Where do cruise ships dock in Tenerife? All ships around the Canary Islands will dock at the cruise port in Tenerife. It is the biggest and busiest cruise port in the Canary Islands, right on the water of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the island’s capital.
One of the most important things about Tenerife’s port is that it connects by sea to the other islands and the Iberian Peninsula.
Tenerife is technically part of Spain but is more than 1,000 miles away, so it is very different from the island. When you get off the cruise ship at Tenerife’s cruise port, you can see how different it is: its stunning landscape, interesting past, and friendly culture.
Below, you can find everything you need to know about your port day. It covers everything from where the cruise ships dock in Tenerife to the best things to do once you get there.
Where do cruise ships dock in Tenerife?
The cruise port in Tenerife is in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which is on the northeast coast of the island and 195 miles west of the Moroccan coast.
Tenerife’s cruise terminal has one of the deepest natural harbours in the world, so it can fit very big cruise ships. Up to five ships can dock at the same time.
The berths at Muelle Sur are where most cruise ships will dock. A long breakwater runs here. You can walk to the main building and welcome centre, less than a mile away. You can also take a free shuttle bus from the berths to the building that houses the ship terminal.
The cruise port building on Tenerife is the biggest in the Canaries, measuring 8473 m2 (91200 ft2). The check-in hall has 50 desks, a big waiting area, and parking for taxis and buses.
What’s the distance between Tenerife and the cruise port?
Once you get to the building for the cruise terminal, it’s only about 300 meters to the city heart from Tenerife’s cruise port. Because of this, it is easy to walk from Tenerife’s cruise port to the city’s heart.
You can sometimes take the shuttle bus from the cruise terminals to the city centre, which stops at Plaza de la Candelaria, the main historical place. If you need an alternative way to get from the Tenerife cruise port to the city centre, Santa Cruz de Tenerife has a daily bus service and many taxis.
Is there anything close to the cruise port in Tenerife?
There are lots of things to do near the Tenerife cruise port. It only takes 5–10 minutes to walk to the city’s heart of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Explore its beautiful squares and colourful neighbourhoods, which have an interesting mix of old and new buildings. The ultra-modern and famous Tenerife Auditorium hosts world music events. Next is the Castle of San Cristóbal Interpretation Centre, which has the remains of the castle wall from the 16th century and the famous bronze gun El Tigre.
The Plaza de España is close to the Tenerife cruise port and is the city’s biggest and most beautiful square. It is built around a lake filled with seawater.
You should also check out the Palmetum, a 30-acre botanical park with a collection of palm trees, and the traditional market called Our Lady of Africa Market.
Near the Tenerife cruise port, there are other things to do
If your cruise has a longer stop in Tenerife and you’re looking for things to do on port days, Teide National Park is a popular choice.
Teide National Park is named after Mount Teide, the park’s tallest mountain in Spain, standing 3,718 meters above sea level. The park has beautiful hiking trails and picnic places. You can even take a cable car to the top of the mountain to see Tenerife in all its glory.
One of the best things to do near Tenerife cruise port is to go to the beach. People say that Playa de las Teresitas is one of the best beaches in Tenerife. It’s only 4 miles away, in San Andrés.
You can also swim, sail, and lay in the sun at Playa de las Americas, Los Cristianos, and Puerto de la Cruz. You should go to San Cristóbal de La Laguna if you like exploring old buildings and are looking for things to do in Tenerife on port days.
It is a UNESCO World Heritage site 11 km uphill from Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It used to be the capital of the Canary Islands. Some Spanish colonial buildings kept in good shape are the Cathedral of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Casa Salazar, and the Church of the Immaculate Conception.
A lot of cruise lines offer trips to a little farther away places like Teide National Park and San Cristóbal de La Laguna. This makes getting there easier and gives you peace of mind that you’ll be back in time for the cruise to leave and more with our cheap Tenerife holiday packages.
Here’s how to get to the cruise port in Santa Cruz, Tenerife
The cruise terminal is about 1 km from the town of Santa Cruz and about 14 km from the airport to the cruise station. It’s easy to get there by cab, public transportation, or a shuttle service.
From the airport in Tenerife
The bus is the cheapest option, at €1 to €2. Take queue 20; it should only take about 15 minutes, but that depends on how busy it is.
Tram: At €2, this is one of the cheaper ways to get around. The bus ride to the tram stop at Padre Anchieta is only 5 minutes long. From there, take line 1 of the tram, which will take you to Fundación (the cruise port) in about 33 minutes.
