Palmetum

The Palmetum of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is a botanical garden devoted to palms, and it is one of the best gardens of its kind in Europe. It lies on the edge of the city, close to the sea and next to the Auditorio de Tenerife, the white, wing-shaped concert hall designed by Santiago Calatrava, and its story is one of transformation. The ground it occupies, on a slope above the coast, was for years a municipal rubbish dump, and in the 1990s the city decided to reclaim it as a green space. Engineers sealed and reshaped the land, soil was brought in, and a garden was created and planted, so that a former tip became a collection of living plants. The project is often cited as an example of how a damaged site can be restored.

The garden covers about twelve hectares and contains hundreds of species of palms, from many parts of the world, together with a range of other plants that grow in similar conditions. The collection is arranged by geography, so that visitors move from one region to another, from the palms of the Canary Islands, where the Canary Island date palm is the emblem of the archipelago, to those of Madagascar, Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. In each section, the planting follows the character of the region, with trees of different shapes and sizes: slender trunks with fan-shaped crowns, feather-leaved palms, giants that tower above the paths and tiny understorey species. Some of the species are rare or threatened in the wild, and the garden contributes to their conservation.

The design uses the slope to create varied views. Paths wind through the planting, with terraces, ponds and a lake, and viewpoints look out over the garden, the sea and the city, with the mountains of the island behind. The atmosphere is calm, in contrast to the traffic of the nearby port, and birds, including parakeets, live in the trees. Informative signs identify the species and their origins, and guided visits can be arranged for those who want a deeper explanation.

The Palmetum is open daily, including Sundays and public holidays, from the morning to the late afternoon, with the last entry about an hour before closing, and admission is charged at the gate. It is wise to check the official website for current hours, since they can change at certain times of the year. The garden is accessible for most visitors, with paths that are manageable, though some slopes are steep. A visit takes between one and two hours.

The Palmetum is a short distance from the centre of Santa Cruz and close to the Auditorio and the coastal promenade, so it is easy to combine with a walk by the sea. Las Teresitas Beach lies to the north, and the Anaga mountains, with their laurel forests, are not far away. In hot weather, bring a hat and water.