The old town of La Orotava in the North of the island, lies at the foot of the Teide mountain, in a valley, only 5 kilometres from Puerto de la Cruz, the main tourist resort in the North of Tenerife. La Orotava, however keeps all the calm and charm of the old traditional villages typical of the island.
This is one of the most fertile parts of Tenerife, La Orotava valley is an important centre of agriculture, especially for the growth of bananas and grapes, two of the main fruits produced in the island. If you have never seen a banana plantation this is a good opportunity to see how this local good is growth and produced. You can also try any of the local wines, the nearby town Icod de los Vinos, named after the Spanish word for wine (vino), is a perfect place to enjoy a glass of any of the wines produced in Tenerife.
One of the most important celebrations in la Orotava, which takes place in November, is in fact a wine festival, the Fiesta de San Andres.
In the old centre of la Orotava you will find magnificent historical buildings, take your time to visit them and to discover the traditional architecture of Tenerife. Here you may take a break visiting the “Jardín Victoria” park or enjoy the beautiful botanical gardens of the town (known as La Hijuela del Botánico) which gather some 3.000 different species of tropical plants brought here from different continents.
What to see in La Orotava:
La Orotava counts with several museums where you can learn more about the Canarian history though its crafts, customs and roots:
- Latin American crafts Museum of Santo Domingo (Museo Iberoamericano de Artesanía de Santo Domingo)
- Wax Museum Casa Tafuriaste
- Etnographic Museum Pinolere
- Artenerife
- The House of the Balconies (Casa de los Balcones)
For more information on these museums visit this website about La Orotava