Seawater pools
A municipal complex of pools, gardens and sculptures designed by César Manrique. Its official name is Complejo Turístico Municipal Costa Martiánez, and it is an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC) in the Historic Garden category.
Pool guide · Puerto de la Cruz
Lago Martiánez: a guide to visiting the complex
Lago Martiánez is the seawater swimming-pool complex that César Manrique designed in 1977 in Puerto de la Cruz. It is not a beach: you pay to get in, a sunlounger is included, and it should not be confused with Playa Martiánez, the dark-sand beach right next door.
€7Adult ticket (non-resident)
10:00–18:00Opening hours, October to June
Manrique, 1977Asset of Cultural Interest
Quick answer
Lago Martiánez at a glance.
This guide is only about the complex. For the rest of the town, see the Puerto de la Cruz guide; if you prefer sand to pools, the guide to the beaches of Tenerife.
On the seafront promenade
Avenida de Colón, on the seafront of Puerto de la Cruz, about 600 metres (an 8-minute walk) from Plaza del Charco.
Families and calm swimming days
For anyone who wants seawater without waves or currents, a sunlounger included and a designed setting. If you want sand and surf, choose Playa Martiánez or Playa Jardín.
2–3 hours
Enough to see it all and have a swim. If you use it as a beach day, allow half a day or more. This is our own estimate.
€7 adults, €4 children
Over-10s €7; ages 4 to 10 €4; under-4s free. A sunlounger is included. Details and multi-entry passes in tickets and prices.
Not Playa Martiánez
The Lago is a paid pool complex; Playa Martiánez is a free dark-sand beach. We explain it below.
Tickets and prices
How much it costs to get into Lago Martiánez.
These are the public prices approved by Puerto de la Cruz town council on 23 December 2024 and published in the BOP of 22 January 2025 (the province’s official gazette, in Spanish). You pay per person and per entry.
Checked 5 Oct 2026
Information checked on 5 October 2026. Opening hours and prices may change; check the official website before you travel. The rates in these tables are the latest published in the Boletín Oficial de la Provincia that we have been able to find; we found no later amendment.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Ticket, over 10s | €7.00 |
| Ticket, ages 4 to 10 | €4.00 |
| Under 4s | Free |
| Groups of 20 or more, over 10s | €6.00 per person |
| Groups of 20 or more, ages 4 to 10 | €3.50 per person |
| 15-entry pass (over 10s / ages 4 to 10) | €80 / €50 |
| 30-entry pass (over 10s / ages 4 to 10) | €133 / €90 |
| Parasol hire | €3.00 |
| Hydromassage pool | €2.00 |
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Ticket, over 10s | €3.00 |
| Ticket, ages 4 to 10 | €2.00 |
| Retirees and pensioners (subject to conditions) | €2.00 |
| 15-day season pass (over 10s / ages 4 to 10 / retirees) | €38 / €29 / €29 |
| 30-day season pass (over 10s / ages 4 to 10 / retirees) | €60 / €57 / €57 |
| Issue of the resident’s card | €4.00 |
What to know before you pay.
The conditions come from the same council agreement. The resident’s card is processed at the complex’s offices, Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 13:30, and expires after two years.
- The price includes the right to use one sunlounger.
- You pay per person and per entry: if you leave, you have to pay again to come back in.
- There are no refunds for weather changes, breakdowns or circumstances beyond the organisers’ control.
- Passes can be used on consecutive or alternate days and expire one year after they are issued.
- Online sales were put out to tender in 2025, but the sources we checked do not show them as live: plan to buy at the ticket office.
Opening hours
What time Lago Martiánez opens.
October falls in the winter timetable. The council does not publish a timetable that we have been able to check, so here is which figure is official and which is not.
| Period | Hours | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| October to June | 10:00 to 18:00 | Council announcement (November 2024) and tourist guides |
| July to September | 10:00 to 19:00 | Tourist guides; not in the official source we checked |
| Resident’s card office | Monday to Friday, 10:00 to 13:30 | Council agreement setting the public price (BOP) |
According to the guides we checked, the complex opens every day of the year. The council has announced partial closures for maintenance and keeps a section of the Lago cordoned off because of sea erosion (April 2026), so do not assume every pool will be open. In bad sea or weather conditions the ticket is not refunded.
