This charming colonial city is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its exceptional cultural heritage. San Cristobal de la Laguna, locally known simply as La Laguna, is the former capital of all the Canary Islands.
The lovely historic town has many architectural gems, such as its elaborate cathedral, Renaissance and Neoclassical churches, and impressive mansions built by wealthy families in the 17th and 18th centuries. The town's parish church, the Iglesia de Nuestra La Concepción, was built 1496 and modified in the 16th and 18th centuries.
The sanctuary is simply adorned and has Mudéjar coffering. Another important church is the 17th-century Iglesia de Santo Domingo de Guzmán, with Plateresque details on the facade and an ornately designed Mudejar ceiling.
Paintings by the Canary Island artist Cristóbal Hernández de Quintana decorate the interior. For a historical overview of the region, head to the History and Anthropology Museum, housed in the lovely Casa de Lecaro, which dates from 1593.
