THE MARINE PARK TENERIFE

 When the Island Council of Tenerife wanted to do something with the unsightly disused industrial dockyards near the old Castillo de San Juan, they commissioned the brilliant Canarian artist and designer Cesar Manrique to create something for them. Manrique believed that tourism would be the salvation of the Canary Islands if carefully controlled, but could ruin the islands if given free rein. At Santa Cruz his brief was limited, but even so Manrique managed to redesign the docklands site into an attractive leisure complex linking the sea with the Castillo.

The Castillo itself dates back to 1541, and was part of the town's defenses Ithe Castillo San Cristobal was located where the Plaza de Espana lies now). It was once a marketplace for African slaves. Today the Parque Maritimo is a delightful lido, with palms and sunbathing terraces around a beautiful seawater pool - similar to the Lago Martianez Cesar Manrique created for Puerto de la Cruz. To the east of the fort lies the town's Auditorio.

Designed like a seashell by Santiago Calatrava, it is Santa Cruz's main concert hall. Southwards stretches a huge palm park Palmetum), still being planted, while across the busy coastal highway is a large, eye-catching exhibition space for trade fairs and conferences.