We decided to stay in Puerto de la Cruz in the north of Tenerife as it offered a relaxed Canarian vibe and it is in a great location for exploring other parts of the island! If you’re a foodie (like me) then local Canarian seafood dishes and specialties such as papas arrugadas (yum!) can be found in abundance. There’s dramatic black sand beaches to explore, gorgeous botanical gardens to wander through and the iconic Lago Martiánez pools sparkle in the sunshine.
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Before booking flights to visit Tenerife, I was a little bit concerned, would I be visiting somewhere over run with full English breakfasts? I needn’t have worried and you don’t need to either, it was absolutely not the experience I had in Tenerife!
Why Visit Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife?
Puerto de la Cruz, on Tenerife’s north coast, is a wonderful mix of laid back charm, natural beauty (including volcanic views), and local culture. Unlike the busier resorts in the south, it has cute cobbled streets, boardwalks and colourful buildings, black sand beaches like Playa Jardín, and a cooler, greener vibe thanks to the Orotava Valley.
This town really has something for everyone. Plus, with a mild climate all year round and easy access from Tenerife North Airport, it’s a great spot regardless of whether you want a chilled beach or pool holiday or maybe you want to get out hiking and exploring local culture.
Must Do Attractions in Puerto de la Cruz
# 1 Visit The Black Sand Beaches
The Black sand beaches around Puerto de la Cruz are mesmerising, for many of us, a white sand beach is the illusion of perfection, but black sand glistens in the sun. It’s lovely and warm when you walk on it too!
Most of the beaches in Tenerife are black sand. If you see a white sand beach then it’s most likely a man made beach, created with imported Saharan sand probably in the 1950’s or 60’s to cater for tourists!
Playa Jardín – At Playa Jardin there’s a simple beach front cafe serving coffee and pizza as well as toilets at the beach. During April, these were only open in the day time and during early evening they were locked up! If you are looking for a beach to spend the day at, this is your one! Plus, it’s a beautiful sunset spot!
Playa de Martiánez is more central, the waves are a bit choppier but it makes for a great spot to sit and people watch, you’ll probably get to watch some surfers too!
# 2 Explore La Oratava
La Oratava isn’t actually in Puerto de la Cruz but it’s very, very close! The town of La Oratava is extremely well preserved with some of the most beautiful flower displays I have ever seen. The colonial architecture with its ornately carved wooden doors is beautiful and the Jardin de la Quinta Roja offers a gorgeous display of native and non native plants.
The panoramic views from La Oratava, especially from plaza de la Constitucion are some you don’t want to miss. The gardens are free to enter and they’re home to the incredible dragon trees which are something you don’t want to miss!
The walk up to the town from Puerto de la Cruz is lovely, but fairly steep. Walking allows you to see a lot of local life as you wander past homes, and through the banana plantations! If the walk feels too much you can take a local bus which only takes about 20 minutes.
# 3 Relax at Lago Martianez
Relax next to the pools at Lago Martianez, a saltwater leisure complex designed in the 1950’s by Spanish sculptor César Manrique. Alongside the pools you have bars, terraces, and gorgeous gardens, all set against the backdrop of the open sea and Mount Tiede.
Get your tickets here and don’t forget to arrive early if you want a good spot! The locals absolutely love this place and it shows!
# 4 Meander Through La Ranilla
Located in the former fishing district La Ranilla on the west of Puerto de la Cruz is jam packed full of brightly painted houses, artist murals, secret alleyways, and perfect al fresco spots to stop for a drink or a bite to eat. The area is mostly pedestrianised with several squares to meander and enjoy. If you are an art lover you’ll find some amazing street art in this district of the city. There’s also plenty of shops selling local crafts and arts if you’re looking for something to take home to remember your time in Puerto de la Cruz. Keep an eye out for the plant street too, it makes for an amazing photo opportunity.
# 5 Enjoy The Local Food
In my opinion, no visit to anywhere in the world is complete without indulging in some local food. Tenerife is no exception, let’s dive into what to eat, and where below.
Local food: What to Eat and Where
The local food in Puerto de la Cruz is healthy, tasty and delicious, what makes it even better is it’s relatively cheap! There’s a huge variety of cafes and restaurants serving local food and also catering for anything else you might fancy. I’ve previously found eating out in Spain quite difficult as I don’t eat meat however the Canarian cuisine is much more seafood orientated so I had no problems at all.
What to Eat?
