Santa Cruz de Tenerife Ferries
Acciona-Trasmediterránea runs a weekly ferry with cabins to Cádiz, via Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Puerto de Rosario (Fuerteventura) and Arrecife (Lanzarote), departing every Monday at 3pm.
Trasmediterránea also runs a daily jetfoil to Las Palmas at 8am. It leaves at 10am on Sunday.
Naviera Armas runs a fast ferry to Las Palmas twice a day on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, three times daily on Wednesday and once daily on Saturday and Sunday; and to Morro Jable on Fuerteventura every Monday at 3am. It also has a boat at 6.45pm on Wednesday and Friday to Arrecife on Lanzarote.
Fred Olsen has six to eight daily high-speed ferries to Agaete in the northwest of Gran Canaria, from where you can take its free bus onwards to Las Palmas.
Garajonay Exprés connects Los Cristianos with San Sebastían, Playa Santiago and Valle Gran Rey on La Gomera, three times daily at 8.30am, 1.55pm and 6.15pm. Passengers based in Santa Cruz can take a courtesy bus to Los Cristianos to catch the ferry.
Culture, gastronomy, and the outskirts
The city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is famous for its Carnival, one of the most spectacular in Spain. This fiesta, which has been declared of International Tourist Interest, is characterised by the spectacular costumes and the performances of the murgas (satirical singing groups), rondallas (musical groups) and comparsas (dance groups). There is a wide choice of hotels throughout the island, although it is advisable to book early for Carnival.
The capital of Tenerife serves as a showcase for the typical gastronomy of the island.
Pork is the base for preparing rancho (a typical stew). Also, it shares with the rest of the archipelago the famous papas arrugadas (potatoes boiled in their jackets) and mojos (spicy sauces). The sea provides fish such as jack mackerel, vieja sancochada (typical fish stew), sardines, mackerel, grouper, as well as various shellfish. Desserts include delights such as pastel de cabello de ángel (a dessert made from pumpkin) frangollo with honey (a typical dessert made from sweetcorn) or truchas de batatas con almendras (pastries filled with sweet potato paste and almonds)
To accompany your meal, you can choose between any of the five Designation of Origin wines produced in Tenerife: Abona, Tacoronte-Acentejo, Valle de Güimar, Valle de la Orotava and Ycoden-Daute-Isora.
Once you have finished your stroll around the city, a good option is to go on an excursion to discover the outskirts. A few kilometres from the capital is San Cristóbal de La Laguna, whose historic quarter has been declared World Heritage. The cathedral, the modernist Leal theatre and the church of la Concepción XVI c.) are worth a visit. One of its jewels is the Bishop's Palace (XVII c.), built in the baroque style with a beautiful interior courtyard.
From the nature point of view, Tenerife is an island of contrasting landscapes. The extensive beaches in the south of the island give way in the north to lush vegetation. And in the centre of the island is Mount Teide which, with its 3,718 metres, is the highest point in Spain. This volcanic peak gives its name to the Teide National Park, a protected area which contains abundant endemic species of Canary flora and fauna. In the Park is also the Parador de las Cañadas del Teide.
