Best tips for traveling to Las Palmas Gran Canaria

If you are passionate about city ​​tourism breaksNow that we are in winter I am going to propose a very special plan; a getaway to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

We all have in our minds the idea of Canary Islands as a sun and beach destination, but I can give you many reasons why it is a destination that offers many more attractions.

I have taken advantage of a winter getaway to return to these Atlantic islands flying from Madrid, where early in the morning the temperature was 1 degree above zero.

Upon arriving at Gran Canaria The temperature was 20 degrees, and I understand again why these islands are a priority destination for tourists from Europe.

Travel in winter to the Canary Islands

And I also tell you that I consider that it is a destination that is not sufficiently known and appreciated by peninsular Spaniards.

Indeed, when you visit a European city in winter, you need to be very warm, and it is very likely that you will not see the sun for several days, or even have to walk in the rain.

Therefore, at that time travel to the Canary Islands It's a glory, I assure you.

I know very well the island of Tenerife, well I lived there for a year, and I have also traveled to Fuerteventura y Lanzarote, but in the case of Gran Canaria I had only visited the south of the island in one escape wellness, occasion in which I made a route through the interior thereof.

But until now I didn't know Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and now I can assure you that it has been a great surprise.

Three-day sightseeing trip to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Specifically, I propose to make a three day getaway To enjoy the cultural aspect of the city, in which you will also have time to enjoy a few hours of sunbathing in its famous Canteras beach.

Did you know that precisely the tourism in the Canary Islands It started on this beach in the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria?

At six kilometers long, it is one of the longest urban beaches in the world, and its main characteristic is the presence of the bar.

This is what is popularly called a natural reef located in front of a large part of the beach, which you can see during low tides, and which protects it by eliminating the force of the waves.

Furthermore, this reef creates The pits a true natural aquarium with more than 150 marine species who live in its calm waters.

But beyond the sun and beach tourism that you can enjoy in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, I want to discover you and delve deeper into the many attractions that make this city a destination for a cultural getaway.

History of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

La history of this city dates back to the year 1478, when the area now occupied by the port of light arrived the Captain Juan Rejón, sent by Castilla's crown, who is considered the founder of the city.

In reality, the urban enclave of Las Palmas was established further south of the port, in the historic Vegueta neighborhood, and then spread over the adjoining neighborhood of Triana.

The configuration of the founding nucleus of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria you can see it in a curious model what do you find in the Canary museum, riding a Vegueta, and it served as an example for the construction of cities in America.

In this regard I remind you that Christopher Columbus made a stop at port of Las Palmas during his first trips to America, on the navigation route that, taking advantage of the trade winds, took him to the new continent.

And in said port of Las Palmas their ships were repaired.

During that initial period, the city had to protect itself from the attacks of the moorish pirates coming from Africa with the construction of a wall that from the current San Telmo square reached up to him Mata castle.

A highlight in the history of the city is the attack it suffered in 1599 by the Dutch, who burned the city, although they occupied it for a few days.

At the beginning of the 19th century, English merchants arrived and built the current port of lightas well as a Garden City, an area known as the English neighborhood.

And already in the middle of the last century was when the aforementioned tourist activity with the construction of hotels and apartments in the area of ​​the Las Canteras beach.

Tourism in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

In recent years Las Palmas It is having a new tourist boom, as it is visited by various profiles of tourists.

Thus, Las Palmas has become fashionable as a destination digital nomads, and, on the other hand, in addition to the traditional flow of German and English tourists, French and Italian tourists now also arrive.

And as a curiosity, in the summer, low tourist season, Las Palmas It has become a vacation destination for wealthy people from several countries in the world. black africa, who arrive with their families.

How to get to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

For get to Las Palmas de Gran CanariaApart from flights from numerous cities in Europe, there are direct flights from various cities in Spain.

These flights arrive at Gando airport, and from there you can reach the city center in half an hour, which is 25 kilometers away.

The location of the airport halfway between the city of Las Palmas y Maspalomas, also allows you to reach this famous tourist enclave in the south of the island in less than half an hour.

Another increasingly common way to get to Las Palmas is on board a cruise ship.

From September to spring is the peak season for cruises, almost every day it is common for port of light One or two boats dock, with the great advantage of being in the heart of the city.

Visit Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in one day

Facing your visit of Las Palmas, if you are limited on time and only have one day, as happens to cruise passengers or residents in the south of the island, what focuses the attention of visitors is the area of ​​​​the historic neighborhoods of Vegueta y Triana.