When to go
Best first thing.
The council reported more than two thousand users a day in summer 2024. Arriving at opening time usually gives you more choice of sunloungers and a shorter queue at the ticket office.
- Check the AEMET forecast for Martiánez before buying your ticket.
- In August, at weekends and on public holidays, arrive before 10:30.
- In autumn and winter the complex closes at 18:00: make the most of the morning.
- Confirm the day’s hours at the ticket office or on the town council website.
Pools and facilities
What is inside the complex.
A main lake, adult and children’s pools, gardens and sculptures, all with seawater and set among volcanic rock, white walls and palm trees.
The Lago
The main pool. The council compares it to ten Olympic swimming pools and Tenerife Tourism gives about 27,000 m³ of seawater. It reopened in March 2024 after ten months of work on its plant room.
Adult pools
Besides the lake, Tenerife Tourism counts four adult pools and three children’s pools, each with its own design. The Los Alisios pools reopened in November 2024.
Children’s pool and La Jibia
The children’s pool features La Jibia, the red octopus that is one of the complex’s symbols. There is more in the section with children.
Hydromassage
It costs €2 extra. In April 2026 the council reported that it was being repaired, with reopening expected within a month; check at the ticket office whether it is working.
Gardens and sculptures
The complex is an Asset of Cultural Interest as a Historic Garden. Its pieces include La Jibia, Los Alisios and the Monumento al Mar, as well as the ship pool with its mast.
Terraza Mirador
Opened on 3 August 2026 in the upper part, beside the Paseo de Colón, with views of the Atlantic.
The facilities change with improvement works. In 2025 the whole complex was repainted and 700 sunloungers and 2,200 parasols were bought; in April 2026 the council announced tenders for another 3,150 sunloungers and 2,300 parasols.
Services
Changing rooms, sunloungers, food, toilets and accessibility.
What the official sources record and what we could not confirm. Where a detail is missing, we say so rather than make it up.
Changing rooms and lockers
We have not found an official page listing changing rooms or lockers. Ask at the ticket office before going in and, if you can, arrive with your swimwear already on: leaving means paying for another ticket.
Sunloungers and parasols
A sunlounger is included in the ticket. A parasol costs €3. The council puts the full capacity at 4,400 sunloungers.
Food and drink
Bars and cafés run by the municipal company Pamarsa, such as the Los Alisios restaurant, La Isla bar and Bar Terraza, plus the new Terraza Mirador. Smoking is only allowed in these areas.
Toilets
There are toilets inside the complex and around its perimeter, according to the OpenStreetMap map. We have not found an official list of where they are.
Accessibility
There is no official accessibility page in the sources we checked. The council presented online ticketing (2025) as an improvement for people with reduced mobility. Call ahead if you need ramps, lifts or assistance.
Lifeguards
The sources we checked do not detail the lifeguard service or the depth of each pool. Follow the signs and always keep an eye on children.
Does something differ from what you find on arrival? Opening hours, services and open areas change with maintenance work. Always ask at the ticket office.
Getting there
How to get to Lago Martiánez.
The main entrance is on Avenida de Colón, beside Plaza de los Reyes Católicos. Once you are in Puerto de la Cruz, walking is best.
Parking
Where to park for Lago Martiánez.
The complex does not advertise its own car park. The trick is to leave the car on the edge of the old town and walk a few minutes to the main entrance.
Limited parking
The council acknowledges a shortage of spaces in the centre and has put underground car parks out to tender that do not exist yet. Avoid hunting for a space beside Avenida de Colón and around Plaza del Charco: there is heavy pedestrian traffic and the streets are narrow. You will find more context in the Puerto de la Cruz guide.
Pirámides de Martiánez
A car park marked as paid on OpenStreetMap, about 440 metres (a 6-minute walk) from the main entrance. We could not confirm prices or hours.
Surface car park to the west
A surface parking area marked as free on OpenStreetMap, about 500 metres (7 minutes) away. Check the signs in the area before leaving your car.
Explanada del Muelle
The council puts the esplanade at up to 1,600 spaces after adding 240 new ones in 2025. It is about 840 metres (an 11-minute walk) along the promenade.
How to avoid driving in circles.
Spaces near the coast fill up in August, at weekends and on public holidays. If you go on those dates, try to park before opening time.
