Hidden Gems Travel Tips

Tenerife has so many sights on offer. From cute town centers to modern architecture, there is just too much to see and for sure something for everyone. Let’s take a tour on the cultural sights of Tenerife, while natural sights have been discussed in part 1.

• La Laguna: The old town center of Cristobal de la Laguna constructed in the 15^th century is a UNESCO world heritage site. Colorful buildings and churches in in colonial architecture style can be found here. Many buildings have the Spanish patios (courtyards), which are now open to the public and offer refreshing oasis in the middle of the city. La Laguna was the first town of the Canary Islands.

• La Orotava:  La Orotava is a picturesque town known for its charming streets, beautiful gardens and historical architecture, the most famous one being the Case de los balcones (house of the balconies), which showcases traditional building styles.
• Santa Cruz: The capital city of Tenerife is also the biggest city and a huge harbour area, cute streets and places and the esplanade with the small fort, arboretum, Parque Marítimo César Manrique and the famous auditorium building (Auditorio). The Auditorio completed in 2003 slightly resembles the famous opera house in Sydney, but nestled in volcanic rocks, it absolutely gives its own vibes.

• Garachico: Garachico is charming coastal town known for its historic architecture, including the well-preserved Castillo de San Miguel and the iconic natural pools created by volcanic activity, that are easily accessible due to well laid out pathways across the volcanic rocks.
• Pyramids of Güimar: These pyramids built from lava stone the 19th century AD are a cultural heritage and the pyramid complex contains a museum with archaeological information as well as several botanical gardens like the ‘poisonous plant garden’.

• Botanical gardens: Several botanical gardens exist around the island, for example in Puerto de la Cruza and Santa Cruz. These gardens showcase a diverse collection of plant species from various ecosystems, but especially the unique plants of Tenerife’s flora.
• Puerto de la Cruz: Puerto de la Cruz is a charming coastal town located on the northern coast which serves as the basis for many tourists. Sights include the iconic black sand beaches and the stunning Lago Martiánez complex, a sea water pool.
• Town centers of Vilaflor/Candelaria/Granadilla: All these town centers are full of colonial architecture style buildings and cute charming green squares.

• Banana plantation: A visit to a banana plantation offers an insight into the island’s agricultural heritage. Take a tour through the plantation and listen to the explanations of guides from planting to harvesting. Tours also include the tasting of Canarian bananas.
• Icod de los Vinos: Renowned for its ancient Dragon Tree (Drago milenario, 600-800 years old) a symbol of the town, Icod de los Vinos offers visitors a unique blend of nature within the town and culture. Beautiful architecture can be found around charming parks here as well.

I hope this list gives you some ideas about what to do on a trip to Tenerife island. For more tips also read my blog post about the natural sights on Tenerife and about Tenerife’s best landscapes.

Let me know in the comments, what you think about those places and if you have anything to add 🙂

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