Santa Cruz de Terenife, a green and vibrant city!

Whatever you do, don’t bypass the bustling capital, the handsome and friendly port of Santa Cruz, in your dash for the beach on Tenerife.

Backing onto a superb range of undulating hills, this wholly Spanish city is home to evocative, brightly painted buildings, grand and historic architecture, sophisticated and quirky shops, riveting museums and art galleries, a showstopping auditorium, flashes of bold and vibrant street art, and a tropical oasis of birdsong, fountains and greenery in the city park.

In Santa Cruz de Tenerife, you’ll find just about everything: a great Marina, historical monuments, avant-garde architecture and it has the most pristine palm tree collection in Europe, and maybe even the world.

Saturday morning in Santa Cruz. Just round the corner from the Marina you can find the Tenerife Espacio de las Artes ( #TEA ) ! The highlights of this dramatic contemporary building are the architecture, its three galleries and the stunning library downstairs.

The galleries display temporary exhibitions of art, photography and installation works, including the creative output of up-and-coming Spanish artists reflecting edgy, contemporary themes.

If you like traditional marketplaces, visiting Our Lady of Africa Market is one of the best things to do in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. More popularly known as La Recova, this Neo-Colonial style market was named one of the Top 10 markets in the world!

The building itself is beautiful and surrounded by flowers and statues. However, what makes it one of the top attractions in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the incredible array of fruits, vegetables, and seafood.