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THE ISLANDS OF SPAIN
In addition to the various islands just offshore from Iberia, Spain and Portugal both lay claim to other islands farther at sea. This section covers two groups of islands, both part of Spain, that are popular vacation destinations with abundant naturist opportunities.
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of four islands in the Mediterranean off the eastern coast of Spain. The islands are roughly at the same latitude as Valencia, and they span a distance of just under 300 kilometers. At its most westerly point, the archipelago is less than 100 kilometers from the mainland. The four islands (excluding islets) are Ibiza, Formentera, Mallorca and Menorca. Catalan is the first language of the islands, as is the case with Barcelona and Valencia. Ibiza is Eivissa in Catalan, but the other three islands are spelled the same in Spanish and Catalan. Majorca and Minorca are variant English spellings of two of the islands.
Ibiza is the closest island to the mainland, and it is smaller in land area than the five boroughs of New York City. Ibiza is rather infamous for its party scene, and it is also a popular gay destination. Compared to the other islands, Ibiza is high octane. Formentera is a much smaller island just a few kilometers south of Ibiza. Due to its proximity, it is mostly regarded as an adjunct to Ibiza rather than a destination per se. While there are overnight accommodations on the island, Formentera gets a lot of day trippers from Ibiza. Father east, Mallorca is the largest of the islands, with a land area a bit smaller than the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Mallorca offers tourists the largest selection of possibilities. It is the only island to have a major city (Palma), but there are also ample places to go to get away from the crowds. Menorca, the most distant of the islands, is similar in size to Ibiza. Absent of major city life or nightlife, Menorca attracts visitors who are focused on a more relaxed, laid-back holiday.
All the Balearic Islands are very heavily touristed. In July and August, its beaches can be quite crowded, and a pertinent bit of information is that some of the traditionally nude beaches are overrun with textiles during those two months. That is not necessarily to say nudity is not acceptable at these locations during peak season. Nudists just have to be comfortable as a minority, and perhaps a small minority, depending on the specific beach. The textile invasion applies mostly to cove beaches where space is limited. At more expansive beaches, nudists can simply walk farther away from the textile crowds. If you prefer to avoid the peak summer madness, be aware that average daytime high temperatures are at least 75°F (24°C) from about May 15th through October 15th. However, the Balearic Islands are not a year-round destination for sun seekers. Winters are mild but coolish, and early spring and late fall are a bit chancy.
The Canary Islands are an archipelago in the Atlantic that consists of seven major islands and a few more minor ones that span an east-west distance of roughly 450 kilometers. These islands are much closer to Africa than to mainland Spain. At the shortest distance between the archipelago and a continental land mass, the islands are about 100 kilometers west of Morocco but over 1,000 kilometers southwest of mainland Spain. The largest of the Canaries covers a land area about half the size of the U.S. state of Rhode Island, the smallest is about the size of the New York city borough of Queens and the other five are various in-between sizes. The islands are all volcanic in origin, and while there is a variety of scenery, the quintessential Canarian landscape is one of starkly beautiful desert mountains rising up from the ocean. The seven major islands, from east to west, are Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro. In this guide there is at least one listing for every island except El Hierro.
The Canaries have a mild climate all year are a year-round destination. While summer is warmer than winter, the temperature differentials are not extreme, and rainfall amounts are quite low all year. In January, expect sunny beach days of 70°F (21°C). In July, temperatures typically rise to the low 80's °F (high 20's °C). Tenerife and Gran Canaria are the two most populated and touristed islands, with Gran Canaria being one of Europe's top gay travel destinations. Lanzarote and Fuerteventura likewise offer ample resorts but less overall development, with Feurteventura in particular notable for it expansive beaches. La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro are all considerably smaller in size and less touristed than the other four islands.
