Places to visit in Gran Canaria
Just south of Parque de Santa Catalina is the major traffic thoroughfare of Avenida de Mesa y Lopez. This broad, tree lined, shady avenue plays host to several market stalls and is also a major shopping street featuring stores such as El Corte Ingles and many international retailers.
The most colourful shopping in town is to be found on Sunday mornings at the town's large and lively rastro (flea market) held near the port. There are bargains galore and its many African visitors bring a real splash of colour to
the stalls.
Cheap and freq
uent buses (Canarians call them guaguas, pronounced wah wahs) run along the seafront from Aveni da Maritima down to Triana. It is not only fun to go native bus hopping from one to another, but it is also the most sensible option in this traffic choked city.
Make your first stop Dora mas Parque, a pleasant landscaped park named after Guanche island chieftain. The statue in front of the park re calls the dangerous ancie sport of ravine leaping, practised by local inhabitants in the distant past. At the rear of the park is the splendid colonial style Hotel Casino Sant Catalina.
Adjacent to the park is the Pueblo Canario (Canary Village). This is a
romanticized version of a Canarian village where you can shop for handicrafts
and watch displays of folk dancing and singing. The Pueblo is pretty, very
relaxed and, in spite of its obviously artificial nature, still well worth a visit. The man who conceived it was local artist and designer, Nestor de la Torre (1887 1938). A museum of his exotic art is in the Pueblo.
The bus terrninal is at Triana, one of the older barrios (suburbs) of Las
Palmas. Today it is known for its upmarket shops, and the long, pleasant,
pedestrianized street of Calle Mayor de Triana offers just about everything for both tourists and locals.
History lurks behind every wall and this is a delightful place just to wander around. Christopher Colombus knew these streets and he prayed at the Ermita de San Antonio Abad before setting off on his first Voyage of Discovery to the New World. The present building dates from the 18th
Century. Close by on Calle Colon (Colon is Colombus in Spanish) is the beautiful 15th century Casa de Colon. This elegant house with its charming courtyard was formerly the residence of the island's first governor, and Colombus is said to have stayed here on three occasions. Now an atmospheric museum, it recreates the Age of Discovery with exhibits of navigational instruments, charts, weapons and everyday items of the period.
Around the comer stands the vast Gothic and neo Classic bulk of the Catedral de Santa Ana. While it could never be described as pretty it is certainly impressive, and is best seen by night when floodlighting softens its harsh, grimy front. For a few euros you may be able to see the treasury with exhibits of ancient religious art and jewellery. Opening times, however, are rather erratic. Facing the cathedral are several green bronze statues of the aboriginal mastiff
dogs after whom the Canary Islands are said to have been named (from the Latin canes).
On the comer of Calle Doctor Chil and Calle Doctor Verneau is the rather selfeffacing Museo Canario. The islands' most important collection from Guanche times is stored within its 12 rooms. The highlight is the room of skulls and mummies, depicting the Guanches' fascination with death. The rest of the museum will appeal only to archaeological enthusiasts, and captions throughout are In Spanish.
The southern resorts of Gran Canaria
The southern resorts of San Agustin, Playa del Ingles and Maspalomas (often all lumped together under the collective name of Maspalomas) are linked to Las Palmas and EI Gando International Airport by the fast and featureless autopIsta (motorway).
For some holidaymakers it is rather disconcerting to learn that this three in one resort is the biggest holiday complex in
all of Spain, let alone just the Canaries. Each resort does have its own characteristics, however. San Agustin,the first stop off the autopista, is a restrained area of pleasant lowrise apartments, catering for more mature and discerning holidaymakers. Above, the streets are neat and tidy; below, there is a quiet, black sand beach backed by low cliffs.
Playa del Ingles is altogether more robust, as the very name (Beach of the English) might suggest. In winter, though, there are just as many German
visitors here. This is an unashamedly fun and sun resort of high rise hotels,shopping malls and fast food restaurants. It was built several years ago, and the raw concrete edges are being smoothed away by the brilliantly coloured local flora. The modem Ecumenical Church, shaped like the Sydney Opera House,also brings some interest to the skyline. For the less Godfearing the nightlife can be hectic, and at the last count there were some 50 clubs here. The golden beach stretches for 10 featureless miles (16 km) so there is room enough for everyone and all watersports are practised.
