Las Palmas is my favourite escape from winter when I want to stay in Europe. I’ve been here for a few winter weeks a few times, and have experienced New Year’s Eve and Carnival. There are a lot of digital nomads and people who come here just to spend the winter warm, so I always meet a few friends here, which is nice. And there’s great Spanish cuisine, but also local specialties that you’ll be hard pressed to find elsewhere in Spain.
Where to stay in Las Palmas
I’ve stayed in 4 different places in Las Palmas and can’t wait to stay as close to the Las Canteras promenade as possible and more towards La Isleta. The accommodation in the centre of Las Palmas is taken as Vegueta, but from there it’s quite a long way to the promenade and the beach where you want to be best every day.
Tips for accommodation in Las Palmas
- Hotel Aloe Canteras – at the very beginning of Las Canteras, a few steps from Mercado del Puerto. Some rooms have a view of the beach, mine didn’t, but it did have a glass wall shower.
- Chez Abel – beautiful accommodation roughly in the middle of Las Canteras, right by the promenade and the beach. Also including kitchenette.
- Gran Marina Suites – accommodation at the northern end of Las Canteras promenade, also next to the Mercado. Fully furnished apartments with kitchen, suitable for longer stays.
Things to see in Las Palmas
Las Palmas is a beautiful city and a nice place to live. It doesn’t have any spectacular historical monuments, which is actually ideal, because the only thing you want to do is go to the promenade every day.
Las Canteras beach and promenade
One of the best city beaches I’ve ever known. The beach is about 3 kilometres long, from the La Puntilla area to the Alfredo Kraus auditorium, where concerts and events are held. The natural La Barra reef in the central part makes the water on the beach calmer for swimming. However, there is already surfing at the end of the beach near the auditorium, where there are several surf schools.
The beach itself is quite wide and there is a wide promenade along the beach, ideal for a walk or jog. And there are restaurants and cafes all along the promenade. The promenade or the beach also offers a beautiful view of the sunset.
Mercado del Puerto
At the west end of Las Canteras, near Puerto de la Luz, in a historic building with a metal structure, is a market where you can get fresh food in the morning and in the evening it’s alive with stalls selling tapas, wine and sangria.
Vegueta Historic District
The historic Vegueta district is the heart of the old town of Las Palmas. It’s about 6 kilometres from Las Canteras, so it’s best to go there by bus, although a walk through town isn’t bad either.
Every Thursday is Ruta de tapas night, or Jueves de tapas (Tapas Thursdays), when many bars in the Plaza de Santa Ana area and surrounding streets such as Calle Pelota, Calle Mendizábal or Calle Obispo Codina open their street seating and offer a lot of tapas for a few crowns. Each restaurant has something different and it’s perfect for ‘tapas hopping’, where you go from one establishment to the next and sample. Or you can pick one and sit at it (and occasionally pop into the one next door). It starts at about 7pm and goes late into the night.
Vegueta has its own market, the Mercado de Vegueta, with great Spanish cheeses, hams, fruit and vegetables.
In the main square , Plaza de Santa Ana, you can visit the 15th-century Gothic Catedral de Santa Ana. It has a tower overlooking the whole of Vegueta and the harbour. Then there is the Casa de Colón (Colombo House), where Christopher Columbus is said to have stayed during his voyage to America. Today there is a museum dedicated to his discoveries and the connection between the Canary Islands and America.
There is also the Museo Canario (Canary Islands Museum), which has an exhibition on the island’s indigenous Guanche people. There are archaeological finds, mummies and artifacts of their culture.
Triana district
Triana is the neighbourhood adjacent to Vegueta (it is closer to Las Canteras), it is more modern and lively than Vegueta. The main axis is the Calle Mayor de Triana pedestrian zone, which runs through the whole neighbourhood. It’s a kind of shopping avenue.
On the outskirts of Triana is San Telmo Park, with the beautiful Ermita de San Telmo chapel and the Art Nouveau pavilion. It’s a popular spot for picnics.
At the end of Calle Mayor is the Teatro Pérez Galdós, a theatre named after the Canarian writer, where you can either go to a theatre performance or just take a look around the interior.
Santa Catalina Park
Close to the port of Puerto de la Luz and a few minutes walk from Las Canteras is something between a park and a square that acts as the centre of urban life. Major events and cultural activities take place here. If there are any markets, Carnival, Christmas markets in Las Palmas, it’s here.
The Intercambiador Santa Catalina bus terminal is also right here, and most buses leave from here.
La Isleta
At the northern tip of Las Palmas, north of Las Canteras beach, is a nice authentic neighbourhood. There are quiet streets with local houses with a fishing tradition, and a dramatic coastline with stunning views.
Nice is the fishing district, Barrio Marinero, where there are fishing boats and old fishing bars.
On La Isleta there is also the historic fortress of Castillo de la Luz, which used to be important for defence. Today there is a museum and gallery dedicated to the sculptor Martín Chirino.
On the outskirts of La Isleta is the natural area of El Confital, at the top of the hill with the cross there are magnificent views of the ocean and panoramic views of Las Palmas. The hill at El Confital is a popular spot for sunrises too.
What to taste in Las Palmas
There are many Canarian specialities in Las Palmas that are different from those on the mainland. The obligatory staple is papas arrugadas con mojo, small potatoes cooked in seawater served with a spicy or herbal sauce. Be sure to look for chorizo de Teror at local markets like Vegueta. The soft, spreadable sausage with a distinctive garlic flavour is an icon of the island. It is eaten spread on crusty bread.
Then there’s the oil of faith. Originally a Caribbean dish of chickpeas and jerked meat, it has become so domesticated that every traditional restaurant has it on its menu. The sweet spot, created right here in town, is polvito uruguayo. The dessert of crushed biscuits, dulce de leche and meringue is a calorie bomb, but well worth it.
Carnival in Las Palmas
Las Palmas has a big carnival every February or March (dates vary), and it’s an event you’ll want to experience. It has a tradition dating back to the 15th century, when the first Spanish settlers brought it here, and is now one of the largest in the world. Each year the carnival has a different theme, which is reflected in the costumes, allegorical floats and decorations.
The carnival also has a children’s carnival, which is aimed at families with children. The most anticipated part of the carnival, however, is the Drag Queen Gala, where extravagant drag queens perform in stunning costumes and high heels.
An important part of the event is the Cabalgata, a large parade of allegorical floats and masks that passes through the city accompanied by music and dance. It starts in Vegueta, passes through Calle Mayor de Triana and continues to Santa Catalina Park.
The symbolic end of the carnival is the Entierro de la Sardina (burial of the sardine). A giant mannequin of a sardine carried in the procession is set alight on Las Canteras beach. This includes a final fireworks display.
Where is Las Palmas
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is the capital of the island of Gran Canaria, part of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. It is located on the northeast coast of the island.
How to get to Las Palmas
Aeropuerto de Gran Canaria Airport (LPA) has direct flights from both Prague and Vienna, with a flight time of around 5 hours. There are also many connecting flights via Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon or Málaga. You can also arrive by ferry from Fuerteventura.
From the airport to the city centre
The airport is about 20 kilometres south of Las Palmas on the east coast of Gran Canaria. The L60 and L91 buses go here. Both lines stop in the centre of Vegueta at the San Telmo stop and go to the terminus at Santa Catalina, which is a short walk from Las Canteras beach.