ISLAS BALEARES
WEATHER
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| Ibiza
MAP
| Ibiza is renowned for its nightlife and its gay scene. The few beaches below are the most popular gathering places for nudists, but there are a number of other beaches on the island that have more irregular patterns of nude use. Ibiza visitors can also day trip to nearby Formentera for an even bigger selection of nude beaches. |
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NUDE BEACHES
Playa Ses Salines
38.8387, 1.3961 
| Notable for its unusual rock formations, the farther reaches of this beautiful beach on the south end of Ibiza draw large crowds of nude bathers. Ses Salines is named for the large salt ponds behind the beach, and it is continuous with Es Cavallet (see the next listing). |
Playa Es Cavallet
38.8424, 1.4027
| This beach is continuous with Ses Salines (see the previous listing). Each beach is usually accessed from different points, but their zones of nude use converge at a headland. Es Cavallet is very popular with gay men, especially toward its southern end, and it is the premier gay beach of the Balaeric Islands. |
Cala de Aguas Blancas
39.0597, 1.5892
| This beach on the northeast side of the island is much smaller than Ses Salines or Es Cavallet, but it draws a significant nudist contingent. |
PLACES TO STAY—GAY—near Ibiza town
Casa Alexio
38.9224, 1.4572
S, E, F, G
Vista Salinas
38.8987, 1.3431
E
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| Formentera
MAP
| Formentera is the smallest of the Balaeric Islands in both land area and population, and it is the antithesis of Ibiza, lacking both a party scene and large-scale development. Formentera does not have its own airport, so visitors arrive by ferry. While there is a direct ferry to mainland Spain, most visitors arrive through Ibiza, and day tripping from Ibiza is popular. Formentera is similar in size to Manhattan, so many visitors elect to get around by renting a bicycle or moped. If you are all about the beach and eschew nightlife, Formentera can be a destination unto itself since there is little to do other than go to the beach. Of the four Balaeric Islands, Formentera is most closely associated with nude sunbathing. At just about any beach on the island, there is a nudist presence away from big clusters of textiles. The three listings below are particularly popular gathering places for nudists. |
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NUDE BEACHES
Illetes Peninsula / Espalmador Island
38.7625, 1.4354
| On the north side of Formentera, Illetes is a peninsula that tapers toward Espalmador Island. Nudists and textiles mix freely along many parts of the peninsula, and at its narrowest point, you can be naked on the white sand with water just a few dozen paces away on either side. At low tide, it is possible to wade to Espalmador Island, a small island which is often populated with nudists. Other than wading, it is also possible to reach Espalmador by boat from Formentera's ferry dock. |
Playa de Migjorn
38.6717, 1.5004
| Stretching about 5 kilometers, Playa de Migjorn is the longest beach of Formentera's southern coast, and there are pockets of nudist and textile use along its entire length. |
Caló d'Es Mort
38.6598, 1.5177
| This beach is basically just the far east end of Playa de Migjorn (see the previous listing), but the colorful rocks form a sheltered cove with a shallow swimming area. It is a particularly scenic and popular gathering place for nudists. |
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| Mallorca
MAP
| Starting with Es Trenc, Mallorca's most popular nude beach, the beaches below are listed counterclockwise. |
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NUDE BEACHES
Playa Es Trenc
39.3444, 2.9845
| Located near the southern extreme of Mallorca, Es Trenc is a 3-kilometer-long beach backed by a large field of scrub-covered sand dunes. It is widely regarded as one of the island's best beaches, and it is also the island's most popular nude beach. Nudity is the norm along the central stretch of the beach. |
Cala Varques
39.5000, 3.2958
| Although usually overcrowded with textiles, this small and pretty cove often has a few nudists in the mix, and just a minute or two away is an even tinier cove to which nudists gravitate on crowded days. |
Cala Petita
39.5484, 3.3529
