We will leave Santa Cruz (1) seaport heading towards La Laguna (2), - former capital of the island and today heritage of the Unesco- and we will start our tour by visiting the lively open market,-of great commercial and touristic interest, is visited each day by a large amount of public-.

We will have time to walk the main streets of this city beginning in Calle Obispo Rey from where we can make a real walk through history because the street is filled with mansions of the eighteenth century with imposing facades, including Casa de los Capitanes.

We may change our scenario by waking along Calle Viana. There are no mansions here but some colored townhouses, pre-colombian style.

We will visit the Cristo de la Laguna Sanctuary. The Christ of La Laguna is a catholic figure of high cultural and historical value that represents the image of Jesus crucified. Its sanctuary is the Franciscan convent of San Miguel de las Victorias (Real Santuario del Cristo) and is the oldest sculpture of the Canary Islands. The Gothic style figure dates back to the sixteenth century. It´s the most venerated image of the Canary Islands. Alongside the Sanctuary is the Plaza del Cristo.

We will continue along the beautiful northern coast of the island to the town of Garachico (3), and go for a walk in the beautiful old town reaching the Castillo de San Miguel, a small fortress of the sixteenth century used when Garachico was the largest port on the island.

Then we will move up to Icod de los Vinos (4), city of the eighteenth century, whose main attraction is the famous Drago Milenario, which is 3.000 years old.

Finally we will go towards Martianez in Puerto de La Cruz (5), a masterpiece of the architect Cesar Manrique. Here we will have some time for shopping.

La Laguna

Declared World Heritage by Unesco in 1999, La Laguna, former administrative capital of the island, is today the second largest city of the island and its religious capital. This monumental city forms a historical whole whose original design remains intact today. However, the excellent state of conservation of its historic centre hasn´t hindered this city to culturally adapt to new times. The downtown streets of La Laguna are full of important monuments and historical buildings, although you may also note an attractive commercial activity, with small family run businesses that have survived over the years.

In these stores the traveler can buy typical handicrafts, fashion, Tenerife wines and the most varied delicatessen.

Due to its location in the Valley de Aguere, a walk through its streets will surprise us with unusual landscapes, allowing us to contemplate the solemnity of its historical monuments having as background the always visible hills that surrounds the city.

Garachico

The town and port of Garachico, a town founded by the Genovese Cristobal de Ponte in 1496, keeps the evidence of its brilliant past with old houses, convents and churches that are architecturally important. In 1980, King Juan Carlos I handed to the municipality the Gold Medal for Fine Arts for devoting special attention to its artistic and historical heritage and for the beauty of its streets, squares and gardens. Garachico has won other honors and awards of national category. Garachico has been declared of cultural interest by the Government of the Canary Islands in March 1994, and has also been nominated as World Cultural Heritage.

With Buenavista and Los Silos forms the so-called Isla Baja. In the village survives a dense historical flavour and the peace and tranquillity are indescribtible. Until 1706, when it was violently wiped out by a volcanic eruption, was the main port on Tenerife.
They are in Garachico monuments of great interest, as the Castillo de San Miguel, Iglesia de Santa Ana and Nuestra Señora de los Angeles, and the convents of Santo Domingo and San Francisco. Virtually, the entire town is a living museum.

Puerto de la Cruz

Located on the north coast of the island, next to Mount Teide, Puerto de la Cruz offers to the visitors a cosmopolitan city which, after many years of experience, maintains all the flavor of an open sea town with all sorts of cultures. Declared of Touristic Insterest in 1955, in Puerto de la Cruz coexist in harmony the attractive traditional architecture of the island and the modernity of first-class hotels; the wide and exquisite design of its leisure parks and the colour of the most typical places that reminds us of the small and quaint fisherman´s village that Puerto de la Cruz was at the beginning.

The streets of Puerto de la Cruz keep all year round a lively activity, an atmosphere that invites to relaxation, to walk and contemplate its traditional buildings, and to participate in their popular festivals.

This town has much to offer in order to enjoy the sea: suggestive black sand coves, the pool complex of Lago Martianez, Playa Jardín and Punta Brava. Costa Martiánez, Cesar Manrique´s work, is a place where design and nature merge to create an environment of unusual beauty. Also important, the Botanical Garden, with species from the five continents, and the Loro Parque will deserve the praise of all visitors.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife

It´s the capital of the island´s province of the same name; this is a cosmopolitan, modern and cheerful city. The town life flows between larges avenues, pleasant squares and roads plenty of activity.

In its gardens and avenues (to highlight the city park Garcia Sanabria) there´s a permanent exhibition of sculptures of the world's largest artists, with works ranging from great creators of universal fame, like Moore, until canarian avantgarde artists, as Jose Abad. In the classy shops are sold all kind of items and goods all over the world at interesting prices.

Santa Cruz stands in amphitheater from the shore of the ocean. Port of great importance, it´s a communication hub between Europe, Africa and Americas, as ships of all flags arrive every day.

It has architectural and monumental examples of great value, as the churches of La Concepcion and San Francisco.

The one of San Francisco is a beautiful baroque exponent of the seventeenth century; Palacio de Carta, also of the same century; monuments to the Candelaria and Los Caídos, the group of sculptures by Juan de Avalos, situated at the confluence of Las Ramblas and the Avenida de Anaga, the palace where the Cabildo Insular seats; the Castle-Fortress Paso Alto, the Castle of San Juan ...

Just a few miles from the downtown and near the harbour quarter next to San Andres, is the Playa de las Teresitas, with blond and golden sand. Like other bathing areas, the city also counts with the "Parque Maritimo Cesar Manrique," work of the famous artist from Lanzarote of the same name.

The social and cultural life of Santa Cruz is very intense and his large land area covers rural districts in the area of Anaga, which, because of its local colour and beauty, worth a visit.