Introduction
Puerto de la Cruz is one of the main resorts on the northern coast of Tenerife and has remained a favourite Canary Islands holiday choice for several decades. Unlike some of the purpose-built resorts elsewhere on the island it has retained plenty of its original charm, especially in the cobbled lanes, pretty plazas and churches of the Puerto de la Cruz old town.
Puerto de la Cruz lies in the beautiful Oratava Valley, where fruit trees line slopes that rise up to 2,000 metres, and beyond these can be seen the looming presence of Mount Teide, Tenerife's - and Spain's - highest peak. Walking and hiking can be enjoyed in the hills, passing through pine forests and small hamlets, before returning to town for days spent by the sea on the charcoal-coloured volcanic sand beach.