| Cala Petita and Caló d'en Rafalino (the next listing) are both tiny coves, less than two kilometers apart, on the north side of Portocristo. Nudity is common at both coves. Cala Petita, located in a fjord-like inlet, is the more idyllic of the two and has a sheltered swimming area, but it is the less crowded of the two since it requires more walking to reach. |
Caló d'en Rafalino
39.5561, 3.3668
| (See the previous listing.) |
Cala Mesquida
39.7439, 3.4353
| At the northeast corner of Mallorca, the beach of Cala Mesquida abuts a large hotel development. Most of the length of the small beach is textile, but nudists cluster at one end. |
Cala Torta
39.7502, 3.4181
| Not far from Cala Mesquide (the previous listing), Cala Torta and Cala Mitjana (the next listing) are twin coves with mixed nudist and textile use. |
Cala Mitjana
39.7518, 3.4138
| (See the previous listing.) |
Playa Sa Canova
39.7302, 3.2448
| On Mallorca's north coast, this is an expansive beach on the east side of the seaside vacation community of Son Serra de Marina. Nudity is common along most of the beach. |
Playa Son Real
39.7411, 3.2117
| West of the twin seaside communities of Son Serra de Marina and Sa Colonia, this lightly visited and undeveloped stretch of the coastline lends itself to nude use. |
Playa Coll Baix
39.8625, 3.1874
| Of all Mallorca's nude beaches, this beach on the north coast near Alcúdia is a standout for its dramatic beauty. It is a cove surrounded on three sides by steeply sloping mountainsides. Access is either by private boat or by hiking down the mountain. Despite the isolation, textiles usually outnumber nudists. |
Playa El Mago
39.4751, 2.5202
| This nudist site has a sheltered and shallow swimming area that is ideal, but the beach itself is quite tiny. There is a bit more space for sunbathers on the flat rocks. Located on the southwestern side of Mallorca, El Mago is the closest established nude beach to Palma, the island's largest city. |
NATURIST RETREATS
Skinny Dippers Mallorca
39.3977, 3.0137
E
Campos
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| Menorca
MAP
| Of all the Balaeric Islands, Menorca has the highest concentration of postcard-perfect coves that where nudity is customary. To enjoy these jewels to their fullest potential, consider a pre-July or post-August visit. During peak summer season, the coves get very crowded, with nudists in the minority. The beaches below are listed counterclockwise, starting near the southwest corner of the island. |
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NUDE BEACHES
Cala des Talaier
39.9267, 3.9027
| Near the western end of Menorca's southern coast, this beautiful and secluded cove is accessed by a short hike from a larger textile beach. The crowd tends to be a mix of nudists and textiles. |
Cala Macarelleta
39.9362, 3.9350
| The isolated and similarly named Cala Macarella and Cala Macarelleta are twin coves that are in an impossibly beautiful setting. Of all the gorgeous beaches in Menorca or anywhere in the Balaeric Islands, these coves are at the very top of the list in terms of sheer natural beauty. Macarella is textile, but smaller Macarelleta draws both nudists and textiles. |
Cala Trebaluger
39.9313, 3.9891
| Like nearby Talaier and Macarelleta, Cala Trebaluger is another idyllic and isolated cove. It is quite popular in spite of a requisite hike of over a kilometer, and it draws nudists and textiles. |
Playa de Binigaus
39.9204, 4.0254
| Unlike the previous three beaches, Playa de Binigaus is a long beach that extends westward from the resort community of Sant Thomas. Even during peak season, there is always ample room for nudists along its farther reaches. |
Playa de Son Bou
39.9011, 4.0686
| Playa de Son Bou is located in the resort community of Sant Jaume, near the center of Menorca's southern coast. Like nearby Playa de Binigaus (see the previous listing), Son Bou is a very long beach, but it draws larger overall crowds than Binigaus and is regarded as having the best sand of any beach on the island. While part of the beach is customarily textile only, nudity is acceptable along over half the beach's length. Son Bou always has the largest number of nudists of any beach on the island. |
Cala Coves
39.8639, 4.1461
| At this unique fjord-like inlet toward the eastern end of Menorca's southern coast, a few nudists gather on the rocks, but there is no beach. Although comparatively minor as a nudist site, it is worthwhile just for the scenery. |
