La Orotava is the town you should visit on foot and reach by car. Its historic centre climbs the side of the valley in steep, narrow streets lined with old houses and churches, and the easiest day there starts with a decision made before you arrive: where to leave the car. This guide is about that, and about what you’ll see once you’re walking.

Getting there and how long to stay

La Orotava sits just above Puerto de la Cruz, about 8 km and a quarter of an hour by car. From Costa Adeje in the south it is about 71 km and a little over an hour on a router, via the TF-1, the TF-82 over the west and the TF-5. [S1] Turismo de Tenerife notes that the centre is easily reached from the TF-5 motorway and recommends exploring it on foot, because many streets are narrow and some are steep. It suggests two to three hours for a first visit. [S2]

What to see in the old town

The historic centre is protected as a historic-artistic ensemble. [S2] The names to know:

  • Iglesia de la Concepción, at the heart of the old town. [S2]
  • Casa de los Balcones at Calle San Francisco 3 — known for its large wooden balcony and its patio; it now houses La Orotava’s traditional craft centre. [S3]
  • Liceo de Taoro, the Iglesia de San Agustín, the Ermita del Calvario and the former convent of San Benito Abad — all listed by Turismo de Tenerife in the old-town description. [S2]
  • Hijuela del Botánico, a small garden created in 1788, and the Jardines Victoria nearby. [S2]
  • In the upper part of town, the Villa de Arriba, the Ruta de los Molinos passes nine water mills built in the 17th and 18th centuries. [S2]

Opening times for the houses and gardens change, and the official pages we checked did not list them, so we don’t quote any here. [S2] [S3]

Where to park in La Orotava

This is the part most guides skip, and it’s the part that decides your day.

The blue zone: free, but one hour

La Orotava’s regulated parking zone (ZER) is set by a municipal ordinance published in the provincial bulletin on 23 November 2020. The key points: [S4]

  • The bays are marked with blue lines and a “Zona de Estacionamiento Limitado” sign (R-309) showing the hours and the time allowed.
  • Parking there is free, but limited to 60 minutes.
  • The limit applies Monday to Friday 10:00–20:00 and Saturday 10:00–14:00, except public holidays. Outside those hours the bays are open to everyone. During the Christmas period the town can extend it to evenings and Sundays.
  • After your hour you may not park again in the zone for two hours, and not on the same street. A car that overstays by an hour may be towed.

An hour is enough to run an errand, not to see the old town. For sightseeing on a weekday, we would avoid the blue bays altogether. The ordinance doesn’t list the streets; they are defined by municipal decree and marked on site, so the sign is what counts. [S4]

The free car park at Lercaro

In September 2022 the local press reported a new public, free car park in the Urbanización Lercaro, close to the historic centre, with about 170 spaces on two terraces; the town hall and the Iglesia de la Concepción are among the places nearby. [S5] It’s a sensible first try for a sightseeing visit. Check the signs on arrival, since conditions can change after a press report.

For the general rules on bays, colours and payment around the island, see our Tenerife parking guide.

Driving the steep streets

The streets in the old centre are steep and narrow. A few habits make them stress-free:

  • Park first, walk second. Don’t try to see the town from the driver’s seat; there’s nowhere to stop.
  • On a narrow, steep stretch, the car going uphill has priority unless it can reach a passing place first, in which case it pulls in there. Spain’s traffic regulation defines a steep section as 7 % or more. [S6]
  • An automatic makes hill starts a non-event. If you’re not used to a manual with a handbrake start on a slope, choose an automatic for this day.

When we hand over a car to guests going north, the advice we give most is the first one: pick the car park before you leave the motorway.

Combining La Orotava with Teide

The TF-21 starts in La Orotava and climbs through the pine forest to the Teide National Park. From the town to the cable car base station it’s about 35 km and 40 minutes on a router, more in practice on a mountain road. [S1] A morning in the old town and an afternoon drive up to Teide is a good, unhurried day.

If you’d rather stay in the north, our Northern Tenerife day trip links La Orotava with Puerto de la Cruz and the north-west coast, and the La Laguna and north day route covers the island’s other historic town.

Which car for La Orotava

Small and automatic is the brief. The Mercedes-Benz SLK 200 is a two-seat automatic that fits the old streets and the tight bays; the Mazda MX-5 is just as compact, but its page does not state the gearbox, so ask us if you need an automatic. [S7] If you need four seats, the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet R-Line is an automatic; it is bigger than the two-seaters, so plan to leave it at the edge of the old town and walk. [S7] All open-top cars are in our cabriolet category.

FAQ

Is parking free in La Orotava?

The regulated blue zone is free but limited to 60 minutes on weekdays 10:00–20:00 and Saturdays 10:00–14:00, according to the municipal ordinance. A free car park with about 170 spaces opened at Lercaro in 2022, according to the local press. [S4] [S5]

How long do you need in La Orotava?

Turismo de Tenerife suggests two to three hours for a first visit to the old town. [S2]

How do you get from La Orotava to Teide?

Take the TF-21 up from the town; to the cable car base station it’s about 35 km and 40 minutes on a router, more on the mountain road in practice. [S1]

Sources (checked 2026-10-09)