1. Explore Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Yes, Las Palmas has one of the most attractive city beaches you can possibly ask for: Playa de las Canteras. This treasure is just a few blocks away from the cruise terminal and you may like to keep it for your afternoon in town.

First of all, we suggest to take a taxi and go to La Vegueta, the cultural and historical heart of Las Palmas and the spot where the city was founded by the Spanish back in 1478. Its beginnings and later attacks by British pirates and the Dutch navy, and Columbus' unplanned visit in 1492 make it a fascinating spot to explore. 

Depending on the traffic, the taxi ride down Avendia Maritima will take about 15 min from the cruise harbor to the heart of La Vegueta:

Plaza de Sta. Ana, right in front of the cathedral where a couple of big dogs made of bronze greet visitors. By the way: Gran Canaria most probably got its name from the latin word “canis” for dog, meaning Gran Canaria is the “big dog island”! Not scientifically proven but sounds like a nice explanation!

For a small fee you can take an elevator up the south tower of the cathedral and enjoy the beautiful view over La Vegueta, the old city hall and the city’s coast line.

 

 

 

 

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The construction of the cathedral took about 400 years to complete, therefore it incorporates many different architectural styles: a neoclassical façade on the outside, Gothic arches on the inside along with a few baroque sculptures.

Just around the corner of the cathedral is the “Casa de Colon” (Columbus House). Originally built as the Governor’s Mansion, it now hosts an impressive collection of thirteen permanent exhibition rooms and three large beautiful patios. The exhibitions tell about Columbus and his voyages, display cartography & nautical instruments, give information about the Canary Islands and the Americas at the time of Columbus’ voyages and show a number of paintings from the 16th to the 20th century. Even though the building is just about 150 years old (Columbus has obviously never stayed there!) the Casa de Colon is a beautiful example of Canary Island architecture, characterized by coffered ceilings, courtyards (with the typical Canarian style wooden balconies) and stone ornaments.

 

 

 

 

 

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Before you head to the next point of interest, you can enjoy a short break in any of the cafes, have a “cortado” (espresso coffee with a shot of milk) or a local beer or maybe a glass of “tinto de verano” (a light summer red wine mixed with sprite, lots of ice and a slice of lemon – very refreshing!)

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For visitors interested in archaeology, the privately owned “Museo Canario” is a fascinating introduction to the island's original Canarii inhabitants (the so-called ‘Guanches’). It is an impressive conservation and research site of the Canarian Islands’ heritage.Founded in 1879, it has a valuable collection of Canary archaeological objects. It is also equipped with a library of over 60,000 volumes, many of them dealing with the Canary Islands topics. Its archive covers period from 1785 until today.

The old town is compact and it’s easy to find your way around as everything of interest is within a couple of minutes' stroll from the Santa Ana Cathedral. It is safe to walk around La Vegueta – enjoy to stroll through the narrow streets and passages, discover nice places or end up in La Calle Mendizabal, where you find many Restaurants with local and international cuisine.

If you feel like strolling around the pedestrian zone of Triana, the close by area, you might be able to do some shopping in the main street, the Calle Mayor on your way to San Telmo Park, most probably the most attractive park within the city.

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After so much history and walking you surely deserve a “sandy break” at Las Canteras Beach. Take a taxi from La Vegueta or Triana and let the taxi driver drop you in the middle between the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus and the Terraces of La Puntilla where many bars, cafes and restaurants are always busy with tourists and locals alike. The 3,5km long beach is protected by the close by volcanic reef “la Barra” which allows fisherman, surfers and swimmers to enjoy their sport at any time of the day without a tidal danger. Sure enough, the beach is always full with people enjoying their time!

 

The best thing for people who are not into any of these pleasures or activities is the paved walkway along the entire beach!

This is a great place to finish your enjoyable day in Las Palmas with a beer or a local wine!

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2. Explore the North and the wild Western Coast of Gran Canaria

​This excursion can be done with a rental car or a taxi which you rent at a fixed price for the day. This program is a perfect day for visitors who are more into smaller charming urban places and breathtaking nature.

In order to use the course of the sunlight ideally this trip should take you first to the wild, rugged West Coast of Gran Canaria. From Puerto de la Luz (where cruise ships dock) you follow state route GC 2 from Las Palmas along the North Coast. Right after passing a white suspension bridge at the outskirts of the city of Las Palmas, you will reach the impressive cliffs of “El Rincon” with a great view point (Mirador) – you can’t miss it as its rock monument “El Atlante” (the Atlas) will guide you unmistakably. Enjoy the beautiful view back to the city of Las Palmas before you continue your trip along the northern coast.

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It is a well built road, partly 4 lanes, partly 2 lanes that takes you after some 30km and a 30 mins. drive into the charming little town of Agaete. It is well known for its goat cheese, characterized by its smoothness and distinctive flavor; you will have a chance to taste it right in the center of the little town where you also find some nice cafes to sit and have a break. Worth a visit is the Flower Garden (“Huerto de las Flores”) which is actually a botanical garden in the town center with a large variety of exotic plant species.

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Before you head further to the picturesque West Coast, you will pass by Puerto de Las Nieves where the ferries from Tenerife dock many times a day (Sta. Cruz de Tenerife is just an 80min. ferry ride away!).

Now you deserve a really breathtaking 30km trip along the very steep rock formations of Gran Canaria’s West Coast.

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Unfortunately, there are not so many viewpoints or places to stop, therefore be ready with your camera to take great shots out of your car window. At this point it is clearly an advantage to have a taxi driver doing the job of mastering the windy road while you can enjoy the beautiful scenery!

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In the area of El Risco, the road goes inland, so if you want to have time for one of the best restaurants for a lunch and for a visit to the beautiful city of Arucas, we would advise you to make a U-turn and drive the same coastal way back to Agaete. It won’t be boring as the scenery will look quite different and not less impressive! This time you can pass by Agaete and head straight back to the north coast highway (GC 2) to a very special restaurant Locanda El Roque, off GC 2, just about half way between Agaete and Las Palmas. The Restaurant (you can also just enjoy a coffee) is built on a spectacular point. The claim is that “El Roque is an experience hard to forget” – well, give it a try!

 

Keep some time of your afternoon for a visit to the little town of Arucas, just about 12km away of Las

​Palmas.

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Its impressive neo-Gothic Basilica of San Juan Bautista was built entirely in Arucas stones by local master masons, and it dates from 1909. Apart from the wealth of the carved stone columns and column heads, there are also some beautiful stained glass windows made by a local Canary Island painter. The basilica is worth a visit and the pedestrian zone from the Basilica to the Marquise’s Palace and Gardens invites for a stroll and a stop in one of the many bars.

Interesting to know: Since the 15th century, the main crop of the Arucas area was sugar cane. Rum was produced here long before sugar plantations were cultivated in Cuba. One of the features of modern-day Arucas therefore is its rum factory. You can visit the Rum Museum and Factory which are right in the center of the little town. Link to the official brochure of Arucas.

 

From Arucas it is just a short 20 mins. trip back to Las Palmas and the port where your taxi will drop you or your rental car company will meet you to return your car.