Las Palmas Holidays

Explorer Christopher Columbus stopped in Las Palmas on three out of four of his New World trips, which is testament to its charms. It also wears the crown for Spain’s ninth-largest city – quite an achievement, considering it’s not on the biggest of the Canary Islands. But this capital of Gran Canaria manages to merge modern attractions like multi-storey malls and a world-class aquarium, with the museums and mansions of the old quarter.

With colonial buildings and narrow streets, Vegueta is the historic hub of Las Palmas. Behind it, a patchwork quilt of crayon-coloured houses blanket the hillside, showcasing the city’s Spain-meets-South-America flavour. And you can even visit Casa de Colon – a former governor’s house, which now houses a museum dedicated to Christopher Columbus. You can inspect handwritten letters, diary entries and maps of the famous explorer’s journeys.

Urban beaches don’t get much better than Las Palmas’ slice of sand. You’ll find Playa de Las Canteras among the shopping malls and restaurants of the newer part of town. The majority of it’s protected from the Atlantic waves by a coral reef. It’s only a few hundred metres from the shore, so it’s easy to paddle out to – especially at low tide. The south of the beach, meanwhile, is surfing territory.