Things to Do in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife: Sights and Beaches

Loro Parque is the headline act. It is the zoo that puts this corner of Tenerife on most visitors' lists, and it lies about a mile from the town centre. Closer in, the Castillo de San Felipe guards the shoreline, and Lago Martiánez, a protected cultural property, sits around half a mile from the centre. Lago Martiánez is where many people spend a lazy afternoon.

The town also rewards a slower day. The Archaeological Museum of Puerto de la Cruz is right in the centre, near the lighthouse. The Jardín de Aclimatación de la Orotava, the botanical garden, is about a mile out. For a view over the coast, The Friar's Rock is a viewpoint roughly half a mile from the middle of town.

In Puerto de la Cruz itself, you can walk between the museum, the lighthouse, the castle and Lago Martiánez in an easy morning. The beaches here are Playa de San Telmo in the centre and Playa Jardin, about half a mile away.

La Orotava, around 2.5 miles inland, makes the most natural day trip from Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife. Casa de los Balcones, Casa Lercaro and the Museo de arte sacro el tesoro de la concepción are all museums in the old town. Walkers can head further up to the Reserva natural integral de Pinoleris, about 4 miles away. Beyond that, the Mirador de Mataznos viewpoint is around 5 miles out.

Los Realejos, about 3 miles west, is the place to go for a change of beach. Playa del Socorro and Playa del Terrero lie roughly 4 miles from Puerto de la Cruz and feel noticeably less built up than the town front.

Families tend to plan a holiday here around Loro Parque, which is close enough to reach without a long journey. Lago Martiánez is another easy win for children, with its seawater pools a short walk from the centre.

For a calmer day, the botanical garden makes a gentle outing. Playa Jardin is the obvious beach for building sandcastles in black sand. Older children who like castles and old objects will also get something out of the Castillo de San Felipe and the Archaeological Museum.

Most British travellers fly into Tenerife South, which has direct flights from the UK and is about 37 minutes from Puerto de la Cruz by road. Tenerife North is only 19 minutes away but has no direct UK flights. Package holidays usually include the transfer. You can compare deals from Jet2holidays, TUI, loveholidays and On the Beach on this page.

Tenerife excursions from Puerto de la Cruz, including entry to the bigger attractions, can be booked through the tours and tickets buttons here. If you want to explore La Orotava, Los Realejos and the viewpoints at your own pace, compare car hire on the page too. Ferries leave from Santa Cruz de Tenerife, about 17 miles away, and from Los Cristianos, about 25 miles away.

July and August are the driest months. January to March and October see ten or more rainy days, so leave some slack for indoor sights like the museums.