Throughout history numerous tourists have visited the most remote streets and places of Puerto de la Cruz, including some of great international reputation today. On this occasion we want to mention some of the most illustrious celebrities who have walked through our streets, so that you also know a little more about the history of Puerto de la Cruz thanks to important personalities of various kinds.

The Beatles

The Beatles have possibly been the most famous celebrities who have walked through the streets of Puerto de la Cruz, some very different streets to those that can be enjoyed today but with great tourist charm at that time. However, the visit of The Beatles was not as successful as they expected, since when they visited the island nobody knew them yet in this part of ​​the world, to such an extent that the manager of a famous nightclub denied them the possibility of acting in his establishment. To understand this situation we have to remember that at that time (the year 1963), Spain was still a dictatorship and people’s mentality was very entrenched in the dictatorial beliefs and cultures of the time. It was a period of time in which it was even forbidden for women to go in bikini to the beach, and for people to walk in shorts in the street. We can understand that the arrival of some Britons with a somewhat slovenly appearance and too modern hairstyles for what Spain was used to did not give a good impression. Shortly after their stay on the island, they began to excelled until they became world-famous, a worldwide icon that would surely made the nightclub businessman who once denied them entry regret.

Agatha Christie: The Lady of the Mystery

Agatha Christie, an internationally famous writer who found in Puerto de la Cruz a perfect place to rest and spend moments of her life in which things were not going so well. The year 1926 was a terrible year in her life, since she was seriously depressed because the death of her mother and the separation of her husband. A year later she decided to rest in the Canary Islands and specifically in Puerto de la Cruz to try to overcome such a bad year and regain the enthusiasm for life. During her stay in the city she finished several stories such as “The Mystery of the Blue Train” and “The Mysterious Mr Quin”. Such was the link between Puerto de la Cruz and Agatha Christie that on the 80th anniversary of her first stay in the city, the I International Agatha Christie Festival was celebrated. One of the places she frequented the most and which we already talked about in another article of our blog, was the Orchid Garden Sitio Litre, where she was continually invited, and in which its owner, the British Charles Smith, often organized parties where he invited renowned personalities.

Alexander von Humboldt

Another of the great guests of Mr Charles Smith to the Orchid Garden Sitio Litre where he organized these parties was Alexander von Humboldt, father of Universal Modern Geography and one of the most important explorers in the history of mankind. Throughout his life he made numerous trips and travelled all over the world to investigate areas such as climatology, oceanography, astronomy, botany, humanism and many others. A genius of his time that we were lucky to have in the Canary Islands and more specifically in Puerto de la Cruz, born in Berlin in 1769.

Richard Francis Burton

A British explorer who knew many languages and cultures from all corners of the world. He was able to speak up to 29 languages and was especially known for being the first European to enter Meccah, a milestone he described in a book called “The Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah and Meccah”, and to translate the Kama Sutra. The discovery of Lake Tanganyika is also attributed to him.

These are the most illustrious celebrities who have walked the streets of Puerto de la Cruz on some occasion during their life. You may decide to spend a few days in Puerto de la Cruz soon and you may become famous in the future. If so, we will surely add you to this list, but for us you will be equally important, whether you are famous or not. At Apartamentos Ambassador we will give you the best possible service, so you can spend a few pleasant days during your stay. We are waiting for you!