La Laguna was the first European town built in Tenerife and was the island's political and religious centre for several centuries. Its historic centre is renowned as the first Spanish colonial town built without defensive walls, laid out on a grid plan that later served as a model for many colonial towns across the Americas, including Havana and Cartagena de Indias. The original street layout, dating back to around 1500, has remained essentially intact, and the city preserves some six hundred buildings of Mudejar style architecture. UNESCO declared La Laguna's historic centre a World Heritage Site in 1999. Today La Laguna is also home to the University of La Laguna, which was founded in 1927, making it a lively university town with a strong academic tradition alongside its historic core. 

Santa Cruz de Tenerife was founded in 1494, on the beach were the first European settlers landed. Although the island's political and religious life was first centred in La Laguna, Santa Cruz grew steadily around its harbour, and by 1723 had overtaken La Laguna as the main city of the island. The city became independent from La Laguna in 1803 and was granted city status by royal decree in 1859. It served as capital of the Canary Islands archipelago from the early nineteenth century until 1927, when the title became shared with Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Today Santa Cruz is the capital of the island of Tenerife and remains a major Atlantic port and the archipelago's commercial and cultural hub, known among other things for hosting one of the largest carnivals in the world.