2 Best Sights in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands

Thanks to its ornery terrain, Anaga Nature Park has managed to keep the tour-bus crowd (mostly) at bay—their loss. This magical oasis takes in misty laurel forests (aka laurisilva) with numerous endemic species, bizarre rock formations that jut above the trees, and hidden mountain villages like Taganana, founded in 1501. Explore the area by car, stopping to take a dip at Playa de Benijo, where you can catch a hiking trail into the surrounding countryside, and to snap a few postcard-worthy pics at the Pico de Inglés viewpoint.

This museum is the leader in contemporary art on the islands due to its sleek low-rise design and avant-garde exhibitions. Designed by the Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron, it's next to the Museo de Naturaleza y Arqueología. Expect 20th- and 21st-century art with a political or sociological bent. TEA's crown jewel is the hall dedicated to tinerfeño surrealist artist Óscar Domínguez.