Bonnetts Abroad

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The tranquil harbour, verdant palm groves and excellent climate of Gran Canaria's lively capital Las Palmas delighted Christopher Columbus when he discovered it on his famous voyage of 1492. Those same attractions now draw modern travellers keen to explore the atmospheric cobbled streets and leafy courtyards of its old quarter, Vegueta. Cruises to Gran Canaria also bring you close to Playa del Ingles, the liveliest and best–known beach in the Canaries. You can explore the stunning desert scenery of Maspalomas, or tour further afield to explore peaceful old towns like Arucas – famed for its lush banana plantations – and Teror, with its fine collection of traditional houses with intricately carved wooden balconies. Other highlights of our Gran Canaria cruises include lovely Palmitos Nature Park – set in a canyon inland from Maspalomas and famous for its vivid tropical plants, birds and fish – and Bandama, an extinct volcano set 1,900 feet above sea level, which offers panoramic views over the island.

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Highlights of Gran Canaria

Take in Gran Canaria's most popular highlights as you're whisked around the north of the island and enjoy free time to explore two beautiful towns.

Follow your guide through Arucas, where the sweet smell of jasmine might lure you into the romantic Garden of La Marquesa de Arucas. Gaze up at the neo–gothic ‘cathedral' and stop at a café for a drink of the famous Canary banana liqueur. 

In historic Teror, where whitewashed houses with traditional ornate balconies line the quaint streets, hear the stories of the beautiful Church of Our Lady of the Pine, then spend free time browsing the local craft shops.

Duration: 4 Hours

Ivy Partridge comes onboard

Arucas

Arucas is situated 12 kilometres from the capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and extends  from the coast to the Medianias (the middle of the island), 600 metres above sea–level.

The town centre of Arucas has been declared of historical–artistic interest. Its main architectural piece is the Parish Church of San Juan Bautista, completely sculptured in stone from Arucas by the master stonemasons of the area. The church dates from the year 1909 and it possesses beautiful glasswork by the French firm Maumejean et Frères, as well as works of art by the Canarian painter Cristóbal Hernández de Quintana and an extraordinary wooden sculpture of the Resting Christ by the sculptor from Arucas, Manuel Ramos.

The façade of the church opens to the Plaza de San Juan and closeby is the unfinished construction of the New Theatre (1906), of neo–classical style. In Constitution Square (Plaza de la Constitución) we find the Town Hall (Casas Consistoriales) and the Old Municipal Market. The House of Culture (Casa de la Cultura), a traditional Canarian house from the XVII century possesses a balconied interior patio with  and a magnificent example of a Drago tree.

The Ron de Arehucas Rum Factory and Museum (public opening times Mondays to Fridays from 09:00 to 14:00 hours) is considered one of the emblematic buildings of the municipality, due to the tradition of distilling in the locality. The House and Gardens of the Marchioness (la Casa y Jardín de la Marquesa) also form an interesting architectural and natural space belonging to the Marchioness of Arucas. The building of the Marchioness was constructed in 1880 and is surrounded by spacious romantic style gardens. Public opening times Mondays to Saturdays from 09:00 to 18:00 hours.

Situated very close to the historic quarter is Piedras la Cantera, one of the historic quarries of the municipality. Open for public visiting. 

Teror

From Valleseco our route continues and finishes in the Village of Teror, devoted to the Virgin Mary, situated 8 kilometres from Valleseco and 20 kilometres from the capital of Gran Canaria.

The municipality of Teror is situated in the central eastern region of the island, at an altitude of 543 metres above sea–level. What makes the municipal town of Terror attractive, is not only the great devotion that it professes to the “Virgen del Pino”, patron of the island, but it is also one of the municipalities with great historical and natural values.

Teror houses in its Basilica the “Virgen del Pino”, Patron Saint of the Canarian Diocesis. This church is to be found in the Plaza del Pino and although it began construction in the year 1767, it has had to be refurbished on a variety of occasions since then. The Basilica of  Nuestra Señora del Pino  is the most important building in the municipality and one of the most outstanding examples of Canarian religious architecture, around which the town planning origins and evolution of the historic quarter of Teror evolved. Amongst the most important  acknowledgements of the building are that of Minor Basilica (conceded by Pope Benedict XV) and that of National Monument. Public opening times: Mondays from 15:30 to 20:00 hours , Tuesdays to Fridays from 09:00 to 13:00 hours and Sundays from 11:00 to 14:00 hours. At the back of the Main Altar is situated the Chamber of Nuestra Señora del Pino. Public opening times: Mondays from 13:00 to 15:00, Saturdays from 11:30 to 13:00 hours and Sundays from 11:00 to 14:00 hours.

