Published 8 July 2026 · IMPT Eco Hoteles
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is a city that constantly surprises visitors with the range of things it offers. A 3 km beach that rivals any resort. A 500-year-old historic quarter that could hold its own against the medieval cities of mainland Spain. A surf break that draws professionals from around the world. An aquarium, a concert hall on the ocean, food markets buzzing with life, and an island interior of volcanic mountains and pine forests within a 30-minute drive. Here are the top things to do, whether you have three days or three weeks.
Beaches and Water Activities
1Las Canteras Beach
Las Canteras is the heartbeat of Las Palmas and one of the finest urban beaches in Europe. Three kilometres of golden sand stretch along the city's Atlantic coast, sheltered by La Barra — a natural volcanic reef that runs parallel to the shore and creates a calm, turquoise lagoon between the reef and the beach. The water is clear enough for snorkelling over the reef, where you can spot parrotfish, damselfish, and sea urchins. The promenade behind the beach is lined with restaurants, bars, and open-air sculpture installations. Different sections of the beach have distinct personalities: the central stretch near Calle Mesa y Lopez is family-friendly and calm; La Cicer to the south is the surf zone; and the northern tip near Playa de la Puntilla is quieter and favoured by locals. You could spend every day of your trip here without getting bored.
2Surfing at El Confital
Beyond the northern end of Las Canteras, past the rocky headland, lies El Confital — a powerful right-hand reef break that is considered one of the best waves in Europe. When the north swells arrive between October and April, El Confital produces hollow, fast waves that attract experienced surfers from across the continent. The break is not for beginners, but watching from the cliffs above is a spectacle in itself. For learners, the La Cicer section of Las Canteras offers consistent, forgiving waves, and several surf schools operate from the beach year-round, with boards and wetsuits included in lesson packages. The summer trade winds also create excellent conditions for windsurfing and kitesurfing at beaches on Gran Canaria's east coast, particularly Playa de Vargas and Pozo Izquierdo.
3Snorkelling and Diving
The volcanic seabed around Gran Canaria creates rich underwater landscapes. At Las Canteras, you can snorkel directly from the beach — the reef is home to colourful marine life and visibility is best in summer and early autumn when the sea is calmest. For diving, the Sardina del Norte site on the northwest coast (45 minutes from Las Palmas) is famous for its angel sharks, which rest on the sandy bottom at depths of 10-15 metres. Dive centres in Las Palmas and nearby Arinaga run daily trips. Water temperatures range from 19°C in winter to 24°C in late summer, so a 3 mm or 5 mm wetsuit is standard.
History and Culture
4Vegueta Historic Quarter
Vegueta is where Las Palmas began. Founded in 1478 by the Spanish conquistador Juan Rejón, this is the oldest neighbourhood in the city and a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage status. Its cobblestone streets are lined with colonial-era buildings featuring carved wooden balconies, shaded courtyards, and stone facades that have weathered five centuries of Atlantic wind. The heart of Vegueta is the Plaza de Santa Ana, flanked by the cathedral, the bishop's palace, and the Casas Consistoriales (town hall). Wandering the side streets reveals hidden plazas, tiny chapels, and occasional glimpses of private gardens through iron-grilled doorways. On weekend evenings, the neighbourhood transforms into a social hub as wine bars and tapas restaurants in restored colonial buildings fill with locals and visitors.
5Casa de Colon (Columbus Museum)
Christopher Columbus stopped in Las Palmas in 1492 to repair one of his ships, La Pinta, before continuing his first voyage to the Americas. The Casa de Colón — housed in the former governor's residence where Columbus is believed to have stayed — is now a museum dedicated to the transatlantic voyages, the history of the Canary Islands, and the relationship between Europe and the Americas. Exhibits include replica navigational instruments, historical maps, models of Columbus's ships, and pre-Columbian artefacts from Central and South America. The building itself, with its ornate stone doorway and tiled courtyard, is as much an attraction as the collection. Admission is free on certain days — check current schedules.