The most colourful shopping in town is to be found on Sunday mornings at the town's large and lively rastro (flea market) held near the port. There are bargains galore and its many African visitors bring a real splash of colour to
the stalls.
Cheap and freq
uent buses (Canarians call them guaguas, pronounced wah wahs) run along the seafront from Aveni da Maritima down to Triana. It is not only fun to go native bus hopping from one to another, but it is also the most sensible option in this traffic choked city.Make your first stop Dora mas Parque, a pleasant landscaped park named after Guanche island chieftain. The statue in front of the park re calls the dangerous ancie sport of ravine leaping, practised by local inhabitants in the distant past. At the rear of the park is the splendid colonial style Hotel Casino Sant Catalina.
Adjacent to the park is the Pueblo Canario (Canary Village). This is a
romanticized version of a Canarian village where you can shop for handicrafts
and watch displays of folk dancing and singing. The Pueblo is pretty, very
relaxed and, in spite of its obviously artificial nature, still well worth a visit. The man who conceived it was local artist and designer, Nestor de la Torre (1887 1938). A museum of his exotic art is in the Pueblo.
The bus terrninal is at Triana, one of the older barrios (suburbs) of Las
Palmas. Today it is known for its upmarket shops, and the long, pleasant,
pedestrianized street of Calle Mayor de Triana offers just about everything for both tourists and locals.
History lurks behind every wall and this is a delightful place just to wander around. Christopher Colombus knew these streets and he prayed at the Ermita de San Antonio Abad before setting off on his first Voyage of Discovery to the New World. The present building dates from the 18th
Century. Close by on Calle Colon (Colon is Colombus in Spanish) is the beautiful 15th century Casa de Colon. This elegant house with its charming courtyard was formerly the residence of the island's first governor, and Colombus is said to have stayed here on three occasions. Now an atmospheric museum, it recreates the Age of Discovery with exhibits of navigational instruments, charts, weapons and everyday items of the period.
Around the comer stands the vast Gothic and neo Classic bulk of the Catedral de Santa Ana. While it could never be described as pretty it is certainly impressive, and is best seen by night when floodlighting softens its harsh, grimy front. For a few euros you may be able to see the treasury with exhibits of ancient religious art and jewellery. Opening times, however, are rather erratic. Facing the cathedral are several green bronze statues of the aboriginal mastiff
dogs after whom the Canary Islands are said to have been named (from the Latin canes).
On the comer of Calle Doctor Chil and Calle Doctor Verneau is the rather selfeffacing Museo Canario. The islands' most important collection from Guanche times is stored within its 12 rooms. The highlight is the room of skulls and mummies, depicting the Guanches' fascination with death. The rest of the museum will appeal only to archaeological enthusiasts, and captions throughout are In Spanish.
The southern resorts of Gran Canaria
The southern resorts of San Agustin, Playa del Ingles and Maspalomas (often all lumped together under the collective name of Maspalomas) are linked to Las Palmas and EI Gando International Airport by the fast and featureless autopIsta (motorway).
For some holidaymakers it is rather disconcerting to learn that this three in one resort is the biggest holiday complex in
all of Spain, let alone just the Canaries. Each resort does have its own characteristics, however. San Agustin,the first stop off the autopista, is a restrained area of pleasant lowrise apartments, catering for more mature and discerning holidaymakers. Above, the streets are neat and tidy; below, there is a quiet, black sand beach backed by low cliffs.Playa del Ingles is altogether more robust, as the very name (Beach of the English) might suggest. In winter, though, there are just as many German
visitors here. This is an unashamedly fun and sun resort of high rise hotels,shopping malls and fast food restaurants. It was built several years ago, and the raw concrete edges are being smoothed away by the brilliantly coloured local flora. The modem Ecumenical Church, shaped like the Sydney Opera House,also brings some interest to the skyline. For the less Godfearing the nightlife can be hectic, and at the last count there were some 50 clubs here. The golden beach stretches for 10 featureless miles (16 km) so there is room enough for everyone and all watersports are practised.
Labels: Gran Canaria, St. Augustine Cathedral
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