The north of Gran Canaria, the third largest of the Canary Islands, offers a variety of alternatives for a full day out in the car. The route, which goes from Guía to the fishing and port town of Agaete, through the municipality of Guía, in the north-west, provides an appealing combination of rich historical, cultural and archaeological heritage with diverse options like swimming in the Atlantic, enjoying rich seafood gastronomy, quiet valleys and places of great natural beauty.

Santa María de Guía – a must-do archaeological tour

Departing from La Luz Port in Las Palmas, the capital de Gran Canaria, we take the northbound motorway towards Santa María de Guía, which we will reach in about 29 minutes. The houses in the historic quarter now have renewed colour —which is very striking— but, before going into the centre, we recommend visiting Cenobio de Valerón, a spectacular group of about 350 caves belonging to the Canarian aborigines (Guanches), dug into the face of El Gallego Mountain. They are about 800 years old and were used for storing food.

This area has been declared a National Artistic and Historical Monument

Returning to the town of Guía, which was declared a National Artistic and Historical Monument in 1982, it is worth taking a look at the neoclassical parish with two outstanding towers and jewels inside such as altarpieces and images by the sculptor José Luján Pérez. You also have to see the main square and the Casa de Los Quintanas, a 17th-century residence with typical Canarian architecture, without forgetting about the home of the musician Néstor Álamo or the shrine to San Roch or to San Sebastián, or the shops selling traditional local crafts.

From Guía to Gáldar – another aboriginal treasure

Heading north-west along the motorway, it is barely a 16-minute drive to Gáldar, a city at the foot of a curious mountain with one of the most impressive Guanche caves on the Canary Islands. It is called The Painted Cave, was discovered in the 19th century and has even led to the creation of a museum. Gáldar also has the Church of Santiago, beaches and ponds such as El Agujero or La Sardina, lots of fish restaurants, a theatre that is worth visiting and many banana plantations, which are a real local symbol.

From Gáldar to Agaete

Barely 15 minutes along the road out of Gáldar, we come to Agaete – a municipality on the north-west coast of the island of Gran Canaria, characterised by its white houses. Its main attractions are its natural ponds and Las Nieves Port with connections to the island of Tenerife. A port with a quiet beach and renowned gastronomy consisting of rice dishes, shellfish and fish from this clean and highly-populated water. It has hidden wild beaches such as Guayedra.

Gran Canaria, the third largest of the Canary Islands hides many treasures If you dock in Puerto de La Luz, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the capital of Gran Canaria (located at the north-eastern tip of the island), you should take a taxi or hired car and visit two very attractive and popular tourist destinations, as are Arucas and Teror, in the north of the island, full of religious, cultural and historical references, and beautiful nature spots.

From Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to Arucas

Departing from Puerto de La Luz in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and taking the North Highway for about 17 kilometres, we come to Arucas (21 minutes by car). Its coast has areas that are popular with swimmers and surfers, such as El Puertillo, Bañaderos and Quintanilla. Here we find the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista. Neo-Gothic in style, it features Italian sculptures and paintings from the Flemish and Andalusian schools. Also recommended are strolls through Gourie Park and Las Hespérides Botanical Gardens, built in 1880.

From Arucas to Teror

You cannot leave Arucas without a visit to the Arehucas Distillery, which produces the most rum in Spain. If we continue along the road to the centre of the island, in 28 minutes, we will come to Teror, an essential place of pilgrimage that houses the figure of the patron saint of Gran Canaria: the Virgin of El Pino, who appeared in 1481. Teror will amaze you right from the start with its stone streets, its architectural heritage and the square and church. Other recommended visits are the Episcopal Palace, properties with typical Canaries balconies and Las Dominicas Gardens.

Most of the population of Gran Canaria, with the third-largest surface area in the Canary Islands, resides in its capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (400,000 inhabitants), and key municipalities in the eastern area such as Telde, above all. This route, which departs from Puerto de La Luz and from Las Palmas, connects Telde to Ingenio and Agüimes – two towns where you can see the idiosyncrasies of the modern Canary Islands without forgetting the heritage and cultural traits of the past, and with lots of options for shopping and swimming.

From Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to Telde

From the boat in Puerto de La Luz, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, located in the east of Gran Canaria, we will drive about 24.2 kilometres to Telde, the second most important city on the island, with Gando International Airport. Telde has beaches such as El Hombre, Tufia, Hoya del Pozo, Salinetas, Aguadulce and La Garita. Its attractions include archaeological sites such as Baladero, Montaña de las Cuatro Puertas, Cendro and Tara, a wide variety of gastronomy, and large shopping centres.

From Telde to Ingenio

13 kilometres from Telde, we come to the area of Ingenio, where the Church of La Candelaria is the highlight. Also recommended is the Francisco Tarajano "park for reading", the Casa del Reloj (clock house), the Guayadeque Ravine (declared a Site of Cultural Interest), the Draguillo Ravine and rural settlements such as La Pasadilla. The Canarian Craftwork and Stone Museum is also noteworthy, as is El Carrizal. At the coast, Burrero Beach is must-see and its gastronomy and shops won't let you down either.

From Ingenio to Agüimes

A little more than 3 kilometres from the village of Ingenio, we get to Agüimes, in the east of the island of Gran Canaria. Vargas Beach –a world reference point for windsurfing— is a must-visit for sports fans, as are Arinaga Beach and Balos Beach. Amongst items to see there are the Parish of San Sebastián (cathedral-style), the municipality's visitor centre, the nature areas of Temisas and Guayadeque, Aguayro Rock, Bermeja Cave, the Chapel of San Bartolomé Apóstol and Mount Agüimes.

If you dock in Puerto de La Luz, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the capital of Gran Canaria (located at the north-eastern tip of the island), a good way to get to know the island is to take a taxi or hired car and visit two of the most attractive spots on the island, the destination for the most popular excursions, such as the town of Santa Brígida and Nublo Rock, a symbol of the entire island of Gran Canaria and one of the most beautiful landscapes in the Canary Islands.

From Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to Santa Brígida

Departing from Puerto de La Luz in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the capital of Gran Canaria, it is a 26-minute drive to the village of Santa Brígida. Its church, from 1525, its House of Wine and its extensive Aborigine legacy, in caves such as Los Canarios or Los Frailes, or the archaeological site of El Tejar are added attractions. The Natural Monument of Bandama is a volcanic crater with a depth of 216 metres and a diameter of around one thousand metres.

From Santa Brígida to Nublo Rock

8 kilometres from the centre of Santa Brígida, along the main road that crosses Gran Canaria inland, we find La Vega de San Mateo, with a very popular farmers' market and a church from the beginning of the 19th century. Heading towards Tejeda, we come across the Cruz de Tejeda Parador Hotel. Nublo Rock is also located in Tejeda and is an enormous volcanic rock considered one of the largest natural crags in the world.

Of special significance for the islanders, Nublo Rock is 80 metres high and rises to a height of 1,813 metres above sea level. An old place of worship for the Aborigines, the entire environment was declared a protected natural area in 1987 and a nature reserve 7 years later. Its enormous presence is only surpassed in height by the peak of Las Nieves, at 1,949 metres – the highest point of Gran Canaria.

Visitors can climb to the foot of the rock itself (the walk takes about 40 minutes to get there and about the same to get back to the point where you leave your car), which forms part of the nature reserve of the same name, declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, which is home to many other natural and cultural treasures. It is the largest nature area on the island of Gran Canaria. A large, 26,000-hectare piece of land that stretches from the cool Canarian pine forests of the peaks to the virgin beaches on the western coast of the island.

To the south of the island of Gran Canaria, no more than 45 minutes drive away along a modern motorway, Maspalomas Beach offers us the chance to enjoy an extraordinary day at the beach with kilometres of sand stretching as far as the Playa del Inglés, and we can also discover the exotic beauty of its famous dunes. The beach provides all kinds of services for its users and different atmospheres that combine in absolute harmony.

Swimming in the sea and kilometres of dunes

The Maspalomas Dunes Special Nature Reserve is a unique nature area formed by active dunes with organic sand, a forest of palm trees, a salt-water lagoon with abundant bird life, along with the beach itself. A viewing point allows you to enjoy all the beauty of this treasure of nature with the blue of the ocean in the background.

