In the Plaza de la Iglesia, to the E. of the Plaza de la Constitución, are the Iglesia de la Peña de Santa Francisca, with its new tower, and the Casas Consistoriales or town-hall, with its old-fashioned wooden balcony.—Mr. R. Gomez, the chemist (see above), possesses a small Guanche Museum (adm. 1 p.).
To the E. of the town a palm-avenue leads along the Barranco de Martianez to the bathing beach (Playa de Martianez). Beyond the ravine, about halfway up the abrupt coast-hill, is the spring called Fuente de Martianez.—A zigzag path ascends to the Sitio de la Paz (492 ft.), once occupied by Alex. von Humboldt (1814), and now containing several memorials of that savant. A cypress-avenue is the sole relic of the old garden (fee).—A beautiful walk may be taken to the Barranco de las Arenas, 1½ hr. to the E.
To the S. the Camino del Puerto (see below) leads past the Observatorio (belonging to the nautical observatory of Hamburg) to the *Botanic Garden (Jardín Botánico or de Aclimatación), laid out in 1788, which, though sadly neglected, contains exquisite flowers, superb magnolias, and fine specimens of royal, Canary, and exotic palms, dragon-trees (p. [30]), and fig-trees (Ficus imperialis and Ficus nitida; p. [233]).
A dusty road (donkey 3 p.) leads from the cemetery at the W. end of the town to the Finca los Frailes of Dr. Perez, with its splendid avenue of palms. The road ends at the Risco do Burgado, with its fissured lava cliffs, washed by huge breakers.
Pleasant ride (4–5 hrs.; donkey 4, horse 8 p.) by Los Frailes to Realejo Bajo and Realejo Alto (p. [42]), returning, above the three eruptive cones (p. [38]), viâ Cruz Santa (p. [41]), Perdoma, and Villa Orotava.
From Puerto Orotava the dusty roads mentioned on p. [39], besides the Camino del Puerto, the old bridle-path, lead through a garden-like region in 1¼–1½ hr. to Villa Orotava (1080–1480 ft.; Hot. Suizo, pens. 6–8 p., good; Hot. Victoria, same charges; 3600 inhab.) the Arautápala of the Guanches, now the capital of the Orotava Valley. The antiquated little town, which has fallen into great poverty since the decline of the cochineal culture (p. [32]), occupies almost the loveliest site in the whole island.
At the E. entrance is the Plaza de San Agustín, with the old Iglesia de San Agustín and a band-stand, whence we have a fine view of Puerto Orotava and the sea. Near it is the Villa of Marquesa Quinta, now owned by Dr. Perez (p. [39]), with its beautiful park; on the highest terrace is a marble mausoleum (adm. to both 1 p.).
In the quarter above the Iglesia de la Concepción are several châteaux of the noblesse. On the S.W. side of the town, near the monastery of San Francisco (now a hospital), are two old mansions with very handsome carved balconies (comp. p. [36]).
An excursion, attractive in clear weather only, may be made to the farm of Aqua Mansa (3491 ft.), in the S.E. angle of the Orotava Valley, within the cloud-region, 1½ hr. to the S.E. of Villa Orotava. Steep bridle-path; mule, see p. [39]. The chestnut and erica woods are succeeded in the Barranco de la Arena by primæval *Pine Forest, near which is an abrupt slope with huge columns of basalt, known as the Organos (organ-pipes). From Agua Mansa we may either ride back by the W. margin of the Ladera de Santa Ursula (p. [38]) and the farm of La Florida, or we may cross the Pedro Gil Pass (6522 ft.; the top of the Cumbre, to the S.W., commands a striking view of the E. coast and the Grand Canary) to the grand basin of the *Garganta de Güimar, and along the lava-stream of 1705, past Arafo, to (6–7 hrs.) Güimar (p. [36]).
The Ascent of the Peak of Teneriffe, which is fatiguing but without danger, takes two days and should be made in the warmer season (hotel arrangement for the ascent, see p. [39]; tariffs for mule and guide, also see p. [39]). The excursion affords an admirable insight into the geological structure of the island, while the view in clear weather is of unparallelled grandeur. The equipment most needed consists of riding leggings, an Alpenstock (lanza), stout boots, a lantern, rugs, drinking-water, abundant provisions, grey spectacles or goggles, and lanoline for the face. In the Cañadas (see below) the guides and mule-drivers often refuse their services when snow is falling. The shortest way to the peak is by the bridle-path from Puerto Orotava, viâ Cruz Santa, to the Portillo. In about 10 hrs. we reach the refuge-hut of Alta Vista, the keys of which are brought by the guide. We may afterwards descend to Icod Alto and Realejo Alto (p. [42]; about 8 hrs.), where a vehicle may be ordered to meet us; or we may descend viâ the Llano de la Maja to Güimar (p. [36]; 10 hrs.).