Las Palmas is a lively city in the north of Gran Canaria. We were lucky enough to call this place home for 2 months as we slowly explored the island whilst working. So after living in the city, we’re now sharing our best things to do in Las Palmas with you!
Even though Las Palmas is the capital of the island, it’s not the most popular place for tourism. Most travellers arriving in Gran Canaria opt for spending a week in the south, such as Maspalomas. We do love Puerto de Mogan, but feel that Las Palmas is definitely overlooked!
Las Palmas has one of the best urban beaches in Europe, and on a sunny day, you’ll see why! Whether you’re interested in relaxing, exploring or learning, we’re confident you’ll find the best places to visit in Las Palmas in our travel guide.
We’ve also created a 1 day Las Palmas itinerary, although we recommend spending two days in the city to soak up it’s bustling charm and the surrounding area.
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10 Best Things to do in Las Palmas
So now we’ll jump right into our list of the best things to do in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. Here are a few tips you’ll need if you’re visiting from outside of Spain!
Need a sim in Spain? Grab an easy E-sim here on Airalo.
Planning on renting a car in Las Palmas? Find rental car prices on DiscoverCars.
➤ Also check out the best things to do in Gran Canaria, Spain!
1. Relax on Las Canteras
One of the best places to visit in Las Palmas is the incredible Las Canteras (Beach). You honestly can’t miss the long stretch of golden sand.
We spent so much time chilling at Las Canteras it has some of the best sunsets! If you’re lucky you’ll get to see the impressive Mt Teide in Tenerife (we also have a Tenerife itinerary).
Las Canteras is the main area in Las Palmas and you’ll find a large amount of sunbeds on the beach in dedicated areas or you can bring your own towel and grab a spot! The weekends can get pretty busy if it’s a nice day but there’s always enough space for all.
Most areas are suitable for swimming but the temperatures are moderate as it’s the Atlantic Ocean. There’s also lots of marine life in the reefs! Go Scuba Diving or join a Snorkeling Trip.
They have rules in place to ban smoking and loud music in order to keep everyone happy. The beach is always clean, we’ve never found any rubbish around!
If you’re staying on the east side, check out Playa de Las Alcaravaneras. A hidden gem in Las Palmas! I’m sure all the locals know about this beach but before visiting we only knew about Las Canteras. Playa de Las Alcaravaneras is beautiful but a lot smaller and with a view of the cargo ships.
2. Discover the Old Town
Vegueta, (the Old Town) is one of the most popular areas to visit in Las Palmas! You’ll notice the Canarian architecture throughout with wooden balconies, colourful buildings and European cobblestone streets.
The Old Town is right next to San Telmo where you’ll find lots of accommodation in Las Palmas. It’s a bus ride away from Las Canteras but definitely worth a visit! Here’s a few things to do in Vegueta, Las Palmas:
- Casa de Colon – visit the history museum known as Columbus House to learn about life before the colonial period. There’s a small fee to enter.
- Santa Ana Cathedral – in the heart of Old Town you’ll find a stunning large colonial cathedral. For a small fee, you can have a look inside and climb to the rooftop for beautiful views of the old town!
- Plaza de Santa Ana – also check out the plaza right next to the cathedral. There’s a few benches and it’s the perfect spot to admire the area.
- Mercado De Vegueta – a lovely market bursting with colour! It’s hard to resist buying some fruit here.
There are many places to eat in the old town of Las Palmas with outdoor seating. Our favourite is
Restaurante El Patio de Enmedio for their Canarian cuisine. Make sure you try Papas Arrugadas (Canarian potatoes with red sauce) and Pimientos de padrón (fried green peppers) before leaving Gran Canaria!
3. Viewpoints in Las Palmas
Las Palmas is filled with many viewpoints! We’ll show you a few of our favourites in the city.
Visit Mirador de San Roque for beautiful views of the colourful houses in Gran Canaria! This viewpoint is close to Vegueta, but you may need a car to get there. You can also visit Mirador Casas de Colores.
Another one of our favourite viewpoints in Las Palmas is the Mirador de la Cruz, we’re going to cover this in our El Confital section, but it’s a lovely short hike with an impressive view.
You can see the views of Mt Teide and Tenerife from Las Canteras on a clear day which is pretty cool!
We also like the views from La Cornisa, Cuatro Cañones, Schamann and Las Torres but they’re more general.