Another place that is worth a visit is the Museo de los Patronos de la Virgen (the Museum of the Caretakers of the Virgin), a historic dwelling where various Caretakers of the Virgin have lived. Public opening hours: Sundays to Fridays from 11:00 to 18:00 hours; Saturdays closed.

The Square of Teror is the neurological centre of the village. From here one can appreciate the typical Canarian balconies that decorate a large part of the municipality. The Alameda (or Public Walk) is another of the most transited places in the historic quarter of the village. The origin of the Square was an esplanade situated in front of the Episcopal Palace, in 1793. This Palace, where prelates of the Diocese used to reside, is the present day house of culture, where temporary exhititions are held. Close to the Basilica is the Square of Teresa de Bolívar, refurbished in the 1950's and where one can find the bust of the “libertador” (liberator) Simón Bolívar.

The building that holds the Teror Town Hall forms part of the rich historic heritage of the municipality, for which reason a visit is recommended. Public opening times: Mondays to Fridays from 09:00 to 13:00 hours.

The Monastery of Cister is also closely linked to Teror, with its delicious artisan pastry, confectioned by its nuns. The monastery has its origin in the year 1882 and in its interior are still kept the images of San Benito and San Ildefonso, which previously belonged to an old convent in the capital. Public opening times: Mondays to Fridays from 10:00 to 13.00 hours and from 15:00 to 18:00 hours. 

La Fuente Agria (the Bitter Fountain) is also one of the most emblematic places of Teror. It is formed by three water springs: El Principal, the Agua Agria and the Molino de en Medio.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, capital of the island of Gran Canaria, is situated on the north–eastern vertex of the island where a small peninsula sticks out into the sea. The centre of the city is divided by the old Guiniguada Gully, which used to be the limits between the historical quarter of the municipality and the more cosmopolitan and commercial boroughs of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

The main official and administrative centres of the island are also to be found in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Moreover, the essence of the capital of the island can be encapsulated by a visit to four clearly differentiated areas: Vegueta – Triana – Ciudad Jardín (Garden City) – Alcaravaneras – Puerto (Port) – Canteras

The popular Borough of Vegueta is formed by the most emblematic buildings of the city, as well as the principal museums. The centre of Vegueta is presided by the Santa Ana Cathedral (open during worshiping hours), whose construction began in the XVI century and is flanked by the Plaza de Santa Ana with its important historical buildings: The Casas Consistoriales (the Old Town Hall) of neo–classical style, the Episcopal Palace (identified by a beautiful balcony with lattice windows from the first third of the XVII century), the Casa Regental (one of the few examples of renaissance buildings in the city and present day seat of the Presidency of the Canarian High Court of Justice) and the Historic Provincial Archives. 

Behind the Cathedral is the Plaza del Pilar Nuevo, which invites a visit to the Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno (the Atlantic Centre of Modern Art), one of the main art centres in Spain. Opening hours, Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 21:00 hours; Sundays from 10:00 to 14:00 hours; closed on Mondays and Public Holidays.

Also in Vegueta you can be witness to the history of the city by visiting the Christopher Columbus House Museum (visiting hoursMonday to Saturday: 10:00 – 18:00 hours / Sunday and public holidays: 10:00 – 15:00 hours); or admire the historic vestiges of the previous settlers of the island in the Canarian Museum (museum and handcraft shop opening hours from 10:00 to 17:00 hours Mondays to Fridays on workdays). The Sacred Art Museum also offers the visitor an exhibition of a number of art pieces of religious devotion. (Public opening hours Mondays to Fridays from 10:00 to 16:30 hours; Saturdays from 10:00 to 13:30 hours).

