Naval Museum

A ship museum aboard a ship

Perhaps one of Santa Cruz's most singular attractions is an enormous ship, moored off Avenida de las Nieves, inspired by the Santa Maria, one of three ships on Christopher Columbus' expedition that led to the European discovery of the Americas. Built in 1940 by a collection of local marine builders, ship enthusiasts, and sailors, it's called the Barco de la Virgen, and apart from playing an important role in local festivals such as the Virgin of the Snows procession, it's also home to the Naval Museum, a fascinating must for those interested in maritime history. Among many other items, it includes a significant number of maps of the Canary Islands, as well as various documents and models of ships locally built in the 19th century.