Parque Las Indias

Parque Las Indias is an urban park in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, built on a steep hillside between the El Perú and La Salud neighborhoods. It was created to physically link two districts that previously had no direct urban connection, and today it stands as one of the main green recreational spaces in this part of the city.

Where does the park come from, and what is its history?

The park was designed by architects Federico García Barba and José Lorenzo García García. Their concept was presented in July 1983 as a response to the disconnection between the Cruz del Señor and La Salud neighborhoods. The project won two awards — the First Prize in the Parque de Las Indias competition and the Oraá Prize for Canarian Architecture 1992-93. Construction took far longer than the design phase: the park was not finished until November 1992, nearly a decade after the original proposal.

How is the terrain laid out, and what will you see there?

The defining feature of Parque Las Indias is its geometry: the plot forms an elongated triangle spread across a sloped site of roughly 22,000 square meters, with a gradient exceeding 11%. To manage the steep terrain and make walking through it easier, the park is organized into five square plazas arranged in a stepped sequence along the slope, all facing east. This terraced layout turns a walk through the park into a gradual climb through different levels, with each plaza offering its own view over the surrounding area.

What changed after the latest renovation?

In September 2019, the city formalized a renovation contract as part of the Neighborhood Plan for the Salud-La Salle district. The budget was around 2.5 million euros, with a planned construction window of 12 months — the work ultimately took nearly two years. The park reopened to the public on May 27, 2021. Following the renovation, each of the terraced plazas was given a distinct functional profile aimed at different age groups, complete with dedicated street furniture and activity zones. The space was decorated with murals from several artists, and LED lighting was installed throughout, improving usability in the evening hours.

How do you get to Parque Las Indias?

The park sits on Calle Ribera in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, right on the boundary between the El Perú and La Salud neighborhoods. Public transport connections are convenient, with nearby bus and tram stops serving routes that link the city center to this part of the Salud-La Salle district. Drivers will find street parking in the surrounding residential area, though spaces can be harder to come by during peak hours given the dense housing nearby.

Who is this park for?

Thanks to its terraced layout and clearly differentiated zones, Parque Las Indias works both as an everyday recreational space for residents of the surrounding neighborhoods and as a short, off-the-beaten-path stop for visitors exploring Santa Cruz de Tenerife beyond the usual sights. The park is also pet-friendly — the renovation was designed so the space could serve families with children as well as dog owners at the same time.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Parque Las Indias located? On Calle Ribera in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, on the boundary between the El Perú and La Salud neighborhoods.

When was the park built, and who designed it? It was designed in 1983 by architects Federico García Barba and José Lorenzo García García and completed in November 1992.

When did the most recent renovation finish? The park reopened on May 27, 2021, after nearly two years of work costing around 2.5 million euros.

What makes the park's layout distinctive? A triangular plot of about 22,000 square meters divided into five stepped square plazas designed to handle a slope of over 11%.