CANARIES /
GRAN
CANARIA
The Small Continent
... that is how this island is called because of its
extremely varied landscapes with European, African and even
American vegetation. The mountain range in the island's center,
of a height of about 2000 meters, is cut by some bizarre
canyons.
Hardly anywhere else you can find such different landscapes and
even climatical zones being geographically that close one to
each other: mountain massives, desert land, tropical forrests,
...
Along the seaside there are wide beaches of sand, and while
elsewhere people are shuddering of cold, here the tourists are
lying in the sun and looking at those mountainpeaks being
covered with snow ...
Las Palmas an original town
The archipelago's capital, with 352.641 inhabitants, surprises
the visitor with its highly original and individual architecture
showing influences of all five continents, and its colorfully
painted houses.
Ambience is very lively, being evidence of a population of
southern temperament not always taking life at its most serious.
This city's great cultural offer, attractive festivities and
highly recommendable cuisine, as well traditional and regional
as international, will make your stay memorable.
Don't miss ...
...the Cathedral, of gothic and neoclassical style. Its
construction was begun after the discovery of America. At the
same square, Santa Ana, you'll find also the Archiepiscopal
Palais and several nice buildings in the typical Canarian style
of architecture.
The Barrio de la Vegueta is a very attractive quarter of town,
with numerous manorial houses showing influences of
latin-american colonial style. In the Centro Atlántico de Arte
Moderno you can see an important collection of contemporary art.
La Casa de Colón, the "House of Columbus", reminds us that the
ships of Christopher Columbus made a halt here on their journey
to America.
The Museo Canario, the "Canarian Museum", shows the most
complete exposition you may find about the islands' original
inhabitants, the Guanches.
The Pueblo Canario, located in the beautiful gardens of Doramas
Park, was created by canarian artist Néstor de la Torre and
represents the islands' typical architecture. Each Thursday and
Sunday take place colorful folkloristical performances.
More sights to be visited are the Museum of Arts, the Museum
Pérez Galdós in the house where this writer was living, and the
Nestor-Museum, close to the Pueblo Espańol and created by the
artist himself.
8 kilometers out of Las Palmas there is the Jardín Canario, the
"Canarian Garden". It shows the incredible variety of plants at
the islands, with no fewer than 500 species existing exclusively
here.
Crowning an island of tall cliffs to the north and extensive
beaches to the south, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is a city which
offers sun, sea and an exceptional historic legacy. Mild
temperatures throughout the year make for an enjoyable and
racially diverse city. The combination of the aboriginal Guanche
culture, its colonial past, and the fact that it is only 90
miles from the coast of Africa create a distinctive character
resulting from the mix of Europe, America and Africa.
Interesting towns are the perfect counterpoint to more than 200
kilometres of coastline, where visitors can do their favourite
water sports.
The capital of the eastern province of the Canary Islands is
made up of two key points: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Puerto
de la Luz. The palm trees, which grow everywhere on the island,
add exoticism to an urban layout of cobbled streets. Meanwhile,
the importance of Puerto de la Luz since the 19th century and
its trade links with Great Britain mean the city preserves some
beautiful modernist buildings.
Cultural diversity
The historic neighbourhoods, belonging to the old city founded
by the pioneer of the Catholic Monarchs Juan Rejón in 1478, are
San Antonio, Vegueta and Triana. It was here where the first
colonizers settled, giving the streets an atmosphere halfway
between colonial and Andalusian. La Vegueta preserves colonial
architecture from the 15th and 16th centuries in its beautiful
courtyards and balconies.
The most historic point is the square of Santa Ana. Beside it
stands one of the city's greatest treasures: the Cathedral. The
church has a mixture of styles which go from the Gothic to the
Neoclassic, the result of a long period of construction. Its
high altar and the treasures of its Diocesan Museum of Religious
Art are outstanding.
