 GRAN CANARIA
Oasis golf courses in arid valleys
 What to see
There are a lot of natural, historical, cultural points
of interest in Gran Canaria, called "the miniature continent". But even if
staying in one of the multiple tourist hotels or resorts on the west or south coast of
Grand Canaria, Las Palmas, the capital, is worth of your visit.
The birth of Las Palmas dates from
1478 when the Spanish landed at the mouth of the river Guiniguada and created the Real de
Las Palmas along the river which is now covered by the main road leading from the city to
the centre of the island. The former city was within the perimeter of the walled quarter
of Vegueta where are the cathedral and its Orange Tree Courtyard, the Plaza de Santa Ana,
the famous Colombus House-Museum, the Plaza del
Pilar square and many old streets where have been conserved houses dating from the
colonial times. The Triana district is located on the other side of the Barranco de
Guiniguada around the Municipal Library and the Plaza de Hurtado de Mendoza where local
people and tourists come day and night for shopping, eating, drinking while some guitars
are playing.
But all city tours bring the tourists to Las Canteras,
one of the most attractive urban beaches. It is a long, golden sandy beach protected by a
reef known as La Barra which breaks the waves. A promenade runs all along to the Congress
Palace and offers pavement cafés looking out to sea. Very close to the beach is the Santa
Catalina Park adjacent to the Puerto de la Luz (port
area) and the Luz castle. From there begins the Avenida Maritima all along the Las Palmas
waterfront. In the surroundings of the port, lies the Ciudad Jardin (Garden City) where
the Santa Catalina Hotel, the most famous in the island, has been erected, near the Pueblo Canaria where Canarian dances are performed each
Sunday morning at the restaurant Bodegon del Pueblo. It is also worth to go on the
"cliff settlements" of San Jose to see the bright coloured Canarian houses and
have an overlook of the city's panorama. And on the way back, have a walk along the
seashore at San Cristobal its small seafood
restaurants.
Going to the Real Golf Club at Bandama, which is located in the near mountains of Las
Palmas, it is worth to make a stop on the road at the Wine museum to taste a glass of
malvoisia and climb to the top of Caldera de Bandama
to look out to the ocean over the large crater of an extinguished volcano which is
adjacent to the front door of the golf club.
From Las Palmas, the Autopista 1 leads to Maspalomas
along the south coast where lies the Gando International Airport between tomatoes culture
and dozen of windmills providing environment respectful energy to Gran Canaria. The main
tourist urbanizations begin just after the airport at Bahia Feliz near the beaches of
Aquila, San Agustin, Las Burras, El Ingles and Maspalomas. At the south end, are the
famous dunes (protected natural area) where one can
just walk or ride a camel. The city of Maspalomas has a Congress Centre for 5000 people
Further to the West, the road slaloms along a steep coast where tourist urbanizations have
been built all around the beaches in the creeks at Puerto Rico,
Amadores, Tauro, Taurito… The last one, Puerto
Mogan is the most attractive due to its elegant Spanish colonial
architecture which gives a special charm and touch to the quays of the sailing port. All
along shops have open door and restaurants offer fresh seafood on their terrace. In those
fisher ports, boats can be hired with or without skipper for those who like big fishing.
After Mogan, the road is going to the mountains and valleys of the centre of the island
where to find natural sites and old villages. The highest point is at 1949m at Pico del
Pozo de las Nieves (peak of the snow well). Along the north road, at the Cenebio de Valeron, near Sta Maria de Guia, there are
fascinating grottos in the interior of a rocky lava cavity where have lived the native
Guanches.
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Las Palmas, la via maritima
Colombus House-Museum
Municipal Library
Canarian dance at Bodegon de Canaria
Las Canteras urban beach
Windmills near the airport
La Playa del Ingles
Puerto Mogan
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