Flights to Las Palmas

From Gando to the city

Gran Canaria Airport sits at Gando on the east coast. The blue Global bus line 60 runs to San Telmo bus station and on to Santa Catalina, near Las Canteras beach, in around 30 to 40 minutes. A taxi to the city takes about 25 minutes. Las Palmas is the largest city in the Canary Islands, so traffic builds at rush hour. Inside the city, yellow guagua buses cover most districts, and a bike-share scheme runs along the seafront.

Las Canteras and the port

Las Canteras runs for about 3 km along the city's north-west side, protected by a natural reef called La Barra that keeps much of the water calm. A promenade lines the whole beach, with cafes, surf schools at the southern end and the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium beyond. Across the isthmus, Parque Santa Catalina has the Elder Museum of Science and Technology, and the port handles ferries to the other islands and cruise ships.

Vegueta and Triana

Vegueta, the old quarter founded in 1478, has cobbled streets, wooden balconies and the Cathedral of Santa Ana, whose tower can be reached by lift for views over the rooftops. Casa de Colón, a museum on Christopher Columbus and the Atlantic crossings, is close by. Triana, across the main road, is the shopping district, with modernist facades along its pedestrian street. Carnival in February fills the city with parades and costumes.

Weather and day trips

Las Palmas is mild all year, with highs of around 21°C in winter and 26°C in summer. The north of the island catches more cloud than the south, so beach days in the city are sometimes grey. Buses run to Maspalomas in the south in around an hour, and to Teror and the mountain villages inland. Gran Canaria keeps the same time as the UK, uses the euro and drives on the right.

Want to combine Las Palmas with a few nights in the south? Call 020 7871 4545 and we'll plan your flights.