Not far from the berth for cruise liners arriving in the city is one of the most famous urban beaches in Europe: Las Canteras. It is considered such not only on account of its natural charms but due to the quality of its services and its lively and vibrant seafront promenade. In addition, at Las Canteras, you can enjoy a pleasant climate and calm water all year round. Its iconic sandbank is also a natural breakwater and protects it from waves, which means you can relax and enjoy it.

Walking from the boat to the golden sand

Las Canteras is ideal for enjoying a day of sun and sea. On over two kilometres of sand, it has all kinds of services and leisure attractions, and also a wide and diverse range of catering options, including some restaurants specialising in typical Canarian cuisine. A highly recommendable option is to go snorkelling or diving and enjoy the rich nature of the seabed. Or surfing – another of its many attractions.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in the north-east of the island of Gran Canaria, is the city with the highest population in the Canaries. Here we find some of the most beautiful and popular historic quarters in the Canary Islands: Triana and Vegueta. Starting out from the port in the direction of San Telmo, you can discover Triana and Vegueta, wandering freely through their streets on a route that combines leisure, history, culture and shopping. If you prefer, you can take the tourist bus that passes the Santa Catalina Pier every 30 minutes and stops in 12 places in the area of Pueblo Canario, Vegueta and Santa Catalina Park, amongst the places of most tourist interest in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Ticket prices for the 1.5-hour tour start at €18.

San Telmo: first stop after the boat

The best way to get to the historic quarter of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria when you have a few hours free is public transport or the tourist bus. You will find the entrance to the bus station close to the port, where you can get connections to take you to San Telmo in half an hour – a pleasant area surrounded by trees, with benches, a children's play area and a pretty bandstand. Its attractions include a fabulous art-deco café with multicolour tiles, where you can enjoy the open air while having a drink or a bite to eat. The little Shrine to San Telmo, in late-Baroque style, dedicated to the fishermen and sailors, is another interesting, must-see monument.

Walk around Triana: a shopping tour around the shopping district.

Triana is one of the oldest districts in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, besides being the city's most important shopping area. Along its main street, Calle Mayor de Triana (declared a national historic monument due to its large buildings with architecture ranging from the 18th to the 20th century), you will discover a wide range of modern fashion boutiques, shops that have retained their old traditions and a large variety of cafés, bars and restaurants where you can have a drink or a snack, which altogether make Triana the most popular area for fans of shopping and leisure amongst residents and visitors alike.

Short tour amongst stately buildings: enjoy a tour through the culture of Triana

Triana also has places that are of cultural and architectural interest that you can discover as you stroll. To the south of the pedestrian street, beyond the shopping area, you will come across the Pérez Galdós Theatre – one of the most iconic buildings in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Plaza Hurtado de Mendoza and Plaza de Cairasco are meeting points in the area that also house some historical buildings with great architectural value: The Hotel Madrid and the Gabinete Literario in neoclassical style with modernist decor; the Pérez Galdós House-Museum – the building is a sample of domestic architecture from the end of the 18th and start of the 19th centuries.

Vegueta: a tour through the history of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Declared a national site of historic and artistic interest in April 1973, the Vegueta district was where Las Palmas de Gran Canaria was founded, in the north of Gran Canaria, and it is one of the areas of most interest for visitors to the city. The best way to discover Vegueta is strolling around its cobbled, pedestrian streets on a full cultural tour that you can do and enjoy on your own, admiring specimens of traditional Canary Island architecture. In Vegueta, you will find Columbus House – one of the best centres on the history of the Canaries and the Americas, the Museo Canario (Canary Island Museum) – on archaeology and the aborigines, and CAAM (Atlantic Modern Art Centre).

Cathedral of Santa Ana: religious and cultural tour before heading back to the boat

The Cathedral of Santa Ana, considered the most important monument in Canarian architecture, was the first church on the Canary Islands and it took more than four centuries to build. Highly impressive, you can see up to three different architectural styles in it: Gothic, Renaissance and neoclassical – one of the reasons why the Cathedral of Santa Ana is one of the most popular and attractive places to visit in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The Cathedral of Santa Ana is a cultural and touristic must-see before returning to the port to board the boat again

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in the north-east of Gran Canaria, is a friendly, cosmopolitan city overlooking the sea that is really easy to get around. Strolling along its streets and avenues, you can quickly see all of the city's most iconic and popular spots, such as La Isleta (the old fisherman's quarter) or the Las Canteras Beach, on a walk that will combine swimming, leisure, gastronomy, history and culture. You will enjoy the urban beach at Las Canteras (the favourite of residents and tourists alike), the architecture of the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium and the fisherman's quarter of La Isleta on this route designed for cruise-goers visiting the city.

