Las Teresitas in Santa Cruz is, without a doubt, the best-known beach in the capital’s municipality and the only one that has all the services of a bathing place, such as rescue, showers, changing rooms or hammocks and umbrellas, including beach bars, which, A few years ago, they replaced the old tin kiosks. But the chicharrera coast, in the absence of a real plan to get closer to the sea that has not yet arrived (it may be in this mandate), has at least twenty points in which to take a dip.
The best-known beaches are undoubtedly in Anaga, but they are also the most dangerous
The best known are in Anaga, on beaches such as Las Gaviotas, Almáciga, Roque de las Bodegas, or Benijos. Beaches that offer an incomparable image, but are also the most at risk, and where the work of lifeguards becomes even more important. In this part of the coast, starting from Las Teresitas, and heading towards the interior of the massif, is Las Gaviotas, which little by little is gaining in services, and is awaiting the award of the drafting of the project to improve its surroundings and the connection with Playa Chica (classified by the City Council as dangerous use), a project that will cost around two million euros and will be financed by the Cabildo de Tenerife.
A somewhat unknown beach, and whose use has been stolen from residents and visitors, is that of Balayo. It is probably the only one in all of Tenerife that has private access, something contrary to the Coastal regulations, but that no administration has just solved. Right now, it is this state body that is setting the demarcation of the maritime-terrestrial public domain area to establish access.
On that road to the beaches of the massif is the Igueste de San Andrés beach, where spills have kept it closed for years as it was not considered suitable for bathing. The work started by the Santa Cruz City Council in the hands of Emmasa, to repair the collector, is practically finished, so this is a point that can be recovered for the bathroom shortly.
Although Antequera beach does not have road access, it can only be reached on foot or by boat, it is still one of those points that many visitors are encouraged to visit, either as part of their hiking route, or as a point in the one to spend a day at the beach, with a boat that takes them and picks them up on the beach.
And on this walk along the chicharrero coastline you will reach Taganana, where Roque de las Bodegas awaits. According to the information provided by the City Council itself on its website, it is a semi-urban beach with a family atmosphere. Black sand and, on occasions, waves of a certain intensity. Like all the beaches in the area there is a big difference between the area available for leisure depending on the levels of the tide.
In Almáciga, surfers are undoubtedly in their natural habitat, with a beach completely open to the sea, and therefore dangerous, with changing currents. Same conditions as Benijo beach, where the waves are also intense, and where when the tide rises, the sandy area disappears. The access is on foot from the coast or from the coastal nucleus that crowns this little piece of window to the sea. Also in this area of the coast is the beach of Tachero.
If this path began in Las Teresitas towards the interior of Anaga, in the opposite direction, the one that goes to the Southwest coast also has those windows that allow you to look out over the sea, although the Port occupies a good part of that path. Thus, right next to Las Teresitas, a new bathing area has emerged with the construction of the San Andrés dam, which, in addition to protecting the town from the ravages of the sea, has created a small beach that appears at low tide to the enjoyment of neighbors, and, more and more visitors.
Valleseco is the next stop, that space in which, in recent years, the greatest efforts have been put, and which has resulted in a renovated bathing area, El Bloque, and if there are no more extensions, in something more than a month, the area of Charcos. In the middle, the small beach of Acapulco patiently waiting its turn.
From here, although they are points where you can access the sea, the truth is that the City Council has classified them as not suitable for bathing or is directly prohibited. These are areas such as the Muellito del Castillo Negro, Caleta de Negros (or Parque Marítimo beach), or La Hondura beach. Three points affected by the uses of the Refinery, the Port and the treatment plant.
El Muellito de Añaza is the only point enabled for bathing in the Southwest district that dreams of ‘Walk’
In this advance towards the coast of Añaza, is the beach of La Ovejera, considered dangerous. In the same area are the Recanto and Muerto beaches, categorized by the City Council as one of prohibited use and the other dangerous.
And the tour ends at the Añaza wharf, where the small conditioning works carried out by the City Council in recent years have improved its services. This part of the coast is undoubtedly the most promising after the announcement to resume the Pasea project, to provide the Añaza coastline with natural pools and leisure spaces.
The first summer in which smoking is prohibited on the beaches
The new Waste Management and Cleaning of Public Spaces ordinance came into force at the beginning of this year and with it the ban on smoking on the beaches of the capital. Therefore, this summer of 2023 is the first in which the chicharreros have a smoke-free coastline, at least on paper. Article 43 of the ordinance includes the prohibition, except in those places authorized by the City Council. The penalty will be 750 euros for skipping it.
