Las Palmas

The capital of Gran Canaria is in many ways no different to any large city. Las Palmas has lots of shops and restaurants spread throughout its areas. There's plenty to keep people busy, well fed and entertained. It's also the hub of the public transportation system on the island. One company - Global - uses blue buses to move people around the island. Within the city boundaries are yellow buses which run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Both companies have options to pay by pre-paid, refillable or disposable cards….the drivers also accept cash.
Our bus journey from Playa de Arinaga took over an hour and 2 buses for a journey of approx 30km, but to be fair there's a lot of stops, including the airport. There is a direct bus line from our town, which takes about 35 mins - but it only runs twice a day. In addition to the airport detour, we passed through a few other small towns and saw a lot more industrial areas….which has been one of the surprises we've had of this island - and something we didn't expect.
The main city bus station is where we began to explore the capital, having decided that on our first visit we'd concentrate on the historical areas of Vegueta and Triana. We crossed a main road and entered Parque San Telmo, considered the most picturesque park in the city and a good place to escape the hustle and bustle. Seating is available beneath shady palm trees, there's also a children's playground and a café which is renowned for its art-deco tiles. Adjacent to the park is a small chapel dedicated to sailors and fishermen.
After passing this church we entered Calle Triana (the main street), which is designated as a national historic monument. With a stretch of modern houses at the beginning, this section of the street is pedestrianized and goes straight through the whole area. Architectural styles cover fashionable trends of the 18th, 19th and 20th century. Now a commercial centre, the shops vary from tiny and old fashioned to chain stores and high end boutiques. The numerous naroow side streets which criss-cross Calle Triana are full of restaurants and cafés. The street begins to change at the southern end - at the Mercado de Vegueta. This historic market, which opened in the middle of the 19th century, is open every day except Sunday from 7am until 2-2.30. Unfortunately it was closing up by the time we were in the area. The streets here are much narrower and the buildings noticeably older….it being the oldest part of the city - and where it all began. In 1478 boats bringing Spanish troops were said to be guided into this area by gigantic palm trees - hence the name of Las Palmas. Strolling through Vegueta is a journey going back in time - a place where Columbus stopped for repairs in 1492 on his first journey of the discovery of the American continent. He's thought to have stayed at the Governor's house - a site that is now the Columbus House Museum.
Vegueta was settled by the wealthiest of families and there are some amazing buildings, with a mixture of gothic, renaissance and neoclassical styles. Its streets and squares have some of the best known buildings in the Canary Islands, including the previously mentioned Casa de Colon (Columbus House) and the Canarian museum. Columbus House has a beautiful facade and is open to the public for a small fee. It's the place to learn about the pre-Hispanic culture of the Canaries plus see various exhibits from before and during his now famous visit. After admiring the outside of the building, we decided to skip the info on Columbus this time - having seen other similar exhibits on the history of Columbus and his voyages- plus a few sites where he is said to be buried!
We continued on to what is considered to be the most artistic and important monument in all of these islands - Santa Ana cathedral. Work on the cathedral began in 1500, just 22 years after the city was founded and after the Catholic monarchs expressed their desire for one to be built here. Work on it continued into the 19th century with many different artists decorating it, plus 4 different architects participating in its design. Three central naves are Gothic and are all the same height. One of the main doors dating back to 1585, is Renaissance in style - as are many others that lead into the chapels. Work during the late 18th century - finally ending in the 19th - led to its Neo-Classical façade. It's certainly an impressive cathedral with its soaring columns, huge doors and intricate woodwork. A row of large crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling, where there's some colourful religious artwork. Beside one large door is a bell, now retired, but engraved with 400 years of service - 1599-1999.
I love to look and spend time in cloisters, and the ones here were no exception - they're lovely - walking them gives a feeling of peace. The upper floor of the cloisters has some gorgeous old wooden floors that lead to a museum of sacred art which exhibits religious artefacts and artwork from 4 centuries - including paintings by Dutch masters and a collection of Spanish sculptures. In the same area we took a look at the latest exhibit at the Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno. This modern art centre is a place for avant-garde exhibitions and interpretations, the current one being the impact of garbage on our world. There are some photos and exhibits that depict this critical situation quite vividly. Entrance is free. The exterior of the building is neoclassical - and actually 2 older houses melded together. It's modern inside, and situated on what was one of our favourite streets - "the street of balconies"…..a small but lovely street full of beautiful wooden balconies.
The area of Vegueta is not that large - just to wander the streets or to sit at an outside café taking in the scenery is a treat in itself. The Plaza de Santa Ana in front of the cathedral is a good place to do just that - it also hosts many local events. Before leaving this area we took a look at another, but very different plaza. Plaza del Espíritu Santo is next to its small church. With a small domed fountain made of stone it's a very small and peaceful area that's shaded by palm trees. It dates back to the 17th century. We made our way slowly back through Vegueta retracing some, but not all of our steps. Re-entering Triana, we passed by the Gabinete Literario Club which sits across from an attractive little square - Plaza de Cairasco. This impressive art-nouveau building originally housed a literary society - it opened in 1844. Although now a restaurant/café, it still serves the same purpose, having a library in addition to hosting various literary events.
As we stood admiring it a small group of schoolchildren trooped by - they didn't even give it a glance, but I guess they're lucky enough to see it every day.

While here, we intend to visit the famous beaches of Las Palmas…and much as we love the beach, have no regrets on the decision to wander the historic areas of Triana and Vegueta…..it's time well spent!