6Cathedral of Santa Ana
The Cathedral of Santa Ana is the most important religious building in the Canary Islands and a monument to the slow patience of island construction. Building began in 1500, and the cathedral was not completed until the early 20th century — a span of over 400 years. The result is a fascinating blend of architectural styles: the interior columns are Gothic, the main facade is Neoclassical, and the side chapels show Renaissance and Baroque influences. The twin bell towers are visible from across the city and have become a symbol of Las Palmas. You can climb the south tower for panoramic views over Vegueta's terracotta rooftops, the harbour, and the mountains of Gran Canaria's interior.
7CAAM (Centro Atlantico de Arte Moderno)
Located in a beautifully restored 18th-century building in Vegueta, CAAM is one of the Canary Islands' leading contemporary art spaces. The permanent collection focuses on artists from the Canaries, mainland Spain, Africa, and Latin America, reflecting the islands' position as a cultural bridge between three continents. Temporary exhibitions rotate regularly and tend toward thought-provoking installations and multimedia work. The rooftop terrace offers a quiet spot to reflect on what you have seen, with views over the Vegueta rooftops. Entry is free.
8Museo Canario
For anyone interested in the pre-Spanish history of the Canary Islands, the Museo Canario is essential. The collection focuses on the Guanche people — the indigenous inhabitants who lived on the islands for over a thousand years before the Spanish conquest in the 15th century. Exhibits include Guanche mummies, pottery, stone tools, and grain storage vessels, as well as detailed explanations of their social structure, religion, and agricultural practices. The Guanche painted-cave replicas are particularly striking. The museum is housed in a colonial building in Vegueta and can be combined with visits to the cathedral and Casa de Colón.
Modern Attractions
9Poema del Mar Aquarium
Opened in 2017 near the city's cruise port, Poema del Mar is one of Europe's largest and most impressive aquariums. It is divided into three zones — Jungle, Reef, and Deep Ocean — each recreating a different marine ecosystem. The centrepiece is the Deep Ocean tank, visible through a massive curved glass window that is one of the largest in the world. Sharks, rays, tuna, and ocean sunfish glide through the 35-metre-deep tank in a display that is genuinely awe-inspiring. The Reef section features vibrant tropical fish and living coral, while the Jungle zone includes freshwater species, crocodiles, and piranha. Allow two to three hours for a thorough visit. It is a top choice for families, but adults without children will find plenty to hold their attention.
10Alfredo Kraus Auditorium
Named after the celebrated Las Palmas-born tenor Alfredo Kraus, this modernist concert hall is dramatically positioned on the volcanic rocks at the southern end of Las Canteras Beach. Designed by architect Oscar Tusquets, the building features a soaring glass wall behind the main stage that frames the Atlantic Ocean — during evening performances, the setting sun over the ocean becomes part of the show. The auditorium hosts the Las Palmas Film Festival, classical concerts, jazz events, and cultural programmes throughout the year. Even if there is no performance during your visit, the exterior architecture and the surrounding plaza are worth seeing, and the walk from Las Canteras Beach to the auditorium along the promenade is one of the city's most scenic routes.
11Elder Museum of Science and Technology
Located near the port in a converted warehouse, the Elder Museum is an interactive science museum aimed at making physics, biology, and technology accessible and fun. Highlights include a planetarium with regular shows, a rooftop observatory for stargazing, a replica fighter jet cockpit that visitors can sit in, and dozens of hands-on experiments covering everything from electricity to optics. The space exploration section includes models of the International Space Station and exhibits on the European Space Agency's Canary Islands tracking stations. It is one of the best rainy-day options in Las Palmas — though the Canaries see so few rainy days that you may need to remind yourself it is there.
12Mercado de Vegueta and Mercado del Puerto
Las Palmas has two outstanding food markets. The Mercado de Vegueta, operating since 1858 in a graceful iron-and-glass building, is a traditional produce market where vendors sell tropical fruits, fresh fish, local cheeses, herbs, and gofio. Saturday mornings are the most vibrant time to visit. The Mercado del Puerto, near Santa Catalina Park, is a renovated market building now functioning as a food hall with tapas stalls, wine bars, craft beer vendors, and cooked-to-order dishes from around the world. Both markets offer an authentic window into the city's food culture — plan to eat your way through them. Read more in our Las Palmas Food Guide.
