Las Palmas is the largest city on the island of Gran Canaria, which is part of the Canary Islands, located in the Atlantic Ocean off Africa. The city was founded in 1478 with the name Real de Las Palmas. It happened during the Spanish conquest of the archipelago. In 1485, Las Palmas became the episcopal seat, and a few years later Christopher Columbus anchored in the city’s harbor on his way to the west and the European rediscovery of America in 1492. At the end of the 16th century, the city was attacked by first English and then Dutch naval ships, and in recent centuries, the city has developed into the archipelago’s largest city.

Today, there is a cozy Spanish metropolitan atmosphere in the center of Las Palmas, where you can enjoy some interesting walks between the city’s attractions, cafes and narrow streets, and there are quite a few sights and attractions in Las Palmas’ different districts with Vegueta as the old town. The city’s cathedral is located at the lovely Plaza de Santa Ana, which is the city’s most beautiful square. The church was built in the years 1500-1570 and is known for beautiful glass mosaics and other decoration in the interior. The area around Plaza de Santa Ana is one of the most charming in the city, and here you should just walk around and enjoy the atmosphere.

Just north of Vegueta lies Triana, which also belongs to the old part of Las Palmas’ urban development. In Triana there are also wonderful shopping streets, restaurants, cafes and several attractions. In the center of the district is Alameda de Colón, where you can see the beautiful house, Gabinete Literario. This is also where you can see the city’s great opera and theater, Teatro Pérez Galdós. Opposite the theater you can visit the old market building, Mercado de Vegueta. In the northern part of Triana, you can go for a walk in the San Telmo Park, where a beautiful kiosk in modernism is one of the highlights.

You can visit the castle Castillo de la Luz at the port of Las Palmas. It was built as a fortress in 1541 on the foundations of the Spanish fortress that was built during the conquest at the end of the 15th century. There are also several museums in Las Palmas. At the Casa Museo de Colón, you can see the history of the Canary Islands in relation to America. The museum is housed in several houses, and Columbus stayed in one of them in 1492 on his way to the west. You can also visit the Museo Canario, which is an archaeological museum for the time before the Spanish colonization of the archipelago. You can also see exhibitions of contemporary art in Las Palmas at the museum Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno.

Due to the location and the mild climate, Las Palmas and Gran Canaria are popular holiday destinations, and there are also many recreational areas in the city. Both east and west of the city center there are beaches such as Playa de Las Alcaravaneras and Playa de Las Canteras, which is the city’s longest beach. You can also take a walk along the water, which you can do, for example, along Avenida Maritima, or enjoy a trip into the hilly landscape that surrounds Las Palmas. There are several good vantage points such as the Mirador Altavista, from which there is a panoramic view of the city, the harbor and the Atlantic Ocean.