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Municipality in Canary Islands, Spain
Photo: Clemensfranz, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
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.
Concert and music hall with classical philharmonic performances and a building that's worth a visit on its own.
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.
A reconstruction of a traditional village, designed by Néstor Martín Fernández de la Torre in 1937 and realized by his brother Miguel two years later. The village covering 3,500 m² is in the Doramas Park and is also a venue for different folkloristic shows. There's also a craft centre and a painting in bodegón style.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Aquarium opened in 2018 with three different themes named jungle, reef-beach and deep ocean. The big aquarium can be watched from all sides and from the middle, and some of the highlights are big rays and sharks. There's a restaurant too, so you can sit down and watch the underwater life while having a meal.
Art museum displaying the works of Néstor Martín-Fernández de la Torre (1887 - 1938), one of the most famous painters of the Canary Islands.
One of the traffic nodes of the city, right at Avenida Mes y López. The square has cafés popular with the younger upper class at nighttime.
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.
The square in the front of the cathedral has eight statues out of green rock depicting dogs. It's also lined by other grand buildings: Casa Consistorial (old town hall), Casa Regental, and the Palacio Episcopal (bishop's palace).
Named after the Guanche hero Doramas, it's regarded as the most beautiful park in the city. In the present day it's part of the villa district of Ciudad Jardin.
This is where most of the hot nightlife spots can be found. It's also pretty during the day, although it consists of little more than a few palm trees. There are small cafés next to the park and you can see elderly locals playing domino and chess.
Almost 4 km in length, this beach is the very symbol of the city and its citizens. The northern section has golden sand and is above water most of the time. It is good for swimming with low tide, when the barrier emerges, stopping the waves and creating a natural swimming pool. The central area is a natural aquarium, where you can see and feed the local shore-dwelling fish and occasionally turtles and is suitable for snorkelling. At low tide, children can hunt for crabs in the rock pools. Las Canteras is also very popular with surfers, with winds often coming in from the west. The two main spots are "La Cicer" (bigger waves as this part not protected by rocks) and "La Barra". Many schools and gear hiring shops, especially to the south, where the sand is black.
Beach right at the port, suitable for tanning rather than water activities.
Beach with volcanic rock surface, mostly used by locals. There are permanent beach chairs and a toilet.
Beach with grey and brown-black fine sand surface to the southeast of the city, popular with surfers.
Golf course with six tennis fields.
18-hole golf course.
International classical music festival taking arranged jointly with Santa Cruz.
The marathon of the island, sponsored by the city government.
Film festival with the screenings and the award ceremony taking place in the Alfredo Kraus Hall.
Semana Santa
Easter is celebrated with processions similar to the ones in Seville. It's a good time to visit to see the folkloristic part of the city.
On Good Friday, the statue of Virgin Mary from the Parroquia de San Francisco de Asís church, is carried through the streets of Vegueta in a solemn procession.
Ascension Day is celebrated with the "rain of petals", a floral offering. A tradition since 1649, petals are dropped from the inner part of the cupola on the people attending the mass.
St. John's night marking the beginning of the summer (and the foundation day of the city) is celebrated with fireworks on the Canteras beach and locals and tourists go swimming in the sea during the night. There are similar celebrations all around Gran Canaria.
The Catholic festival celebrated in the Vegueta area of the city, celebrated as a pilgrimage walk along the streets accompanied with music.
Celebrated in the Santa Catalina Park zone, this festival brings in thousands of spectators every year for quality music free of charge.
Natale
Christmas is considerably warmer than where most visitors come from, and it's common to throw parties on Las Canteras beach. Sometimes a white Christmas tree is set up on the beach to simulate snow (that has never fallen in the city during recorded history), and a nativity scene is built in sand.
They were relegated in 2025 and now play soccer in Segunda División, the second tier. The stadium seats 32,400.
Basketball court and cultural venue.
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.
The main theatre named after author Benito Pérez Galdós (1843-1920), the main representative of the literary style Spanish realism, who was born in the city. On the adjacent square there's a large monument dedicated to him.
Cine Avellaneda
Cultural venue in an impressive palace built in 1938. Theatre, dance and music shows and film screenings take place here.
The place is super big and has a terrace. Very typical foods. Pleasant treatment of the waiters. Menu of the day and à la carte.
Unbeatable choice and quality cuisine. Super attentive and food like home. Best daily menu.
Best (potato) omelettes and tortillas. Spectacular salmorejo. The treatment and service of the waiters is unbeatable.
Fabulous little tavern for tapas. Charming, pleasant, a meeting point, endearing and... as if the name indicates: Flirtatious. Emblematic and charming terrace.
Good quality, well-priced Japanese & Asian cuisine. Great for a little something different. Perfect for group or family dinning out. Seated buffet all-you-can-eat menu when dinning in. Various dishes selection for take-away or delivery company order. Located below the San Telmo Park Hotel in San Telmo Park and Main Bus Station.
Tavern with rustic interior. Delicious food, small but cozy place. Attentive and friendly staff, varied menu, tasty portions.
Small family-run restaurant. Recommended for trying the typical dishes of Canarian cuisine.
Great variety of typical Venezuelan dishes. Very delicious cachapas and handmade arepas. Great treatment.
Amazing fish pasta and pizza, all fresh products. Most delicious goat meat. Franco and Angela are very friendly.
