Why Las Palmas de Gran Canaria should be your next city break

The old town is a charming culture hit

If Vegueta’s walls could talk, they’d recount the town’s 14th-century origins as Las Palmas de Gran Canaria's first settlement and spill the secrets of its historic streets and squares. Thankfully, they don’t, as that leaves the joy of discovery to you.

Here, cobblestone alleyways guide you between colourful colonial buildings with wooden balconies, past pretty corner shops and through palm-lined plazas to the city’s chiming heart – the Santa Ana Cathedral.

Completed over 350 years, its blend of gothic, renaissance and neoclassical styles makes it a striking centrepiece of the city. A lift (€1.50) takes you up to the bell towers – the best vantage point in the city.

Local life congregates around the morning food market (Mercado de Vegueta), where fresh fruit, cheese, fish, meat and herbs will get your taste buds tingling. Evenings are an even livelier affair, set to the tune of clinking aperitivo glasses and live music drifting down from rooftop bars.

The museums rival any other city in Spain

Barcelona may have Picasso, but Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has Columbus. The Casa-Museo de Colón offers a fascinating insight into his intrepid voyages, as well as the island’s role in the Discovery of America. Four floors are packed with Columbus’s journals, maps, model galleons, and interactive exhibits that bring the city’s evolution to life.

For those who prefer archaeology to art, the Museo Canario is a tomb of mummies and skeletons. Dedicated to preserving the history of the Canary Islands’ native people, the Guanches, it has a chilling collection of prehistoric skulls, as well as ceramics, tools and religious artefacts.

The Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno (CAAM) shifts the focus to contemporary creativity. More than 2,600 works explore the cultural influences of America, Africa and Europe on the Canary Islands. A rolling programme of talks and exhibitions keeps the conversation current.

You’ll leave thoroughly wined and dined

Eating out in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is about more than satisfying your appetite – it’s an invitation to share in the island’s traditions and taste bold flavours that, like the famous mojo sauce, pack a fiery punch.

First job: deciding where to eat. You won’t find a more atmospheric setting than beneath the wrought-iron archways of Mercado del Puerto, where you can join locals tucking into salty papas arrugadas (wrinkled potatoes) and crispy golden croquetas stuffed with ham and crab.

For seafood with a view, try La Marinera Restaurant. Start with fried octopus and squid tips before moving on to a fillet of sama or grouper. Its 350 seats fill quickly – proof of just how good its dishes are. You could also try to nab a table at Michelin-starred Poemas by Hermanos Padrón for a 15-course tasting menu that’s a feast for all the senses.

To wash it all down, a crisp malvasía white or fruity listán negro red wine reveals how Gran Canaria’s volcanic soil yields delicious results.

There’s retail therapy on tap

Duty free shopping has long put Gran Canaria on the map for serious spenders and bargain hunters, and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria pulls out all the stops.

High street malls, designer boutiques, department stores and craft markets offer an endless shopping circuit that will have you tapping your card for aloe vera soap one minute and luxury perfume the next.

You’ll also struggle to keep your purse strings closed on Calle Triana. This lively pedestrian street in Vegueta is packed with popular Spanish fashion brands and unique Canarian labels, all tucked between gorgeous art nouveau buildings and open-air cafés. For international names, head to the Mesa y López commercial district near the port, where Zara and M&S hold court.

If you prefer to buy local, Vegueta’s Handicraft and Culture Market runs every Sunday and is ideal for picking up woven baskets and handcrafted jewellery.

You can combine sand and city at Las Canteras

There’s no need to limit your city break in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to landmarks and long lunches. The coast is just as integral to the city’s identity as its old town, and beach time deserves equal billing. One glance at Las Canteras’s 2km (1.2 miles) of fine, caramel-coloured sand and you’ll agree.

A go-to for after-work downtime and weekend socialising, Las Canteras has the same magnetism for locals as the pub does for Brits – only here, there’s no rowdiness, just a laidback buzz of friends catching rays or spiking volleyballs.

Watersports abound, with surfing, paddleboarding and kayaking all on offer. But even a humble snorkel will serve you well: the clear water stays calm and shallow thanks to an offshore reef teeming with marine life.

Once you’re sun-kissed and sandy-toed, retire to one of the promenade’s bars or cafés to watch the sunset with an ice-cold pint of Estrella.

How to get to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

You can fly direct to Gran Canaria from UK airports including Gatwick, Heathrow, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds Bradford and Edinburgh. The flight time from London is around four and a half hours. To reach Las Palmas de Gran Canaria from the airport, take the Line 60 Global bus, a taxi, or hire a car. The journey takes 20–30 minutes.

Best time to visit Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Thanks to a mild, spring-like climate all year round, a holiday to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is always a good idea. Visit in spring or autumn for warm weather without the crowds and to capitalise on great-value travel deals outside peak summer. February is the city’s most vibrant month, when Carnival and the Canary Islands International Music Festival fill the streets with rhythm, colour and celebration.