Perhaps because it is so touristy and one of the favorites of the islanders, few know it, but the municipality smallest of the Canary Islands is in Tenerifehas the largest swimming pool in the Archipelago and one out of every three national tourists who come to the Island stays there.
With only 8.9 square kilometers of surface the Cross port It is the smallest municipality in the Canary Islands, despite being one of the economic engines of the north of the Island due to tourism. Furthermore, for decades, it was the smallest municipality in all of Spain, although other peninsular towns have surpassed this record.
It was in the Cross port where tourism in the Canary Islands and Spain began, since the first hotel in the city was opened there on September 1, 1886 with the name of Orotava Grand Hotel or Sanatorium, inaugurated eleven days later.
Hotel facilities thus played a key role in the transformation of the city’s tourism industry. The Puerto de la Cruz guide: history, tourism and heritage, edited by Le Canarien and authored by Nicolás González Lemusallows you to discover and learn about the charms of many properties during the golden ages of tourism.
The largest pool on the Islands
He Lake Martianez It is a leisure complex with unbeatable views of the sea and Mount Teide. Its facilities include a large artificial lake surrounded by swimming pools with emerald waters, gardens, terraces and restaurants. The park was designed in the mid-seventies by renowned Lanzarote artist César Manrique, who used elements of traditional Canarian architecture and native flora.
It is an extensive complex that covers approximately 100,000 square meters. This complex consists of a central artificial lake that is complemented by a variety of swimming pools, lush gardens, charming terraces and restaurants, all of which stand out for the prominent presence of volcanic stone in their design. The mastermind behind this work is the renowned artist César Manrique, a native of Lanzarote. In his conception, the artist fuses characteristic elements of his unique artistic perspective with native details such as sentry boxes, palisades and a panoramic view of the sea. In addition to its notable architecture, the place houses a collection of sculptures created by the Lanzarote artist himself.
Locally, this site is known as “El Lago” and is located in what used to be the Llanos de Martiánez, which in the past were an area of beach and puddles, including the well-known puddles of La Coronela and La Soga. These spaces were recreational places frequented by the first tourists at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century.