4. Visit the Caldera de Bandama
The Las Palmas area spreads out pretty far and it means you can explore some of the most beautiful hikes on the island by local bus.
And if you love hiking or nature, one of the best things to do in La Palmas is to visit the Caldera de Bandama!
Caldera de Bandama is the largest caldera in Gran Canaria. At first, we didn’t know what the word caldera meant but it turns out a caldera is a collapsed volcano. A pretty unique thing to do on your Las Palmas trip.
The caldera is a huge crater-looking hole in the ground that was once a volcano. You can now hike around the edges walking on volcanic rubble. We loved it! There’s also a hiking trail at the bottom of the caldera and a viewpoint overlooking the surrounding area.
How to get to the Caldera de Bandama from Las Palmas city centre? Head to San Telmo bus station and take the 311 Global bus. There are buses once an hour. Alternatively, you can take a rental car if you’re planning on exploring more of the Las Palmas area. and the hike will take around 2 hours.
We’ve written a guide on how to hike to the Caldera de Bandama and a better breakdown of the trails you can find here! It’s a unique area to hike in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria!
➤ Join Gran Canaria’s Best Wineries and Views Tour and explore a winery alongside Bandama.
5. Visit Jardín Botánico Canario Viera y Clavijo
Close to the Caldera de Bandama is a beautiful Canarian Botanical Garden. It’s a good idea to rent a car and visit these places on the same day. Although you can get to this botanical garden by bus from the city centre.
If you’re looking for free things to do in Las Palmas, then this botanical garden is the perfect option. There is no entrance fee which surprised us considering it’s the biggest botanical garden in Spain.
Jardín Botánico Viera y Clavijo is home to a huge amount of plant species including native Canarian plants! As Las Palmas has a subtropical climate it was really interesting to see the different plants here compared to the UK.
We highly recommend visiting whilst exploring Las Palmas, even if it’s a little out of the way. You can join a Botanical Gardens and Bandama Volcano Tour to get around stress-free! Book here.
6. Surfing, Volleyball & Ultimate frisbee
Las Palmas is full of activities and you’ll find outdoor ball games at Las Canteras. The volleyball scene at the beach is awesome and it’s even possible to join in and learn. There’s a volleyball meet-up at 5 pm every Sunday (subject to change).
There’s also a meet-up every Wednesday to play Ultimate Frisbee. We’ve been using our own frisbee to play casually but this sounds pretty cool too!
One of the best things to do in Las Palmas is go surfing at Las Canteras Beach! You can even go Boogie Boarding! There are so many surf rental shops near La Cícer (Las Canteras), it’s the place to be when surfing!
We recommend these surf companies in Li Cicer (Las Canteras):
- Mojosurf Hurley Surfcamp & Surf School – €40 for a lesson / €20 for a rental
- Buen Surf School – €40 for a lesson / €20 for a rental
- Oceanside | Surf Camp and Surf School Quiksilver – €40 for a lesson /10€ per hour
Alternatively, you can book a Surf Lesson on GetYourGuide! Locals also like Playa de la Laja surf, but it’s a little further away in Las Palmas.
Also check out our 7 Day Tenerife Road Trip Itinerary!
7. Shop in Las Palmas
As Las Palmas is the main city in Gran Canaria, there are a lot of shops here. If you’re on holiday, shopping may not be the first thing on your mind. But we love the surf shops around Las Canteras and browsing in malls is a great way to escape the hottest part of the day!
Triana is known as the shopping district of Las Palmas (in San Telmo) with a huge number of shops along the main street. We personally prefer the malls, but Triana is lovely to explore after visiting the Old Town.
The shopping malls in Las Palmas aren’t huge but they do have a lot of variety if you know where to look. Here’s a few malls around the city:
- CC Las Arenas – the biggest mall in Las Palmas with many options! it’s right next to the surfing area of Las Canteras!
- El Corte Inglés – there are lots of options here and a fancy grocery store on the bottom level. this mall is in the heart of Las Palmas city centre.
- Centro Comercial El Muelle – there are a few shops here but we only come here for Hiper Dino.
- Alisios – a modern shopping centre quite far outside of the city centre.
- Centro Comercial Las Ramblas – a mall with great food court options!
- Commercial and Leisure Center 7 Palmas – a decent mall with an amazing cinema! We watched a movie here and had recliner seats.