Castillo de la Luz: cultural tour heading from the boat towards La Isleta

Walking north from the port and very close by, you will find La Isleta, the old fisherman's quarter in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, with its narrow streets where you will find stalls, shops and bars. In La Isleta, tourists can also take different cultural tours. The Castillo de la Luz (castle of light), to the south of the quarter, was declared a national historic monument in 1941. Built in 1491, it defended the Port of Las Palmas for centuries. It is currently The Martín Chirino Art and Thought Foundation, with reference to one of the Canary Islands' most universal artists, which hosts numerous cultural activities and national and international exhibitions.

Las Canteras Beach: leisure and relaxation close to the boat

Just a few minutes from the port's area dedicated to cruise liners or coming from the south of La Isleta, you will come across Las Canteras Beach, more than three kilometres of fine, golden sand surrounding the city. Las Canteras Beach is the most important urban beach in the Canary Islands and also one of the best in the world. The sea is calm as it is protected by a natural sandstone reef, known popularly as "la barra", which you can reach from the shore. Its pleasant climate means you can swim and do water sports all year round, and it's the favourite beach of the city's residents and visitors alike.

Las Canteras Seafront Promenade: enjoy the gastronomy before heading back to the boat

You can also visit the promenade at Las Canteras Beach. From the area of La Puntilla to the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium (a masterpiece of modern architecture) or vice versa, you will find a lots of terraces and restaurants where you can savour typical Canary Island dishes —especially those made with fresh fish— in a lively, friendly atmosphere while enjoying views of the sea and Las Canteras Beach and the pleasant climate before heading back to the boat. The promenade is one of the most popular areas of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, a meeting place for its residents and a point of reference for tourists.

To disembark in the Port of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria —also known as La Luz Port— is to do so in the most cosmopolitan city in the Canary Islands. Known popularly as Las Palmas, it is in the north-east of the island of Gran Canaria and is also its capital city. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has what is considered “the best climate in the world” all year round, which entices you to wander around its streets full of history, swim at its beaches and enjoy the wide variety of leisure and culture; in fact, it is one of the most important and popular tourist destinations in the Canary Islands.

Family walk from the boat to Santa Catalina Park

About 25 minutes' walk from the pier, Santa Catalina Park is strategically located due to its proximity to the Port of Las Palmas. Pretty, central and near the sea, Santa Catalina Park is the first thing the cruise-goers come across when they disembark on the nearby pier for cruise liners. Enormous and bustling, life in the park revolves around its enormous palm trees, kiosks and terraces, where you can sit and have a drink or a snack as you take in the cosmopolitan atmosphere at this reference point and meeting place for tourists visiting the city. It also has a children's play area, which is a perfect place for adults and children.

Elder Museum: short cultural tour near the boat

Perfect for children, the Elder Museum of Science and Technology is one of the main places of interest in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Located in Santa Catalina Park, the museum has its headquarters in the Elder Building, which belonged to an old shipbrokers and dates back to the end of the 19th century. The museum has rooms for temporary exhibitions, a digital planetarium, a large-format 3D cinema and different exhibitions. With the motto “not touching forbidden”, it can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is €6 and kids up to 6 years of age go free, making it a fun and cheap cultural visit.

Shopping Centre Sprees – shopping on the way back to the boat

If you'd like to get a souvenir of your visit to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, before going back to the boat, you can do some shopping at the different shops and establishments around Santa Catalina Park, although a very good option for a full day spent shopping is the El Muelle Shopping Centre, near the park and Port of Las Palmas. It is a modern shopping centre that combines lots of clothes shops, cinemas, open-air restaurants and cafés, where you can do your shopping or just relax having something to eat while enjoying views of the port.