Las Palmas of Gran Canaria

Las Palmas is a large city on the small island of Gran Canaria. With almost 400.000 inhabitants, Las Palmas is the capital of Gran Canaria as well as the capital of the province of Las Palmas, which covers the islands of Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. It s situated about 200 km of the African coast.

The foundation of Las Palmas
Las Palmas was founded in 1478 by castillian (from mainland spain) millitary forces, defeating the local Guanche aborigines. The city laid its foundations in the area of La Vegueta, today known as the old town of Las Palmas. If you visit Las Palmas, a walk through Vegueta is higly recommended with its narrow streets and medevial buildings and houses.

Las Palmas climate
There was a study carried out by the Syracuse University, USA, which concluded that Las Palmas enjoyed the best climate in the world. A proper description would be eternal spring.

Shopping
Being a large city, shopping is abound. The central areas of Mesa y L pez offer all mayor stores and brands such as El Corte Ingls and Zara. If you prefer a more classic shopping area, then Triana would be your choice. As for the serious shoppers, Las Palmas offers a whole bunch of shopping malls, like Las Arenas (Las Canteras), El Muelle (the port area), Siete Palmas as well as La Ballena.

Beaches
One of the landmarks of Las Palmas is the famous Las Canteras beach, a 3 km long beach in the middle of the city, offering year-round relaxation. You ll also have the option to visit the Alcaravanera beach on the port side of Las Palmas.

Events
The most important fiesta of the year is the Las Palmas Carnival, which is a yearly event whcih takes place around February each year. The carnival has a long tradition in Las Palmas as well as all over the Canary Islands. Well worth a visit!