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palmeyra saw things this way:


A jewel set in an island paradise, September 9, 2010
Reviewer: palmeyra

Pros: The weather is almost gauranteed to be good.

Cons: The shops all close on Sunday!

Santa Cruz de Tenerife, capital of Tenerife in the Canary islands, is a pleasant, virtually crime-free city which is easy to visit and explore. Most ships dock within walking distance of the center and if you are not too mobile, taxis are cheap and plentiful. Shopping for electrical goods, cameras, watches etc. is good, but beware of buying on the street. Street cafes abound, and if you are tired of museums (there are several in Santa Cruz) time can be spent watching people and enjoying a local "cafe con leche" or cold beer. Santa Cruz is well placed for visits to other parts of the island such as the huge volcano, Teide, which at over 11,000 feet is the highest mountain in Spanish territory. Puerto de la Cruz is the oldest tourist town in Tenerife, and about 45 minutes away. The South of the island is the area where tourism has boomed in the last 20 years, and offers guaranteed sunshine, hundreds of hotels, good beaches and designer shops, but no history except for the church in Adeje, which is the third oldest on the island. Tenerife is often the last port of call before the long Atlantic crossing and is an enjoyable stop.

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Todd Todd saw things this way:


Pleasant enough for a day, August 26, 2010
Reviewer: Todd Todd

Pros: Easy access from the ship and up to the upper town

Cons: Tourist facilities focus on the airport

Tenerife is on one of the volcanic islands. Tenerife is a commercial town and one of the largest in the Canaries. The dock is right in the center of town. It's an easy walk, but recently the town offers a free shuttle to the front street. The town is pleasant enough. There are lovely streets with flowers everywhere. There's a lively market and the startling sight of the new Calatrava designed auditorium right by the edge of the sea. The volcanic nature of the islands is reflected in the geography of the town. The commercial center and the harbor are shoved into the narrow coastal strip. The charming historic area is up on top of the "mountain." Thankfully, you won't have to climb up. There's a cheap and quick streetcar that will do the climbing for you. Up on top the historic city has some attractive squares and a colorful market full of the flowers and sub-tropical fruits and vegetables that the Canaries are famous for. A small local museum, a photogenic ruin of a church and some shops round out the town. The excursions take you out to some other small towns and up to Mt. Tiede. This is the big volcano that dominates the island. The lower slopes are green, but with elevation it slowly becomes a type of desert. You can take a gondola up the mountain that is snow-covered part of the year. You'll have to rent a car if you want beaches.