Digital Collection of Photographs
Tenerife Photos Canary Islands
Royalty free stock photographs of many locations in Tenerife and La Gomera, in the Canary Islands. Stock images of the islands of Boa Vista and Sal in Cape Verde Islands are also included. Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, La Palma and El Hierro stock photos will soon feature as well.
   |
home
lightbox
aStore
commissions join us
contact
us
about us
links
|
|
Switch to Advanced
Search -
|
Custom Search
Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz is a vibrant place buzzing with all sorts of activity day and night throughout the year. If there is a lull in the calendar, be sure the community will think up a fiesta to fill it!
This city is the capital of Tenerife and the province which includes the other islands of La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. It has grown to be an important port for all types of trade having taken its Capital status from La Laguna. Large cruise ships dock and unload thousands of tourists during the year who enjoy the delights of the city as well as lower tax shopping. Tour operators also organise coach trips for tourist from all over the island. Even though it is part of mainland Spanish territory, it commands its own level of tax called I.G.I.C. which is generally at 5%.
There are plans to link the south of the island to Santa Cruz via a tram network. Trams can be seen joining the capital with La Laguna and when this is linked up to the south, getting there will be a lot less hassle. The main motorway called the TF-1 is a busy road and driving there, especially if you are a tourist in a hire car, can be testing at the best of times. Major work has been done adding extra lanes to the initial two lanes.
Around 200,000 people of various nationalities make this a cosmopolitan place in the true sense of the word. There are superb museums recording its history from the times of the first local inhabitants called the Guanches to important landmark churches.
Teresitas beach, a few minutes to the north, is a marvel of manmade ingenuity. Even before the sun has risen, people young and old go to the beach for morning exercise and can be seen walking up and down the beach in the dark.
For those who prefer a nice pool to relax the day away, the Parque Maritimo is the place to go. Yet another attraction designed by the famous artist Cesar Manrique, is a place to escape to mind to. It has beautiful complex of pools and inviting shallow lakes formed within natural rocks and lined with palm trees numbering 5000 plus. You can relax at the restaurants and bars here and just watch others relaxing the day away.
As with any major capital city, there is a lot going on in a compact space. There are narrow streets which are remnants or the older settlement days, but these are interspersed with green areas such as gardens and parks. These provide a haven for relaxing and watching the city folk go about their business. It offers great photo opportunities too, so taking a camera with you is a must. One such place is Parque Garcia Sanabria. It is named after the man who commissioned the park back in 1922. It is a relaxing park filled with tropical trees and plantlife as well as fountains and play areas for the children.
If you are a fan of exploring the markets (not Meercats, simple) then it is recommended to visit the Mercado de Nuestra Señora de Africa. There is a permanent building for this market with a large archway entrance displaying its name. In here you'll find all sorts of local bargains. Explore the many (around 300) stalls at your leisure which are set out in the form of 'patios'. There is another floor below which serves as the local fish market and sells the daily catch. The market is open from 6am until 3 in the afternoon.
The main day is Sunday when the principal weekly market is joined by other traders who set up nearby. This is the Rastro flea market where you can buy a large selection of goods from trinkets and clothes to household items. One thing to be said about this outdoor gathering is to keep your wits about you and keep your money in deep pockets. But don't let this spoil your enjoyment of an excellent time browsing.
By far, one of the best times to be in Santa Cruz is during February when the Carnaval is in town. The city comes alive and buzzes all day and night for three weeks. There is so much to see and do here it is a fabulous time to absorb the atmosphere, food, drinks and entertainment.
The event is held to welcome springtime and the scale of the festivities is only surpassed by Rio de Janiero. The election of the carnaval queen is a spectacular event covered by state TV. The main parade is not to be missed when thousands line the streets to watch the procession of colour and sound and of course take photos with cameras and videos.
A main gathering point for locals and tourists is the Plaza de España. This was naturally packed to the rafters during the celebrations when Spain won the 2010 world cup. It's latest guise is as a huge lake when it was redesigned in 2008. The square is a good starting point for any day of sightseeing. It was originally the site of Castillo de San Cristobal until the late twenties when it was demolished to develop the square as a main focal point. The other two notable landmarks which make up the entire façade is the Cabildo Insular which is the government headquarters and the war memorial. These all take centre stage for festivities, especially at night when they are lit up with floodlights.
Another famous landmark is Inglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción. This marks the centre of the old town of Santa Cruz. You really cant fail to spot it with its tall bell tower dominating the skyline. This church and the site it stands on dates back to the fifteenth centuary. Inside can be found the namesake of the city, which is the original holy cross of the conquest brought by Alonso Fernandez de Lugo in 1494. Fine artwork and decoration can be seen inside. Some of the wood used was salvaged from unfortunate ships sunk from encounters with British pirate ships.