Rutas and Outdoor Activities
13Las Canteras Promenade Walk
The full-length walk along the Las Canteras promenade is one of the simplest and most rewarding things to do in Las Palmas. Start at the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium at the southern end and walk north along the beach, past surf schools, open-air sculpture installations, terrace restaurants, and the colourful facades of the beachfront buildings. The promenade is wide, flat, and accessible, making it suitable for all fitness levels. At the northern end, you reach the Playa de la Puntilla and the rocky headland that separates Las Canteras from El Confital. Time your walk for late afternoon to catch the sunset over the Atlantic, when the sky turns gold and the promenade fills with locals taking their evening stroll.
14Confital Coastal Trail
Beyond the northern tip of Las Canteras, a rough coastal path follows the volcanic cliffs to El Confital beach — a wild, undeveloped stretch of dark sand backed by eroded lava formations. The trail offers dramatic views of the Atlantic, and on big swell days you can watch surfers riding the Confital reef break from above. The path is uneven in places, so wear proper shoes rather than sandals. El Confital itself is a stark contrast to the polished promenade of Las Canteras — raw, windswept, and beautiful. Bring water, as there are no facilities. The round trip takes about an hour at a moderate pace, or longer if you stop to watch the surfers and explore the rock pools.
15Vegueta Heritage Walk
A self-guided tour of the Vegueta historic quarter connects the neighbourhood's major landmarks in a logical loop. Start at the Cathedral of Santa Ana on the Plaza de Santa Ana. Walk south to the Casa de Colón, then east to the Museo Canario. Continue to the CAAM gallery and the charming Plaza del Espiritu Santo, one of the most photogenic squares in the Canary Islands with its stone fountain and colonial facades. Loop back via the Mercado de Vegueta, where you can reward yourself with a coffee and a pastry. The entire walk is about 2 km and takes 90 minutes at a relaxed pace, longer if you enter the museums.
Carnival and Festivals
16Las Palmas Carnival
The Las Palmas Carnival is one of the largest in Spain and one of the most spectacular in Europe. Running for several weeks between February and March, the festival features elaborate costume parades, live music stages across the city, street dancing, and the famous Drag Queen Gala — a nationally televised competition where performers present astonishing costumes that can take months to build. The main parade (Cabalgata) fills the streets with floats, drum troupes, and costumed dancers, and the festival closes with the theatrical Burial of the Sardine ceremony. The atmosphere is electric: the entire city participates, and the celebrations run from early evening to well past dawn. If your dates are flexible, planning a trip around Carnival is one of the most memorable things you can do in Las Palmas.
17Fiestas de San Juan
The night of 23 June marks the Fiestas de San Juan, the celebration of the summer solstice that is observed across the Canary Islands and mainland Spain. In Las Palmas, bonfires are lit on Las Canteras Beach and thousands of people gather for midnight swimming — tradition holds that jumping over the bonfire flames and bathing in the sea at midnight brings good luck and purification for the year ahead. The atmosphere is joyful and communal, with picnics, music, and fireworks lasting until the early hours. It is one of the most atmospheric nights of the year in the city.
Day Trips from Las Palmas
18Maspalomas Dunes and Lighthouse
The Maspalomas dunes are one of Gran Canaria's most iconic landscapes — a 400-hectare field of golden sand dunes that stretches from the coast inland, creating a miniature desert complete with shifting ridges and wind-sculpted forms. The dunes are a protected nature reserve and home to a unique ecosystem of endemic plants and migratory birds in the Charca de Maspalomas lagoon. The 19th-century Maspalomas lighthouse marks the southern tip of the island and is a popular sunset spot. The nearby Playa del Ingles offers wide resort beaches and a lively nightlife scene. Accessible by car in 40 minutes via the GC-1 motorway, or by Global bus line 30.
