Gran Canaria - Culture | Canary Islands

Gran Canaria - Museums Las Palmas and surroundings
The Capital of the Gran Canaria Island is Las Palmas. The locations in the vicinity have a large number of museums and exhibitions of great artistic and historical interest. Between hiking and the other sports the best thing to do is to visit the city in order to learn more about the culture of the Canarian population.

• Museo de Colón - This museum is located in Calle Colón (Las Palmas) and the entrance is free. Built in the traditional Canarian style, is divided into 4 sections each one illustrates the life of Christopher Columbus. Interesting exposition of pre-Columbian American history and the canvases of Hispano-Flemish origin. 
(Monday to Friday 9.00 to 7.00 pm, Saturday and Sunday 9.00 to 3.00 pm) 

• Diocesan Museum - The museum is located in Calle Espiritu Santo (Las Palmas). Organized on two floors you’ll be able to admire a collection of sacred art of considerable interest which manuscripts and beautiful wooden sculptures. The entrance costs € 3.00
(Monday to Friday 10.00 am to 5.00 pm and Saturday 10.00 am to 2.00 pm)

• Museo Canario - Is the most important museum of the Island. Inside is retraced the history before the Spanish conquest. Very important is the worldwide collection of skulls of the Cro-Magnon man. Located in Calle Dr Verneau (Las Palmas); entry costs € 3.00 for adults and for children under 12 the entrance is free. 
(Monday to Friday 10.00 am to 8.00 pm; weekends 10.00 am to 2.00 pm)

• Museum of Modern Art - This museum goes back to the XVIII century and is located in Calle Balcones (Las Palmas); entry is free. Here you’ll find a temporary exhibitions as well as a permanent exhibition of foreign and local works of the twentieth century.
(Tuesday to Saturday 10.00 am to 9.00 pm and Sunday 10.00 am to 2.00 pm)

• Néstor Museum - This art gallery is located in Pueblo Canario (Las Palmas). The permanent exhibition is devoted primarily to the Symbolist Canarian painter Néstor. Entrance costs € 2.00 while for the students entry is free. 
(Tuesday to Saturday 10.00 to 20.00 and Sunday 10.30 am to 2.30 pm) 

• Museum of Science and Technology - This museum is located in the Parque Santa Catalina. This is an original place where adults and children find it very interesting between space forms and all the latest science information. The entrance fee is € 3.50. Children under 18 years pay € 2.50. 
(Tuesday to Sunday 11.00 am to 9.00 pm) 

• Museo León y Castillo - This museum is located in Calle León y Castillo, in the locality of Telde, and entry is free. This was the residence of a local politician of the nineteenth century. The building is truly magnificent but the exhibition inside is less interesting. 
(Monday to Friday from 8.00 am to 2.00 pm) 

• Centro de Interpretación of Agüimes - This museum is located in Agüimes and houses an interesting exhibition on the evolution of cities over time, from an urban environment.
(Monday to Friday from 8.00 am to 3.00 pm)

• Centro de Interpretación di Barranco of Guayadeque - This particular museum, built inside a cavern of Barranco, houses exhibitions on local people and their customs. This is a great way to learn more about traditions and culture of these lands. Entrance costs € 2.40.
(Tuesday to Saturday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm and Sunday 10.00 am to 6.00 pm) 

• Castillo de la Fortaleza - In the village of Saint Lucia de Tirajana you’ll see a beautiful fortress dating back to the twentieth century wanted by a bizarre architect named Vicente Sanchez Arana. It has become a museum of 16 rooms of considerable interest with paintings dedicated to the guancho population.
  (entry € 2.00) 

• House of Wine - In the village of Santa Brígida there is an interesting museum with an exhibition on the various types of equipments used in the production of wine. You can taste the special local wines. 
(Free admission; Tuesday to Friday 10.00 am to 6.00 pm and weekends 10.00 am to 3.00 pm)

Gran Canaria - Monuments Las Palmas
Las Palmas is not only chaos, frenzy and sport activity. Taking a walk for the Island, its knowledgeable a mix of cultures and traditions, it is also possible to see graceful historical buildings, testimony of a rich past full of history.