8. Explore Museums in Las Palmas
Just like any city in the world, one of the best places to visit in Las Palmas is the museums around the city. These are great if you have more than 1 day in Las Palmas but if it’s a rainy day, you may find yourself inside anyway! Here’s a few museums you can find in the city:
- Museo Canario €5 – Archeological museum with pre-colonial history
- Casa de Colon €4 – Located in Vegueta, this history museum lets you discover the pre-colonial when Christopher Columbus journeyed to the Canaries.
- CAAM (free) – An Art Gallery in Vegueta.
- Elder Museum of Science and Technology €6 – Explore the science museum in Las Palmas and learn about space.
9. Walk along the promenade
When it comes to wondering what to do in Las Palmas, you can never go wrong with a walk along the promenade (unless there’s a wind warning)! From end to end, it will take almost an hour of walking which is quite impressive.
Most of this walk is filled with restaurants, cafes, hotels and a few souvenir shops but the view of Las Canteras is the main highlight. The chocolate gelato at Chelado is hands down our favourite ice cream on the promenade and it’s vegan!
We’ve honestly lost count of how many times we’ve walked this route. Almost every day for two months? It’s a super nice walk. Our favourite part is in La Isleta near El Confital.
10. Explore El Confital
El Confital is one of our favourite areas in Las Palmas. It has a beautiful viewpoint, a small rocky beach and a wooden promenade. It’s an awesome place for wave-watching. Spend some time exploring the area, relaxing and hiking.
Hike to Mirador de la Cruz
Mirador de la Cruz is a lovely and rewarding hike in Las Palmas, offering incredible views of Las Palmas and the Atlantic Ocean. On a clear day, you can also see Mount Tiede over in Tenerife!
You can start this hike from anywhere in Las Palmas, but the official starting point is El Confital in the La Isleta neighbourhood. We recommend starting in the north on the promenade leading to the hike.
There are lots of viewpoints to admire when walking along the coastline of Las Palmas, but the Mirador de la Cruz (Viewpoint of the Cross) has the best views in our opinion!
1 Day Las Palmas Itinerary
☀️ Morning – Caldera de Bandama & Jardín Botánico Canario Viera y Clavijo
On the morning of your one day in Las Palmas, fuel up for the day with a traditional Canarian breakfast from papas con mojo (potatoes with spicy sauce) or churros with chocolate.
Spend the rest of the morning soaking up the views of the Caldera de Bandama in Las Palmas and then wander around the beautiful botanical garden. You may want to bring a packed lunch for this, or there is a restaurant at the caldera!
🏤 Afternoon – Vegueta
Head to Old Town and visit the Casa de Colon, Santa Ana Cathedral, Plaza de Santa Ana and Mercado De Vegueta. Grab some fruit for the market for an afternoon pick-me-up!
If you have time explore the Jardines del Hotel Santa Catalina and Parque Doramas before heading over to El Confital.
🌴 Evening – El Confital & Las Palmas
Explore El Confital and the beautiful views of the city before walking over to Las Canteras along the promenade. Watch the sunset as you eat dinner at one of the beachfront restaurants.
If you have more time in Las Palmas, you can visit charming towns such as Teror and Arucas. Here’s our list of the best things to do in Gran Canaria to plan the rest of your trip!
Where to stay in Las Palmas
Las Palmas looks small on a map, but it’s pretty spread out. The best area to stay in Las Palmas is Las Canteras (Beach) and this is where you’ll find beachfront restaurants, hotels and little shops.
However, Santa Catalina and San Telmo are also great places to stay with the best transport links around the island. You can always rent a car if you need to get around worry-free!
We lived in La Isleta for 2 months and always kept our eye out for beautiful accommodations, but Booking.com is the platform we recommend using to book your stay! Here are our recommendations:
- KYO Surf Hostel – very affordable place to stay in the heart of the surf area on Las Canteras, they have private rooms and dorms – Book your stay!
- Chez Abel – beautiful apartments minutes away from Las Canteras – Find it on Booking.com here!
- Santa Catalina, a Royal Hideaway Hotel – One of the most luxurious places to stay in Las Palmas, located near the marina – Find prices here!
How to get around Las Palmas
Can you walk around Las Palmas? Yes! Las Canteras is the main area you’ll want to visit in the city and there’s a lovely promenade to walk down. However, if you’re staying near Las Canteras you’ll want to get a bus to Vegueta as it’s too far to walk.
