The cradle of Spanish tourism, Puerto de la Cruz in the north of Tenerife has been hosting  refugees from Northern Europe’s winter bite ever since Marianne North set up her easel, took out her paints and said “I scarcely  ever went out without finding some new wonder to paint…” Spending much of her time in the garden of an English resident named Charles Smith, Ms North created canvas after canvas of the perfect roses, myrtle trees and great white lilies that formed a floral foreground to the snow covered peak of Mount Teide, most of which today adorn her gallery at Kew Gardens.

As well as artists and botanists, Puerto attracted scientists and explorers to its exotic shores, amongst them Alexander von Humboldt and Sir Richard Burton. Along with the learned and talented came the wealthy Victorians and the Royals who over-wintered in the Grand Hotel Taoro which watched over the little town from its hilltop home on ´The Mount of Misery’.  With the advent of steam came the first package holiday makers known as ‘Yeowardites’ as they came on the fruit cargo ships owned by the Yeoward Line sailing out of Liverpool in the early 20th century.

Today’s Puerto still attracts visitors from across Europe to spend a week or two beneath its blue skies and amidst its banana plantations, palm trees and tumbling bougainvillea but they’re very much in the minority. Of the thousands of holidaymakers who weekly descend into Tenerife, the vast majority head south to the shiny, new, four and five star hotels of the south, leaving Puerto to those who prefer to enjoy a slice of culture with their sunshine.

The latest walking guide in our Town and City Walks series features Puerto de la Cruz. Beginning in the Plaza del Charco heart of the town with its yam fountain, Indian laurel trees brought from Cuba in 1852 and its traditional Canarian mansions which now serve as restaurants, our town walk takes in many of Puerto’s most historical and picturesque features. We visit the town’s oldest buildings, its former Franciscan convent, its splendid lookout tower and the little church where victims of the great storm of 1826 are buried beneath the floor.

For the green fingered flower lovers, we have also included a Puerto garden route which takes in the splendour of those gardens where Marianne North spent her idyllic days and the extensive gardens that adorn the Mount of Misery around the former Gran Hotel Taoro which today awaits metamorphosis into the next phase of its iconic history.

If you’re planning a visit or a stay in Puerto, pick up a Town and City Walks, Puerto de la Cruz guide for just €3 and follow in the footsteps of the artists, explorers and Victorians who helped to make the town what it is today – Tenerife’s cultural resort.

Which is why we’re proud to announce the birth of Real Tenerife’s Town & City walking series starting with a guide to one of our favourite places on Tenerife, Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz City Highlights & City Centre Walking Routes

Having spent years exploring the city and seeing countless cruise passengers and day trippers from Tenerife’s southern and northern resorts wandering up streets and alleys that headed nowhere we decided to create a combined map and guide to help put an end to visitors’ urban misery.

We’ve worked out two detailed routes that cover the best of the city’s most picturesque and interesting corners (and there are loads) – keeping to pedestrianised areas where possible (much more relaxing than playing matador to the city’s cars). Along the way the guides include snippets of information about key points of interest as well as recommendations for lunch, snack and refreshment stops. We’ve also included an attractions guide so that users can pick and choose where they want to spend time and we’ve also got a shopping section for those who like to shop and walk.

In short we think Santa Cruz the Friendly City is damn good and especially perfect for any cruise liner passenger who’s got only a few hours to spend on Tenerife.

Why spend a fortune on excursions when €3 will give you the key to the treasures of Tenerife’s wonderfully historic and cultural capital city.

BUY SANTA CRUZ, THE FRIENDLY CITY  WALKING GUIDE

Santa Cruz the Friendly City – City Highlights & City Centre Routes is available in PDF format and will be sent to buyers via email within 24 hours of purchase.

Look out for more Tenerife Town & City guides coming soon.