Carnival Santa Cruz

The Carnival Santa Cruz is the biggest of Spains carnival fiestas taking place each year in February and March. In fact outside of Rio De Jinero it's the 2nd biggest carnival in the world.

To gain an idea of the importance of the festival one has to consider that the Spainish government declared the fiesta an event of National cultural signifigance enshrining the party in law!

For those taking a "winter sun" holiday in Tenerife or on one of the neighbouring islands this is your opportunity to understand more than sun, sea and sand and to have fun doing so!

Why Carnival Santa Cruz?

Many people take all inclusive holidays in Tenerife, and fail to actually see anything of the island. Instead one occupies their time on the beaches and in touristy restaurants, but fail to get to know the local people and their culture. This is unfortunate as Tenerife has so much more to offer. A fun way to rectify this is by taking in the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, one of the most colourful, and noisy, festivals in the world!

Carnival is associated with Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, and rightly so. Yet, Santa Cruz de Tenerife is home to the second largest celebration of this kind, and huge crowds travel to the city to go wild and take part in its parades and impromptu celebrations.

The main focus point however are the daily organised parades which feature incredible performances from trained dancers, however, you would be remiss if you didn’t take part in the informal celebrations and local dances which go on in evry side street and bar.

Take particular note of the hours invested in the elaborate costumes and island music. The people of Santa Cruz de Tenerife put a huge amount of effort into Carnival, and it shows as they offer one of the most unique festivals the world has to offer.

In the opinion of Unique Spain the opportunity to participate actively with the locals will be the highlight of your time in Santa Cruz. This is what travelling is all about: interacting with people and participating in local festivals is the perfect way to experience a new country. Don't feel shy about getting involved in the Carnival by taking to the streets in your very own costume to join the revelry. You will be welcomed!

Festival DNA

• Mid February to end of February / beigning of March (depending on the year)
• Maximum attendance: 250,000 people
• "Murgas" - a public song and dance performed by a small group or band criticising anything and everything, normally politicians and superstars!
• Reina - The queen of the Carnival who officially "starts" the fiestas however her election has turned into a continuous fiesta in the preceeding weeks!

Santa Cruz

If you do decide to Santa Cruz de Tenerife, you will find it to be typical of the towns of the Canary islands with much of its original character; indeed it is far less touristy than other parts of the island. It has a good selection of hotels, but it is best to book early if you’re planning on staying during the Carnival.

Travelling to incredible celebrations like the Carnival Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the best way to get to know this great country – you can see a whole different side of Spain and avoid tourist traps at the same time. If you can’t make it, it’s still worth travelling to Santa Cruz de Tenerife as this city is a wonderful attraction in its own right!

Carnival Santa Cruz too much? Try the other fiestas in Spain...>