The House of Columbus is a must for those who what to learn more
about the discovery of America. It is a former palace of the
governors of the island which was used by Christopher Columbus
as a residence during his stay on Gran Canary. Its buildings
house a museum devoted to Columbus: maps, models and fragments
of his diaries...
To continue exploring the island's culture there is another
compulsory landmark: The Canary Island Museum. Housed here are
significant remains of the Guanche culture, the Canary Island's
settlers in pre-Columbian times. Its collection is of great
archaeological and anthropological value. Another cultural
opportunity is provided by the Atlantic Centre of Modern Art (CAAM),
which awaits to show us the most avant-garde exhibitions.
In the likewise old neighbourhood of Triana, nearer the sea, we
can visit the Literary Museum, declared to be Historic-Artistic
Heritage; and thePérez Galdós Theatre, decorated with modernist
paintings. On these streets you can also visit the author's
House Museum..
On the way down to the coast towards Puerto de la Luz and la
Isleta (the city's other centre), we enter the modern town.
First you must go by calle Triana: pedestrianized and one of the
best places on the island for shopping. Almost on the boundary
of Ciudad Jardín –a residential area made up of buildings of the
most diverse styles-, we come to the biggest green area in Las
Palmas de Gran Canaria. The Rubio and Dorama Gardens house the
Zoo and the Canary Islands Village. From here, we can climb
uphill towards the neighbourhood of Altavista, where we can get
one of the best views of the surrounding landscape.
And we come to Puerto de la Luz. Built in the 19th century, it
marks the start of the more summer area. The port and the beach
of Alcaravaneras are the two key points. Two of the best places
to enjoy the Canaries nightlife. Here the land narrows into a
point behind which is la Isleta. The isthmus, strictly speaking,
is the neighbourhood of Santa Catalina, where some of the best
restaurants are gathered for you to enjoy the tastiest fish and
the most exotic fruit, typical of this tropical climate. On one
side is the Wharf, while on the other are the golden sands of
Playa de las Canteras.
And then we come to la Isleta, a seafaring and military
neighbourhood which still has a few surprises in store for us.
The Port has marked the place names: the Hermitage of la Luz and
the Castle of la Luz. The castle was the first fortress to be
built on the island in the times of the conquest, although today
it has left its defensive origins to one side and hosts all
manner of cultural activities. And, among these modern walks and
housing developments, we find the Port Market. It has a wrought
iron structure and a modernist style which reminds us we are in
an old fishing port.
Gran Canary
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is a perfect place for visiting the
entire island. More than 200 kilometres of coastline are at the
visitor's disposal offering cliffs which plunge into the sea and
beaches like that of San Agustín, Playa del Inglés or
Maspalomas, which are only an example. Places to do water sports
and sports on dry land, such as golf. Children will also enjoy
the facilities on the island: a water park, go-kart circuit,
amusement park, mini-train or a camel safari are just some of
the possibilities for kids.
Nature lovers have the chance to see very diverse ecosystems
within a short distance of one another. The volcanic origins of
the island make it possible to see craters and volcanic cones.
The subtropical climate has created a striking wealth of fauna
and flora. But to the south, all which was lushness becomes a
desert of dunes, more typical of a semi-arid climate. The
landscape continues to surprise us with the forests of
Terciario, rocks, natural dams and ravines.
The villages, towns and cities, meanwhile, take us back to a
colonial period, both inland and on the coast. Gáldar, Arucas,
or Telde are some of the most interesting. Any of these places
offers us a richly-laid dinner table based on Canary Islands
cuisine. Vegetable stew, marinated tuna, a spicy Spanish sausage
similar to Majorcan sausage and sweet black pudding (with
raisins and almonds) are just some of the region's specialities.
Not forgetting the fact that we are in an area with a
subtropical climate, which provides avocodo, mango and
vegetables, generally speaking, all year round. Among the
desserts, marzipan is the most famous. The Designation of Origin
Gran Canaria wines are a good choice to accompany any meal.
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GRAN
CANARIA
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