The Castle of San Cristóbal served as the city’s main line of defense against invaders for centuries. Built in 1575 on the orders of King Philip II, this coastal fortress helped shape the early history of Tenerife and played a crucial role during key events-most famously repelling Admiral Horatio Nelson’s attack in 1797.

Today, the original structure is largely gone, but its legacy lives on beneath the Spain Square. Visitors can explore the Castle of San Cristóbal Interpretation Centre, where sections of the old walls remain preserved underground. The exhibition space uses models, artifacts, and interactive displays to illuminate the daily life of the fortress, recounting stories of sieges, cannons, and the strategic importance of Santa Cruz’s harbor.

A highlight of the visit is the chance to see the iconic “Tiger Cannon”, the historic castel's bronze cannon, which, according to legend, helped wound Nelson himself, by losing his right arm.

By the ornate entrance arch of the Market of Our Lady of Africa are two sculptures. First, La Lechera ("Milkmaid"), is a shoeless woman hurrying along, a jug in one hand while supporting with the other hand a basket of dairy products on her head. It is in honor of the generations of hard-working milkmaids of Tenerife.

The second sculpture, Homenaje Al Chicharrero ("People of Santa Cruz"), is of two fishermen launching a boat in the surf. The main catch in the old days was horse mackerel, locally known as "chicharos." At one time Santa Cruz was a fishing village. It produced poverty and fish, and was generally looked down on by folks in the city.

The Market of our Lady of Africa is dedicated to food and the people who produce it. Founded in 1944, it is housed in an exotic building of arches and patios with Latin American and Moorish touches. A minaret-like clock tower announces the location of the market. For drivers, there is underground parking with stairs to the market.

Stalls and shops are housed on two busy floors offering fresh produce, flowers, fruit, fish, bread, cheeses, wines and yes, cold cuts. There are also lots of deli offerings, including salsa, cactus marmalade, honey, and spices. For hungry shoppers who can't wait, there are restaurants and tasting stalls.

The Castle of John Baptist, also known as the Black Castle, is a 17th-century coastal fortress. Built between 1641 and 1644 from locally sourced black volcanic stone, this round bastion was designed to safeguard the port from pirates and foreign navies. In 1765, its defensive strength was enhanced with the addition of a cylindrical tower overlooking the sea.

Today, the fortress stands as one of the best-preserved military monuments on the island. Most notably, every July 25, the castle comes to life with a theatrical reenactment of Admiral Horatio Nelson’s failed 1797 invasion-offering a captivating glimpse into Tenerife’s storied past. Even though it is currently closed for interior visits, its historical significance and unique architecture make it a noteworthy landmark in the city.

César Manrique Maritime Park is an outdoor retreat, where saltwater pools, volcanic rock formations, and palm-shaded terraces create a visual harmony with the coastline. Conceived by renowned Canarian architect César Manrique and inaugurated in 1995, the park was designed to reflect the island’s natural character.

The park features three large saltwater pools: a main pool of approximately 6,500 m² with small volcanic islets, a secondary pool with cascading 25-metre waterfalls, and a children’s pool equipped with playful features. Guests have access to a wide range of facilities, including rentable sun loungers and umbrellas, kiosks, cafés and restaurants, jacuzzis, sports courts, and a gym. In addition to its inviting pools, the complex incorporates palm groves, artificial waterfalls, hot springs jacuzzis, games rooms, and a small volcanic beach cove known as the Cove of Negros.

The Cove of Negros, with its black volcanic sand, lies just beside the park near the Palmetum. This inlet has historic significance as the 1494 landing site of Alonso Fernández de Lugo, who led the Spanish conquest with 1,200 soldiers.

Located on an artificial hill of the city, the Palmetum is an botanical garden dedicated to palm trees-from classic Canarian date palms to rare island species from Madagascar, the Caribbean, Oceania, Asia, Africa and beyond. What once served as the city's landfill, closed in 1983, has been transformed through a remarkable ecological restoration project initiated in 1995-now flourishing with over 500 palm species.

Visitors can wander through lush, biogeographically themed sections that mimic their native habitats, complete with streams, ponds, waterfalls, and scenic lookouts overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and city skyline. The centrepiece is the “Octagon” a subterranean shade house, designed to nurture the most moisture-dependent species with a maze of jungle-like trails, bridges, and cascades.

Alongside its visual splendor, the Palmetum serves as a vital conservation and educational location. It operates a museum focused on palm ethnobotany, engages in ex situ propagation of endangered species, and functions as a research centre. Irrigation relies solely on recycled water, chemical use is prohibited, and native birds such as herons and hoopoes have flourished within its verdant grounds.

The Tenerife Auditorium “Adán Martín” rises dramatically as a stunning sculptural landmark. Designed by famed Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and inaugurated in 2003, its sweeping concrete arch-rising 58 m from a two-point base-has become an representation of modern architecture in the Canary Islands.

Inside, the auditorium serves as a cultural center. Its principal concert hall seats around 1,616 attendees, while the more intimate chamber hall accommodates about 422. It hosts a rich calendar of cultural offerings-including performances by the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra, opera, ballet, jazz, world music, and events like the Tenerife Opera Festival and International Music Festival. Beyond music, the venue frequently opens its doors to film festivals, conferences, and even served as a backdrop for productions like Doctor Who and the film Rambo: Last Blood.

The Tenerife Auditorium features cafés and terraces where visitors can enjoy expansive views of the harbor. For the best experience, take time to admire the landmark's remarkable silhouette from different angles-especially during golden hour or when the building is beautifully lit at night for special events.

On July 25, 1797, British Rear Admiral Horatio Nelson lost his right arm to a musket ball fired from the Tiger Cannon of the Castle of San Cristobal in the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The Admiral had attempted an amphibious landing to take the town. He lost the battle and his arm.

The Spain Square was laid down over the Castle of San Cristobal in 1929. Remains of the castle walls are on display in a tunnel under the square. The notorious Tiger Cannon is also there, looking fine after all these years. The square is located in the center of town. It is one of the main squares of the island of Tenerife.

The square is the work of architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron of Herzog & Meuron of Switzerland. The Plaza has a lake and a fountain. Around the square is the Insular Palace of Tenerife, the Palace of the Charter and the Candelaria Square. The Monument to the Fallen of the Spanish Civil War is in the center of the square.

A sign, reading "Santa Cruz" (short for the slogan "Sant Cruz, the heart of Tenerife") is at one end of the square. The last letter of the word "Santa" is in the form of two hearts, one green, one blue. A sculpture "I AM Fine (Lo Llevo bien)" by Basque artist Julio Nieto is next to the lake. It is a man in the shape of a tree, a symbol of optimism.