TENERIFE - CANARY ISLANDS
PORT INFORMATION
photo courtesy Pedro Perez
The Canary Islands, an Atlantic territory of Spain, are located off the west coast of Africa near Morocco.
The largest of the seven Canary Islands, the tropical island of Tenerife offers a rich diversity of dramatic landscapes, from lush valleys to rocky coastlines, from volcanoes to white sugar beaches.
The cruise port on Tenerife is located in the capital city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife on the island's northeast side. This popular tourist destination has grown from a quaint fishing village to a prime cruise destination complete with stunning architecture, museums, restaurants and lots of tax free shopping!
Several cruise lines now offer cruises that feature Tenerife, some using Tenerife as a port of departure, others calling in on the port during voyages to and from Europe and North America.
Brief History of Tenerife
The Romans are reputed to have been the first in the west to have discovered the Canary Islands, but it was not until the 1400s that Gran Canaria saw growth as the islands became a stopping point for the Spanish on their way to the New World.
Europe fought over the Islands (Nelson lost his right arm in the attack on Santa Cruz) and continued to do so practically until 1983 when autonomy was granted to the Canary Islands.
Today, Tenerife is the most populated island in Spain and a hugely popular travel destination for tourists all over the globe.
Cruise Terminal in Tenerife
The Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has become one of the main ports of the country, the busiest of the cruise ports in the Canary Islands, and welcomes more than a million passengers each year.
The Tenerife cruise terminal is located about half a mile from the town centre at Santa Cruz, and a good number of main attractions begin right at the gates of the port. Many others are within walking distance of the cruise terminal.
For those less fit, an excellent bus service connects all points, and taxis are reasonable and easy to find.
There are two international airports in Tenerife. Tenerife North Airport in the north is 10 km from the cruise terminal. Tenerife South Airport is almost 60 km from Santa Cruz de Tenerife Port.
Must See Attractions in Tenerife
Plaza de España: Right outside the port gates, the café lined Avenida Maritime promenade leads to the Plaza de Espana in the heart of the city’s old quarter. Complete with the towering Monumento de los Caídos, commemorating the fallen of the Spanish Civil War, Plaza de España is also the city's main shopping area.
Museums: There is a wealth of interesting museums to visit on Tenerife most of which are in Santa Cruz de Tenerife not far from the cruise terminal. These include the Archaeological Museum of Tenerife (Museo Arqueológico de Tenerife), the Fine Arts Museum (Museo de Bellas Artes) with works by Bruegel, the Museum of Natural Sciences of Tenerife (Museo de Ciencias Naturales de Tenerife), and the Museum of the Nature and Man (Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre)
Mount Teide and the Teide National Park: The massive dormant volcano in the Parque Nacional del Teide, which has been named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, offers visitors a chance to ride a cable car to the top of the 3,718 meter high volcano and enjoy a sweeping view of the island.
As the highest mountain in Spain and the highest point in the Atlantic Ocean, Mount Teide is an easily recogniable emblem for Tenerife and the Canary Islands, and this makes it the number one must-see attraction here.
Renting a car is the easiest option to get to the Mount Teide National Park, but there is a bus service taking you there in the morning and dropping you back in the late afternoon. Driving there takes about an hour.
