Mercado de Nuestra Señora de Africa, Santa Cruz
The Mercado de Africa is where people in Santa Cruz actually shop for food, which makes it different from the tourist-facing markets elsewhere on the island. The cheese section has Canarian varieties not available in supermarkets — smoked goat cheese from the Tenerife interior, fresh pressed cheeses from La Gomera — at prices that reflect local incomes rather than tourist spending. The courtyard bar serves tostadas and coffee to market vendors and regular shoppers from 07:30; eating breakfast here costs about €2. The whole market makes clear that Tenerife has a food culture entirely separate from the resort south.
- Hours
- Monday to Saturday approximately 07:00-14:00
- Price
- Free to enter
- Duration
- 45 minutes-1.5 hours
- Booking required
- No
Tips
- The courtyard bar serves breakfast from 07:30 — tostadas and coffee for €2-3, eaten alongside market vendors and local shoppers rather than tourists
- The cheese stalls sell Canarian varieties rarely found outside the islands: smoked goat cheese from the Tenerife interior and fresh-pressed cheeses from La Gomera are the ones to look for
- Monday to Saturday 07:00-14:00; the market does not exist in any form on Sundays