To get to know Santa Cruz de Tenerife, it is better to start with a walking tour around the Plaza de España, where the main avenues of the city meet. Among the most imposing buildings the neoclassical seat of the Tenerife Island Council stands out with its interior decorated in an art déco style. The best place to inquire about attractions and activities is the municipal Tourist office, which is also located in the square.
Next to the plaza you will see the port, which is one of the most important ports in terms of maritime traffic, in both the country and in Europe. There is a small, old lighthouse on the old pier, which has been operating since 1836, and is a sign that this has been an important port for a long time.
If you leave Plaza de España and take Avenida de Bravo Murillo, you will get to the Plaza de la Iglesia (Church square). There you will find the Church of the Immaculate Conception, the main church in the city which was built in the 16th century and rebuilt between the 17th and 18th centuries. Its five naves exhibit banners captured by Admiral Nelson during his attack on the capital of the island, which occurred in 1797, as well as the Cross of Alonso Fernández de Lugo who gave the city its name.
The vicinity of the church houses several interesting buildings, including the Tobacco Company “La Tenerife” (1880), and traditional Canary Island houses.
Another nearby attraction is the Fountain of Morales (1838), located next to the Museum of Nature and Man, in a former civil hospital building from the 18th century. Taking the avenue that stretches along the dock, you will reach the amazing Auditorio de Tenerife designed by the Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava.
In the vicinity one can also see the 17th century Castillo de San Juan Bautista (Castle of John the Baptist), also called Castillo Negro (Black Castle). However, this is not the only fortified building in Tenerife, since the island also boasts the Castlillo de San Cristóbal (1570) and the Castillo de Paso Alto, in which Admiral Nelson lost not only a battle but also his right arm in 1797.
Coming back to Plaza de España and going up the adjacent street, you will reach Plaza de la Candelaria, where stands the 18th-century monument of the Virgin of Candelaria, the patron saint of the Canary Islands, after whom the square is named, made of white marble by Italian artist Pasquale Bocciardo. Here you can also visit the Palacio de Carta (1721-1752), a spectacular building with Mudéjar and Flemish features that was declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 1947.
It is also worthwhile visiting the emblematic Plaza del General Weyler– embellished with flowers and a fountain, the church of San Francisco – a baroque construction of 1680 located in the homonymous square, and the Municipal Museum of Fine Arts.