Taxi: You can take a taxi from the airport nothing to worry. Depending on traffic, the ride will take about 15 minutes and cost between €20 and €30.
How to get to the city’s heart
There is a free shuttle bus service from Tenerife Port Authority to Plaza de España in the city centre. You could also take a cab. Signs may say the free bus is only for people who need it for accessibility reasons, but anyone can use it as needed.
Hotels close to the cruise port in Santa Cruz, Tenerife
There are hotels in the centre of Santa Cruz, Tenerife, if you want to stay there before or after your trip.
- Central Lofts
- AC Hotel Tenerife by Marriott
- Hotel Colon Rambla
- Hotel Taburiente S.C. Tenerife
- Santa Cruz Tenerife Guimera
Facilities at the Santa Cruz, Tenerife cruise terminal
- Since the cruise port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is close to the city’s heart, there are plenty of facilities to choose from.
- The terminal has a lot of seats and a VIP room for people who are waiting.
- Bathrooms: Public bathrooms are by the water as you reach the port, but not inside the terminal.
- There are shops nearby that are open during the week and on Saturdays. Seven days a week, only shopping malls are open. A market called El Mercado Nuestra Senora de Africa is about 15 minutes from where the cruise ships leave. You can buy food and gifts from the area here.
- Bars and restaurants: There aren’t any places to eat in the port, but there are many of them along the beach, like a wine and cheese bar, bar and grill restaurants and more.
- Access for people with disabilities—it’s easy for people who have trouble getting around the port and Tenerife. Every surface is flat and even. It should be easy to get around town since most sidewalks have dropped curbs. Most local buses are easy to get to, and regular cabs are always on hand at the quayside.
Top Tenerife Cruise Sights and Attractions
Enjoy looking at old buildings in Puerto de la Cruz
When you go to Puerto de la Cruz on your trip to Tenerife, you’ll feel like you’ve been taken back in time. On the northern side of Tenerife, in the Orotava Valley, you can find Puerto de la Cruz. This is a beautiful part of the island with wild green plants, lava boulders, and black sand beaches. Puerto de la Cruz is full of colour and historic buildings. Many houses were built in the 18th century and have wooden balconies left over from the island’s colonial era. One of the best places to have fun in the sun in Puerto de la Cruz is at one of the pools at Lago Martiánez that are filled with water from the sea. If you enjoy being around animals, you should visit Loro Parque, a zoo with many types of animals, such as lions, birds, penguins, and even an aquarium.
There is Mount Teide, the largest national park in the Canary Islands
Mount Teide, on Tenerife, is the highest point on any Atlantic island. It is more than 12,000 feet above sea level. It is also the third-tallest volcano in the world, and Mount Teide is still erupting. Teide Siam Park Water FunNational Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering 47,000 acres, is the best place to see Mount Teide. There are beautiful hiking trails, a scenic cable car ride, and the Teide Observatory, an astronomy centre you can tour. It is the most popular natural spot in all of Spain.
San Cristóbal de La Laguna’s Old Town Is a Wonder
San Cristóbal de La Laguna is right next to Santa Cruz. La Laguna was once the capital of Tenerife and has a beautiful Old Town that is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Old Town is full of buildings and churches from the 16th to the 18th centuries, and its Lower Town was one of the first cities to be built on a grid.
There are even pyramids to see in Tenerife
The Pyramids of Güímar are six buildings in the shape of pyramids found in the town of Güñmar on the island of Tenerife’s eastern coast. The pyramids are square, and their shape comes from stepped lava stone levels. Many people are amazed that the pyramids were made without mortar. Archaeologists think they are similar to Egypt, Mexico, and Peru pyramids.
Tenerife’s Best Things to Do
A Great Drive to Masca
Want to go on an exciting drive? The road to the village of Masca has many turns and twists. The village is in a gorge surrounded by nature, making it very beautiful. In 1991, a road was built to link it to the rest of the island. With its stone houses and far-off hiking trail along a ravine, it still feels like a world away.
Siam Park Water Fun
Siam Park is a beautiful water park in Tenerife with big water slides, pools, and lazy rivers. It’s the perfect place for exciting water fun. The park’s design is based on Thai architecture, making it beautiful to look at.
Check out Santa Cruz, the capital city
Tenerife’s main city is Santa Cruz. Along with its famous beaches, Santa Cruz is known as a party island because it has a lot of city life and nightlife. You can do more than eat and party in Santa Cruz. There are many museums, parks, and an old town area called Puerto de la Cruz. It’s also an easy city to get around on foot, with a cute pier and many places to shop.