- Arrive before 10:00 in summer or at weekends.
- A comfortable option is to park and come back by bus or on foot.
- Do not leave anything visible in the car.
- Check prices and hours at the car park itself: they can change.
- If you are staying nearby, leave the car and walk along the seafront promenade.
Public transport
By bus to Lago Martiánez.
Intercity routes end at Puerto de la Cruz bus station. From there it is about 1.2 km (15 minutes on foot) to the main entrance.
| Titsa line | Route |
|---|---|
| 100 | Santa Cruz – Puerto de la Cruz (direct) |
| 102 | Santa Cruz – Puerto de la Cruz (via Las Arenas) |
| 103 | La Laguna – Puerto de la Cruz, direct via El Botánico |
| 351 | Puerto de la Cruz Station – El Botánico – La Orotava Station |
| 345 | Puerto de la Cruz – La Orotava – Aguamansa |
| 325 / 363 | Puerto de la Cruz – Icod de los Vinos – Los Gigantes / Buenavista |
| 381 | Plaza de los Reyes Católicos – Punta Brava (Loro Parque) – La Longuera |
Line names as they appear in Titsa’s official list. Check routes, stops and timetables at titsa.com, because they change by season and between weekdays and holidays.
Without getting off at the station
The nearest stop.
Plaza de los Reyes Católicos is about 30 metres from the main entrance. Line 381 and the free Loro Parque train stop there; according to our guide to the park, the train runs roughly every 20 minutes from 9:00 to 16:00.
- Titsa’s official list shows no direct line from the south of the island to Puerto de la Cruz: use Titsa’s journey planner (it usually means changing at Santa Cruz or La Laguna).
- A taxi is the comfortable option with luggage: the town council links to the Cooperativa San Telmo.
- If you come from La Orotava, line 351 goes via the Botanical Garden, about 20 minutes’ walk from the Lago.
What to bring
A light bag.
The ticket includes a sunlounger, but not a towel. These are our own recommendations, not an official list from the complex; if you are unsure about an item, ask at the ticket office.
- Swimwear on from your accommodation and a change of clothes.
- Your own towel: the sunlounger is included, the towel is not.
- Sunscreen and a hat: there is little shade by the pools and a parasol costs €3.
- Water shoes or flip-flops: the ground is volcanic stone and gets hot.
- Cash or a card for the ticket office and food; your resident’s card or ID if you are a resident.
- A waterproof pouch for your phone and documents.
- Water and a snack: there are bars and restaurants inside, and if you go out to eat you will have to pay for another entry.
Rules and restrictions
What is regulated.
We found the conditions of the price agreement and the smoke-free policy, both official. We have not located a published set of rules for using the complex: whatever is not listed here, ask at the ticket office.
- Smoke-free since 31 May 2025: smoking is only allowed in the food and drink areas.
- The price is per person and per entry; to come back in you must pay for another ticket.
- There are no refunds for bad weather, breakdowns or other circumstances beyond the complex’s control.
- Payment entitles you to one sunlounger; the parasol and the hydromassage pool are paid separately.
- Under-4s free; ages 4 to 10, child rate.
- People attending events (concerts, conferences) fall outside this bathing rate.
- Always follow the signs and the staff’s instructions, especially in the areas next to the open sea.
With children
Lago Martiánez with children.
It is one of the easiest family plans in Puerto de la Cruz: seawater without waves, children’s pools and an enclosed setting.
Price
Under-4s free; ages 4 to 10, €4. Over-10s pay the adult rate (€7).
Children’s pools
Tenerife Tourism counts three children’s pools. The one with La Jibia, the red octopus, is the best known; the council announced its repainting in 2025.
Children’s entertainment
From 1 August to 15 September 2025 there were workshops, bouncy castles and a mini disco. The council planned to repeat it in 2026: check whether there is a programme on your dates.
If you are travelling with children, the day combines well with Loro Parque: the free train leaves from Plaza de los Reyes Católicos, next to the Lago. Always keep an eye on little ones; the complex borders the open sea and we have not found official lifeguard details.
The difference
Lago Martiánez is not Playa Martiánez.
