A guide to Puerto de la Cruz and Lago Martiánez

Puerto de la Cruz

Fancy mixing in a bit of history and culture into your visit to Tenerife? Worry not, you can still enjoy the resort with Puerto de la Cruz right on the doorstep! This town is a Canary Islander’s retreat. Fairly quiet, yet full of things to do it will cater to your every need.

Start your tour at Puerto de la Cruz’s Botanical Gardens – they cannot be raved about enough! At the day’s hottest hours this is an unmissable visit thanks to the thick foliage overhead creating a natural sheltered walkway. 

Continue your day by walking down to the port. Lift your gaze up and you’ll notice vibrant and incredibly detailed street art adorn walls at every corner of Puerto de la Cruz. This also makes for a great treasure hunt style activity for the kids.

When you reach the port you’ll be confronted by Batería de Santa Bárbara, an 18th century fort that overlooks the Atlantic and delivers stunning evening views. Alternatively, you can enjoy the evening in one of Puerto de la Cruz’s many guachinche restaurants. Tenerife showcases its culture through these restaurants that specialise in serving locally produced wine coupled with homemade tapas. 

A walking tour through Puerto de la Cruz sounds too strenuous on your feet? Relax on the beach instead. Just outside the town you’ll come across the black sands of Playa Jardín. Don’t worry about not being able to find a space for your towel, it’s 1 km long! Everyone is welcome at the Playa Jardín: the sea is safe to swim in, lifeguards watch over the bathers and the beach is also wheelchair-accessible. We can hear Playa Jardín calling our name. How about you?

Lago Martiánez

The prospect of Tenerife’s gorgeous climate and picturesque scenery is desirable to most visitors, and if you’re looking for the best places in Tenerife, you can start by visiting Lago Martianez – because this waterpark is truly unique.

Lago Martianez is a ‘must visit’ attraction in Tenerife. Situated on the shore it beckons the opportunity to switch-off and sunbathe to the sound of crashing waves. The park is equipped with seven (yes seven!) saltwater pools, waterfalls, palm trees and a 33,000-square-metre artificial lake & island. Lago Martiánez is the Eden of leisure retreats. 

One look at the central lake and you may mistake it for a work of art, and you wouldn’t be wrong. The park was designed by Cesar Manrique, a famous artist from the Canaries, who skilfully preserved an authentic Canary Island vibe to the waterpark with his sculptures.

Lago Martiánez has restaurants, snack kiosks and if you venture onto the island on the lake you will find a casino too! There is something for everyone here so it truly is one of the best places to visit in Tenerife. 

Full-day tickets that include a sun lounger are inexpensive and you can grab a sandwich in the water park for no more than €3. The park is also a convenient 30 minute drive from the capital Santa Cruz; so if you’re staying in the city and wondering what to do in Tenerife that’s out of the big city, then this is an easy answer for any kind of holidaymaker.