Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Travel Blog

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carnival 2012

2012-02-10T12:27:00.001-05:00

With the fantasy 'Come with me ... one more night', Laura Medina won the title Queen of the Las Palmas Carnival 2012.

Isabel Marichal was chosen First Lady of the Las Palmas Carnival 2012.

Independence of the Seas in the Port of Las Palmas

2012-02-08T12:31:00.002-05:00

Independence of the Seas visits the port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. MS Independence of the Seas is a Freedom-class cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean Cruises. The ship has been in service since April 2008 and is currently one of the largest cruise ships in the world. The 15-deck Independence of the Seas can accommodate up to 4370 passengers and has a crew of 1360!

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Independence of the Seas Highlights

10 Pools and whirlpools, spa with 100+ spa treatments, surf simulator, rock climbing wall, ice-skating rink, mini golf course, full-sized basketball court, boxing rink

Royal Promenade lined up with duty-free shops, pubs and wine bars

Alhambra Theatre with 1200 seats, Pyramid Lounge (show cabaret lounge), Library and Card Room, Las Vegas-style Casino Royale

H2O kids' water park

Spanish Coffee Culture

2012-01-26T15:44:00.001-05:00

When you order coffee in Gran Canaria or Spain in general, you will quickly find out that coffee is somewhat different from what you may be used to at home.

Some typical varieties of coffee in Spain:

Café solo - small, strong, black coffee. It comes somewhat close to espresso.

Café con leche - large coffee with milk but it's not the same as coffee with milk. There is quite a lot of milk in it! It is similar to the Italian caffe latte. Café con leche consists of strong coffee (sometimes it might be espresso) mixed with scalded milk in a 1:1 ratio.

Café cortado - a small coffee with a little milk in it.

Carajillo - an espresso with a dash of brandy or rum.

The Beer of Gran Canaria

2012-01-21T05:19:00.000-05:00

Gran Canaria is well-known for its beautiful beaches, exciting night life and warm weather all year round. So when the sun gets strong and you are feeling thirsty, enjoying a cold beer by the swimming pool or in a bar at a busy street corner in Las Palmas will just make your day perfect.

You like our beaches. You will love our beer. Tropical the refreshing Canarian beer.

Tropical Beer Ad. Photo by Russell Dale.

If you come to Gran Canaria, you will inevitably come across several varieties of locally brewed beer. The most popular local beers are Tropical and Dorada. Both beers are brewed by the Las Palmas based brewery Compañía Cervecera de Canarias (CERCASA) which is currently owned by the SABMiller group.

Tropical (4.7% ABV) seems to be the most popular beer in Gran Canaria. It has been brewed for over 85 years. It is an easy-to-drink lager with a smooth fruity taste and a hint of malt and hops.

If you prefer beer with body, you should probably enjoy Tropical Premium. Tropical Premium beer is a bit stronger (5.5% ABV) and has a denser taste. It's great to drink on its own or accompanied by a snack.

If you would rather enjoy a light drink, you should go for Siroco by Tropical. Siroco beer has a much lower alcohol content (2.7% ABV) and 40% fewer calories.

Having a cold Tropical beer in San Telmo Park- Las Palmas/ Gran Canaria/ Spain.

Dorada (4.7% ABV) is another fresh beer with smooth balanced taste between hop and malt.

Dorada Especial is a stronger beer (5.5% ABV). It is a well-rounded, full body beer with an intenser taste of hop and malt, with shades of fruit.

With just 0.5% ABV, Dorada Sin is the alcohol free brand.

Dorada Beer - Limited Carnival Edition

Most places in Gran Canaria will typically serve bottled beer (25 centiliter bottles). You can also order a CAÑA (a small draught beer in Spanish) or go for a big one called JARRA. If you like mixing your beer with soda, you can order a CLARA. The beer is mixed with gaseosa, a kind of light flavored soda which is not so sweet as the traditional sodas.