Cala Mesquida
39.9147, 4.2862
| On the eastern side of Menorca, nudists gather along just a very small portion of this broad and sandy cove. |
Cala Tortuga
39.9884, 4.2551
| Cala Tortuga and Cala Presili (the next listing) are neighboring coves in the northeast of Menorca. Both are secluded locations that draw some nudists, and the trail that runs above the beaches leads to even more isolated coves. |
Cala Presili
39.9922, 4.2548
| (See the previous listing.) |
Cala del Pilar
40.0509, 3.9785
| Located along a remote part of Menorca's north coast, Cala del Pilar stands out for its vivid red-orange sand. The scenery is very different but no less beautiful than that of the coves of the south coast. |
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ISLAS CANARIAS
WEATHER
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| Fuerteventura
MAP
| Fuerteventura stands out among the Canary Island both for its starkly beautiful desert landscapes and for offering more vast expanses of golden sandy beaches than any other island. The fact that endless miles of these beaches are available for nude use has made the island especially popular with naturists. If just one of the Canaries could be said to be the nude beach island, this one would be it. The second largest of the Canaries, Fuerteventura extends about 100 kilometers from north to south, but east-to-west distance are much shorter (generally under 30 kilometers). The best beaches (both nude and textile) are located toward the southern and northern extremes. A prominent geographical feature of Fuerteventura is the Jandía peninsula, which is the tapered southern end of the island that stands out on maps. The beaches below are listed in geographic order, going counterclockwise. The first four locations are on the Jandía peninsula, while the last four are toward the north end of Fuerteventura. |
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NUDE BEACHES
Playa Viejo Rey
28.2124, -14.2256
| This west-facing beach of the Jandía peninsula is easy to access but tends to draw small crowds compared to the other beaches. |
Playa El Cofete
28.1092, -14.4007
| Like the previous beach, Playa El Cofete is also a west-facing beach of the Jandía peninsula, but getting there requires circumventing a rugged chain of mountains. If you make it across 20 kilometers of unpaved roads, you'll be at the longest and most remote beach of Fuerteventura, which stretches about 14 kilometers. With the possible exception of the immediate vicinity of the parking lot, nudity can be practiced on all of it. |
Playa Butihondo
28.0621, -14.3115
| This east-facing beach of the Jandía peninsula is a nudist niche amid a chain of large beachfront resorts. |
Playa de Sotavento de Jandía
28.1196, -14.2542
| This east-facing beach of the Jandía peninsula is a tremendous expanse of over 10 kilometers, easily accessible from several points. Nudists and textile intermingle along the entire length of the beach. At its northern end, the beach blends into the coves of the Costa Calma resort area. Two of these coves also draw nude bathers. |
Playa de Corralejo
28.7032, -13.8366
| Just south of the town of Corralejo in the far northeast of Fuerteventura, Playa de Corralejo is a Saharan landscape of immense sand dunes. The dunes extend about 8 kilometers. With the exception of the immediate vicinities of the only two beachfront resorts on the beach, nudity can be practiced anywhere, with most nudists congregating a bit south of the two resorts. This is the most popular beach with nudists of the four locations in the north. |
Calas del Faro de Tostón
28.6993, -14.0172
| In the far northwest of Fuerteventura, the multitude of coves near the Tostón lighthouse are not terribly far from Playa de Correlejo (the previous listing) but offer a very different landscape. Nudist visitors are very dispersed at the coves. |
Playa Aljibe de la Cueva
28.6697, -14.0110
| At this beach near Cotillo in the northwest of Fuerteventura, nudists and textile intermingle along the entire beach. |
Playa Janubio
28.5712, -14.0485
| On a remote part of the island's western coast, this beach is access through the town of Tindaya and draws both nudists and textiles. |
NATURIST RETREATS & OTHER PLACES TO STAY
Infiniti Apartments
28.7267, -13.8601
E
Corralejo
Monte Marina Apartments
28.0780, -14.2999
G, E, S
Marabu, Pájara
