Self Catering Puerto de la Cruz Tenerife: Where to Stay
Resort · Canary Islands · Tenerife · Spain
Planning self catering in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, starts with choosing your base on the island's north coast. The town itself puts you within walking distance of Playa de San Telmo, the Castillo de San Felipe and the lighthouse, with Loro Parque about a mile away. La Orotava sits roughly 2.5 miles off, Los Realejos about 3 miles. Summer is warm and dry, with highs near 30°C in August and only a couple of rainy days in July. Below I walk through each area, the kind of stay that suits it and how to book well. You can compare live hotel prices on this page as you go.
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- Playa de San Telmo and Playa Jardin are both within a mile of the town centre.
- Loro Parque and the Jardín de Aclimatación de la Orotava lie about a mile from town.
- Tenerife South has direct UK flights and is 37 minutes' drive from Puerto de la Cruz.
Resorts and towns near Puerto de la Cruz
Ranked by what there is to see and book. Each has its own page.
Puerto de la CruzProvincia de Santa Cruz de Tenerife
9 sights · 37 min from TFS · on the coast
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La OrotavaProvincia de Santa Cruz de Tenerife · 2 miles from Puerto de la Cruz
6 sights · 34 min from TFS · on the coast
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Los RealejosProvincia de Santa Cruz de Tenerife · 3 miles from Puerto de la Cruz
2 sights · 33 min from TFS · on the coast
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Compare every hotel, apartment and villa in Puerto de la Cruz, priced in GBP, usually with free cancellation.
Compare hotels (opens Booking.com in a new tab)Which area suits your stay
Puerto de la Cruz is the obvious choice if you want to do without a car. It is a coastal town of around 32,000 people, and most of what visitors come for is close by: Playa de San Telmo right in the centre, Playa Jardin and Lago Martiánez about half a mile away, the Archaeological Museum, the lighthouse and The Friar's Rock viewpoint. Loro Parque and the botanical garden are roughly a mile out.
La Orotava, about 2.5 miles away, is the larger neighbour and suits travellers drawn to history over beaches. Casa de los Balcones, Casa Lercaro and the sacred art museum are here, and the Mirador de Mataznos and the Pinoleris nature reserve are reachable from the town.
Los Realejos, around 3 miles west, is the pick for quieter coastline. Playa del Socorro and Playa del Terrero are both on its stretch of shore, a short drive from Puerto de la Cruz's sights.
Hotels, apartments or a villa
Self catering works best where you can walk to shops, beaches and sights, which makes central Puerto de la Cruz the natural base for an apartment stay. With San Telmo, Playa Jardin and the seafront pools all close, you can keep a car out of the plan entirely.
If you are looking at villas to rent in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, or around La Orotava and Los Realejos, think about transport first. A villa away from the centre gives you more space, but you will want car hire to reach the beaches and Loro Parque, and you can compare car hire alongside hotel prices here.
Travellers who prefer a hotel with everything arranged can filter the live results on this page by board basis, from room only to half board or all inclusive, and weigh them against the self catering options.
Booking tips before you go
Getting here from the UK means flying into Tenerife South, the airport with direct flights, then a drive of about 37 minutes to Puerto de la Cruz, 34 to La Orotava and 33 to Los Realejos. Tenerife North is closer, at around 19 minutes, but has no direct UK flights. A package with Jet2holidays, TUI, loveholidays or On the Beach bundles flight, hotel and transfer, and you can compare those deals on this page.
April, July and August are the best months on the data: April reaches about 25°C with 7 rain days, while July and August are the driest and warmest. May brings the most rainy days of the year, around 14, so pack a layer. Summer and Easter fall in the school holidays, when demand rises, so booking early for those weeks is sensible.
When to go to Puerto de la Cruz
January to July and September to December: daytime highs between 22°C and 29°C with little rain.
- 22°CJan57 mm
- 22°CFeb48 mm
- 23°CMar54 mm
- 25°CApr37 mm
- 24°CMay50 mm
- 26°CJun38 mm
- 29°CJul6 mm
- 30°CAug11 mm
- 27°CSept33 mm
- 29°COct56 mm
- 27°CNov32 mm
- 24°CDec41 mm
Highlighted months are the sweet spot for warm, dry weather.
Next steps
Questions people ask
What is the best beach in Puerto de la Cruz?
It depends on what you want. Playa de San Telmo sits right in the town centre, and Playa Jardin is about half a mile away. For a quieter stretch, Playa del Socorro and Playa del Terrero are near Los Realejos, roughly 4 miles from town.
Which airport is best for Puerto de la Cruz?
Tenerife South is the one with direct flights from the UK, around 37 minutes' drive from Puerto de la Cruz. Tenerife North is closer at about 19 minutes, but has no direct UK flights, so reaching it usually means a connection.
Is Puerto de la Cruz good for self catering?
Yes, especially in the town centre. Playa de San Telmo, the lighthouse, the Castillo de San Felipe and the Archaeological Museum are all close, and Loro Parque is about a mile out, so you can manage an apartment stay without a car.
Do I need a car if I rent a villa?
Probably, if the villa is outside central Puerto de la Cruz. La Orotava and Los Realejos are a few miles away, and beaches such as Playa del Socorro are a drive from town. You can compare car hire on this page.
When is the best time to stay in Puerto de la Cruz?
April, July and August are the best months. July and August are the warmest, with highs of 29 to 30°C and only two or three rainy days. Winter stays mild, with highs around 22°C in January and February.