San Telmo [Saint Telmo]

The San Telmo promenade is a picturesque pedestrian promenade along the very edge of the shore, lined with shops. It gives access to a cove of the same name, with natural sea-water swimming pools and is one of the preferred bathing areas among the locals. One end of the promenade is guarded by the Chapel of San Telmo, founded about 1780 by the guild of sea-going traders and dedicated to the Dominican friar San Pedro González de Bromista o San Pedro Telmo (also known as Saint Erasmus in English), patron saint of seamen. The image of the saint preserved in this small shrine dates from the end of the XVIII Century. The grounds of the small plaza surrounding it accommodated the San Telmo battery. Of it remain a few vestiges, such as the lookout post and part of the pitch-pine palisades which in earlier times guarded this small fortification, one of four built along the coast of the former Harbour of La Orotava to repel pirate attacks. The San Telmo battery defended the ships which anchored opposite the Chapel in the Limpio del Rey cove. At the other end of the San Telmo promenade is the Punta del Viento [Windy Point] viewpoint, called that way because it faces into the prevailing wind. From here there is a grand view of El Boquete, the San Telmo beach, and the whole of the Martiánez Complex. Many tourists congregate at this point to watch the spectacle of the waves breaking against the lava crags. The “Spectator” sculpture by Puerto artist Arnoldo Evora stands at one of the terrace’s corners.