Travel blog - Tips to explore the world on a budget: Puerto de la Cruz

Puerto de la Cruz is on Tenerife’s green north coast, facing the Atlantic and surrounded by the Orotava Valley and Mount Teide. It started in the 16th century as a small fishing and export port for sugar and wine. After a volcanic eruption destroyed Garachico in 1706, Puerto de la Cruz became the main harbour in the north, growing with new houses, warehouses, and churches. In the 19th century, it became one of the first tourist resorts in the Canary Islands, attracting European visitors looking for a mild climate. Today, the town mixes historic Canarian buildings, leafy squares, black-sand beaches, and the famous Lago Martiánez pool complex designed by César Manrique. Free walking tours from the harbour show how the town grew from a fishing port into a lively, authentic Canarian city.