San Cristóbal de La Laguna, or simply ‘La Laguna’ is home to colorful, palm tree-lined streets, with breathtaking Canary mansions restored from the 16th century. It felt like many South American towns we’ve visited, which makes sense when we discovered that La Laguna was the architectural inspiration for many colonial cities there. Find out our favorite spots to visit, the best places to eat, and our recommended hotels in La Laguna.
Things to do in San Cristóbal de La Laguna
We found San Cristóbal de La Laguna to be a welcome break from the resorts in the south of Tenerife. It feels much more like a local’s town rather than a tourist hub, and as there is a university here, the atmosphere is young and lively.
People visit during the day for a quick 1-2 hour visit, but don’t typically stay overnight. We also spent a couple of hours sightseeing and having a nice lunch. But after visiting ourselves, we actually recommend this now as a good place to stay; it’s a perfect base for your Tenerife itinerary!
Note: La Laguna is situated in northern Tenerife, conveniently only a 15-minute drive from the north airport (Ciudad de La Laguna). Check which airport you’re flying into before booking, as this will affect where you rent your car. (Book your flight here)
La Laguna Old Town
The most beautiful part of San Cristóbal de La Laguna is the Old Town, a maze of cobbled streets flanked by vibrantly-colored colonial buildings. The bright blues, yellows, and pink facades, palm trees, and the clear blue sky reminded us a little bit of being back in Cartagena, Colombia!
Make sure to peek inside public places too, like Iglesia de la Concepción and Palacio de Salazar!
You could easily spend a few hours just wandering around admiring the old wooden balconies, Canary mansions, and interior courtyards in town. The best street to head for first is Obispo Rey Redondo, which has the most beautiful buildings and loads of artsy shops (Hannah was in heaven here!).
Afterward, check out these beautiful historic sights:
La Laguna Cathedral
La Laguna Cathedral is easily the most regal building in town. Marvel at the grand neoclassical facade, which is said to be inspired by the Cathedral of Pamplona in mainland Spain. It’s also the only cathedral in Tenerife, so it’s worth visiting!
While you can enter the church for free, please remember to be respectful as it’s still a place of worship. If you’d like to learn more about its history, audio tours are available for 7 EUR/8 USD. (Book your tickets here)
Tip: Right next to the cathedral is Zoka Brunch and Coffee. We promise you, you don’t want to miss this. It was the best lunch we had in Tenerife!
Casa Museo Cayetano Gómez Felipe
La Laguna also has the beautiful interior courtyards (within the Canary mansions), which you can take a peek at. One such mansion is Casa Museo Cayetano Gómez Felipe, a historic house once owned by a famous collector. Now, it’s a museum where many of his amazing objects and antiques are on display.
Inside, there’s a charming inner courtyard with a cafe, where you can relax and have lunch or a drink. We enjoyed a delicious fresh orange juice and espresso here — a nice break from our sightseeing!
Entry fee and opening times: 5 EUR/5.70 USD to enter the house/museum or enjoy a drink at the cafe. Opening times vary, so check ahead of your visit.
Plaza del Adelantado
Plaza del Adelantado is a must-see square in La Laguna Old Town, where you’ll find the most important historical buildings like Palacio de Nava. You can also see the town hall and the Santa Catalina Monastery. Above all, we just loved the local feel here; many locals seem to use this plaza as a meeting point.
Church of Immaculate Conception
One of the best views in San Cristóbal de La Laguna is from the top of the bell tower inside the Church of Immaculate Conception. The historical structure towers over the low-rise buildings of La Laguna and is an icon of the town. It’s actually the oldest church on Tenerife!
Entry fee: 2 EUR/2.30 USD to visit the church and climb the bell tower. The giant bells ring every 15 minutes and are incredibly loud, so time your visit between rings.
Tip: La Laguna has some superb wine shops where you can taste local wines and buy some bottles to take home. We particularly liked the look of the wine and cheese tasting at La Laguna Gran Hotel! If you have time after visiting San Cristóbal de La Laguna, you can also drive 25 minutes to the famous winery, Bodegas Monje, one of the most scenic vineyards we’ve ever visited!
Day Trip to Anaga Park
If you’re staying in La Laguna for a few days, set aside time to explore the beautiful Anaga Rural Park. La Laguna is the gateway town to this amazing slice of nature in Tenerife, home to some of the oldest laurel (cloud) forests!
You can spend the day hiking in the area, exploring scenic volcanic beaches, and the park’s pretty mountain villages. We chose this circular hike around Roque de Taborno, a huge rock called the ‘Matterhorn of Tenerife’. You can read all about this magical hiking route in our Anaga travel guide.
Tip: Following our Tenerife itinerary? After a morning exploring San Cristóbal de La Laguna, we drove 30 minutes to the stunning white sand beach, Las Teresitas. The scenic side cliffs gave us a feel of Rio de Janeiro!
Best Cafes and Restaurants
We visited La Laguna for the morning, so we just had time to have a drink inside the courtyard at Casa Museo Cayetano Gómez Felipe and to eat the most delicious lunch at Zoka.
- Zoka Brunch and Coffee (our fave, omg the toasts and coffees were amazing!)
- Ahul Bowls & Coffee (delicious breakfast bowls)
- Makika&Co (go here for great pastries)
- El Guaydil (traditional tapas)
Tip: As an alternative to coffee, we were recommended the traditional Tenerife beverage, Barraquito. This coffee has condensed milk, liqueur, espresso, and orange or lemon zest. We didn’t try it (as it was recommended on our departure morning), but it should be delicious.
San Cristóbal de La Laguna Hotels
We stayed in Puerto de la Cruz, just a 30-minute drive from La Laguna. We loved staying here and found it a great base to tick off all the best things to do in Tenerife. (See all hotels in Puerto de la Cruz)
However, as the two towns are so close together, La Laguna could be equally as beautiful a place to stay on your trip. (See all hotels in La Laguna)
How to Visit La Laguna
How you visit La Laguna will depend on where you’re staying in Tenerife.
- From the airport: La Laguna is the home of the northern airport, so you’re just a 15-minute drive away on arrival. You can hire a car, book a taxi, or take bus 20 directly into the centre.
- From Puerto de la Cruz: 30-minute drive by hire car or take bus 103.
If traveling by bus from other destinations in Tenerife, check your route here. The tickets are cheap, and you can easily travel more with the chargeable card.
We recommend to rent a car in Spain through Sunny Cars with free cancellation and insurance included. Book your rental car here.
Parking in La Laguna
In La Laguna Old Town, most streets are pedestrianized, so it’s best to park on the edge of town and walk in. We found paid parking for only about 2 euros for half a day! (here is the location).
Best Time to Visit
La Laguna is beautiful at all times of the year! However, remember that the north is noticeably cooler than the south, and it’s not unusual for a thick mist, especially in the mornings. We actually loved the cooler weather during our morning as it was perfect for city exploring.
Tip: Before you visit, check the weather cameras to understand better what to bring.
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