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. It is home to about 382,000 people (register office, 2025) . 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.
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There is no actual city centre. The nucleus is the picturesque old town Vegueta. There are five administrative districts, each of which is further subdivided into barrios, identified by Roman numbers. Vegueta, Cono Sur and Tafira — The first district corresponds to the historical district, named la Vegueta which translates to the "small plain". This is the narrow coastal plain created by sediments transported by streams from the mountains in the west. Until the mid 19th century this was the whole city. With the arrival of British settlers at that time, the city started expanding northwards.
Google Maps and Moovit cover the city and the island for finding the right bus line to your destination. Las Palmas has the best quality bus system in the archipelago and one of the best in Spain. The service is provided by Guaguas Municipales, +34 928 446 500, and that's why the bright yellow buses are known as guaguas pronounced wah-wahs as the g is silent in Spanish. A simple fare, paid directly to the city bus driver, is €1.10 per person per any city bus trip in x1 direction only (can not stay on the city Guagua or islands Global buses for a circular journey). As of Jan 2021, due to the pandemic, you can’t buy tickets with cash from any bus drivers.
1 Castillo de la Luz, Calle Juan Rejón, s/n, ☏ +34 928 463 162. 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. 2 Alfredo Kraus Auditorium. Concert and music hall with classical philharmonic performances and a building that's worth a visit on its own. (updated Jan 2018) 3 Catedral de Santa Ana, Calle Espiritu Santo 20. Embodying several centuries of history, the cathedral can be seen from almost any point in the city centre.
As a beach town, Las Palmas is especially popular for oceanside activities. Catch a wave, grab your snorkel, or just soak up some sun (after applying sunscreen, of course!) Or if you feel like exploring terra firma, do as the locals do and make use of the public tourism bus, known affectionately as the guiriguagua. 1 Playa de Las Canteras. 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.
Many restaurants have menus in an abundance of languages, and waiters often will also often be able to converse in your own language. There are many inexpensive restaurants in the San Telmo neighborhood. 1 Restaurante Bodegón Lagunetas, C. Constantino, 16. 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. (updated Sep 2022) 2 Gourie 41, C. Francisco Gourié, 41. Unbeatable choice and quality cuisine. Super attentive and food like home. Best daily menu. (updated Sep 2022) 3 Midway, C. Domingo J Navarro, 9. Best (potato) omelettes and tortillas. Spectacular salmorejo.
Local beverages include the Arehucas rum, that is drunk straight or with cola, and the Tropical beer. 1 Bar San Remo, C. Secretario Artiles, 42. 11:00-01:00. Cozy bar with indoor and outdoor seating, pool and darts. €2.5 beer, approx. €5 cocktails. (updated Mar 2022) 2 Chester Lounge & Bar, Calle Simón Bolívar, 3, ☏ +34 628 137 306. Large nightclub and bar. 3 NYC TAXI RockBar, Calle Numancia, 25, ☏ +34 928 220 861. Bar where blues and rock music is played. Also serves hamburgers and sandwiches. 4 La Azotea de Benito, C. Ruiz de Alda, 17, ☏ +34 928 492 766. Cocktail bar on the roof of a shopping mall. 5 Ginger, Paseo las Canteras, 2, ☏ +34 696 728 992. Cocktail bar.
If you have a veranda/patio on ground level - don't leave doors nor windows open unattended for any period of time. Stay away from anyone that offers you anything for free, like lottery tickets or a free meal. These are often salespeople who want you to buy potentially worthless "holiday club" memberships or dodgy time-shares. They may seem pleasant at first, but may turn hostile and start threatening you. During nighttime, particularly in the small hours, groups of drunk revellers outside nightclubs can occasionally turn aggressive. If you're out late, taking a taxi is the safer option.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Las Palmas typically sees ~26°C daytime highs and 6 rainy days.
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