Delicious Canarian cuisine. It's like your home! Homemade food made with love. Nice and quiet place.
A pleasant place to eat typical Canarian tapas and have a good time. Quality local gastronomy. Good vibes.
Good quality, low-priced Italian cuisine; fast, attentive service in a comfortable atmosphere.
Good wood-fired pizzas to go or to eat in.
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.
Exquisite treatment, careful and delicious food, excellently presented. A small place with personal service. The broken eggs and the aguachile to be loved. Attentive service and great local wines. Reservation for the dinner is recommended.
A lovely tapas bar. The food is incredible, the waiter so lovely and helpful. The chicken salad, the asparagus with truffle and Parmesan, the grilled cheese and the potatoes are amazing. The staff is very kind and the bar has a lot of character with historic value. The most charming place in Vegueta.
Italian restaurant renowned for its pasta dishes and film posters on the walls.
A favourite of the locals, for good solid Spanish food with appropriate (not too high) prices. Top Spanish tapas and home made local cuisine. A super homey place, the waiters are super attentive and very friendly.
Spectacular second courses and giant portions. Generous, cordial, emotional service. The food is beautifully presented and very delicious. Highly recommend is the potato salad with shrimps. Less touristic place with really good simple, tasty cuisine and variety of dishes.
A different place to eat very well. They make the food in front of you, with care and professionalism. Very friendly, they recommend you according to your tastes. A lovely local restaurant.
High-quality Japanese kitchen, great value for money.
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.
Excellent Spanish food. Very tasty dishes, unique service and a cozy place. Highlighted are the quality of its products, the sincerity and professionalism of its employees. Central location with terrace.
Cozy bar with indoor and outdoor seating, pool and darts.
Large nightclub and bar.
Bar where blues and rock music is played. Also serves hamburgers and sandwiches.
Cocktail bar on the roof of a shopping mall.
Cocktail bar.
A classic for cheap drinks, and a favourite with locals.
A clean, safe place to sleep for not too much coin.
Clean, welcoming and cheap guesthouse with Wi-Fi.
Hotel Apartment 70 m from las Canteras Beach, near commercial hub Mesa y Lopez Avenue; 19 complete apartments.
Family friendly hostel, knowledgable hosts, clean, good value, free wifi and workspaces available in common areas. Bookings only accepted by Airbnb with a 3 nights minimum booking & no same day bookings accepted. Hello House does not have reception service and guests need schedule an arrival time with hosts through website. Permitted entry only to booked guests and hosts. Smoking permitted only on designated rooftop terrace space. Increased percentage discounts available for stays longer than a week or month. Persons under 18 years of age are denied admission unless accompanied by a legal guardian. Hostel is on a hillside (with lots of stairs to climb) 15 minutes walk uphill from the city of Las Palmas central main bus station - Bus Station San Telmo. Hello House Hostel doesn't have wheelchair access and pets not permitted. Local bus access by #32 bus is possible to bus stop beside this hostel at certain hours. Hostel closes in spring and summer if demand is low.
Old historic hotel in the Triana district, it has been renovated without losing the old atmosphere. On the other hand it doesn't have all of the features other mid-range hotels have. The restaurant's walls are covered with photos of prominent guests.
Centrally located on the Paseo de Las Canteras, close to the beach of the same name. A resort and business hotel overlooking the ocean. There is one other NH Hotel in Las Palmas.
67 rooms, likewise at Paseo de las Canteras.
Two-star hotel with 48 rooms.
Opened in 1967, this is a three-star guesthouse with 43 rooms, 20 m from Las Canteras beach.
Rooms have normal amenities for a mid-range hotel: bathroom, A/C, tv, coffee maker, fridge, Wi-Fi. The hotel has a restaurant and business workspace.
Apartment hotel, 70 m from the Las Canteras beach, with 19 rooms with kitchenette.
This 5-star hotel with 202 rooms was built in British colonial style opened in 1890. It's the grand old hotel of the city and has been the place of stay of many political and cultural personalities from Churchill to Agatha Christie.
Another iconic hotel of the city, opened in 1965 right at the beach promenade of Las Canteras. There are 208 rooms and 16 suites, and a roof terrace with a large pool offering nice views both to the city on one hand and the ocean and Tenerife on the other. Adjacent to the terrace there's a spa and wellness area, likewise with views. You can eat breakfast at the outdoor seating and watch beach life and walkers along the promenade.
Four-star hotel part of the Mariott chain.
The five-star Cristina opened in 1970 is the most luxurious of the hotels on the beach, though the prices are reasonable for what one gets also during high season.
The largest shopping mall in the city, featuring a big Carrefour hypermarket. Reportedly very noisy.
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.
Near Las Canteras beach, in a building from 1891 built in modernist style.
The central market has a large selection of fish and seafood.
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.
By boat
The Port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria receives ships from all over the world. The port is one of the most important ports today and there is a program of further expansion.
By bus
The only bus company operating interurban lines on Gran Canaria is Global, +34 902 381 110. Most of the company's lines have Las Palmas as either their origin or their destination.
By car
By taxi
Taxis with the green light on are vacant and you can flag it down. It's also possible to go to one of the city's 42 taxi stops or call for a taxi.
By bike
There's just one major bike route, but leads to most sites visitors typically go to.
By car
Dense traffic on workdays and in certain commercial leisure zones mean that driving is really no fun here.
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Gran Canaria Island · International · LPA
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