Local Buses – The local yellow buses in Las Palmas cost €1.40 per journey no matter how far you go. Contactless is the best way to pay or you can use cash with the exact change.
Global Buses – If you’re travelling to a region outside of the Las Palmas city centre, you may pay a higher price. Our bus to Teror from San Telmo costs €2.30 and Maspalomas can cost around €5. These buses are separate and you’ll have to pay twice if you need two buses.
One of the best ways to get around Gran Canaria is to rent a car and explore yourself, but you really don’t need one in Las Palmas. The city is always so busy with traffic, it’s better to use buses or walk.
Best Tours in Las Palmas
These activities are all from Las Palmas and will take you to amazing places all over the island. Here’s a few of the best tours from Las Palmas:
- Sunset & Night Sky Guided Astronomy Hiking Tour – Visit Roque Nublo and Tejeda at night and see the stars!
- Pico de las Nieves & Roque Nublo Full-Day Trip – Explore the highest points of Gran Canaria
- Gran Canaria Island Highlights Tour – See the highlights of the island from hiking to beaches.
Best Time to Visit Las Palmas
We recommend visiting Las Palmas during January and March although any time of year is great to visit!
Las Palmas has a subtropical climate which makes it the perfect place to visit all year round. The weather in Las Palmas stays warm even throughout the winter season, so it’s the best escape from dark European winters!
Visiting Las Palmas in winter – experience mild weather from 19°C up to 27°C and some windy days.
Visiting Las Palmas in summer – the weather during July to August doesn’t usually get higher than 30°C (lower than some other areas in Europe in summer) so it’s possible to visit Gran Canaria during the summer season but it will be hot!
Las Palmas will experience wind all throughout the year which brings the best breeze on sunny days. We lived in the city from February to April and had amazing weather! We had to wear suncream pretty much every day.
Where to eat in Las Palmas
Surprisingly we didn’t eat out a lot during our two months in Las Palmas. We cooked at home a lot and grabbed a few snacks here and there. Here’s a few places with vegan options in Las Palmas that we visited and would recommend:
- Vegetopia Experience – affordable Canarian cuisine and international food all plant-based!
- Hi Bubble Tea – dreamy bubble tea and vegan cakes in Las Palmas
- Organic Jungle – amazing Balinese-inspired brunch restaurant with breakfast, lunch and dinner! Their smoothies are incredible!
- De Francesco – a lovely Italian restaurant serving vegan meatballs and pasta!
- NOPAL – Mexican food a minute away from Las Canteras, with great vegan options!
- A Raices – a vegan restaurant serving Canarian cuisine!
There are also tonnes of Poke Bowl restaurants all over Las Palmas, especially near the surfing area of Las Canteras. There’s Poke Poke and Tasty Poke Bar to get you started. There’s also Oakberry, Mr Kale, Momoland, Hi! Burger that we never got to try.
How many days in Las Palmas?
Although Las Palmas is the largest city in Gran Canaria, you only need 1 or 2 days in Las Palmas to experience the main highlights and chill on the beaches.
As we based ourselves in Las Palmas for 2 months, we were busy working and relaxing but we always made sure to explore each week. There’s lots of activities to do if you’re staying longer like we did.
Is Las Palmas in Gran Canaria worth visiting?
Yes! If you’re in Gran Canaria, Las Palmas is worth visiting. As most people stay in the south, it doesn’t get as much tourism, but there are lots of amazing things to do in Las Palmas to keep you busy.
The beautiful old town of Vegueta is definitely worth a visit if you don’t have time to make it to Las Canteras.
Have the best time in Las Palmas Find us on Instagram (@thesunrisedreamers) or leave a comment below! Check out our other Spain travel guides:
- Best Things to do in Gran Canaria, Spain
- Hiking the Caldera de Bandama, Gran Canaria
- 7 Day Tenerife itinerary
- Where to stay in Tenerife
- 22 Things to do in Tenerife
- Browse more of Spain!
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Thank you so much for a very informative post!
You are super welcome! Thank you for reading our blog 🙂
Im arriving tonight and will follow your recommendations tomorrow, while exploring las palmas. Really enjoyed your post- informative and fresh.
Oh amazing! Have a lovely time in Las Palmas 🙂