Santa Cruz is the rare island capital where the best things cost nothing: municipal museums with free entry, a 24-hour public library, and TITSA buses that drop you on a palm-fringed beach for €1.45. Three days, under €35 a day.
Excavated 16th-century fortress walls sit under the Herzog & de Meuron plaza, displayed in a free underground gallery with El Tigre, the cannon said to have taken Nelson's arm in 1797. Open Mon–Sat 10:00–18:00.
The city's fine arts museum charges nothing, ever. Four floors hold Ribera, Brueghel the Younger and 19th-century Canarian painters, plus rotating shows. Open Tue–Fri 11:00–19:00, weekends 10:00–15:00.
A 2 km laurel-shaded boulevard doubling as an open-air museum: around 40 works survive from the 1973 International Street Sculpture Exhibition, including pieces by Henry Moore and Joan Miró, all free to walk past.
Herzog & de Meuron's concrete arts centre spans the Barranco de Santos ravine. Its public library is free and open 24 hours a day, with air conditioning, power sockets and wifi — the cheapest refuge in the capital.
The 1944 colonial-style market on Avenida San Sebastián: bananas, gofio, almogrote and goat cheese sold at island prices. Stall bars pour a café con leche for about €1.30 and pinchos run €1.50–€2.50. Daily from 06:00.
The old town's pedestrian tapas street behind Iglesia de la Concepción. Tascas here serve menú del día at €9–€12 including bread, mojo, a main and a drink, and a caña of Dorada rarely passes €1.80.
Tram line 1 climbs to the UNESCO-listed university town in 40 minutes. The Plaza del Cristo market sells produce at half the tourist-zone rate, and the whole grid of 16th-century streets is free to wander.
Shaded by giant laurel de Indias trees, this 19th-century square has a wrought-iron bandstand where the municipal band plays free concerts most Sunday middays, and benches locals occupy with takeaway coffee.
Golden Saharan sand imported in the 1970s, protected by a breakwater so the water stays flat. Entry, showers and shade under the palms are free; only loungers and parasols cost money. Bus 910 runs every 15 minutes.
A cluster of whitewashed lanes below a ruined 17th-century tower where the fish restaurants price by weight. Vieja or cherne with papas arrugadas and mojo lands at €10–€14, well under the resort seafront rate.
The road ends at this ravine hamlet of terraced plots and drying laundry, gateway to free Anaga trails toward Playa de Antequera. Bus 945 continues from San Andrés; there is one small shop, so carry water.
A roadside balcony on the TF-121 above San Andrés looking straight down the beach curve to the port and Gran Canaria on clear evenings. No barrier, no fee, and the last bus back to the capital passes around 21:00.