They share a name and sit side by side, but they are two different places: one is a paid complex and the other a free beach on the open sea.
| Lago Martiánez | Playa Martiánez | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Seawater pool complex by César Manrique (1977) | Urban beach of dark sand and pebbles |
| Access | Paid (€7; €4 for ages 4 to 10) | Free |
| Size | Enclosure with lake, pools and gardens | About 350 × 40 m |
| Water | Seawater pools, no swell | Open sea, moderate swell; surfing and bodyboarding |
| Sunloungers | One included in the ticket | Not listed in the official sources |
| Facilities | Bars, toilets, sunloungers, parasols | Litter bins, cleaning, telephone and surf area |
| When to go | Best in the morning, with good weather forecast | When the sea is calm; check the flag and AEMET |
Playa Martiánez lies just east of the Lago, about 6 minutes’ walk away. According to Spain.info it has moderate swell and high occupancy; in May 2025 the council cleared pebbles and shingle with machinery to ease access to the water. For other sandy options, see our guide to the beaches of Tenerife; in Puerto de la Cruz there are also the small San Telmo beach, next door, and Playa Jardín, further west.
What to do nearby
After your swim, on foot from the Lago.
The seafront and the old town can be covered on foot. More ideas in the Puerto de la Cruz guide.
Seafront promenade
The Paseo de San Telmo and Avenida de Colón link the Lago with the little San Telmo beach, the chapel and the viewpoints over the sea. It is the prettiest stretch at sunset.
Plaza del Charco
The town’s historic square, with laurel trees and terraces, a step from the old fishing port. A good place to eat after the Lago.
Botanical Garden
The Acclimatisation Garden of La Orotava, created in the 18th century and home to more than 3,000 species, is 1.5 km away. Check hours and tickets first; it is run by the Canary Islands Institute of Agricultural Research.
Puerto de la Cruz
The old town, the old port and the black-sand beaches round off a day in the municipality. The full plan is in the Puerto de la Cruz guide.
Loro Parque
The best-known zoo and aquarium in the north, with a free train from Plaza de los Reyes Católicos. See hours and prices in the Loro Parque guide.
La Orotava
The old town of La Orotava, with its mansions and wooden balconies, is ten minutes away. Read the La Orotava guide.
Map
Map of Lago Martiánez and its surroundings.
A schematic plan with the main entrance, the two nearest beaches, Plaza del Charco, the bus station and three parking areas.
- 1Main entrance. On Avenida de Colón, beside Plaza de los Reyes Católicos.
- 2Playa Martiánez. A free dark-sand beach, east of the Lago.
- 3San Telmo beach. A small urban beach, 3 minutes on foot.
- 4Plaza del Charco. 8 minutes’ walk, with restaurants.
- 5Plaza de los Reyes Católicos. Stop for line 381 and the Loro Parque train.
- 6Bus station. 1.2 km (15 minutes), off the plan to the left.
- PCar parks. Pirámides de Martiánez (paid), a lot to the west and the Explanada del Muelle.
Frequently asked questions
The essentials before visiting Lago Martiánez.
The most searched answers, with data from the official sources checked on 5 October 2026.
How much does it cost to get into Lago Martiánez?
Non-resident tickets cost €7 for over-10s and €4 for ages 4 to 10; children under 4 do not pay. The price includes a sunlounger and is paid per person and per entry. A parasol costs €3 extra and the hydromassage pool €2. These are the rates in the council agreement published in the BOP on 22 January 2025, checked on 5 October 2026.
What are the opening hours of Lago Martiánez?
From October to June it is advertised as 10:00 to 18:00, the timetable the council announced in November 2024. In summer (July to September) tourist guides say it closes at 19:00, but we have not found that in an official source. Confirm before you go, as the council may close areas for maintenance.
Are Lago Martiánez and Playa Martiánez the same thing?
No. Lago Martiánez is César Manrique’s seawater pool complex, paid and with facilities. Playa Martiánez is a dark-sand and pebble beach of about 350 × 40 metres, free to enter, with swell and widely used for surfing and bodyboarding. They are about a 6-minute walk apart.
Can you buy tickets online?
In 2025 the council tendered an online ticketing system, but in the sources we checked there is no sign that it is live. The safest plan is to buy your ticket at the complex’s ticket office.
Is a sunlounger included in the ticket?
Yes. The council’s price agreement states that payment includes the right to use one sunlounger. A parasol is hired separately for €3. The council puts the complex’s full capacity at 4,400 sunloungers.
