Jardin Beach

The waves are the show. They come in hard off the open Atlantic and break over black sand and dark boulders, and sitting on the shore to watch them is reason enough to come, even if you never go in. Sand and rock along the waterline are the same volcanic colour, so on a bright day the white of the surf stands out sharply against everything around it.

Behind the beach, the gardens along the promenade are lush and green, and a slow walk through them fits well after an hour by the sea. At the eastern end, San Felipe Castle stands over the sand.

• Bring sea shoes. The seabed is covered in big stones, and the waves drag your feet across them.
• Swimming is hard work. Rough waves and a rocky bottom make getting in and out awkward, and the stones scratch.
• Food: there is a restaurant on the shore, but its kitchen closes in the afternoon, so eat early.
• Toilets stand about 100 m and 200 m away; the farther one is free.
• Black sand heats up in strong sun. Keep something on your feet for the walk to the water.

The beach lies on the seafront on the western side of Puerto de la Cruz. The bus stop called Playa Jardín is about 80 m away in a straight line, and there are car parks about 80–90 m away, so whichever way you arrive, the sand is close by. The gardens of the promenade run alongside the beach, and San Felipe Castle marks its eastern end.

Best: a calm day, in the morning or towards evening. Avoid: days of big swell, and the middle of a hot, sunny day.

The stony seabed is only manageable when the sea is quiet, the north coast takes its heaviest Atlantic swell in winter, and black sand grows too hot to walk on barefoot in the midday sun.