Circuit of the Island

Puerto de la Cruz lies in northern Tenerife, at the mouth of the famous Orotava valley. Within a few decades it has passed through a lightning course of development from a small fishing town into an internationally known tourist resort, the largest on Tenerife. The main attractions for holidaymakers are undoubtedly the bathing enter designed by the Lanzarote architect and artist César Manrique and the seafront promenade on the Avenida de Colón.

The road running east from Puerto de la Cruz joins N 820 in 4km/2.5mi, and 1km/0.75mi along this to the west is a side road signposted to La Orotava. One of the most attractive and most typical of Canarian towns, La Orotava enjoys a climatically favored situation which makes possible a highly productive agriculture. Its central feature is the flower decked Plaza de la Constitución, from which there is a superb view over the roofs of the town to the coast which has earned the square the name of the "balcony of La Orotava".

From the center of La Ortava a minor road runs through La Perdoma to Los Realejos, a long straggling little town, at the far end of which, in Realejo Alto, it joins N 820, which continues west, parallel with the coast, to San Juan de la Rambla and Icod.

This valley is a garden of great beauty, rivaling that of even La Orotava.

The coast road continues from San Marcos for another 6km/4mi to Garachico, with its beautiful old town center.

From the far end of Garachico a road winds its way up to Tanque and soon after this joins N 820. For the next part of the route plenty of time must be allowed, as the road pursues a tortuous course, with innumerable curves and bends, through the lonely mountain world. The next place of any size is Santiago del Teide, a good base for walks in the rugged Teno Hills to the west; the place which attracts most visitors is the hill village of Masca.

5km/3mi beyond Santiago, at Tamaimo, a road branches off on the right to Puerto de Santiago, opening up a magnificent view of the imposing cliffs of Los Gigantes.

The coast road continues south from Los Gigantes, passing through Alcalá and San Juan, and then turns inland to Adeje, 30km/19mi from Tamaimo.

From the unspoiled little town of Adeje it is only a short distance on N 822 to the great tourist centers on the south coast, Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos. While Playa de las Américas is a totally new resort, Los Cristianos has grown up around an old fishing village, which has preserved much of its original character. It has no buildings of particular consequence, but the pedestrian zone with its shops and restaurants and the square by the harbor have a character of their own.

A short way beyond Los Cristianos is the beginning of a four lane motorway, the Autopista del Sur. 60km/37mi along this is the exit for Candelaria, with the most important pilgrimage center in the Canaries, the church of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, which dominates the little town.

From Candelaria it is 18km/11mi to Santa Cruz, from which the route continues northeast past the extensive port installations to the fishing village of San Andrés, with the palm shaded beach of Las Teresitas. There a road goes off on the left, signposted to El Bailadero.

From Las Mercedes there are two roads to La Laguna, the largest town on the island after Santa Cruz, with the only university in the Canaries. Often thought to be the most Spanish town in the islands, La Laguna has preserved its original checkerboard plan, with many handsome burghers' houses and noble mansions and a number of interesting churches. The most notable of these are the Cathedral (founded 1515, rebuilt at the beginning of the 20th century) and the church of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, the oldest church in the town.