Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, commonly known as Las Palmas, is one of the largest cities in Spain, and is the largest city in the Canary Islands. Las Palmas enjoys a subtropical climate, with mild to warm temperatures throughout the year. According to a study carried out by Thomas Whitmore, director of research on climatology at Syracuse University in the United States, Las Palmas enjoys “the best climate in the world”. These excellent climatic conditions of the island make possible to enjoy the beach all year round. To see the historic centre visitors should go to the popular area of Vegueta where some of the most important historical buildings have been standing for the past five hundred years: the chapel of San Antonio Abad, the Plaza de Santa Ana bordered by the Casas Consistoriales, the Obispado, the Casa Regental and Santa Ana Cathedral. Las Palmas has the best quality bus system in the archipelago and one of the best in Spain. The service is provided by Guaguas Municipales from two main bus stations, San Telmo Park and Santa Catalina Park. The bus services leaving from these two places will take you to all the suburbs of the city, as well as to the other municipalities of the island.
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[su_heading]WHAT TO SEE IN LAS PALMAS[/su_heading]
Playa de Las Canteras: Three kilometres of golden sand go hand in hand with three kilometres of pleasant walkway, where all types of services are available: hotels, restaurants, bars and terrace bars. Frequented throughout the year, it is the beach preferred by most of the inhabitants of the city and foreigners who visit it, who can enjoy it at any time of the year thanks to the mild climate. Las Canteras has an Environmental Management System certification according to the standard UNE-EN ISO 14001 and a Universal Accessibility Certificate for the bathroom service for people with reduced mobility.
Playa de El Confital: La Playa de El Confital lies at the foot of the mountains like an extension of the sea. At this place the sun was used to evaporate the pools of water where some salt works were established. Along this coast the best straight surfing wave in Europe is found. Confital is also admired for cleaning and sanitation of the water, having obtained the Blue Flag in 2012. El Confital has a marked area to practice nudism and naturism , becoming the first beach in such a condition in the capital. Moreover, such signaling is located in an area with specialized access ramps for people with limited mobility, which makes this beach a recommended place, both for those who embrace this natural philosophy, and for the more conservative.
Las Palmas Cathedral: The Cathedral of Santa Ana is located in the Vegueta neighborhood, next to the Plaza Mayor of Santa Ana. It is the seat of the Diocese of the Canaries in the Roman Catholic Church and the feast of the cathedral’s dedication is celebrated annually on the 26th of November. The Cathedral’s structure is considered as one of the most important monuments of Canarian religious architecture. Its construction started around 1500 and was not completed until almost four centuries later, making the intervention of several architects and artists inevitable, the result of which can be seperated in three basic architectural styles: Gothic, Renaissance and Neoclassical.
House of Colombus: The Casa de Colón began its journey as a cultural institution in the 1950s. From the beginning, it has focused its objectives on researching and disseminating the history of the Canary Islands and its relations with America. The building, located in the old town of Vegueta, is formed from the integration of several houses, currently occupying the whole block. This site was chosen to be part of the old House of the Governor, place probably visited by Christopher Columbus during the First Trip in 1492. It houses a museum, a library and specialized study center, as well as various spaces for temporary activities: courses, seminars, conferences, exhibitions, screenings, concerts, etc.