Can I leave and come back in on the same day?
Not with the same ticket. The price is set per person and per entry: if you leave the complex, you need to pay for a new ticket to get back in. If you want to eat outside, plan for that before you go in.
How long should I allow for Lago Martiánez?
To look around and have a swim, two or three hours are enough. If you use it as a beach day with lunch included, allow half a day or the whole day. That is our own estimate, not official data.
Where can I park near Lago Martiánez?
In the sources we checked, the complex does not advertise its own car park. The nearest options are the Pirámides de Martiánez car park (paid, about a 6-minute walk), a surface car park about 7 minutes away and the Explanada del Muelle (up to 1,600 spaces according to the council), about 11 minutes on foot.
How do you get to Lago Martiánez by bus?
All Titsa intercity lines end at Puerto de la Cruz bus station, about 1.2 km and a 15-minute walk away. Lines 100 and 102 come from Santa Cruz, the 103 from La Laguna and the 351 from La Orotava. In addition, line 381 and Loro Parque’s free train leave from Plaza de los Reyes Católicos, a few steps from the main entrance.
Is it a good plan with children?
Yes. It has children’s pools, including the one with La Jibia, Manrique’s red octopus. Children under 4 get in free and ages 4 to 10 pay €4. In summer 2025 the complex ran a children’s entertainment programme and the council proposed repeating it in 2026; check before you go.
Can you smoke inside Lago Martiánez?
Since 31 May 2025 the complex has been a smoke-free space: smoking is only allowed in the food and drink areas.
Do you get a refund if the weather is bad?
No. The council agreement rules out refunds for weather changes, unforeseen breakdowns or circumstances beyond the organisers’ control. Check the AEMET forecast for Martiánez before buying your ticket.
Official sources
Where the data comes from.
Checked on 5 October 2026. The town council does not have a website of its own for the complex that we have been able to consult: we use its press releases and the BOP. Links marked (in Spanish) have no English version.
- BOP of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, no. 10, 22 January 2025 (in Spanish): agreement setting the public price of the Complejo Turístico Municipal “Costa Martiánez” (rates, passes, conditions).
- Puerto de la Cruz town council e-office (in Spanish): 2021 public-price bylaw, prior to the agreement now in force.
- Puerto de la Cruz town council (in Spanish): smoke-free policy (28 May 2025).
- Puerto de la Cruz town council (in Spanish): repositioning of the complex, sunloungers, hydromassage and cordoned-off area (15 April 2026).
- Puerto de la Cruz town council (in Spanish): opening of the Terraza Mirador (21 August 2026).
- Puerto de la Cruz town council (in Spanish): reopening of Los Alisios, the bars and the 10:00 to 18:00 timetable (8 November 2024).
- Puerto de la Cruz town council (in Spanish): reopening of the Lago and data on the main pool (26 March 2024).
- Puerto de la Cruz town council (in Spanish): sunloungers, parasols and La Jibia (10 April 2025).
- Puerto de la Cruz town council (in Spanish): children’s entertainment programme (1 August 2025).
- Puerto de la Cruz town council (in Spanish): online ticket sales (24 July 2025).
- Puerto de la Cruz town council (in Spanish): Explanada del Muelle and parking spaces (2 April 2025).
- Spain.info (Turespaña): Playa Martiánez factsheet (size, sand, facilities) and the San Telmo factsheet.
- Tenerife Tourism: Complejo Costa Martiánez factsheet (pools and volume of the lake).
- AEMET: beach forecast for Martiánez and weather warnings.
- Náyade, Ministry of Health (in Spanish): bathing-water quality of the beaches.
- Titsa: list of lines, routes and timetables for the buses.
- OpenStreetMap: basis of the map, walking distances and car parks (ODbL).
The website lagomartianez.es states that it is not the complex’s official page, so we have not used it as a source for prices or hours. Journey times by car and on foot, the length of a visit and the recommendations in “What to bring” are our own estimates.
Next stop
North Tenerife, ten minutes away.
Lago Martiánez fills a morning. For the rest of the day, head to La Orotava, to Loro Parque or explore the north at a slower pace.
Cover photo: Klaus61, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo of the water jet: karel291, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0) · Photo of La Jibia: karel291, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0) · Photo of Lago and Playa Martiánez: Aisano, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)