Santa Cruz can not be totally explored in a day or night, but any time spent there exploring the many facets of this vibrant city, is time well spent.
return
Further Articles
Santa Cruz is a vibrant place buzzing with all sorts of activity day and night throughout the year. If there is a lull in the calendar, be sure the community will think up a fiesta to fill it!
This city is the capital of Tenerife and the province which includes the other islands of La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. It has grown to be an important port for all types of trade having taken its Capital status from La Laguna. Large cruise ships dock and unload thousands of tourists during the year who enjoy the delights of the city as well as lower tax shopping. Tour operators also organise coach trips for tourist from all over the island. Even though it is part of mainland Spanish territory, it commands its own level of tax called I.G.I.C. which is generally at 5%.
There are plans to link the south of the island to Santa Cruz via a tram network. Trams can be seen joining the capital with La Laguna and when this is linked up to the south, getting there will be a lot less hassle. The main motorway called the TF-1 is a busy road and driving there, especially if you are a tourist in a hire car, can be testing at the best of times. Major work has been done adding extra lanes to the initial two lanes.
Around 200,000 people of various nationalities make this a cosmopolitan place in the true sense of the word. There are superb museums recording its history from the times of the first local inhabitants called the Guanches to important landmark churches.
Teresitas beach, a few minutes to the north, is a marvel of manmade ingenuity. Even before the sun has risen, people young and old go to the beach for morning exercise and can be seen walking up and down the beach in the dark.
For those who prefer a nice pool to relax the day away, the Parque Maritimo is the place to go. Yet another attraction designed by the famous artist Cesar Manrique, is a place to escape to mind to. It has beautiful complex of pools and inviting shallow lakes formed within natural rocks and lined with palm trees numbering 5000 plus. You can relax at the restaurants and bars here and just watch others relaxing the day away.
As with any major capital city, there is a lot going on in a compact space. There are narrow streets which are remnants or the older settlement days, but these are interspersed with green areas such as gardens and parks. These provide a haven for relaxing and watching the city folk go about their business. It offers great photo opportunities too, so taking a camera with you is a must. One such place is Parque Garcia Sanabria. It is named after the man who commissioned the park back in 1922. It is a relaxing park filled with tropical trees and plantlife as well as fountains and play areas for the children.
If you are a fan of exploring the markets (not Meercats, simple) then it is recommended to visit the Mercado de Nuestra Señora de Africa. There is a permanent building for this market with a large archway entrance displaying its name. In here you'll find all sorts of local bargains. Explore the many (around 300) stalls at your leisure which are set out in the form of 'patios'. There is another floor below which serves as the local fish market and sells the daily catch. The market is open from 6am until 3 in the afternoon.
The main day is Sunday when the principal weekly market is joined by other traders who set up nearby. This is the Rastro flea market where you can buy a large selection of goods from trinkets and clothes to household items. One thing to be said about this outdoor gathering is to keep your wits about you and keep your money in deep pockets. But don't let this spoil your enjoyment of an excellent time browsing.
By far, one of the best times to be in Santa Cruz is during February when the Carnaval is in town. The city comes alive and buzzes all day and night for three weeks. There is so much to see and do here it is a fabulous time to absorb the atmosphere, food, drinks and entertainment.
The event is held to welcome springtime and the scale of the festivities is only surpassed by Rio de Janiero. The election of the carnaval queen is a spectacular event covered by state TV. The main parade is not to be missed when thousands line the streets to watch the procession of colour and sound and of course take photos with cameras and videos.
A main gathering point for locals and tourists is the Plaza de España. This was naturally packed to the rafters during the celebrations when Spain won the 2010 world cup. It's latest guise is as a huge lake when it was redesigned in 2008. The square is a good starting point for any day of sightseeing. It was originally the site of Castillo de San Cristobal until the late twenties when it was demolished to develop the square as a main focal point. The other two notable landmarks which make up the entire façade is the Cabildo Insular which is the government headquarters and the war memorial. These all take centre stage for festivities, especially at night when they are lit up with floodlights.
Another famous landmark is Inglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción. This marks the centre of the old town of Santa Cruz. You really cant fail to spot it with its tall bell tower dominating the skyline. This church and the site it stands on dates back to the fifteenth centuary. Inside can be found the namesake of the city, which is the original holy cross of the conquest brought by Alonso Fernandez de Lugo in 1494. Fine artwork and decoration can be seen inside. Some of the wood used was salvaged from unfortunate ships sunk from encounters with British pirate ships.
Santa Cruz can not be totally explored in a day or night, but any time spent there exploring the many facets of this vibrant city, is time well spent.
return
Further Articles