My favourite places in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Hi,

Did you know that the inhabitants of Santa Cruz de Tenerife were called chicharreros? This name is taken from the fish called Chicharro, which was abundant on these coasts and was a means of sustenance for the fishermen of the time.

These fishermen used to sail the coasts of the island for hours in their small boats to take this fish to the central market in Santa Cruz.

There are three places that I love to visit every time I go to Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and I am going to show them to you.

Spain Square

In the heart of the city center, one of the places I love to visit in this city is the Spain Square.

Its large artificial pond is a quiet place where you can take beautiful pictures of reflections on the water.

You can orient yourself in one part of the pond, so that you can see the volcanic lava hills surrounding the city, the result of the volcanic eruptions of Teide thousands of years ago, reflected in the water.

Or one can orient oneself in the direction of the reflection of the buildings and monuments surrounding the square, such as the cross of victory and the town hall.

My entry to #pobphotocontest organized by @friendlymoose

It is also advisable to visit the place at night, as the illumination of the buildings gives the pond a different appearance.

And if you visit during the day, don't forget that there is a museum underneath the pond due to an old defensive castle on the island where the history of the Spanish crown defending the island from the many attempts of British invasion is told.

Garcia Sanabria Park

If you want to discover the largest number of palm trees without having to pay a botanical garden entrance fee, visiting this park in the center of the city is my special recommendation for a visit to the city.

It is impressive to see so many different types of palm trees.

Accompanied by many large tropical trees with roots coming out of their branches, such as the spectacular ficus.

The different types of cactus are something, which could not be missing in the park.

Along with some strikingly executed sculptures.

And the most beautiful thing is the flower clock.

Auditorium and Castle

A little further away from the city center, one of the most striking civil works of the city is the spectacular auditorium in the shape of a sailing ship.

It is a work of the architect Santiago Calatrava, and I was always impressed by its curves since the first time I saw it more than 20 years ago.

Nearby, there is a small defensive castle that always caught my attention.

I remember that a friend of my aunt's the first time I was in Santa Cruz told me the story of the defense of the island from the British invasion from this castle.

And as legend has it that in one of those battles Commander Nelson lost a leg and that was the beginning of the end of the British invasion attempts on the island.

I hope you like it and if you go to the island you can visit its capital and enjoy the great Teide.

Best regards.