Puerto de la Cruz

Puerto de la Cruz is the capital of the North coast of Tenerife and the green part of the island. Puerto de la Cruz is also the tourist center with sights like Loro Parque, Abaco, Charco Square, the Old part of town centered around the San Telmo and the harbour and the newer Martianez area with the many hotels and pools.

The sea off San Telmo can change its nature a great deal and very quick. It can appear nice and docile in sunshine and calm weather.

When the wind picks up, the waves really show up and pound the rocks fiercely.

The reason Puerto de la Cruz was founded, is because of its natural harbour. Fishermen still sail out from here every day. But their working environment in the harbour has changed a lot within the last decades. Today the harbour front is lined with multistory buildings, and the shops at streetlevel are full of the kind of things that tourists might consider buying.

Initially Puerto de la Cruz was the port of Orotava, a town located a few kilometers South of the coast, up in the hills. While there was still a large sugar cane production on Tenerife, before all the trees were cut down and the sugar production had to be stopped, the produce was exported from this harbour.

The Charco Square, or the Franco Square as some of the older locals still call it, is the centre of Puerto de la Cruz. This is an excellent spot to spend some time and relax.

Around the fountain, and not least at the many small café tables around the square, you can sit and watch the world go by, and let the World look at you in turn.

One acquired taste you need to get on Tenerife, is to appreciate black sand. There are beaches here and there on Tenerife which have had sand imported from Africa, but most beaches feature the original black lava sand.

Occasionally you see a red flag at the beaches. The is a serious matter - it means that going bathing can be fatal. Stick to the dry part of the beach and sunbathe instead.

In the evening you see many performers in the streets, showing their skills and art, and usually making a bit of money in the process. This gentleman, completely covered in Silver, stands completely inert for a long time, making newcomers believe that he's really a statue. Suddenly he moves into a new position, and scares the life out of latecomers, while those who know what's going on are getting good laughs. If you put money into the box in front of him, he'll give you a sweeping bow in thanks.

A more up-scale place in Puerto de la Cruz is definitely the casino. Are you a bit of a gambler, or do you dream of walking in James Bond's footsteps, then indulge yourself and pay a visit.