The old Franciscan monastery contains at present the Museum with fine art and anthropological collections (new building being erected near the Ayuntamiento, Pl. 1, B 2). Beyond it lies the Plaza del Príncipe Alfonso (Pl. B, 2).
The long Calle de Alfonso Treceno (Pl. B, A, 2), or Calle de Castillo, the main street, connects the Plaza de la Constitución with the pretty Plaza de Weyler (Pl. A, 2). The Paseo de los Coches and the Paseo de Ronda (Pl. A, B, 2, 1), a charming promenade bordered with pepper-trees, oleanders, and geraniums, lead thence to the N. through the villa quarter (Barrio de Ensanche).
Excursions on the E. Coast (cabs, see p. [34]). From the Paseo de Ronda we may go past the Pino de Oro Hotel (p. [33]), or by the Hotel Quisisana, to the Conduit (llevada), skirt this and the right bank of the Barranco de Almeida, and thus reach the (1 hr.) tunnels, or we may continue our walk to the (3 hrs.) Aguere Springs.—Starting from the harbour the fine coast-road leads to the N.E. to the mouth of the Valle del Bufadero, which lies at the foot of the Anaga Mts. and is defended by a fort; from here we may go on, crossing some barrancos and skirting the rocks, to the dirty fishing-village of (5 M.) San Andrés (poor inn). Thence to the Cruz de Taganana, see p. [37].—Drive from Cuesta (see below) by the Carretera del Sur, a road shaded by tamarisks, to the S.W., along the slope of the bare sunburnt Cumbre (p. [33]), up and down hill, through many barrancos, viâ (8 M.) San Isidro to (10½ M.) the so-called Halfway House (tavern; good wine); then through the deep Barranco Hondo, below the village of that name (1310 ft.), mostly through pine-woods (pinal). To our right, on the hill, lies the village of Igueste; to our left, on the Ladera de Candelaria, is the village of Candelaria, with the famous pilgrimage-church of the Virgen de la Candelaria. Lastly we cross a lava-stream from the Garganta de Güimar (p. [40]) to (20 M.) Güimar (975 ft.; Hot. El Buen Retiro, with a fine garden, pens. 8–10s., English, good; Pens. Sunnyside, pens. 7s.), a village of 2000 inhab. in a sunny and sheltered site, in the Valle de Güimar. This fertile valley, 3¾ M. in breadth, bounded on the S. by the Ladera de Güimar, and on the W. by the ash-cone of the Arafo and the Monte de Izaña (7380 ft.), yields sugar-cane, oranges, and bananas. Luxuriant vegetation, including gigantic arbutus-trees, is seen also in the Barranco del Rio, to the W., above the village. From the S. end of the village we may reach (ca. 1½ hr.) two cave-dwellings of Guanches (p. [31]), now empty, in the upland valley of the Barranco de Badajoz. Route over the Pedro Gil Pass to Orotava, see p. [40]; ascent of the Peak of Teneriffe, see p. [41].
The Excursion to the Orotava Valley, the most charming spot in the island, takes 1-1½ days. We go by tramway (p. [34]) to Tacoronte and drive thence to Puerto Orotava (see p. [37]).
The shadeless and generally very dusty Carretera del Norte, the continuation of the Calle de Alfonso Treceno (p. [35]) and Rambla de Pulido, crosses the Barranco de Santos and ascends the N.W. slope of the Plateau of Laguna in windings affording several fine views. The country is parched and scorched in spite of the numerous reservoirs (estanques), but corn-fields, tamarisks, fruit-trees, and relics of prickly-pear plantations are occasionally seen.
3 M. Cuesta (962 ft.; inn). The road to Güimar (see above) diverges here. Farther on, as we approach the cooler and better watered tableland, the vegetation becomes richer.
6¼ M. Laguna.—Hotel. Hot. Aguere & Continental, Carrera 57, pens. 10–12s., good.
Laguna or La Laguna (1740 ft.), once the capital of the Canaries (see p. [34]), now a quiet little country-town (pop. 4900), is a favourite summer residence of the wealthier families of Santa Cruz. The old-fashioned houses, as at Villa Orotava, often have pretty, carved balconies; their unglazed windows, closed with shutters only, generally have a postígo, or flap, from which the inmates can view the street.
The Cathedral, founded in 1513 and since 1908 in course of reconstruction, contains the tomb of Alonso Fernandez de Lugo, the conqueror of Teneriffe (1493–6). From the Calle Juan de Vera, diverging to the N., we follow the first side-street, the Calle de San Agustín, to the left, to the old Augustinian monastery, once the university, and now the Instituto de Canarias, which contains the Biblioteca Pública (26,000 vols.) and a small natural history collection. To the right, in the same street (No. 28), is the Palacio Episcopal, whose patio is richly adorned with flowers.
From the E. end of the street a few paces bring us to the Plaza de Adelantado, No. 1 in which is the old Palace of the Nava family.