In Vegueta it is also possible to visit the Church and Square of Santo Domingo, the Espíritu Santo Square (presided by a beautiful quarry stone fountain) and the Market of Vegueta, which dates from 1854 (public opening hours Mondays to Thursdays from 06:30 to 14:00 hours; Fridays and Saturdays from 06:30 to 15:00 hours).

In the Borough of Triana the main attraction is the commercial Triana Street, where one can  find a number of buildings of great historic and artistic value. 

One of the emblematic buildings of this borough is the Pérez Galdós Theatre, of italian inspiration, with an interesting music, dance and theatre listing during the 365 days of the year. Timetable for guided visits, Monday to Friday from 10:30 to 12:15 hrs. and Saturdays from 11:00 to 12:15 hrs.

Close by is Cairasco Square, where two buildings must be highlighted: the Hotel Madrid and the Gabinete Literario. The latter is of neo–classical style with modernist decorations (visit subject to previous petition). The Quegles Building, from 1900, is itself considered one of the most emblematic architectural elements of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and is situated in the well known Pérez Galdós Street. Lastly, the Pérez Galdós House Museum located in Triana contains the documental archives on the biographic and literary investigations of this novelist. Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday & bank holidays: 10:00 – 18:00 h. The museum is closed on Mondays, 25th and 31st December, 1st and 6th January, Shrove Tuesday and 1st May.

Not far away we find San Telmo Park where you will discover the hermitage of San Telmo, a kiosk of modernist design which is a café and a bandstand, also of modernist style.

In the centre of the city we find Doramas Park. Its gardens contain autochthonous flower examples, and in the precinct you will find the Pueblo Canario (the Canarian Village), the Santa Catalina Hotel and the Néstor Museum (public opening hours Tuesdays to Fridays from 10:00 to 13:00 hours and from 16:00 to 20:00 hours; Sundays from 11:00 to 14:00 hours; Mondays and Saturdays closed. Closed in August).

The Muelle Deportivo (Sports Marina), situated on the Avenida Marítima (the Maritime Avenue) in front of the Santa Catalina Hotel, is an ideal place to walk, flavour the varied gastronomic offer of its bars and restaurants and enjoy observing the leisure boats which are moored there. At night its open air terraces offer a lively night atmosphere. Every November more than two hundred sailing boats depart towards the island of St. Lucia in the Carribean  from the Sports Marina. 

The Alcaravaneras Beach flanked to the north by the Royal Nautical Club and to the south by the Varadero Maritime Club, is a place where numerous water sport activities are practised.

In Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, one must highlight one of the greatest city beaches with atmosphere of all the Spanish capitals: Las Canteras, with three kilometres of golden sand bordered by an attractive beach walk from where bars, pubs, discotheques, terraces, ice–cream parlours, kiosks and so on, branch out. From 1989 the blue flag, a distinction conceded by the European Union, has been waving over the beach. To one side, the Confital Beach opens up at the foot of the mountains as a prolongation to the sea. On its shore surges the best right hand wave in Europe for the practise of surfing. At the other extreme of the beach, in La Ciccer, is located the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium, stage of the island's most important musical concerts, festivals of international prestige, as well as international congresses. Guided visiting hours, Mondays to Fridays at 12:00 hours.  

In the district of La Isleta is one of the most popular parks of the city: Santa Catalina. Here annual events such as the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carnival and international music festivals such as the WOMAD, take place. In the park is located the Science Museum, in the Elder Building (public opening hours Tuesdays to Sundays from 10:00 to 20:00 hours) and the Miller Building, where cultural activities regularly take place.

To enjoy the beautiful landscape of the municipality, the visitor might want to travel to the residential area of Tafira, where it is possible to admire examples of Canarian architecture. In this area you will find the Viera y Clavijo Botanic Gardens, 7 kilometres from the capital (public opening hours, Mondays to Sundays from 10:00 to 18:00 hours), which gathers together the main botanic endemisms of the Canaries. Close by we find the Caldera de Bandama (approximately 15 kilometres from the capital), an extinct volcanic crater with a diameter greater than 100 metres and a depth greater than 200 metres. The area of Bandama also has an 18–hole golf course.

From Las Palmas de Gran Canaria you can also take a tourist bus to discover the capital in an enjoyable way. For more tourist information on Las Palmas de Gran Canaria we recommend you visit the Tourist Offices located in the main areas and avenues of the city.

Depart