Las Palmas is the capital city of the Island of Gran Canaria, and shares the title of capital of the Canary Islands along with Santa Cruz de Tenerife on the neighboring Island of Tenerife. The city of Las Palmas was founded back in 1478 and has been the heart and soul of the Cany Islands ever since.
Syracuse University in the United States analyzed the climate of 600 major cities across the globe and determined that Las Palamas was the city with the best climate out of all of them.
Las Palmas is a city of spectacular natural beauty that enjoys a long and deep history, as it has long been the political, economic, and social epicenter of this Spanish territory. Check out our Las Palmas city guide, curated by our expert local guides.
The Plaza Mayor de Santa Ana is one of the most emblematic places in the city of Las Palmas. Surrounding this most centric of squares are several of the most important buildings in Las Palmas including the Cathedral of Santa Ana and the Casa Colón. In the center of the plaza, you will also find one of the most famous and quirky sculptures in the city known locally as the “Perros de Santa Ana” or the dogs of Santa Ana.
The sculptures were created by the French sculptor Alfred Jacquemar (Paris 1824), and have been standing in the square since 1895. As the story goes, Mayor Felipe Massieu accepted them as a gift from a French ship that, on its way to South Africa, landed in the city to solve certain problems that arose during its journey. As a thank you for their assistance the ship left these statues that were originally intended to adorn other urban centers in the south of the African continent.
In 1944 author Víctor Doreste ‘baptized’ these unique dogs in his traditional fable ‘Faycán’. The author names seven other dogs that today rest in Santa Ana: Aterura, Mogano, Doramas, Tindaya , Bentayga, Tenoya and Tirajano.
The Museo Canario or the Canary Museum is one of the best museums in Las Palmas to understand the anthropological history and evolution of its aboriginal inhabitants, known as Guanches, and the history of Gran Canaria. You will also discover the way they built their houses and their tools and even their medicines and their food. Especially striking is the hall of skulls and mummies in the enclosure.
Construction of the Catedral de Canarias or the Cathedral of Santa Ana, as it is also known, began towards the end of the 1400’s and it was commissioned by the Catholic Kings themselves.
The Cathedral features 3 different architectural styles: late Gothic, Baroque and Neoclassical. Although it was never 100% completed, it was the first cathedral in the Canary Islands and the only cathedral in all of the islands until the 19th century.
This XVI century estate didn’t actually belong to Christopher Columbus but it did belong to the governor of the island who oversaw Columbus’ expeditions and who housed the Spanish explorer on his way to the New World.
The Colon House Museum has maritime archives that belonged to the discoverer, such as navigation charts and logbooks. Especially recommended for lovers of the sea and exploration.
This is one of the most interesting places to see in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and perfect for delving into Canarian gastronomy. The Vegueta Market is overflowing with tropical fruit stalls, local spices and delicacies, and all types of local products, unique to the Canary Islands.
A guided visit to the Vegueta neighborhood is especially interesting where you can see first-hand its market and many more secrets of the city.
The weather in Las Palmas is surprisingly uniform. The Canary Islands enjoy a tropical climate that rarely offers temperatures below lovely.
When it comes to crowds, the two most crowded times to visit Las Palmas is during the summer months and from February to March when the islands Carnavales take place.
If you are looking to avoid crowds and the heat of the summer then the months of April and May are a good bet.
The weather in Las Palmas is very consistent year-round. As we have mentioned the Canary Islands enjoy a tropical climate and Las Palmas is known as the city with the best weather in the World.
Gran Canaria offfers a bit of all the best to be found in the Canary islands. Excellent beaches, quaint villages, one of the best historic districts and beautiful natural areas. Discover in this guide all the things Gran Canaria offers and build your perfect holiday in the island!