Local specialities include;
Mojo; the Canarian condiment of choice, it comes in either the red, or green variety and both are equally delicious. The green is made with coriander and parsley and the red is made with peppers, they’re spicy and incredibly moreish!
Papas arrugadas; wrinkled potatoes boiled in salt water served typically with red or green mojo, these seem to be a staple served with nearly every dish.
Grilled fresh local goat’s cheese served with palm honey; this is so delicious, it has a very gentle flavour and the palm honey apparently has lots of health benefits!
Fish; available in abundance in Tenerife, its delivered fresh daily by the fisherman to the many restaurants and in Puerto de la Cruz there is a fish market on the harbour front!
Chickpea Stew; popular all over the Canary Islands ‘Garbanzada a lo Canario’ is a local staple available on many restaurant menus, but as it contains meat I didn’t personally try it, however I’m sure it is delicious!
Where to eat?
My personal top picks for local Canarian cuisine are
# 1 Meson Los Gemelos
This place was hands down my favourite place that we ate during our stay. The menu is varied, the food is fresh, the staff are friendly and it has a great rustic feel to it as it’s under a sort of canopy! Be warned, it gets busy! We ate fish off the specials board and drank sparkling water totalling €25 for the two of us.
# 2 Restaurante La Herrerí
This restaurant felt very traditional and quite formal, it was eerily quiet when we sat down but as the night went on it got busier and busier! The other diners thoroughly enjoyed themselves which made for a great atmosphere. There were birthday celebrations and large local families all dining here on the night we were in. There is a great selection of dishes on the menu, of course I opted for local fish served with salad, papas arrugadas and mojo!
# 3 Restaurant Tropical
Restaurant Tropical is in one of the more popular touristy spots in town, but don’t let this put you off! It’s a great spot to sit if you want to be right in the middle of all the activity. On first glance the decor seems a little dated however it’s actually really cute and traditional and there were plenty of local families coming in to dine which comforted us with it being in such a popular spot! We found the portions to be on the larger side so perhaps consider sharing dishes.
# 4 Cucci Italia
Not Canarian but simply had to make the cut! 2 beers, a glass of wine, 2 pastas and a pizza for €37.50 and free limoncello! What more could you ask for? The owners were friendly and the terraced seating area was beautifully lit. The restaurant is tucked away from the main crowded area of town, with still enough people passing by to enjoy people watching.
We found the above restaurants in Puerto de la Cruz to be affordable and can honestly say the food and service was fantastic!
Tip: Local restaurants in Tenerife are called Guachinche, if you type this into Google maps it will show you your nearby options!
Where to Stay in Puerto de la Cruz
When it comes to finding somewhere to stay in Puerto de la Cruz there is a huge selection, so much so, that it became overwhelming. Below you’ll find the hotel I eventually (after huge amounts of research) narrowed it down to.
I’m always looking for the best deal when I travel, along with somewhere clean and modern and Atlantic El Tope offered that. The rooms have a mix of terraces and balconies and are incredibly spacious. The hotel is set back a little bit from the seafront, but still only an enjoyable ten to fifteen minutes walk. There’s a local shopping centre and supermarket right by it which proved handy for stocking up on bottled water, picnic bits and snacks!
The recently refurbished rooftop bar with 360 degree views was my favourite place to sit and work on my laptop during our stay. The pool area is equally lovely with it’s own bar and gorgeous views of the surrounding terraced hillsides.
The Atlantic El Tope offered a brilliant breakfast, there was a large selection of local foods along with the usual breakfast suspects. The coffee was fresh and hot, and El Tiede can be seen through many of the windows, if the weather is clear.
Recap of the Complete Guide to Puerto de la Cruz
Puerto de la Cruz is a destination that ticks all the boxes – unique attractions, authentic cultural charm, and plenty to see and do, whether you’re after exploration or relaxation. From its black sand beaches and lush green surroundings to family-friendly spots like Lago Martianez and local culinary delights, it’s a place that truly offers something for everyone. It’s in a great location too if you want to hire a car and explore more of Tenerife.
So, why not start planning your Tenerife getaway? Book your flights and make Puerto de la Cruz a must-visit stop on your trip to Tenerife. I hope this guide has covered your questions about Puerto de la Cruz and given you some useful ideas for your trip! If you’ve read this far, well done – there was a lot there. As you can tell, there’s loads to see and do in this part of Tenerife, and I’m already planning to go back!
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