Las Palmas

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, or just Las Palmas, is the capital of Gran Canaria, the largest city in the Canary Islands, and one of the largest cities in Spain.. Las Palmas is famous for its urban beaches, of which there are five. Until the late 1960s it was the main tourist center of Gran Canaria, after that it has been surpassed by the resorts popping up along the southern coast of the island. Unlike these, though, Las Palmas also has historical and cultural attractions.

See: 17
Do: 21
Eat: 23
Drink: 6
Buy: 5

72 places

See

Alfredo Kraus Auditorium

Concert and music hall with classical philharmonic performances and a building that's worth a visit on its own.

Auditorio Alfredo Kraus

The main venue for classical music and art, built in the 1990s after a design by Óscar Tusquets, next to Las Canteras beach. It's architecturally striking as well, with a huge window to the sea.

Eat

Bar Cafetería Ricarepa

Great variety of typical Venezuelan dishes. Very delicious cachapas and handmade arepas. Great treatment.

Eat

Bochinche El Chato

Small family-run restaurant. Recommended for trying the typical dishes of Canarian cuisine.

Eat

Bodegón Pachichi

A pleasant place to eat typical Canarian tapas and have a good time. Quality local gastronomy. Good vibes.

Eat

Camino al Jamonal

Really good jamón and ibérico restaurant. The treatment is very friendly, the place charming and the food exceptional. It is hard to find a restaurant of this quality on the island. The restaurant has few tables so you have to book in advance, especially on holidays.

See

Casa-Museo Pérez Galdós

The birth house of Benito Pérez Galdós (1843-1920), one of the most famous Spanish 19th-century novelists, now a museum displaying his life and works.

See

Castillo de la Luz

A 16th-century fortification that was built to fend off pirate attacks. Today it's surrounded by a rose garden and since the 1960s it houses a cultural centre - Fundación de Arte y Pensamiento Martín Chirino - and a shipping museum.

See

Catedral de Santa Ana

Embodying several centuries of history, the cathedral can be seen from almost any point in the city centre. Building began in 1497, and went on for several centuries and as such it's built in many different styles - gothic, baroque and classicism - and includes many works of art. The main part is open to the public during services, otherwise access is through the Museo Diocesano de Arte Sacro (requires a €3 ticket). On the roof, between the towers there's a viewing platform, and you can walk up stairs to the right hand tower to have great views over the city.

See

Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno

CAAM

The former Banco de España building has been a modern art museum since 1989, housing a collection of about 2,500 works mainly from Europe, Africa and the Americas.

free

Buy

Centro Comercial El Muelle

This place isn't all about shopping, you can also go there for the views from the terrace - many people go there for just that.

Buy

Centro Comercial Las Arenas

The largest shopping mall in the city, featuring a big Carrefour hypermarket. Reportedly very noisy.

See

Columbus house museum

Casa Museo de Colón

The house where Columbus lived when his ships were repaired and improved for his first journey to the West Indies, at the time the house was the residence of the governor. It was remodeled in 1777 so it looks a bit different now and like the cathedral you can see details from many architectural styles. Opera tenor Alfredo Kraus (whose name the local concert hall bears) was born in this house in 1927. In 1952 the house was turned into a museum presenting the travels of Columbus with ship models, a replica of a cabin of La Niña (one of Columbus three ships) and objects one could find onboard a ship in the late 15th century. There's also an exhibition of the history of the Canary Islands, and art gallery presenting art from the 16th to the 20th century and a library with about 25,000 volumes.

See

Elder Museum of Science and Technology

Museo Elder de la Ciencia y la Tecnología

Interactive science museum, with a planetarium, a space station replica and a 3D cinema. Most exhibitions have information in both Spanish and English. When you're in, you can also use the Internet computers there, so the entrance fee is pretty decent. Students and children have a lower entrance fee.

See

Ermita de San Antonio Abad

A former church built in 1757 on the site of a chapel where according to legend Columbus prayed before setting sail westwards. It is used as an exhibition space for the Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno.

Tue-Sat 10:00-21:00, Sun 10:00-14:00

See

Ermito de San Telmo

In Triana, at the end of the shopping street. A tiled kiosk houses a café, with tables and chairs below palms where you can take a break and watch people walking by, and the small San Telmo chapel.

Eat

Gourie 41

Unbeatable choice and quality cuisine. Super attentive and food like home. Best daily menu.

Eat

La Coqueta de Cano

Fabulous little tavern for tapas. Charming, pleasant, a meeting point, endearing and... as if the name indicates: Flirtatious. Emblematic and charming terrace.

Eat

La Dolce Vita

Italian restaurant renowned for its pasta dishes and film posters on the walls.

Eat

La Travesia de Triana

Great tapas bar with flair, larger selection of wines than in many other tapas bars. The grilled octopus or the fried black pudding are real highlights. Great food and amazing atmosphere! Also a good sign to be swarmed by locals who call the staff by their first names. Efficient service given the number of people.

Eat

Mama Angela

Amazing fish pasta and pizza, all fresh products. Most delicious goat meat. Franco and Angela are very friendly.

Buy

Mercado Central

The central market has a large selection of fish and seafood.

Buy

Mercado de Vegueta

Founded in 1787 it's the oldest market. It's a particularly good place to buy fresh fruit, most of which has been grown on the Canary Islands.

Buy

Mercado del Puerto

Near Las Canteras beach, in a building from 1891 built in modernist style.

Eat

Midway

Best (potato) omelettes and tortillas. Spectacular salmorejo. The treatment and service of the waiters is unbeatable.

See

Museo Canario

Founded in 1879, this museum has the largest collections of objects from the island from the pre-Spanish era, with the oldest objects from about 500 BC. There are models of traditional houses, a replica of the Cueva Pintada cave in Gáldar complete with mummies and a cabinet with skulls.

Drink