En Vegueta You can walk through the corners where the city was founded, and you must visit the Columbus House museum, where historic buildings commemorate the discoverer's passage through the Canarian city.

You should also visit the Gothic cathedral of Las Palmas, the largest building in the Canary Islands.

You will walk through the Santa Ana Square, administrative center of the city, where in addition to the cathedral you can see the buildings of the Episcopal palace and Town Hall, current headquarters of Cabildo of Gran Canaria.

In that Vegueta area You also have the option of visiting the Canary museum, with the largest ethnographic collection of the ancient Canaries, and the CAAM museum, Atlantic Center of Modern Art, where contemporary works and artistic installations are displayed.

On the way to the neighborhood of Triana, you must not stop entering the Vegueta market, where you will be surprised by the very colorful tropical fruit stands.

On your walk along the main street of Triana to the San Telmo square you will be able to see beautiful modernist style buildings.

Also worth highlighting is the modernist temple in the aforementioned square.

What to do in three days in Las Palmas

But in one three-day getaway to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in addition to knowing the aforementioned historic neighborhoods of Vegueta and Triana, you will have time to discover other very interesting areas of the city.

Thus, it is worth noting that Las Palmas is located north of the island of Gran Canaria, in a location with an isthmus that connects the city with a peninsula with three volcanoes.

This peninsula area known as The Coloradas, It is a protected natural environment where the Confital beach, a good location for hiking and practicing surf.

In the urban area of ​​the aforementioned peninsula is also located the old fishing neighborhood of The Islet, with narrow, steep streets and colorful houses.

For your visit, on one side of the isthmus you will find the great Las Canteras beach, the great heart of city life, where canaries go for walks and tourists occupy hammocks to sunbathe in winter.

At the end of the beach is the large Las Palmas Auditorium dedicated to tenor Alfredo Kraus, where you can enjoy a wide program of music concerts, from classical to jazz.

And on the opposite side is the port of light, with a long history linked to trafficking to America and the colonization of Africa.

Always closely linked to British trade, in the port of Las Palmas The Russian fishing fleet has been based there, Korean ships dock there and, as a curiosity, it is currently the base and repair site for the oil platforms in the Gulf of Guinea.

Furthermore, in the port area you can visit the castle of light, located in the enclave where he landed Juan Rejon.

This small, completely restored castle is the headquarters of the Martín Chirino museum dedicated to showing part of the work of the famous Canarian sculptor.

In that area is the Santa Catalina square, heart of the city during the time of the carnival parties, since the stages for the contests and presentations are installed there.

There you have the tourist office from the city and you can visit the Science and Technology museum located in the elder building, which was owned by a former British consignee.

Going south on the way to Vegueta awarded by the León y Castillo street, the longest in Las Palmas, you will pass near the Maritime dock, the largest leisure boat port in the Canary Islands, with more than 1.800 berths.

Before reaching the historic area of ​​Triana and Vegueta, you will cross the Garden City, a lesser-known area of ​​the city, where the city's upper class has historically been concentrated.

It is a very interesting area to visit, because there you can make a rationalist architecture route, in addition to seeing beautiful and colorful houses surrounded by lush tropical gardens.

You can also see the Santa Catalina hotel, an emblematic establishment of the city with canarian style architecture.

In the adjacent Dorama park musical performances are carried out, such as the cultural program music or those of traditional canarian music which take place every Sunday morning.

If you have time, these two visits on the outskirts of Las Palmas are worth doing.

On the one hand, go to Canary Garden located in the area tafira, where the main facilities of the University of Las Palmas.

In this large botanical garden where you can see very interesting subtropical species, and in whose restaurant it is advisable to eat and taste Canarian cuisine, in addition to seeing the panoramic views of the garden since it is located at the top of a cliff.

And another recommendation is to go up to the viewpoint of the Bandama Caldera Peak, from where you have the best panoramic views of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Tours and excursions in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

For your visit, you can take the tour in the City Tour sightseeing bus, which will take you an hour and a half, and in addition to passing through the main corners of the city, you will go up to the upper area of ​​the city from where you will have beautiful panoramic views.

A more original alternative is to sign up for a Tuc Tuc tour, with routes lasting 45 minutes and an hour and a half, in which you will pass through the most interesting corners of Las Palmas, being able to take a tailor-made tour.

It is a six-seater vehicle with a body of Thai origin and a structure with an electric motor of Dutch origin.

Of course, I tell you that with the Tuc Tuc excursion “you will give the grade.”

In summary, as you can see, my proposal to take a getaway to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria will be a visit very well spent.