Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las
Las Palmas · Canarias
Las Palmas (UK: , US: ; Spanish: [las ˈpalmas]), officially Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of the Canary Islands in Spain. With a population of 383,516 as of 2024, it is the ninth-largest city in Spain. It is also the fifth-most populous urban area in Spain and, depending on sources, ninth or tenth most populous metropolitan area in Spain. Las Palmas is located in the northeastern part of Gran Canaria, about 150 km (93 mi) west of the African coast in the Atlantic Ocean. Las Palmas experiences a desert climate, offset by the local cooler Canary Current, with warm temperatures throughout the year. It has an average annual temperature of 21.2 °C (70.2 °F). The city was founded in 1478, and considered the de facto (without legal and real recognition) capital of the Canary Islands until the seventeenth century. It is the home of the Canarian Ministry of Presidency (shared in a four-year term with Santa Cruz de Tenerife), as well as half of the ministries and boards of the Canarian government, and the High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands.
History
The city was founded by Juan Rejón on 24 June 1478, with the name "Real de Las Palmas". Rejón was head of the invading Castilian army, which then engaged in war with the locals.
The war began at the mouth of the Guiniguada ravine, where he settled together with his 30 soldiers El Real de Las Palmas, which today is the district of Vegueta.
The struggle lasted for a period of five years, costing a great number of lives, especially on the aboriginal side, which lacked sufficient means to defend itself against the armies sent by the Catholic monarchs. Even so, resistance was fierce. The end of the conquest came in 1483, with the incorporation of the island into the Crown of Castile by Pedro de Vera, who managed to subjugate the natives of Gáldar in the northwest of the island.
On November 20, 1485, the diocese was transferred from El Rubicón (Lanzarote) to Real de Las Palmas. The importance of the city grew gradually, with the establishment of the Bishopric of the Canary Islands, the first Court of the Holy Inquisition, the Royal Court of the Canary Islands and the residence of the Captains General of the Canary Islands. Although the capital, as understood from the 19th century onwards, did not exist as such in the archipelago, given that the Captain General's Residence was in Las Palmas, it can be considered that this was the capital of the Canary Islands during part of the 16th and 17th centuries; afterwards, although without legal or real significance, it continued to be considered the honorary capital of the Canary archipelago.
In 1492, Christopher Columbus (Spanish: Cristóbal Colón) anchored in the port of Las Palmas for a repair of the rudder of his ship Pinta and spent some time on the neighbour island on his first trip to the Americas. He also stopped there on the way back to Spain. The Colón House – a museum in the Vegueta district of the city – is named after him.
In 1595, Francis Drake tried to plunder the town, leading to the Battle of Las Palmas. A Dutch raid under vice-admiral Pieter van der Does in 1599 was only slightly more successful; some of the town was destroyed, but the raiders were repelled.
Las Palmas' seaport, Puerto de la Luz (known internationally as La Luz port), the construction of which began in 1883 played significant role in modernizing the city and sped up its advancement. The port benefited greatly from the closure of the Suez Canal from 1967 to 1975 during the Suez Crisis. Many foreign workers migrated to the city at this time.
In 1927, the Province of Canary Islands was split into two provinces: of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria became the capital of the latter, and integrated the islands of Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.
Gallery
Festivals
November 2026
Festivals this month
- November Fiestas en honor a San Nicolás de Bari y Ntra. Sra. de Loreto
Rest of the year
- January: Cabalgata de Reyes (5) · Carnaval, Fiesta de Interés Turístico Internacional (23)
- February: Carnaval (15)
- June: 548 Aniversario de las Fiestas Fundacionales (12) · Fiestas Fundacionales (24)
- July: Granca Live Fest (2) · Festival NOON de Música Clásica y Moderna (11)
- September: Nuestra Señora de los Dolores (22)
- October: Fiestas del Pilar (12)
Trails and hiking
Routes passing through Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las
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Famous people
•Javier Bardem, actor español
•Benito Pérez Galdós, escritor español
•Jesé Rodríguez, futbolista y cantante español
•Yéremi Pino, futbolista español
•Carla Suárez Navarro, tenista española
•Juan Negrín, médico y político español
•Sandro Ramírez, futbolista español
•Vitolo Machín, futbolista español
Town hall
Alcaldía: Carolina Darias San Sebastián
Web oficial: http://www.laspalmasgc.es
Town hall of Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las
Alcaldía: Carolina Darias San Sebastián Web oficial: http://www.laspalmasgc.es
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How to get there
- 🚗 111 km from Santa Cruz de Tenerife (about 78 min by car)
- 🚗 119 km from San Cristóbal de La Laguna (about 84 min by car)
🧭 Travelling around the villages of Spain: a practical guide — Opening hours, transport, money and customs, before you set off.
- ✈️ 28 km from Gran Canaria airport (about 20 min by car)
- ✈️ 122 km from Tenerife Norte airport (about 86 min by car)
Practical info
🅿️ Where to park
- Where to park · 0.1 km away
- Where to park · 0.3 km away
- Where to park · 0.3 km away
🏧 Nearest cash machine
- Caixabank · 0.3 km away
- Triodos Bank · 0.3 km away
- Nearest cash machine · 0.4 km away
⛽ Nearest petrol station
- BP Ciudad Jardín · 0.2 km away
- Disa Alcaravaneras · 0.7 km away
- Estación de Servicio Disa Chil · 0.7 km away
ℹ️ Tourist office
- Informacion Estadio · 0.3 km away
- Informacion Estadio · 0.3 km away
- Informacion Estadio · 0.3 km away
🔭 Viewpoints
- Mirador Cittá di Martinsicuro · 0.7 km away
- Mirador Altavista · 0.8 km away
- Viewpoints · 0.8 km away
🏖️ Where to swim
- Playa de Las Alcaravaneras · 0.5 km away
- Club Natación Las Palmas · 0.7 km away
- Playa de Las Canteras · 1.6 km away
Wall
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News
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