19Tejeda and Roque Nublo
The mountain village of Tejeda sits at 1,050 metres in the volcanic centre of Gran Canaria and is regularly cited as one of the most beautiful villages in Spain. The views from the village across the ravines and peaks of the island's interior are extraordinary. Nearby, Roque Nublo — a dramatic 80-metre volcanic monolith — is the island's most famous natural landmark and can be reached by a 30-minute hike from the nearest car park. The route from Las Palmas to Tejeda winds through pine forests and dramatic mountain switchbacks. Stop in Tejeda for almond cake (bienmesabe) and local cheese before heading back. Allow a full day for this trip.
20Teror
The colonial town of Teror is one of Gran Canaria's best-preserved historic settlements, famous for its traditional Canarian houses with carved wooden balconies, the Basilica of the Virgen del Pino (the island's patron saint), and a bustling Sunday market where locals sell chorizo de Teror (a soft, spreadable sausage unique to this town), local cheeses, honey, and handcrafts. The main street, Calle Real de la Plaza, is one of the most photogenic in the Canary Islands. Teror is a quick 25-minute drive from Las Palmas and combines well with a visit to Arucas.
21Arucas
The town of Arucas is dominated by the striking Church of San Juan Bautista, a neo-Gothic basalt building so grand it is often mistaken for a cathedral. Arucas is also home to the Arehucas rum distillery, the oldest and largest in Europe, which offers tours of its 19th-century facilities and tastings of its aged rums and ron miel (honey rum). The Jardin de la Marquesa botanical garden, set in the grounds of a historic estate, houses an impressive collection of tropical and subtropical plants. Arucas is 20 minutes from Las Palmas and makes a pleasant half-day excursion, especially when combined with a visit to the nearby Bodegas del Norte winery or the coastal village of San Andres.
Planning Your Days
If you have three days in Las Palmas, spend the first morning on Las Canteras Beach, the afternoon exploring Vegueta (Cathedral, Casa de Colón, Mercado de Vegueta), and the evening dining at a Triana restaurant. Day two, visit Poema del Mar in the morning, walk the Las Canteras promenade and Confital trail in the afternoon, and graze through the Mercado del Puerto in the evening. Day three, drive to Tejeda and Roque Nublo for a mountain day, stopping in Teror on the way back.
With five to seven days, add a full beach day with surfing or snorkelling, a visit to the Maspalomas dunes, the Elder Museum or CAAM gallery, and an afternoon exploring Arucas and the Arehucas distillery. Leave at least one day with no plans at all — Las Palmas is a city best enjoyed at a pace that allows for long lunches, unexpected conversations, and sun-drenched hours doing absolutely nothing on one of Europe's great urban beaches.
For those staying longer — and Las Palmas increasingly attracts visitors who settle in for weeks or months — the city reveals deeper layers. The barrios beyond the tourist trail, the neighbourhood bars where regulars greet each other by name, the Sunday morning football at the Estadio de Gran Canaria, the sunrise surf sessions at La Cicer. Las Palmas is not just a place to visit. For many, it becomes a place to live.
Preguntas Frecuentes
How many days do you need in Las Palmas?
Three to five days is ideal for seeing the main attractions: Las Canteras Beach, the Vegueta historic quarter, the major museums, and at least one day trip into Gran Canaria's interior. If you want to add surfing, diving, or multiple island excursions, a full week allows a more relaxed pace.
Is Las Palmas good for surfing?
Yes, Las Palmas is one of Europe's best urban surf destinations. El Confital produces a powerful right-hand reef break for experienced surfers. La Cicer, in the middle section of Las Canteras, offers gentler waves suitable for beginners, with several surf schools operating from the beach year-round.
What are the best day trips from Las Palmas?
Top day trips include the Maspalomas sand dunes (55 km south), the mountain village of Tejeda and Roque Nublo (centre of the island), the colonial town of Teror (20 km southwest), and the town of Arucas with its rum distillery (17 km west). A car hire makes interior exploration easiest, though bus services cover main routes.