Plaza del Charco a small must know town square
Plaza del Charco de los camarones alias shrimps the main town square of Puerto de la Cruz carries a peculiar name.
About 200 years ago, the location of the yard was located even lower than now. Then, it was easy for the ocean to fill its shallow pond the charco with sea creatures which were shrimps.
This water hole dried up, eventually. The camarones stuck to its name.
This square became the hub of town and is anything else than laid back. Something seems to happen always. Also, celebration music can get quite loud in this spot until the wee hours of the morning.
The square's size may be 5000 square meters that are part of the pedestrian hub.
Centenarian Pride of India trees from Cuba and many endemic Phoenix Palms turn the square into a semi shaded oasis. The sun above and between them makes a sport of it to still manage to warm the people on the benches below.
This Puerto town yard by its little harbor is totally unlike squares of the world built for big showy military parades.
On normal days, nobody by this Plaza that evolves around a fountain seems to be in a rush.
No noisy railway and underground stations are there. A couple of buses are passing on its border. Taxi drivers wait there calmly to be of service. There are some other vehicles.
They drive slowly to the Muelle parking or circle around the hub. That's as bad as it gets.
Changes done to the former Plaza of shrimps of Puerto Cruz.
They took place nine years after the deluge of 1826 in the Orotava Valley. Then, a tidal wave flooded the Plaza del Charco de los Camarones. Then, people had to go around it in boats. Now, the square is more elevated with plant borders all around. Stairs of different height help to get on top besides wheel chair facilities.
The interesting Plaza photo reveals that no steps are needed there. Why? The square is on slightly sloping grounds.
Other small improvements happened over time. Some have disappeared, but not the Dynamico Cafe that was introduced by the middle of the XX century. Only its live concerts seem to have stopped. Today, it's mainly a meeting place to consume small snacks and drinks.
The small musical podium was added late in the last century or even early in XXI for the numerous town celebrations. However, some bands are too large. See them act below this stage during La Mueca festival by the Plaza.
Novelties of Summer 2019 on the main Puerto square
Click the photos below to enlarge them...
It's amazing that the Hotel Tropical fresh new look in blue and white can already be spotted from a 30m distance from Calle Quintana.
Some of the Puerto de la Cruz bars and Cafés in its hub continue with live music when a prominent soccer match on their TV screens comes to an end, while the new Plaza Club Cafe the former Dynamico may have live music non stop on some days.
Interesting geology news of Plaza del Charco.
In 2007, a group of La Laguna university geologists had Plaza del Charco
rocks evaluated for age in the USA. One was a local by name of Juan Carlos
Carracedo Gomes. The material came from the volcanic cones of Las
Arenas, Montaneta del fraile
and one that has been removed. The result found was 30000 years. This fact
contradicted a previous idea of 6oo years when Colombo saw an eruption
of Tenerife in 1430. More about this important discovery by a link
below.
Important shops and services of the Charco square.
- Big Mango fashion house of interesting architectural interior
- Corte Ingles Supercor supermarket with extended hours opposite Hannen Fass
- A large Altesa Supermarket which also sells fresh fish in Calle San Felipe at a stone throw from the Plaza taxi stand.
- Perfume Plaza at C/Quintana 1a opposite Columbus Plaza.
- Name: Farmacia Plaza del Charco
- Location: House number 7 on the oldest Plaza of 38400 Puerto de la Cruz
- Tel: 0034 + 922 388 967
- Opening hours: From 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. after midnight.
- Name: Detlef Heinsch
- Speaks: German, English and Spanish
- Location: First Floor(ring bell 102) in C/ La Marina, 10 opposite Hannen Fass
- Business hours: Monday to Friday 10a.m.-1-p.m.
- Physio Therapy by arrangement
- Contact 24 hours at: Mobile phone: 629 557 517
Excellent optometrists provide best services on Columbus Plaza's first floor gallery. Call them at 922 387072. More information about this mall at Puerto Cruz shopping.
Popular bar/disco live music near Plaza Charco?
Blanco Bar the bar with most Tenerife Live music concerts straight up the hill to the left of Heladeria Artesanal Ice creams. The nightclub is just above C/Cupido at about 100m from the town square. There is another bar beside it called "Play Music"... And not to forget the long established Color Cafe in the charming XVIII century building Rincon del Puerto, at number 3 of Plaza Charco. This is the bar which offers the best views of Puerto's central town quare from its first floor premises.It has gone up the popularity ladder fast in the last years by new top management. Its cosy decor is as individual and colorful as its live music with surprising guest performers.
Enjoy the entertainment together with recommended cocktails from Wednesdays onward with best vibes later at night. Its Facebook page find here
Children fun at night during holidays over Christmas.
Important Tenerife pharmacy of Puerto de la Cruz and relevant shops.
Find the up market store United Colors of Benetton beside the late hour pharmacy opposite the Chinese corner Restaurant of Calle Puerto Viejo. Nearby is La Casona for eating out with live Swing Jazz by candle light at night in winter.
An English speaking doctor GP of medicine on Plaza Charco in Tenerife
A town square where nature and restaurants live side by side.
Plaza Park or Muelle parking grounds.
In fact, Park Plaza translates into parking square. Indeed, you can station your car there as closest as possible to the Plaza del Charco. However, you need to be early, as it may not have much more space than for about 50 vehicles. Of course, this was ample for leaving horse coaches in the XVIII century, not that long ago.
Otherwise, please drive to the Muelle parking ground with the help of a GPS or other road finder. There by the light house, the grounds are far bigger.
More about the geological finds by the scientists from la Laguna here Sorry, only available in Spanish language.
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