The Fiesta del Carmen is the most important festival in several municipalities on Tenerife. In Puerto de la Cruz, the day is celebrated on the grandest scale of all. The statue of Saint Carmen is carried through the town to the harbour, accompanied by a statue of Saint Telmo. The procession then continues out onto the water.
The harbour at Puerto de la Cruz is suddenly packed to the brim. Thousands of people line the historic harbour basin. Many of them even go into the water. Then the statues of the saints appear. They are carried through the floating crowd onto a fishing boat, which then sails out onto the open sea for a few hours – followed by many other boats. Finally, the boats return home and the statues are also brought back to their original places – accompanied by music and hundreds of people.
A chapel has been dedicated to Saint Telmo on the promenade in Puerto de la Cruz. The statue is carried back there. The final mass begins upon its arrival. The celebrations then get under way – at least officially, that is. In reality, they start much earlier.
Fiesta del Carmen in Puerto de la Cruz – When Tenerife dances
A huge fireworks display brings the official part of the Fiesta del Carmen to a close. Then, to the sound of loud music, the celebrations finally get into full swing around the harbour of Puerto de la Cruz and the adjacent Plaza del Charco. Food stalls, live music and plenty of dancing get more than just the locals moving. The festival sweeps every visitor along with it. It doesn’t end until the early hours of the morning.
The Fiesta del Carmen in Puerto de la Cruz is also highly recommended for visitors from out of town. The frequency of public transport services is increased especially for the festivities. This is to prevent traffic gridlock. Furthermore, plenty of beer and wine are served during the festival, so travelling there in your own car is out of the question anyway.
The Fiesta del Carmen takes place on 16 July 2019 in Puerto de la Cruz in the north of Tenerife. A visit can easily be combined with a stroll through the town. You can find our detailed travel guide to Puerto de la Cruz here. Further events in Tenerife can also be found here. You can discover more latest news here.
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