Cafes in Las Palmas

2012-01-20T04:54:00.000-05:00

You will find plenty of cafes and bars to recharge your batteries in the centre of Las Palmas. Most of the cafes are serving not only coffee but also beer, alcohol and food. Here are some picture from a typical neighborhood cafe / snack bar in the Triana district of Las Palmas. My impression was that the cafes in Las Palmas are nicer and cheaper than the bars one would typically find in tourist places like Playa del Ingles and Maspalomas.

A typical Spanish cafe in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria

The cafe con leche, Spanish for coffee with plenty of milk, was great! I finished it in seconds!

Get Your Apple at Banana Computer

2012-01-18T09:59:00.001-05:00

A shop with a funny name in the centre of Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. Banana Computer is an official Apple dealer/reseller offering the full range of Apple products and accessories.

Banana Computer - Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain

bananacomputer.com

Canarias Vertical Run in Las Palmas

2012-01-15T16:40:00.001-05:00

The first Canarias Vertical Run will take place on 10 Feb 2012 in the Woermann Plaza building in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

A sporting event of this kind is to be held for the first time in Gran Canaria. The Las Palmas Vertical Run is a race against the clock. The challenge is to climb the 415 steps (or 22 floors including the underground garage) up to the top of the 18-storey Woermann building in the shortest possible time. Runners will compete in two disciplines - sportsmen and firemen (with full fireman gear).

The Woermann Building is a residential and office tower located in the Las Canteras Promenade in Las Palmas. The 76 meter high building was designed by the Spanish architects Ábalos & Herreros.


Woermann Tower - Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

Submissions for participation in the Las Palmas Vertical Run will be accepted until 31 January. More information about the event is available in Spanish only at www.canariasverticalrun.com/

A Busy Day at Gran Canaria Airport (LPA)

2012-01-13T08:30:00.000-05:00

A busy day at Gran Canaria Airport in Las Palmas (Aeropuerto de Gran Canaria LPA) - Thomas Cook airplanes from all European divisions have landed at the airport.

Thomas Cook at Gran Canaria Airport - Gran Canaria, Spain

Beaches in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

2012-01-11T16:24:00.000-05:00

The island of Gran Canaria, the resorts of Playa del Ingles and Maspalomas in particular, is well know for its beautiful sand beaches. The city of Las Palmas also has a couple of great beaches. You will find four major beaches within the city limits - Playa de Las Canteras, Playa de Las Alcaravaneras, Playa de la Laja and Playa del Confital.

Find out more at the Las Palmas Beaches Page.

San Francisco Square

2012-01-09T18:30:00.000-05:00

San Francisco Square / Plaza de San Francisco in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Las Palmas - Gran Canaria, Spain

Transavia Flights Groningen, Holland - Las Palmas, Gran Canaria

2012-01-09T18:13:00.001-05:00

Transavia Airlines will operate a weekly flight Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) - Groningen (Holland) from April to October 2012. The flights will be operated once a week on Wednesdays.

Flights Schedule

HV779 Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) - Groningen (the Netherlands) Departure 09:50 Arrival 15:20

HV779 Groningen (the Netherlands) - Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) Departure 16:05 Arrival 21:05

All times are local.
The flights from Groningen to Las Palmas will make a stop in Eindhoven.

Search and book flights at transavia.com

Flights Geneva - Las Palmas, Gran Canaria with Edelweiss Air

2012-01-09T17:27:00.001-05:00

Edelweiss Air (subsidiary of Swiss International Airlines) operates a new weekly flight Geneva - Las Palmas - Geneva. The flights are operated on Thursdays and will be available until March 2012.

Flight Schedule

WK474 Geneva (Switzerland) - Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) Departure 10:30 Arrival 13:45*

WK475 Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) - Geneva (Switzerland) Departure 14:25 Arrival 19:15*

All times are local.

