🚢 Los Cristianos Port Braces for Easter Surge: 72,000 Travelers, Traffic Plans, and a Heated Political Debate
The Port of Los Cristianos, located in the sun-drenched south of Tenerife, is gearing up for one of its busiest weekends of the year. With Easter holidays drawing thousands to the sea, port authorities are preparing to welcome an estimated 72,000 passengers and nearly 20,000 vehicles from Thursday to Sunday.
🏝️ A Gateway to the Western Isles
This surge is driven by increased travel to the western Canary Islands — La Gomera, La Palma, and El Hierro — as locals and tourists take advantage of the long weekend to escape the main island. Los Cristianos acts as the primary maritime gateway for these routes, making it a critical hub for inter-island connectivity.
✳️ Passenger Breakdown by Ferry Operator:
- Fred. Olsen Express: Expected to carry around 55,000 passengers
- Naviera Armas: Anticipated to handle approximately 17,000 passengers
La Gomera remains the top destination, representing over half of all travelers, followed by La Palma and El Hierro.
🚧 Coordinated Traffic & Safety Plans
Given the expected influx of people and cars, authorities have activated a comprehensive traffic management strategy in collaboration with:
- The Port Authority
- Arona Town Council
- Ferry companies
This plan aims to prevent congestion, particularly on peak days like:
- Friday (Good Friday)
- Saturday
- Sunday (Return operations)
👮♂️ Enhanced Measures Include:
- Increased police and security presence at strategic points
- Focus on El Espigón road, the main port access, where:
- 🚫 Parking will be banned from Saturday 4:00 PM to Sunday 10:00 PM
- Traffic redirection to avoid bottlenecks:
- Calle Madrigueras will serve as the preferred exit route from the port
- Avoiding Avenida Chayofita and Avenida Juan Carlos I is strongly advised
🗣️ Growing Tensions: The Port’s Future in Question
This seasonal spike also reopens a long-standing debate on whether the Port of Los Cristianos can sustain growing demand — and how best to adapt.
⚔️ Political Clash Escalates:
- Casimiro Curbelo, President of the Cabildo of La Gomera, has:
- Called for an urgent overhaul of port operations
- Threatened protests in Santa Cruz de Tenerife this August if action isn’t taken
- Rosa Dávila, President of the Cabildo of Tenerife, counters that:
- Solutions must come via dialogue, consensus, and strategic planning
- She rejects ultimatums and insists on technically supported, sustainable solutions
🛠️ Expansion Plans vs. Sustainability
A new report by the College of Civil Engineers of Santa Cruz outlines several proposals to address capacity issues:
Proposed Alternatives:
- 🔹 Expansion of Los Cristianos Port
- Building an external dock
- Extending the existing breakwater
- 🔹 Reviving the Fonsalía Project (in Guía de Isora)
- But on a smaller, less disruptive scale
However, not all local leaders support these ideas.
🗨️ Fátima Lemes, Mayor of Arona:
“We oppose the expansion of the Los Cristianos port, but we are open to discussion — any solution must be environmentally responsible, socially considerate, and technically sound.”
🌍 Residents Say „No” to Port Enlargement
Amid the political back-and-forth, local residents and business owners in Los Cristianos are growing increasingly vocal in their resistance.
Their Main Concerns:
- ❌ Environmental degradation
- ❌ Increased noise, pollution, and urban stress
- ❌ Threats to the quality of life in a town already coping with heavy tourism pressure
⏳ What Lies Ahead?
As the Easter operation unfolds, all eyes are on the efficacy of current infrastructure and the urgency for long-term decisions. Whether the port evolves through expansion or gives way to a new maritime facility, the debate is only intensifying — and August’s potential protest could be a turning point.