No. 17 - Its Gran Canaria Magazine

56
DISCOVER GRAN CANARIA I DESCUBRE GRAN CANARIA Nº 17
EAST ROUTE
The east of Gran Canaria has a unique coastline, where gentle slopes fuse with steep
ravines, lending a certain mystery and identity to the beaches, accentuated by the
area’s windy conditions and its crystal clear waters. There are five municipalities, each
with their own enchanting beaches, a rich archaeological heritage and a culture with
deep-rooted Canary tradition that make up this fascinating route, one not to be missed.
Our journey starts in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and continues at the island’s former
capital, Telde, before moving on to Valsequillo, Ingenio and Agüimes. Don’t forget to
bring your swimming gear, and dare to dive in to this adventure with us. You won’t
regret it.
1. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria ■ 2. Telde ■ 3. Valsequillo ■ 4. Ingenio ■ 5. Agüimes
El Confital. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Foto: Nacho González
1. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Our first port of call is around the historical
streets and façades of the district
of Vegueta, featuring buildings
such as the Santa Ana Cathedral, the
Casas Consistoriales council offices,
the Episcopal Palace and the Casa Regental,
which were the first to spring
up in the fledging capital city. Other
emblematic constructions with quite
stunning architecture and of cultural
relevance are: Plaza de Santo Domingo
and Plaza del Espíritu Santo, the
Canary Museum, the Columbus House
Museum and the Atlantic Modern
Art Centre (CAAM).
On the opposite side to Vegueta, separated
by the Guiniguada ravine, is
the district of Triana. This area is home
to the Pérez Galdós Theatre, the Hotel
Madrid, the Gabinete Literario, the
Pérez Galdós House Museum and
the modernist Quegles palace, from
where we can access the long pedestrian
street of Calle Mayor de Triana,
which opens out in San Telmo.
This is the picture postcard area of
the city and is a wonderful place for
a stroll, although there is always a
lot of hustle and bustle going on, as
it constitutes one of the city’s main
shopping areas. Leaving behind Triana,
we continue along Paseo de Tomás
Morales as far as the El Obelisco
or Plaza de la Constitución. Here, we
turn down towards the beach where
we come to Plaza de la Feria and admire
its surroundings, where we can
catch a glimpse of the monument in
honour of Benito Pérez Galdós, the island’s
most internationally renowned
writer.
At the heart of the capital its the oldest
hotel, the iconic Hotel Santa
Catalina, and the Néstor Museum,
which displays the majority of the
work of artist Néstor Martín-Fernández
de la Torre. This area also features
the gardens at Doramas Park, which
combines the Pueblo Canario with
endemic plant species. Its waterfalls
and extensive vegetation invite us to
sit back and relax following our brief
visit to the capital.
As we move out of this enclave,
we look over to the Sports Marina,
which culminates in Las Alcaravaneras
beach and the shopping area of
Mesa y López. Along the promenade
leading to the Port, we are treated to
stunning views as we cross Santa Catalina
Park, featuring the Elder Science
Museum and the Miller Building.
Our walk finally opens out onto the
immense Las Canteras beach, which
stretches for three kilometres from
the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus to La Isleta,
joined up by a long promenade.
This is an ideal spot to watch the sun
go down, an essential treat for all visitors
to Gran Canaria.
2. Telde
10 kilometres to the south of the capital
is Telde, famous for its many archaeological
remains, reflecting its
important role as one of the orginal
aboriginal kingdoms. The region has
settlements at Baladero, Tufia, Cuatro
Puertas, Tara and Cendro, providing
us with a fascinating insight into the
lives of the islanders' ancestors.
The settlements of Cendro, Tara and
Baladero are made up of sets of cave
houses, with Baladero being one of
the most important sacred sites in
aboriginal culture, while Tufia is the
largest settlement of them all.
Meanwhile, the town centre of Telde
is an essential place to visit, with
its two main neighbourhoods, San
Juan and San Francisco. The former is
home to the church of San Juan Bautista
and the Plaza Mayor, which contains
the main council and religious
buildings. Two other places not to be
missed here are the León y Castillo
House Museum and Rincón Plácido
Fleitas. The narrow and splintered
streets of the district of San Francisco
are characterised by gabled tile roofs
and long whitewashed walls that are
interspersed with cobbled streets.
We can stop here to take a look at the
Church of San Francisco.
We now turn our attention to the
coast, with beautiful cliffs and crushed
lava beaches, which are a delight.
The coastline is packed with family
beaches such as La Garita, Salinetas
and Melenara, as well as other more
mysterious and wild beaches such
as Playa del Cura, Playa del Hombre,
Aguadulce and Tufia. We say farewell
to Telde from any one of these charming
settings, after having sampled
some typical cuisine, with fish and
seafood among its main ingredients.
3. Valsequillo
Valsequillo offers us a tour around
the church of San Miguel, the Benito
Pérez Galdós Municipal Library and El
Colmenar barracks, which constitute
one of the municipality's most important
historic heritage sites, given Site
of Cultural Interest status by the Government
of the Canariy Islands.
However, the real attraction of this
municipality is its landscapes, which
constitute a high ecological value.
We refer to Barranco de Los Cerníca-