Reminiscent of a Mediterranean port town with a North-African flavor, Las Palmas is the largest city in Spain’s Canary Islands. With a mix of Modernist, Bauhaus and Spanish colonial architecture, sandy beaches and winter daytime temperatures often reaching the mid seventies, there is no better time to go.
What are the Canary Islands?
The Canary Islands are the seven volcanic islands of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. While they may technically be part of Spain, geographically, they are located closer to Africa. Hence the year-round balmy weather and why it takes three hours to fly there from the Spanish mainland. Gran Canaria is the largest of the seven. Whereas visiting party animals typically favor the banging beats and sprawling sand dunes of Playa del Inglés in the south, those seeking a more cosmopolitan feel will want to check out the island’s diverse capital, Las Palmas.
What to do
Where better to while away a sunny day in Las Palmas than on Las Canteras beach, a two-mile-long stretch of sand that can be found in the center of the city? It is popular with tourists and locals alike for its soft sand and calm water. Others will want to explore the Modernist buildings in the Triana district and the beautiful colonial architecture in the old quarter of Vegueta. The latter is also home to the excellent Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno contemporary art gallery, showcasing modern Canarian and African art, and Catedral Santa Ana (St. Anne’s Cathedral), which took 400 years to complete.
Where to stay
Unlike other Spanish cities like Barcelona, Madrid and Palma de Mallorca, Las Palmas has not been blessed with an abundance of great hotels. But who needs 30 options to choose between when there is one that stands head and shoulders above the rest? Santa Catalina, a Royal Hideaway Hotel has been setting the standard for luxury accommodation in Gran Canaria for over a century. With 204 rooms, two swimming pools, three restaurants, a rooftop bar and a delightful palm garden, this hotel will cater to your every need. Nothing is too much trouble for the staff, whose genuine, warm approach to hospitality gives Santa Catalina Hotel an elegant, but never snooty, feel.
Where to eat
Santa Catalina, a Royal Hideaway Hotel is also the place to go for fine dining in Las Palmas, with its exceptional Poemas, by Michelin-starred Canarian chefs the Padrón brothers. Order the ten-course tasting menu, which includes dishes like the oxtail sandwich with fermented pepper mayonnaise, and the delicate parmesan ravioli in lentil broth. For the city’s most mouthwateringly creative tapas, head to popular Qué Leche! in Triana, where specialties like sun-dried tomato croquettes with red tuna or shrimp tartare with caviar and sea lettuce will have you coming back for more. Other great choices include Tasca Siete Viejas, for traditional Canarian food, and upbeat Hoock, which serves modern takes on street food (think nachos, poké bowls, and burgers), close to Las Canteras beach.
