Tourist Attractions & Monuments Canary Islands

The name of this site has long been misleading, suggesting that it was a kind of convent where young noble women were cared for by priestesses until their marriage. This hypothesis has now been completely ruled out. It is in fact a very imposing collective granary, dug more than 800 years ago by the Aborigines. A total of 350 cavities, arranged on several levels to shelter cereals, the main resource of Gran Canaria. A circuit has been set up along this fortress, with explanatory panels and watchtowers.

In the west of the city you will find Playa Jardin. These black sandy beaches have, like Lago Martianez, been renovated by artist César Manrique. It has enriched this area of gardens, as its name indicates, dykes, bars, restaurants and leisure areas. Three new beaches were thought of: Playa del Charcón, Playa del Castillo and the Playa de Punta Brava.

A few kilometres northeast of Puerto de la Cruz, you will find two beautiful beaches: Playa de los Patos (frequented by the nudist) and Playa del Bollullo, both located in El Rincon, on La Orotava commune. Guagua No. 376 will lead you to these huge black sandy beaches. You will have to walk a little to access it.

In the surroundings of Las Palmas, the main point of interest is the Caldera de Bandama. Not far from Santa Brígida, a small road leads to the main volcanic site of Gran Canaria. This circular crater, 1 km in diameter and more than 200 m deep, is due to a violent explosion during a "hydro magmatic" eruption, bringing lava and water from a lake, river or groundwater into contact. The Bandama caldera is a typical example. We will have the best views from the peak of Bandama, at 575 m high, and the small road that leads to it. A path descends to the bottom of the crater, where one is surprised to see the isolated buildings of a still active farm. On the southern edge of the caldera, the green lawns of a renowned golf course contrast with the dryness of the crater. A superb panorama.

The historic center has been declared a World Heritage Site and is one of the most characteristic examples of this type of urban structure. It maintains intact its grid pattern that was developed in Latin America during the colonization process. Don't hesitate to take a walk around the streets of La Laguna, as there are many places to admire.

The streets of the historic center. In La Laguna you will be able to appreciate the architecture of its historical buildings, which are full of beauty with their wooden balconies in bow windows or in this style. They are home to museums of all kinds, restaurants, stores, and more. Often hidden inside are beautiful open-air gardens with round balconies on the upper floor: a marvel. The historic streets and alleys are pedestrianized, and are either quiet or lively depending on the time of day. Architectural jewels with beautiful churches, numerous palaces, and Canarian houses in the Spanish colonial style, from the 16th to the 18th century. Do not hesitate to enter to discover flowered patios and their shaded wooden galleries.

Must-see. The Palacio de Nava, on the Plaza del Adelantado, is baroque in style, recognizable among all with its long wooden balcony. On another corner of the square, we will visit the town hall(ayuntamiento). From the Plaza del Adelantado, we will take a tour of the old town through the streets Herradores, de la Viana, Obispo Rey Redondo, where the tourist office is located in the Casa Bragamonte.

The Laguna history. It is the seat of the Episcopate of Tenerife and the other three western islands. It is richly endowed with churches. Between the town hall and the palace of Nava, we can see the convent of Santa Catalina de Siena and, opposite, the hermitage of San Miguel. Via Calle Santo Domingo, we arrive at the church of the same patron saint, the Church of Santo Domingo, which dates from the 16th and 17th centuries. The Santa Iglesia Cathedral is located west of the Plaza del Adelantado, following Calle Obispo Rey Redondo or Calle Deán Palahi. Much more beautiful is the church of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, which is reached by continuing on Calle Obispo Rey Redondo. Returning eastward along Calle San Agustín, we will have a look at the old Augustinian convent. If we take a detour to the north of the old city, we can also visit the Royal Sanctuary of San Miguel de las Victorias.

The church of Santiago de los Caballeros is the work of the canon and architect of Las Palmas Cathedral, Diego Nicolás Eduardo, and dates from the late eighteenth century. Inside, among other valuable pieces, are several sculptures by Luján Pérez, a Christ attached to the 16th century column, a four thousand seven hundred whistle organ and the green baptismal font, where according to tradition the aborigines were baptized. On one side of the square is the town hall, inside which you can admire one of the oldest dragon boats in the archipelago.

The most famous writer in the Canary Islands, Benito Pérez Galdós (1843-1920), is the other great man from Gran Canaria. He too was given a museum in the house where he was born, in the Triana district, south of the city. He lived there until he was 19 years old, before moving to Madrid and enjoying success. You will discover his office, his personal belongings, as well as the pretty central courtyard. Please note that the visit is only in Spanish.

This square marks the line between two districts, Triana and Vegueta. A staircase, which once ran alongside the barranco, leads to the Plaza de Hurtado de Mendoza, better known as the Plaza de Hurtado de Mendoza or the Plaza de las Ranas, the frog square, in reference to the decoration of the great fountain that presides over it. At other times, it was also called Prince Alfonso Square and Democracy Square in 1868. Its origin dates back to the early 19th century, when this part was levelled to build the bridge over the Guiniguada.

Close to the museum, you will find this place of the eponymous church is part of the former Dominican convent. It is the same land and the chapel of San Pedro Martir, than the conquistador Pedro of vera was built in the 16th century. Inside, you can admire several sculptures of Luján Pérez, and a Mexican baroque monstrance of the 18th century.

It is a large caldera, crater, on which are hung the villages of Santa Lucía and San Bartolomé de Tirajana. This place presents a great landscape singularity because it combines the steep relief of the territory, the architectural ensemble, the richness of the vegetation and the agricultural landscape. The Tirajana gorges are born on the caldera and lead to the sea in the Juan Grande plain. In this basin is the Sorrueda dam. It is in the heart of this environment that you will find the most beautiful and vast palm groves on the island, the Surrueda palm grove located very close to the dam is particularly worth a visit. You can go for camel rides and hikes.

Founded at the beginning of the 16th century by the conquistadores, it is a pretty, quiet village with cobbled streets whose historic centre, casco antiguo , has remained practically unchanged since its creation. This is why it has been declared a monument of historical and artistic interest in its entirety. A stroll will allow you to enjoy the beautiful French gardens "Jardines del Marquesado de la Quinta Roja", wonderfully maintained, its botanical garden, flowered squares, and beautiful Castilian mansions. By pushing the heavy wooden doors, you will discover beautiful civil or religious buildings, as well as houses with balconies from the 17th and 18th centuries. You will see beautiful facades on the carretera del Escultor Estévez and a 16th century house on the plaza del Ayuntamiento. In the Plaza San Francisco and in Calle del Dr. González Garcia, the gofio mills date back to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. To obtain this staple food inherited from the Guanches, today's Canary Islanders still grind corn, barley or wheat. Some of the mills are still in operation, but are now powered by electricity rather than water. The Town Hall, located in the Plaza Ayuntamiento, is a neoclassical building from the late 19th century. Behind the Church of the Concepción, Calle Colegio, which becomes Calle San Francisco, is a small, sloping alleyway that concentrates a string of superb Canarian mansions with facades adorned with richly sculpted balconies.