Fuerteventura Princess Hotel
28.0692, -14.3067
E, S
Urb. Butihondo
Hotel Occidental Grand Fuerteventura
28.0652, -14.3095
E
Urb. Esquinzo Butihondo
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| Gran Canaria
MAP
| While Gran Canaria does not have as many established nude beaches as the other larger islands of the Canaries, it is home to the most popular nude beach anywhere in the archipelago. Furthermore, the gay-popular twin resort towns of Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés offer a number of small-scale accommodations that are nudist or clothing optional, all but one of which are geared to the gay market. |
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NUDE BEACHES
Playa Maspalomas/Playa del Inglés
27.7381, -15.5704
| At the southern end of Gran Canaria, the twin resort towns of Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés share an enormous beach that is the Sahara Desert in miniature. The beach is often just called the Maspalomas Dunes. The dunes cover an area of about 4 square kilometers. The beach can be accessed at either end or by hiking over the dunes. Most of the beach is available for nude use, and this beach is enormously popular yet so large that there is always ample space. One section of the beach in particular is the most popular gay beach anywhere in the Canaries. |
Playa Montaña de Arena
27.7506, -15.6387
| Just 5 or so kilometers west of the Maspalomas Dunes (see the previous listing), this cove is a much smaller and farther removed option for nudists. |
NATURIST RETREATS—Maspalomas / Playa del Ingles
Magnolias Natura
27.7577, -15.5848
E, F, G, S
PLACES TO STAY—GAY—Maspalomas / Playa del Ingles
Basement Studios
27.7573, -15.5769
E
Birdcage Resort
27.7615, -15.5744
S, D, E, F, G, I, P
Club Mancha
27.7569, -15.5768
E, D, G, I, S
Los Almendros
27.7512, -15.5754
S, E, G
Pasion Tropical
27.7688, -15.5427
E, F, G, I, S
Rainbow Golf Bungalows
27.7580, -15.5886
E, G, S
Tenesoya
27.7615, -15.5691
G, E
Villas Blancas
27.7566, -15.5860
E, F, G, S
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| La Gomera
MAP
| La Gomera is one of the three smaller islands toward the western end of the Canaries archipelago. Compared to the four larger islands, it is less touristed overall and is not particularly known as a nude beach destination per se. However, La Gomera is an island of extreme natural beauty, and it is particularly notable for the verdant rain forest nestled deep within the mountains of its center. |
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NUDE BEACHES
Playa del Inglés
28.1006, -17.3475
| On the southwest side of La Gomera, this black sand beach amid a spectacularly rugged backdrop is the most popular gathering place for nudists on the island. |
Playa del Medio
28.0377, -17.1808
| Playa del Medio and Playa Chinguarine (the next listing) are twin beaches in the southeast of La Gomera. Of the two, Medio is more accessible but is far more likely to have textiles only. The headland that separates the two beaches is a formidable barrier, so getting to Chinguarine involves either wading through an arch that is natural portal between the two beaches or taking a rather circuitous car trip of several kilometers. At Chinguarine, you may have the entire beach to yourself. |
Playa Chinguarime
28.0387, -17.1771
| (See the previous listing.) |
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| La Palma
MAP
| La Palma is one of the three smaller islands toward the western end of the Canaries archipelago. Except for El Hierro, for which we have no listings, La Palma offers the least of the Canaries in terms of established naturism. |
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NUDE BEACHES
Playa de las Monjas
28.5754, -17.9056
| This small black-sand beach toward the southern end of La Palma's western coast is the only established nude beach on the island. Space is rather limited and there are usually just a handful of visitors, but just about everyone at this hidden niche opts to be naked. |
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| Lanzarote
MAP
| Lanzarote has landscapes similar to those of neighboring Fuerteventura but not as many miles of beaches. What Lanzarote has that no other island has is a naturist seaside naturist resort village (Charco del Palo) where visitors can walk naked through the streets. |
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NUDE BEACHES
