We were on holidays in Peurto de la Cruz for a week. We were there during the festival week right before lent season. It was like one last big festival and party everynight before fasting for lent. The costumes and music and parades were fun and entertaining. The mock funeral for the Sardine was the most interesting. Men dressed as women, all wearing black, some were dressed in parish worker costumes. Burning Incence. People wailing, bawling and sobbing (great actors) as they were mourning the loss of the sardine. Our interpretation was the death of the fish as they eat a lot during lent season. This was definately a hit.

Avoid the cheap imitation electronic equipment sold on street corners.

The street kitchens out for the festival had gigantic loaves of bread that were toasted, smothered in tomato sauce, and topped with hot peppers, chorizio, or omelette. This was yummy!!!

The selection of ham in the grocery stores was fantastic. The rabbit in plastic bags was a little frightening however.

Recently my sister and I went to The Diamonte Suites Hotel in Puerto De La Cruz. It was the worst experience of a hotel we've ever had, the staff were rude and pretended they couldn't speak English the guest were predominately german which is ok but they were the rudest people I've ever met too. The rooms were shabby, the resurant was terrible and the food was awful with recontistuted meat, it was hard to find something you could eat.

Don't go there it is not a 4 star hotel

I have been a few times to the South of Tenerife where the weather is very good but area tacky with too many tourists and too many time share hassling you. So when a friend reccommended the North I was a bit dubious as I had always been told that it was nice but always cloudy.

Nice and clean resort with lots of bars and places to eat out, prices pretty reasonable but full of old people. Not just old physically but mentally. The weather never changed and I don't believe it ever gets any better. For the brief moments you see the sun it is very hot but then great big clouds cover the sky and it becomes even cold at times. There are great big lagoon type swimming pools along the seafront which the public can use and hire sunbeds for only 3 euros but it is always too cold. Speaking to people who live there they informed us that the North is always like this.

Lots of Spanish holiday there which you would think was a good sign but I think they go to get a break from the sun. Many people I know who have been there before all agree, although much more scenic than the South you just don't get the weather and entertainment in most bars and hotels in the evening is limited to piano bar /lounge type music. There is not much atmosphere and most people are in bed by 10pm.

If you like the beach don't go here as there is no beach to speak of. The sea is always too rough to go in with the red flags flying most of the time. Only the surfers go in! The 'sand' is Tenerife's black sand and what little of beach there is is rocky.

This is also not a place to take children, I took my 14 year old son and there was nothing for him to do.

Overall if you want to sunbathe and like to use the beach or swimming pool then this is not the place to go. If you wish to die of boredem then please do go.

We stayed in the El Tope which we liked but Puerto de la Cruz is like an impoverished seaside resort running out of money. We went in mid April and it seemed to closed!! There were cafes open but not nice ones. The Paris Cafe on the sea front was good but wandering around on a night there was nothing to do unless you wanted McDonalds, an amusement arcade (there were plenty) or a walk. We are in our 40s and took our 16 year old daughter. She at least could find internet accesss easily (1 euro an hour) but we struggled to find a nice pavement cafe to while away the evening. There was no entertainment during the evening unless you were over 70. People talk about the 100 odd steps - not really a problem. Some good shops in the Martianez shopping centre but out advice would be - hire a car and drive out of there. Find the shops and retaurants at the very back of the resort - behind the El Tope and Sol Puerto de la Cruz. Much classier. Basically we thought it was a poorer version of Blackpool. We tried to walk to sea wall only to find that it ended abruptly in the harbour and there were not steps down - we had to jump. Sea front lido looked excellent at 3 euros as day but we were fortunate to have good weather and spent days by the pool. Glad we were half board because we would have struggled to find nice places to eat. Spent a day at Loro Parque - excellent. Well worth a visit. Get the train from special stop near McDonalds - free. Get your rep to book your tickets in advance then your don`t queue. Train takes you back - free.