Only 6km from Puerto de la Cruz, La Orotava is an easy day trip from the resort. Not only the town's name, but also the bulk of its original wealth has come from the prosperous, Lush valley surrounding it - the town quickly grew as cash crops were developed in the valley in the sixteenth century.

The Town

LA OROTAVA 's well-preserved old town centre, with its network of steep, cobbled streets is particularly known for the presence of twelve striking Canarian-style mansions, the Doce Casas - the former residences of the area's leading families. Only some of these are open to the public, mostly as souvenir shops, so their exploration and that of the rest of the old town, which includes a large ornate garden, the Jardín Victoria , and a reasonable handicraft museum, the Museo de Artesania lberoamericana , can easily be done in around half a day. One particularly good time to visit the town is before or during the celebrations of Corpus Christi, when the streets are decorated with a multitude of flower petals, baked leaves and volcanic sand. This tradition began in 1847 and the displays mostly involve biblical motifs.

From La Orotava's bus station it's a ten-minute walk west to the old town, where you'll find the tourist office ( Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-2pm) on Calle de la Carrera del Escultor Estévenez 2.

Only two places in town offer accommodation : Pension Silene Calle de Tomas Zerolo 9 , whose rooms have en-suite showers and small balconies with good views over the town; and the smart, but pricey Hotel Victoria Calle de Hennano Apolinar 8 , in a refurbished 400-year old Canarian mansion, which has thirteen double rooms, all with satellite TV, fax and modem connections.

The restaurant at Hotel Victoria (closed Mon & Sun) is also the best of the handful of places to eat in the old town centre - dishes such as the fine sole in a prawn sauce with asparagus are served in the courtyard. Other options include Sabor Canario, C/Carrera 17 (closed Sun), part of the Museo El Pueblo Guanche. try their roast cheeses with mojo or ropa vieja. Casa Egon, Calle Leon 5 ( closed Mon ), is one of the best of the more moderately priced restaurants in town. A bistro-style restaurant, it specializes in omelettes and tapas.