Guides

Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife

Puerto de la Cruz guide for Irish travellers: how to get there, weather on Tenerife's north coast, where to stay and a late deal tip.

Updated Saturday 17 October 2026

Why go

Puerto de la Cruz is on the north coast of Tenerife. It is one of the oldest holiday towns in the Canary Islands. Visitors from Europe came here for the climate long before mass tourism, and the town still has a real Canarian centre.

It feels very different from the purpose-built south. Expect a working town with plazas, a fishermen’s quarter and a historic botanical garden. Its guests tend to be older couples rather than the nightlife crowd of Playa de las Américas.

Getting there from Ireland

The nearest airport is Tenerife North (TFN), but there are no direct flights to it from any Irish airport in the current route tables. Irish visitors fly to Tenerife South (TFS) and transfer across the island.

Direct flights to Tenerife South, based on current airport route tables:

  • Dublin: Aer Lingus and Ryanair, plus seasonal TUI charters
  • Cork: Aer Lingus and Ryanair
  • Shannon: Ryanair
  • Knock: Ryanair
  • Belfast International: easyJet and Jet2, plus TUI seasonally

The flight from Dublin takes about four and a quarter hours. Allow for a longer transfer than you would have to the southern resorts.

When to go

We could not verify long-term weather figures for the town itself. Two nearby stations give a guide:

  • Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the island capital on the coast: average highs of about 21.5°C in January and 23°C in April. August reaches almost 30°C and October about 27°C.
  • Tenerife North Airport, inland and higher up: about 16°C in January and 26°C in August.

Puerto de la Cruz sits at sea level, so the coastal figures are the closer guide. Its climate is classed as hot semi-arid, with warm winters and hot, dry summers. Pack a layer for evenings.

Where to stay

  • Town centre and Plaza del Charco: the main square, in the heart of town.
  • Martiánez: close to Lago Martiánez, the seawater pool complex designed by César Manrique.
  • Playa Jardín: a palm-lined beach area near the small Castillo San Felipe.
  • La Ranilla: the old fishermen’s neighbourhood, recently renovated.

Good for

  • Couples: a town with real streets, plazas and restaurants.
  • Families: Loro Parque, a large zoo on the edge of town, and the pools at Lago Martiánez.
  • Gardeners: the botanical garden in El Botánico, opened in 1788 and the second oldest in Spain.
  • Day trips: Teide National Park is in the municipality of La Orotava, next door.

Late deal tip

Puerto de la Cruz is popular with northern Europeans in winter, especially over Christmas and New Year. In August, more Spanish visitors arrive. Look for late deals outside those peaks. Include the cost of the transfer from Tenerife South, or a hire car, when you compare prices with southern resorts.

Sources

More guides nearby