On Tuesday we had a change from hiking and took the bus from nearby Los Cristianos to the capital of Tenerife in the north of the island, Santa Cruz. The journey takes about an hour. After coffee at the Opera House we took a bus and tram to the former capital and university and cathedral city of La Laguna.

The Auditorio de Tenerife (The Tenerife Opera House), designed by architect Santiago Calatrava Valls, stands near the sea and almost next door to the bus station. It opened in 2003. The design appears to be influenced by the Sydney Opera House and is home to the Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife (Tenerife Symphony Orchestra). As we had time to spare, and anyway it was coffee time, we visited the cafe at the Auditorio.

A bus and/or tram will take you quickly inland from Santa Cruz to La Laguna or  San Cristóbal of La Laguna to give it its full name. Along with Mount Teide National Park La Laguna is the other designated UNESCO World Heritage site on Tenerife. It’s a beautiful historic city, small enough to wander around for a few hours and has a number of good restaurants and impressive 18th century buildings.

Look! No litter in the streets

A Cafe in the Square

Franco de Castilla House – typical C18th house in La Laguna

In the Main Square – Araukaria Tree

Main Square La Laguna

Hotel Aguere, formerly the C18th House of the Marquises Torrehermosa

The Cathedral of San Cristóbal de La Laguna or Catedral de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios

The Cathedral of San Cristóbal de La Laguna or Catedral de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios

Courtyard of The House of the Captains General a cultural heritage site and now home to the La Laguna council offices

The Church and former Convent of Saint Augustine (San Agustín) founded in 1506

The church of the former Convent of Saint Augustine was destroyed by fire in 1964 is still awaiting restoration

If you visit Tenerife I highly recommend a day out in La Laguna.