Playa de las Mujeres
28.8518, -13.7920
| (See Playa de Caleta del Congrio.) |
Playa del Pozo
28.8486, -13.7902
| (See Playa de Caleta del Congrio.) |
Playa de Caleta del Congrio
28.8408, -13.7852
| At the southermost tip of Lanzarote, there is a collection of six beach coves within a few square kilometers that are collectively known as the Papagayo beaches, and they are widely regarded as the best beaches of the island. The coves have varying pockets of nudist and textile use. Playa de Caleta del Congrio is where most nudists head, but there are also smaller nudist contingents on parts of nearby Playa de las Mujeres and Playa del Pozo (both listed above). |
Charco del Palo
29.0847, -13.4496
| This is the "beach" of the seaside naturist village of Charco del Palo. While there is actually no sandy beach here, a notable feature of the coastline is the tidal pools amid the black lava rock. Nudists can swim in these pools next to the ocean. |
Playa de Famara
29.1224, -13.5414
| On the northwest side of the island near Teguise, Playa de Famara is an expansive beach with a backdrop of rugged mountains that rise very steeply from sea level. Nudity is acceptable on the farther reaches of the beach. |
NATURIST RETREATS
Charco del Palo Naturist Complex
29.0816, -13.4541
Casa del Sol Siempre
29.0813, -13.4523
E, D, F, G, I, S
Charco Natural Apartments
29.0819, -13.4520
G, D, E
Las Piteras Apartments
29.0808, -13.4526
S, E
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| Tenerife
MAP
| Tenerife is superlative among the Canary Islands in a numbers of ways. It is the largest island in land area. It has the largest population. It has the biggest variety of landscapes, and the breathtaking scenery of the island's interior is widely regarded as the best of the Canaries. Thus, it is also the most touristed of the islands. However, for its beaches in general or its nude beaches specifically, Tenerife would probably not rank at the top of any theoretical list. Fuerteventura is generally considered the best island for beaches, nude and otherwise. Nonetheless, for those that come to marvel at Tenerife's beauty, the island offers a number of nude beaches to which to escape. Starting on the south coast of the island, the beaches below are listed counterclockwise. |
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NUDE BEACHES
Playa Blanca
28.1088, -16.7614
| This beautiful beach near Adeje is tucked away along a short stretch of coastline that is not developed and seems surprisingly secluded considering its proximity to large resort hotels. |
Cala Amarilla
28.0093, -16.6370
| Just east of the sprawling Costa del Silencio resort development, Cala Amarilla is a uniquely beautiful beach named for the yellow-orange color of the volcanic cinder cone beneath which it is situated. There actually isn't a proper beach to speak of, but nudists spread out along a long rock shelf. |
Playa de la Tejita
28.0302, -16.5524
| Close to the southern of Tenerife's two airports, Playa de la Tejita is among the larger sandy beaches of the island, and a prominent geographic feature is the strikingly colored headland at one end, called Montaña Roja ("Red Mountain"). Nudists gather at one end of the beach, and just beyond a rocky outcropping is another much smaller cove that is also the domain of nudists. Tejita is the most popular nude beach of Tenerife. |
Playa de las Gaviotas
28.5133, -16.1758
| Near the northeastern extreme of Tenerife, north of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Playa de las Teresitas is long beach of golden sand imported from the Sahara. (Tenerife's natural beaches mostly have black sand.) While Teresitas is a textile beach, just over the headland is Playa de las Gaviotas, a much smaller black-sand beach that draws a mixed nudist and textile crowd. |
Playa de los Patos
28.4205, -16.5097
| On the north coast of Tenerife near Puerto de la Cruz, this secluded beach of deep black sand is situated next to a rugged cliff, atop which are the terraces of a banana plantation. |
PLACES TO STAY
Hotel Puerto Palace
28.4079, -16.5510
S, E, G
Puerto de la Cruz
Parque Vacacional Eden
28.4100, -16.5450
E, G, F, S
Puerto de la Cruz
PLACES TO STAY—GAY
Playaflor Chill-Out Resort
28.0659, -16.7312
S, E
Playa de Las Américas, Arona
Villa Maspalmeras
28.4153, -16.5037
E
Santa Ursula
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