Local Information
About Puerto de la Cruz
The Conference will be held in Puerto de la Cruz, a 25,000 pop. sea-side resort on the northern coast of the Island of Tenerife, and about 42 Km from the capital city, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Located at latitude +28º and longitude 15º West, the Spanish Islas Canarias consist of a volcanic archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean made up of 7 islands and 6 islets, with 1.605.000 inhabitants. The nearest island is 108 Km off the Northwest African mainland, the farest is 485 Km. Geographically, the islands are part of the African continent but from a historical, economical, political and sociocultural point of view, the Canaries are completely European, although it has had also a historical strong relation with America.
Puerto de la Cruz is the main tourist center of the North of the island, catering for "quality tourism". The mild climate and international nature of the town make it a popular place for foreigners to settle and many people come to the area to retire. This gives Puerto de la Cruz a very international atmosphere with a very active nightlife.
Restaurants can be found that cater for many types of international cuisine and it is easy to find places with their menus in many foreign languages apart from the ubiquitous Spanish, English and German; these include Swedish, Finnish, Danish, French, Dutch, Russian and Italian. A list of recommended restaurants will be provided in your conference folder.
There are facilities of all kinds in the town for visitors and their families, including a small port (used by private vessels). Like in most of Tenerife, sandy beaches are in short supply (the west islands are too young to have much natural sand), but there is a large complex of chlorinated and salt-water pools for swimming, the famous Lago Martianez.
Like all places in Tenerife, when you move even slightly away from the coast there are many step slopes. If you have health or mobility problems, you should bear this in mind and be ready to make use of taxis and rent-a-cars where possible.
Attractions in Puerto de la Cruz include the Loro Parque, a fascinating center which combines a park, a zoo, a large bird collection and some spectacular aquaria; the XVIII century Botanic Garden; and the sea front area. Close to Puerto de la Cruz is La Orotova with its special architecture and famous old Canarian-style houses.
The town is connected to the two main airports by motorways. The easiest access is from the North Airport (TFN, or Los Rodeos) along the TF-5 motorway; approximately 20 minutes journey along the coast. The South Airport (TFS, or Reina Sofía) is more than an hour away along the TF-1 and TF-5 motorways (see 'Travel information' section).
There is good bus transport between Puerto de la Cruz and many other points, especially the main towns of La Laguna (where the IAC is) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the capital of the island. A bus timetable will be included in your conference folder.
Weather and Climate
The weather in November is usually comfortably warm. Please make sure that you have some warm clothing as cool evenings and rain are possible at this time of the year, although the climate is usually mild.
Puerto de la Cruz is on the north coast of the island of Tenerife and is dominated by the 3718 m (12198 feet) peak of Teide to the south. There is a maritime climate which means that the temperature and weather on the coast can be warm and pleasant even if it is cold and raining hard just a few minutes drive away.
Snow may come down in exceptional conditions to about the 1500 m level on the hills to the South allowing spectacular photographs of the mountain side.
If you plan to go on either of the two excursions, expect temperatures there which could be sub-zero. Mountain top weather is very variable at this time of the year and rain, snow, fog and high winds may all occur. The weather can change quickly, so a brilliant sunny day may turn into a foggy and miserable one between departure from Puerto de la Cruz and arrival to the observatories.
Airport Information
TFN - Los Rodeos Airport
Phone: +34-922-635998
TFS - Reina Sofía Airport
Phone: +34-922-759200 (24 hours)
Emergency Numbers
Emergencies (all): 112
Police: 091
