Don't bypass the bustling capital, the port of Santa Cruz, in your haste to reach the beaches. This good looking and wholly Spanish city is home to evocative, brightly painted buildings, sophisticated and quirky shops, excellent museums, a showstopping auditorium, and a tropical oasis of birdsong, fountains and greenery in the city park. It also has a good range of quality accommodation and restaurants, plus an excellent bus system, making it a sensible base for exploring Tenerife’s northeast.