A return ticket in economy class is available from CHF 270,-.
Return tickets in business class are available from CHF 1146,-

Edelweiss Air

Bronze Statues of Dogs in Las Palmas

2012-01-09T15:14:00.003-05:00

Bronze statues of dogs guard the square in front of the Santa Ana Cathedral in Las Palmas. These dogs are the symbol of the island of Gran Canaria.

Las Palmas, Gran Canaria

Las Palmas, Gran Canaria

What's the story behind these dogs?

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carnival

2012-01-05T19:06:00.009-05:00

The Las Palmas carnival is one of the oldest and most popular festivals on the island of Gran Canaria.

The first historical reference to the carnival dates back to the 15th century. In 1574, a masked and costume ball was organized at the home of the local dignitary Pedro Leon. Masked balls continued to be popular during the following centuries but the Las Palmas carnival took a giant leap in the 19th century when various dancing and entertainment parties were organized around the city center.

The Las Palmas carnival has been celebrated as a big street carnival with costume parades since 1976. The focal point of the Las Palmas carnival is Parque Santa Catalina, a big and busy park in the heart of the bustling Santa Catalina district between the harbor Puerto de la Luz and the Playa de las Canteras.

Election of the Queen of the Carnival 2011.

The carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has seen many changes throughout the years such as the addition of a Drag Queen Gala.

The 2012 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carnival will kick off with a Queen Show on 3 february. Various events for young and old have been scheduled until 21 february - children's comparsas, canine carnival, Murgas contest, adult costume competition, adult comparsas contest, costume contest for children, social integration gala, body painting competition, drag queen show, the gran cabalgata (the grand parade), great carnival gala.

Drag Queen Gala 2011

For more information about the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carnival, events schedule and pictures visit http://www.lpacarnaval.com

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T09:15:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year!

Lots of luck in the New Year!

Feliz año nuevo!

Mucha suerte en el nuevo año!

Playa de las Canteras in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Vegueta, Las Palmas

2011-12-28T15:16:00.000-05:00

Street view from Vegueta - the old town.

Las Palmas, Gran Canaria

The main shopping street in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria

2011-12-28T01:40:00.000-05:00

View from Calle Triana. It is one of the streets with most shops in the center of Las Palmas.

City Center, Las Palmas

2011-12-28T01:31:00.000-05:00

Las Palmas - View from the city center.

Espiritu Santo in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

2011-12-20T16:01:00.000-05:00

Espiritu Santo - Las Palmas

Las Palmas City Center

2011-12-20T15:55:00.000-05:00

Las Palmas City Center

Parque de San Telmo / San Telmo Park - Las Palmas

2011-12-20T13:50:00.000-05:00


Parque de San Telmo, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

The San Telmo Park is a really beautiful park in the Las Palmas city center. It is located just across the bus station.

Casa de Colón / Columbus House - Las Palmas, Gran Canaria

2011-12-20T13:40:00.000-05:00

Casa de Colon (Columbus House) in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

View of the Columbus House from a square in Vegueta, the old town of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Actually, between 1950 and 1960 several adjacent houses were annexed in order to create the building which currently hosts the Columus Museum.

Insula Canaria - Island of the Dogs

2011-12-12T17:18:00.000-05:00

A bronze dog statue in front of the Santa Ana cathedral in Las Palmas

These bronze statues of dogs guard the square in front of the Santa Ana Cathedral in Vegueta (the old town of Las Palmas).

The dogs gave the name of the Canary Islands. The Spanish name of the islands Islas Canarias is most probably derived from the Latin name Insula Canaria, meaning Island of the Dogs. Canis is the Latin word for dog.

Originally, the name Insula Canaria was applied to the island of Gran Canaria. Legend has it that the Mauretanian king Juba II named the island Canaria because there was 'a large population of dogs of very large size'.

Some Colorful Building in the Centre of Las Palmas

2011-12-12T17:12:00.000-05:00

Las Palmas City Centre

A beautiful courtyard in the Columbus House in Las Palmas.

2011-12-12T16:56:00.000-05:00

Columbus House / Casa de Colon - Las Palmas