Find a Beautiful Beach to Unwind On
An island tour to Tenerife, Canary Islands, is a great way to spend time there. Beaches are all over the island. Because the Canary Islands are in the Atlantic, they get a lot of sunshine. Tenerife is no different; the island has some of the hottest average daily temperatures of all the Canary Islands and only six rainy days on average per month. Make sure you bring sunscreen with you when you go to the beach! Also, pay attention to the coloured signs on the beaches. A red bag means you shouldn’t swim, a yellow bag means you can swim at your own risk, and a green bag means you can swim there, but you should still be careful.
Best Places to Eat and Drink Near the Tenerife Cruise Port
People love the fresh fish and fruit grown in Tenerife, especially the strawberries, served with cream or mixed into cakes or cocktails.
The Conejo al Salmorejo is another delicious dish from the area. It is rabbit-cooked with a rich mix of spices, usually garlic, paprika, pepper, rosemary, and thyme. It is fried in olive oil in a pan and then cooked slowly in white wine sauce until soft. It will most likely be given with roasted potatoes, another must-have dish in Canarian food. In Tenerife, they are boiled in salt water with the skins on and eaten wrinkled with mojo sauce. You can try the potatoes with mojo sauce even if you can’t stomach the rabbit. They are a favourite comfort food in Tenerife. If you can choose between red and green mojo, know that red sauce is usually hotter.
Many restaurants in the centre of Santa Cruz and Playa de las Américas serve traditional Canarian food. This area is also close to all the famous shops on Avenida de las Américas, making it even better. Going to the north end of the island to see Puerto de la Cruz is a great idea, and many places there serve delicious Canarian food.
What the Tenerife Cruise Port Is Like and Its History
For a long time, the Canary Islands were a centre for trade between Europe and the USA. After Spain took over Santa Cruz in 1496, it became a major trading hub. This made it a target for pirates, and it was even the site of the famous Battle of Santa Cruz in 1797 when the British tried but failed to take over the port.
Trade between the Americas and the Canary Islands grew, making it easier to travel between them. As a result, some islanders moved to South America and Latin America, while others from the Americas came to live in Tenerife. Tenerife’s society, which is mostly Spanish, has some Latin American influences that you can still feel today.
Nowadays, cruise tourists will find Tenerife a lively island with friendly people and a unique mix of busy cities, historic old towns, and beautiful nature.
There are stores close to the Tenerife cruise port
Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, has many great places to shop. Cruise guests should make sure they have extra space in their suitcases for the trip home.
Santa Cruz, a port city, has a lot of shops that sell gifts and other small items. But if you want to do a lot of shopping in the Canary Islands, you should go to Avenida de las Américas. This long street is called the “Golden Mile” because many shops are on both sides. In the sun, walk down the street and look at the stores from the outside. If you see something you like, go inside and treat yourself to some retail therapy. High-end brands like Armani and Versace are located on Avenida de las Américas. There are also sports stores like Nike, Adidas, Timberland, and many other high-street fashion brands.
How to Use Local Money and Leave Tips
The euro is used as money in the Canary Islands because they are part of Spain. There are exchange offices on the island, but an ATM is usually the fastest way to get euros. There are many of them all over Santa Cruz. VISA and Mastercard are also commonly accepted, but if you don’t have cash on hand, it’s best to call ahead to make sure your credit card is accepted before you use it, especially at smaller or family-run businesses.
In Tenerife, you should tip at restaurants and bars. The standard amount is 10% of the total bill, but some people round up to the nearest dollar (for example, if your bill is $47.20, you should round it up to $50). When taking a cab, it’s also common to round up. It’s also easier this way since most taxi drivers won’t give you back change immediately. But if you need change, tell the cab driver how much you want back when you give him the cash.
Need to know
Time of flight
Direct flights from London to Tenerife South are available on Ryanair and EasyJet. The flights take about four hours.
Peace of mind
It’s easy to have the most visits. But Santa Cruz de Tenerife is a port city, which can mean shady things. Be careful around the port area at night, and watch for pickpockets during the day in busy places.
The best time to visit
There is never a bad time to visit this land because spring always returns. Still, there are many people in Europe in the summer and around Christmas, so if you want a more relaxed experience, go when it’s not as busy.
Closed Up
Most shops open around 9 a.m. and close between 5 and 6 p.m., but many older businesses still take a break in the afternoon (between 2 and 5 p.m.) and stay open later. Most stores are open longer at malls, but many other stores are closed on Sundays or have shorter hours.