• Cathedral of Saint Anna - the construction of this cathedral started immediately after the Spanish conquest of the XV century and continued for centuries. Inside and outside the church differs in style, between neoclassic and gothic. Inside various pictures of Juan de Miranda a famous artist born in the Island in the XVIII century.
(Calle Obispo Codina 13- Monday-Fridays from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm; Saturday from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm)

• Gabinete Literario – It’s the real National Monument, the first theatre of the Gran Canaria Island with a cultured and ancient style. Inside a graceful patio where you’ll find an elegant restaurant: The Galeria.

• Church of Saint Telmo – You’ll find it inside of the homonymous park and its one of the most ancient churches of the Las Palmas. All around the church you’ll find many kiosks and ice cream stores where you can refresh and relax yourself.

• Castello de the Luz – This Castle of the XVI century is now used for temporary exposures. In the past and thanks to its position and structure it was used to contrast the pirates’ attacks.

Gran Canaria - Monuments Teror, Arucas, Agaete and Puerto de las Nieves
The Island of Gran Canaria cannot be considered only as the famous city of Las Palmas. Only some kilometers away you’ll meet charming towns where accommodations and ancient churches accompany visitors to the discovery of history and culture of the Island.

• Basilica of the Virgin of the Pine - Erected to honor the Saint Protector of the Island in the XVIII century in an authentic neoclassic style. This Basilica is in the locality of Teror. It narrates the legend that in the XV century the Virgin Mary appeared on a pine in this zone transforming it in the years in pilgrimage goal.
(hour of visit from 8.00 am to 12.00 am and from 14.00 pm to 6.00 pm)

• Church of Saint Juan - This splendid and magnificent church in neo-gothic style in the locality of Arucas remembers the Sagrada Familia of Barcelona. Its construction goes back to the first years the 1900 and continued for decades. Beautiful the structure and interesting are the details the windows like a big rose, the Holy Cross of the XVI century and the statue of Jesus Christ sleeping.
(hour of visit from to 9.00 am to the 12.30 pm and from 16.30 pm to 7.00 pm)

• Heredad de Aguas de Arucas y Firgas - A beautiful building in neoclassic style near the spectacular gardens of the city. Completed in the first years of the 900.

• Church of Nuestra Señora de la Conceptión - This graceful church is at Puerto de las Nieves near Agaete. Its construction goes back to the second half of the seventeenth century (1874) with a marked Mediterranean style.

Teror, Arucas and Agaete are well connected with Las Palmas. The trip lasts, more or less, 20 minutes up to an hour according to the destination. The buses are frequent and not expensive.

Gran Canaria - Monuments Telde, Aguimes
Leaving the frenzy Las Palmas you’ll find various constructions of artistic importance for the Island. In particular, the locality of Agüimes with its colourful historical centre, has much to offer to the visitors from this point of view. Not only nature and fun but also culture!

• Basilica of Saint Juan – This Basilica is in Telde, in the zone of Saint Juan, surrounded by graceful and typical ancient habitation. The internal rooms are characterized by decorations in gold (a bit kitsch) and from the figure of the Christ made in Mexican chalk, a chalk whose main ingredient is corn flour.

• Church of Saint Francisco – This church is found in the locality of Telde, at the Calle Inés Chanida, that you’ll find leaving the public square of Saint Juan. Particularly interesting are the altars in stone and the magnificent drawer ceilings.

• Church of Saint Sebastián – This church is in the locality of Agüimes, south of Telde, near Plaza del Rosario. Considered one of the most beautiful constructions in neoclassic style of Gran Canaria its Cupola is characterized by 12 windows each corresponds to an Apostle.

Telde and Agüimes are connected to Las Palmas with various buses. The journey lasts twenty minutes or so and the costs of tickets are acceptable.