Awesome old cities on Tenerife worth visiting
Puerto de la Cruz and Punta Brava on Tenerife Puerto de la Cruz is located in the north of Tenerife. It’s also one of the largest resorts on the island. Once it was the major and the top tourists’ destination. Now it’s the second, after Las Americas that was recently built in the south of the island. The majority still comes to the south of Tenerife since it’s more sunny and warmer there, and the ocean waves are a bit smaller. Though the north of the island is much more interesting than the south.
The south of the island has been built especially for tourists by usual boxes without any past architectural beauty. Just high hotels and unappetizing restaurants. Although Puerto Cruz also has ugly hotels – why to accommodate there? However this is only near the beach, and there is an old town with narrow streets and old colonial buildings. It’s much better and more comfortable there but we had no time to take even a few photos from there.
The main highway is above the town, so you have to go down. Yet you can stop at the top to view the panorama overlooking the main beach. There are terraces of restaurants where the Germans and the British – the key visitors of Puerto Cruz – relax with a glass of beer or wine.
Travelers’ Monument) Why is it a woman to hold the suitcase?
We haven’t been here for long and moved to the next small but cozy town – Punta Brava.
The town has been built on the rock right at the ocean. Look out of the window and you’ll see stormy waves beneath and hear their noise. Some houses have a small street in front of them, and others are right next to the abyss.
There was one way down to the ocean, but the stairs crushed down)
It’s splendid here! – The hotel owner has thought the same and put his high-rise as close as possible – everything for the sake of beauty, from the suit window.
Everything looks ordinary in the town, plain streets.
We were lucky with light and haze from the waves.
Inexplicably the northern parts of the Canary Islands are usually more impressive than the southern ones. It’s been also confirmed to us in other islands.
It’s always top-season in the Canaries – it’s warm and sunny there. We haven’t touched the rain. If it’s cloudy and want some sun, you’d rather go to the Teide. If you got bored of sun, go closer to the clouds. Tenerife offers different heights above the water level from 0 to 3,700 m.
Garachico and La Oratava on Tenerife island Garachico is a small town featured by natural pools on lava remains. But photos of the city at first. Garachico seemed to be quiet and sleepy. This town is not a resort, although many people come here to see the pools.
Once Garachico was rich and famous owing to trade and port, but one day the volcano spouted a lava wave and flooded all the luxury, people were lucky to flee because the lava moved too slowly. The town was rebuilt in much simpler manner since the port was moved to another city and now it is rich and famous)
The most beautiful Christmas facade. Overall we have seen many decorated buildings, but this one was the winner.
We came here at noon during the high heat, so quickly went around all points and took refuge in a bar to work and to wait for the softer light. In fact it’s not an easy thing to sit in peace and quiet with delicious coffee and the Internet at local bars. Usually it’s very noisy here, the locals talk and laugh very emotionally, eat sandwiches (sliced bread with chemical filling) and drink beer, and gambling slot machines next to you tempt you by different sounds 🙂 It’s no use asking about the Internet in the smallest towns, you should look for a WIFI sticker on the door, if there’s no such a sticker, most likely there will be no connection. We wanted to buy 4G Vodafone modem but non-residents can’t connect and what is more, the connection is paid for the whole year at once. A few gigabytes offered via phone are like drop in the ocean for us.
Although Garachico was rebuilt without prior luxury, it still looks pretty cute.
The sea shore, where pools of hardened lava have been formed, was fit out by paths and stairs. In fact, it would be next to impossible to walk here since the lava is too sharp and very uncomfortable surface. Tourists in flip-flops would simply get stuck there.
The waves are strong here. It was possible to swim in the daytime, but it’s better not to do that in some pools in the evening. The water level jumps to incredible height and the wave can hit you at the stone or drag into the ocean.
The paths we went by day were half flooded in the evening. And it’s not that easy to move on sharp lava trying to get around the flooded parts.
Watching the waves for a long time you know exactly about peak waves’ attacks onto the shore or the stone you stand on. At first the waves are small, then big ones, and then another one the most insidious that would get the furthest on the coast. And again big and then small waves. So, standing close to the waves, you should expect this. It will always come – treacherous and greedy.
One couple came to the flooded path and turned their backs to the wave, but in vain, since the water level rose and flooded them almost to their knees)
For a long time did we watch the waves that evening, thus got home with wet shoes) Everything else was saved)
We visited one more town La Orotava on the same day, just before going to Garachico. The town also has checkered past. This is evident due to beautiful buildings with balconies and carved doors.
And there’s a garden here. Luxurious, spacious one, over the city. That’s it)
It’s still best to sit on the terrace than inside a bar, the atmosphere is more pleasant here.
With love, RH.
We would love to hear what you have to say. Follow our online Diary in Instagram, you’ll like it !
Did you love this? Sign up to receive exclusive tips like these!
We would love to hear what you have to say. Follow our online Diary in Instagram, you’ll like it !
Did you love this? Sign up to receive exclusive tips like these!
