Santa Catalina & Las Canteras Beach like a local

P1020771_1024x683

The Canary Islands, we have argued, are good for more than sun & beach - and Las Palmas de GC, capital of Gran Canaria & the archipelago's only metropolis with over half a million inhabitants, is a great destination for alternative visitors any time of year, but particularly during the busy carnival season. We have previously written about the special charms of Carnival in Las Palmas as well as Gran Canaria's third largest city, Arucas. At the heart of local Las Palmas, however, and in fact of the entire center of Carnival action, lies the neighborhood of Santa catalina at the northern end of Las Palmas. It is here that global meets local, where homeless coexist with hip beach goers, and carnival revelers are seen next to surfers on the Atlantic Coast. Not seldom may one and the same person play all these various roles at different times of day & year - but it is all possible here in the district of Santa catalina, from the port on one end to the yellow sands of Las Canteras beach on the other.

P1020662_1024x683

Upon arrival at Las Palmas airport, it is not even necessary to rent a car, as many express buses head north to the city's central "Estacion de Guaguas" - local Canariones take pride in the fact that only here and in Cuba are buses referred to as GUAGUAS. The bus terminal, conventiently located at San Telmo Park & on the edge of the trendy TRIANA area of town, can be reached about 30 minutes later allowing for a transfer to local buses 12 & 13 that run north to EL MUELLE mall & the Santa Catalina exchange stop. Another 10 minutes later we arrive below ground at the Santa Catalina bus exchange with exits leading to EL MUELLE mall on one end and towards the PARQUE SANTA CATALINA on the other. Inexpensive accomodations abound in this part of town - numerous hostels, bed & breakfasts and small hotels cater to visitors on a budget - by far our favorite is the centrally located PENSION PLAZA right on Calle Luis Morote at Plaza Santa Catalina. What a treat to stay here during the busy peak of Carnival - far from peaceful and quiet, it is THE place to be for immediate access to all carnival attractions both night and day.

P1020708_1024x670 P1020730_1024x683
See the full gallery on Posterous

The Plaza Santa Catalina is also a good gateway from which to explore the entire neighborhood of the same name. On the square itself, a tourist information booth provides helpful assistance to visitors, while all around the square we find charming & scenic outdoor cafes with terraces catering to tourist and locals alike. Among our favorites, Gran Terraza Lolita, named after local celebrity Lolita Pluma (1904-1987), offers great choices for breakfast along with the best location for people watching (for further information please see www.cafelolita.com).  It also marks the beginning of the famous CALLE RIPOCHE shopping street, known for great electronics & photography shops, as many items may be purchased tax-free on the Canary Islands. The immediate vicinity is also known for excellent and inexpensive local eateries, many of which offer reasonably priced MENU DEL DIA options. By far our local favorite is the nearby restaurant HERMANOS GARCIA on Calle General Vives (for an overview of local businesses please see www.parquesantacatalina.net/comercios.asp) For 8 EUR patrons may enjoy a tasty 3 course menu of local home-made specialties including drinks.

P1020688_1024x576 P1020731_1024x683
See the full gallery on Posterous

A few blocks away from Plaza Santa Catalina & Calle Ripoche we arrive at LAS CANTERAS beach, by far among our favorite urban beaches anywhere and at least as well maintained and spectacular as Ipanema & Copacabana beaches in Rio de Janeiro. For over 6 miles the beach promenade, PASEO DE LAS CANTERAS, leads from the Northern end, LA PUNTILLA, all the way south to the Auditorium Alfredo Kraus near LAS ARENAS mall. Whereas northern sections of Las Canteras are more popular with beach lovers and sun worshippers, the southern end attracts many snorkelers and surfers, particularly on windy days with significant surf potential. Few places in the world may be said to combine the attractions of a beach vacation with the proactive elements of outdoor sports AND the urban conveniences of a large metropolis. Nothing better to end a sunny day in Santa Catalina than to opt for a drink or meal right on Las Canteras beach, where global meets local & the entire world joins in the unique outdoor pleasures of jogging, walking & people watching.

P1020778_1024x683

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The "Porrat de San Antón" in Alicante

Image
ALICANTE - Guapa, Guapa y Guapa - is the new catch phrase chosen by Alicante Tourist Authorities for their new 2011 campaign, along with the subheading "Quiereme como yo te quiero a ti" (Love me as much as I love you). In deed, Alicante has come a long ways over the past decade or two in revamping its image from an ugly portside duckling to a shining Mediterranean jewel. Much remains to be done, but overall, the city is certainly on the right track. Despite hords of Northern European vacationers taking the city by storm in the summer, Alicante remains quintessentially Spanish with its own infrastructure, traditions and celebrations. No better way to pay tribute to the spirit and beauty of Alicante than to introduce one of its major local festivals, the "Porrat de San Anton". Spain is known for its many festivities year-round from the bull run of San Fermines in Pamplona to the Fallas fireworks in Valencia. Yet many holidays and festivals are of a more loca
Read more

Beaches and Ruins on the Mayan Riviera I: Playa del Carmen

Image
With the war on drugs raging in many parts of the nation particularly in are as close to the U.S. border, tourism to Mexico has equally been adversely affected with many visitors questioning their personal safety in light of exagerated media coverage on the ongoing battle between drug cartels. For visitors that actually do venture south of the border (if coming from the U.S.), almost all tourist areas are perfectly safe, offer great value for money and unforgettable scenery, pristine beaches and unique cutural and architectural treasures. The most popular resort areas to visit would include the Baja Peninsula, the Pacific Coast around Puerto Vallarta as well as the Mayan Riviera on the Yucatan Peninsula. Among those destinations, the Yucatan may be by far the most popular and most crowded, as in addition to North American visitors, Europeans equally flock here in high numbers mostly from France, Italy and the Benelux. The best advice to arriving passengers here would be to leave
Read more