Las Palmas De Gran Canaria: Coast and Culture

If you are looking for a hotel in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the main focus of your trip can be a good starting point: the coast, the city’s history, museums and nature each offer a different perspective. The city has a wide variety of places and themes, from a three-kilometre-long beach area to the historic founding district of Vegueta.

Coast and landscape

Las Canteras is a natural beach area within the city. La Barra, a limestone reef more than 100,000 years old, runs parallel to over half of the beach. It acts as a natural breakwater and is home to a unique ecosystem with various habitats and diverse endemic marine flora and fauna.

The Sendero litoral de la Bahía de Las Palmas offers a different perspective on the coast. This approximately ten-kilometre-long promenade runs parallel to Avenida Marítima and can be enjoyed on foot or by bicycle. This gives you different ways to plan your day by the sea.

El Confital is located on the La Isleta peninsula in a protected natural landscape within the city. Several paths lead through volcanic terrain to Cueva de los Canarios, a former Indigenous settlement. El Confital can be reached on foot from Las Canteras via the promenade. The beach, protected landscape and traces of history offer different starting points for your explorations.

Vegueta and the city’s history

Vegueta is the founding district of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Cobblestone streets, grand houses, churches and historic squares shape its character. Those interested in the city’s history and its links across the Atlantic will find a thematic focus at Casa de Colón: the museum explores the history of the Canary Islands and their connection with America.

The permanent exhibition at Casa de Colón covers Columbus’s voyages, cartography and navigational instruments, pre-Columbian America, and the connections between the Canary Islands and America. It also explores the urban geography of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria from the 15th to the 19th century and painting from the 15th to the 20th century. Its scope therefore ranges from seafaring and mapmaking to urban and art history.

Castillo de La Luz is the oldest defensive fortress in the Canary Islands. Since 2014, it has been home to the Fundación de Arte y Pensamiento Martín Chirino. Exhibitions, talks, concerts, films and theatre performances are held at Castillo de Mata; event dates may change.

Architecture and culture

Pueblo Canario is an architectural complex with buildings inspired by traditional Canarian architecture. Every Sunday from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm, folk groups perform traditional music and dances on its terrace. Check the schedule before your trip. The carnival in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is considered a multicultural, entertaining and inclusive festival that is open to everyone; programme details vary from year to year.

There is also more to discover along the Sendero litoral Las Canteras–Bahía de El Confital: fifteen information panels and interpretation tables explain the geology of El Rincón, the surf culture in Guanarteme, the origin of the name La Cícer and the colour of the sand. They also cover the existence of large predators in the past.

Botany and regional cuisine

The Jardín Botánico Canario Viera y Clavijo covers 27 hectares. It showcases the botanical diversity of the Canary Islands, as well as endemic plant species from other parts of the Macaronesian region. This botanical focus complements the coastal and urban themes.

In historic Vegueta, Mercado de Vegueta is another place to visit. It is the oldest food market in the Canary Islands and is known for fresh local produce. Visitors can enjoy wines and cheeses from the Canary Islands at the market’s eateries. Alongside the museums, buildings and coastal areas, the market offers another perspective on the city.

Discover more destinations

Tafira Alta, Marzagán, Arucas, Las Marciegas, Santa María De Guía De Gran Canaria, Tejeda, Tasartico, Ojos de Garza

For the main travel overview: Gran Canaria.