Crowning an island of tall cliffs to the north and extensive beaches to the south, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is a city that offers sun, sea, and an exceptional historic legacy. Mild temperatures throughout the year make for an enjoyable and racially diverse city.
The combination of the aboriginal Guanche culture, its colonial past, and the fact that it is only 90 miles from the coast of Africa creates a distinctive character resulting from the mix of Europe, America, and Africa.
The capital of the eastern province of the Canary Islands is made up of two key points: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Puerto de la Luz. The palm trees, which grow everywhere on the island, add exoticism to the urban layout of cobbled streets. Meanwhile, the importance of Puerto de la Luz since the 19th century and its trade links with Great Britain means the city preserves some beautiful modernist buildings.
The perfect place to start your visit to the entire island is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. More than 200 kilometers of coastline are at the visitor’s disposal, offering cliffs that plunge into the sea and beaches like that of San Agustín, Playa del Inglés, and Maspalomas, which are only an example. places to do water sports and sports on dry lands, such as golf. Children will also enjoy the facilities on the island: a water park, go-kart circuit, amusement park, mini-train, or camel safari are just some of the possibilities for kids. Nature lovers have the chance to see very diverse ecosystems within a short distance of one another. The volcanic origins of the island make it possible to see craters and volcanic cones. The subtropical climate has created a striking wealth of fauna and flora. But to the south, all that was lush becomes a desert of dunes, more typical of a semi-arid climate. The landscape continues to surprise us with the forests of Terciario, rocks, natural dams, and ravines.
The villages, towns, and cities, meanwhile, take us back to the colonial period, both inland and on the coast. Gáldar, Arucas, and Telde are some of the most interesting. Any of these places offer us a richly-laid dinner table based on Canary Islands cuisine. Vegetable stew, marinated tuna, a spicy Spanish sausage similar to Majorcan sausage, and sweet black pudding (with raisins and almonds) are just some of the region’s specialties.
Not forgetting the fact that we are in an area with a subtropical climate, which provides avocado, mango, and vegetables, generally speaking, all year round. Among the desserts, marzipan is the most famous. The Designation of Origin Gran Canaria wines is a good choice to accompany any meal.