz itself is the picturesque Parque Maritimo Cesar Manrique lido.