What to see on Gran Canaria: Awesome old cities on the north
At first our way led not to the city, but to the street of El Roque, which belongs to the city of San Filipe in the north of Gran Canaria. Why were we attracted by this street? Since it is located on the rock, which is surrounded by stormy ocean on both sides. These colored houses look very picturesque from a distance, a kind of end of the earth.
However, the constant humidity from water, wind and salt, made facades ugly and horrific as soon as you approach closer.
We came from the wrong side as always, because we didn’t know for sure where El Roque is situated, drove passed the turn, stopped further, and went on foot by unknown paths.
We saw a narrow path of cement along the rock and walked on it, thinking that we would find the entrance to the courtyards of the fortress.
Waves were dashing against the rocks underfoot below, the path was narrow without railings. But you can judge that people come here by cigarette butts and bottles.
We really found a narrow street that led us inside to the corridors between the flats.
There was nothing nice inside, but for shabby walls and tiny streets. We again saw buns brought by the baker before dawn on some doors)
On the other side, near the building, there’s a big empty plot with several cars. And outside the buildings you can see sewer pipes that are likely to lead to the ocean (
We decided to get around the building from another side and got into a wonderful place, the edge of the fortress.
A view of the neighboring houses and the ocean opens from there.
But this is not the best. Here, at the very “nose” of the ship there’s quite a nice restaurant with a very cool terrace. No restaurant on the island can boast of a terrace like that.
It’s extremely beautiful and romantic here. It’s so good to catch the first rays of sun in the morning, at dawn!
And there’s an access to the rock downwards, where fishermen enjoy fishing.
Besides the terrace, there’s a little room with a few tables and, perhaps, a kitchen.
Isn’t it a great place for breakfast? Oh, it’s so sad that we were here not during the working hours.
Reflection of the O-C-E-A-N in a window speaks for the mood of this place.
Everyday life of the city dominates behind the fortress, and playgrounds are cool!
Next city was Santa Maria De Guia, or simply Guia. A small, colorful in colonial style, which we were not personally accustomed to. Beautiful narrow streets, mostly with one-way traffic, where the sidewalks are so narrow that it’s sometimes frightening to walk, when a big car is passing by.
It’s most likely that inhabitants rarely walk on these sidewalks, but drive their cars.
There are several commercial establishments in the downtown, several stores (handmade accessories, footwear, fruit stores and pharmacy), and we also found coffee. That was one of those times when we were experimenting with cappuccino. A tradition of open shutters and windows, as well as doors in public establishments is so appealing here. You sit by the wide open window, and residents are walking nearby on the sidewalk, busy with their own business, and at a table outdoors persons are chatting, who look like homeless, drinking a Coke in the cups and discussing some issues)
Coffee machines are available in every bar, but it’s something wrong with coffee) We didn’t know yet that Barakitos – Canarian coffee with condensed milk and citrus is much tastier)
We enjoyed our coffee and went to the next town, very close – Galdar, built at the foot of the mountain, and sometimes houses are built even to the middle of the rock.
You can drive by narrow streets to the very top of the mountain and watch the local architecture. The roofs of most houses serve a different purpose except for the protection from sun and rain. Usually they dry laundry, equip terrace or keep a dog (we saw that as well) at the top.
All sleeping areas are located above and at the bottom a hectic life reigns with traffic lights, shops, parking lots and downtown. Only during siesta, which lasts for three hours (1 pm – 4 pm), most shops are closed.
We liked the buildings with tiled facades. You can find different decorations here.
It was a custom in every town to equip quite a large perimeter for a park, a sort of a fenced area, with neatly planted trees for shade and flower beds, and sometimes a fountain. Amid the heat and stone streets – it’s a cozy oasis for a long siesta.
Winter time in the Canary Islands. Red Christmas cacti all around: in flower beds, pots, various installations, simply growing like bushes in the gardens. All streets are full of them, shopwindows, road flower beds and supermarkets that sell them.
Christmas atmosphere reigns here since early December, maybe even earlier they hang garlands, adorn the street lanterns. Each city has its own decorations for the lanterns, thus creating diversity and conviviality. You can see everything here, even in the form of fireworks, like real. It’s perfectly here in our case, because we don’t like rains, wet feet, grayness and cold. Snow, as it may be in Christmas in the films, is a rare occasion, and it would probably be enough for a week, and then we wish warmness and sun again.
When you walk along the towns of Gran Canaria you mostly meet older people. Nobody is in a hurry; they are sitting and chatting on the terraces.
The creativity of door handles is immediately noticeable, but the coolest ones are those below. And a facade with these tiles is luxurious.
Another town of Agaete, which is the last one on the highway, it is followed by challenging serpentines to small towns and western mountains. Here we felt ourselves in Greece. If all other towns are colored, Agaete is white as a ghost among the green mountains.
We wandered in search of a free space for the car and parked somewhere at the top of the city, but went out to the terrace with superb views.
Interesting houses with doors on the higher floors instead of windows and balconies around. Apparently, no one opens them, hiding from the heat of sunlight.
To reach the city center from the car parked far away, you should walk along narrow sidewalks and look back if nothing big is approaching you that could hurt. Fat people shouldn’t walk here.
This model of Toyota is popular in these islands. Quite a noticeable car; and lots of bright colors.
+ 30 °C, scorching sun among white buildings and a CHRISTMAS TREE. We wonder whether the Canarians have ever seen snow in their city.
Streets are designed on the hill or at angles, so there’s plenty of shade during the day, or the old trees create comfort for the tired from the heat.
Doors at the bottom, doors above.
After we walked around this city, we went in the opposite direction to the northeast of Gran Canaria. Arucas – there we felt ourselves in little France.
A Gothic cathedral was built amid an ordinary Canarian town.
Cars are driving on all four sides of the cathedral, and terraces of cafeterias are right behind.
A bunch of cats are lying in the shade of trees on the square near the cathedral.
The most beautiful place in Arucas – is a coffee shop that has tables near the wide open doors overlooking the cathedral and the square around it. Which table location may be better?
The day turned out to be international: France, Greece, colonial Spain, and then even Egypt. These were countries we felt ourselves in while visiting Gran Canaria.
At the sunset we traveled to the edge of the capital Las Palmas. Bypassing the sleeping areas, we reached the extreme beach where visitors enjoy running or walking away from the urban pace.
North and north-western part of Gran Canaria is very interesting and diverse. We omitted several places such as the lighthouse and Punta de Sardina beach, as well as the towns of Firgas, Moya, Teror, and several more. Should you have an opportunity, please drop by there, especially Sardina lighthouse.
With love, RH.
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