Santa Cruz is the largest city in Tenerife, and together with Las Palmas it acts as the capital of the Canary Islands. It is mainly known as a popular resort with a wide sandy beach. Its symbol is the modern Tenerife Auditorium.
The city was founded in the 15th century by the Spanish on the site of a previous local town. For centuries it was a center of commerce for bananas and tobacco. As a tourist center it developed only in the middle of the 20th century. Santa Cruz is the only sandy beach in Tenerife. It is not natural. The sand was brought here from Africa. Thanks to this, the city began to compete with the most visited beaches in Gran Canaria.
Practically built from scratch in the 16th century. Santa Cruz has a nice house built with old houses. You can see, among others, the Church of the Annunciation with a high square tower in Mudejar style. The interior of the temple is decorated with baroque sculptures and paintings.
In the past, the entire Old City area was surrounded by forts. One of them is located in the port of the Castillo de San Juan Bautista. Right next to it is the modern body of the Tenerife Auditorium built at the beginning of the 20th and 21st centuries. The remains of the old 16th century castle, the Castillo de San Cristóbal, can be seen in the underground gallery. Another attraction of the city is the botanical garden opened in 2008 on the site of the ancient garbage island. For fresh fruits, vegetables, and other foods, head to the indoor market Mercado de Nuestra Señora de Africa.
