The town of Los Gigantes is named after, and lies at the foot of, the imposing cliffs of the same name. The cliffs also mark the southern boundary of the beautiful Teno mountains, which cover the entire north-western corner of Tenerife. The cliffs are visible in all their glory from the Archipenque Mirador or viewpoint, but are best experienced up close from a boat where they loom over you and you can distinguish the different colours and textures of the volcanic strata.
Directly south of Los Gigantes is the old fishing village of Puerto Santiago, which despite extensive development, still retains an unhurried, homely atmosphere. Further south, and effectively joined on to Puerto Santiago, is the growing resort of Playa de la Arena. Below we'll describe the resorts separately and in greater detail.
Los Gigantes, Tenerife
Los Gigantes is a very pretty resort. Great care has obviously been taken over its design and construction. With the exception of one multi-storey hotel, all of the resort's central apartment complexes and residential areas are low-rise and blend in well with the surroundings. It is a small, tranquil place and has an air of exclusivity about it. There is not much danger of the resort losing this atmosphere and ambience by expanding in any direction either, closed in as it is on all sides, nestling between the area's natural rocky confines and the Atlantic Ocean.
The roads in Los Gigantes are very narrow, with a one-way system operating throughout most of the town. It has a climate that is second to none in the Canaries, some beautiful scenery and many amenities. Lying at the foot of the cliffs there is a small, clean, black sand beach which is rarely crowded, despite being suitable for children. |
