11 Best Sights in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands

Thanks to its ornery terrain, Anaga Nature Park has managed to keep the tour-bus crowd (mostly) at bay—their loss. This magical oasis takes in misty laurel forests (aka laurisilva) with numerous endemic species, bizarre rock formations that jut above the trees, and hidden mountain villages like Taganana, founded in 1501. Explore the area by car, stopping to take a dip at Playa de Benijo, where you can catch a hiking trail into the surrounding countryside, and to snap a few postcard-worthy pics at the Pico de Inglés viewpoint.

This museum is the leader in contemporary art on the islands due to its sleek low-rise design and avant-garde exhibitions. Designed by the Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, it's next to the Museo de la Naturaleza. Expect 20th- and 21st-century art with a political or sociological bent. TEA's crown jewel is the hall dedicated to Tinerfeño surrealist artist Óscar Domínguez.

A magnificent avant-garde auditorium designed by Santiago Calatrava dominates the west end of the city. To keep its pearly white trencadís (broken tile mosaics) exterior clear of pooping pigeons, a falconer visits regularly with his raptors. The auditorium has a year-round program of concerts and opera, though you can sometimes catch impromptu music acts rehearsing or performing in the adjacent square overlooking the sea. Guided tours are given in English and Spanish; book ahead by phone or email ( [email protected]).

A six-story Moorish bell tower tops this church, which was renovated as part of an urban-renewal project that razed blocks of slums in this area. Opening times vary, but you can generally visit before and after Mass.

This colorful city market is part bazaar and part food emporium (though the food, for the most part, is nothing special). Stalls outside sell household goods; inside, stands displaying everything from flowers to canaries are arranged around a patio. Downstairs, a stroll through the seafood section will acquaint you with the local fish. A flea market with antiques and secondhand goods is held here on Sunday morning. Check the website for a monthly schedule of nighttime activities.

Primitive ceramics and mummies are this museum's highlights. The ancient Guanches mummified their dead by rubbing the bodies with pine resin and salt and leaving them in the sun to dry for two weeks. Placards are in Spanish, but there's a downloadable app with English descriptions.

This 14-room, two-story gallery on Plaza Príncipe de Asturias is lined with canvases by Breughel, Coecke, and Ribera as well as other famed works created between the 16th and 20th centuries. Many depict local events. 

Up on the hill just behind Parque Marítimo is Europe's largest collection of palms with some 600 species. The 29½-acre site, built over the former city dump and opened in 2014, houses palm trees from all over the world set around waterfalls and lagoons, all with panoramic views of the ocean and city. Call ahead if you'd like an English-language tour of the grounds.

West of the auditorium, this public water park with its three saltwater pools and tropical gardens is a favorite with locals. Designed by the Lanzarote-born architect César Manrique, it combines volcanic rock with palms and local flora.

Santa Cruz's beach, Las Teresitas, is about 7 km (4½ miles) northeast of the city, near the town of San Andrés. The 1½ km (1 mile) of beach was created using white sand imported from the Sahara in 1973 and adorned with palms. Beachgoers in the 1970s were purportedly bitten by the occasional scorpion that had hitched a ride from Africa (they've since been eradicated). A man-made barrier runs parallel to the sands and ensures rip-tide-free bathing. Busy in the summer and on weekends, this beach is especially popular with local families. The 910 TITSA bus route connects the beach with Santa Cruz. There's a good choice of bars and restaurants, and plenty of lounge chairs for rent. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Good for: sunrise; swimming; walking.

The cross at the southern end of Santa Cruz's main square is a memorial to those who died in the Spanish Civil War, which—it bears remembering—was launched from Tenerife by General Franco during his exile here. The controversial monument's architect is Juan de Ávalos, who also designed the Francoist memorial and basilica at Valle de los Caídos. A 2006 refresh by Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron added a shallow oblong pond, new pavilions, and modern lighting. It also uncovered the ruins of Castillo de San Cristóbal, today a small museum (free) housing the 18th-century "Tigre Cannon" that reputedly cost Britain's Admiral Nelson his right arm in an attack he led in 1797. The entrance to the museum is via a stairway opposite the lake.