Santa Cruz, Tenerife's vibrant capital city, is one of the island's best kept secrets. Offering a cosmopolitan blend of culture, heritage, sun-soaked beaches, stunning architecture and buzzing nightlife, Santa Cruz rivals many of the better known European city hotspots. The city is large enough to offer an endless variety of things to do yet compact enough to explore on foot within a day.
Easily accessible by car or bus from Los Cristianos or Playa de Las Americas, Santa Cruz is an ideal excursion for those looking to discover what Tenerife has to offer, because it really does have it all. Museums, parks, plazas, beaches, art, world-class dining, the hippest of nightspots, and tax-free shopping means that even the most discerning traveller will find something to enjoy.
Santa Cruz is a wonderful mix of old and new, it is diverse and energetic, it celebrates its historical roots and has its sights set firmly on the future. All of this is evident in what is on offer in the city.
Glorious architecture spans many centuries and styles including, Baroque, Renaissance, Victorian and traditional Canarian as well as some modern masterpieces.
You can immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the city by heading to one of the plazas, for sun-worshippers there are numerous beaches in and around the city, while nature lovers can enjoy the beautiful parks including Garcia Sanabria Park with over 70,000 square meters of wooded paths, rose gardens and open-air sculpture exhibits.
Santa Cruz also provides a dizzying array of festivals, museums, and venues for those wishing to inject a bit of culture into their holiday. Visit one of the city's many art galleries or learn more about the island's history at the Museum of Nature and Man. Visit the city's most historic theatre, the Teatro Guimera then feast your eyes on the dazzling Auditorio de Tenerife, home to the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra.
If shopping is what you are after then Santa Cruz will certainly deliver. You will find streets lined with independent, designer, and high street stores as well as the Spanish answer to Selfridges - El Corte Ingles. However, whether you have come to shop or not, the Mercado de Nuestro Senora de Africa should not be missed. This market, which consists of galleries of vendors selling all manner of produce, is a landmark in Santa Cruz and has been declared an Artistic Historical Monument.
Offering a real contrast to any other resort on Tenerife, Santa Cruz will undoubtedly add an extra dimension to your holiday on the island.
