MARCH 2026

For our week in Gran Canaria in February we chose Las Palmas as our base location. Las Palmas has lots of affordable appartments, making it a great pick for families. As I didn’t expect a vacation in February to be a beach holiday, the location of Gran Canaria’s best beaches didn’t play a roll in our location decision. If beaches are very important to you, Las Palmas is not the best location. It does have a beach, but if you are visiting outside of the summer season, these beaches are colder than the ones in the South. Las Palmas actually is one of the larger cities of Spain, but as it is stretched out along the coast, you don’t really feel this when you are in the old town. In this blogpost I will give you all my recommendations for Las Palmas, with a slight focus on things to do with kids.

Where we stayed

The two prettiest neighborhoods to stay in Las Palmas are Vegueta (the old town) and Triana (the shopping area next to the old town). We found an appartment called Cathedral Suites, which was situated on the edge of both of these neighborhoods. We paid just over € 100 a night for a spacious 3-person appartment, with a separate bedroom and access to a communal rooftop. The parking garage Aparcamiento 1º de Mayo was close to the appartment and always had space for our car, we paid about € 12 per night for parking.

If you are looking for a resort style hotel with a swimming pool, you have better options in the South of the island. Generally the weather is better in the South, more sunshine and warmer, so if you are keen on having a beach holiday you should factor this in. We loved being in Las Palmas as we found it very charming, we loved the colonial style and the diverse range of restaurants.

Things to do in Las Palmas (with kids)

Historical walking tour

Las Palmas has a small, charming city center. It is very walkable and all the sights are within a few minutes of each other. I felt like I was transported to South America when walking through the town. Lots of buildings have colorful facades and wooden balconies. One of the highlights of Vegueta is the Cathedral of Santa Ana, with it’s lovely palmtree lined plaza. We didn’t find the city center crowded, but this square was the busiest of all the squares. Definitely venture off into the little side streets, this is how we found Plaza de Santo Domingo. Such a gorgeous square, I can imagine old men playing chess here in the evening 😉 Another beautiful square is Plaza De Caraisco, with the Art Nouveau building Gabinete Literario standing out. We also found a lovely playground next to it. It is said that Christoper Colon stayed in Las Palmas before discovering America and you can visit the house where het stayed as a museum.

Colorful houses viewpoints

There are several viewpoints from which you can admire the colorful houses of Las Palmas. We chose to visit Mirador de San Roque, which is about 15 minutes of walking from Vegueta. Along the way we passed an (abandoned?) church, with a wall overgrown with bougainvillea, a true hidden gem! Besides a few other photographers the viewpoint was really quiet. It is located in a suburb and gives a good feel of how people live in Las Palmas.

Mercado de Vegueta

I always love visiting local markets and this one is conveniently located in the old town. Great for buying fruit with your kids as well. The banana stands were the most aesthetic.

Poema del Mar Aquarium

The Aquarium is located near the harbor and quite far from the old town, but definitely worth a visit. My son and I both love aquaria and this one did not disappoint. It is made by the same people who made the Loro Parque in Tenerife, so the expectations were high. We found the aquarium very spectacular. The areas surrounding the water are built in cave and jungle style, very well taken care of. Loads of specialty fish and other water animals to see. Lovely gathering of dart frogs! In the middle of the aquarium there is a very large tube, which you can walk around for several floors. It is quite an expensive activity, slightly cheaper if you buy online or with a booking.com discount.

The Port Market

Near the Aquarium you will find the food market. Unfortunately lots of stands were closed during the carnaval holiday week, but we were still able to enjoy some pinxtos. I am sure it is really lovely when all the stands are open. Definitely great with kids, as you can see what you are about to eat and overall relaxed atmosphere.

Jardín Botánico Canario Viera y Clavijo

This botanic garden is a true hidden gem! It is located about 15 minutes of driving outside of Las Palmas and definitely worth a small detour. Completely free to enter and so much fun to walk around for a few hours. We loved the variations of the cactei! A true oasis and a must for botany lovers. Check out the opening hours before you go.

Parque San Telmo

Cute park in the middle of Las Palmas. It seems like all locals come to have their kids play in the pirate themed playground.

Where to eat

Las Palmas has lots of nice restaurants. They do close after lunch and generally don’t open early which limited our options with a kid, but I would recommend these:

Triciclo: Our favorite restaurant in Las Palmas, so we went back. The portions seem expensive, compared to other restaurants, but the portions are generous. You are going to need reservations, so make them online in time. In this street you will find many other good restaurants.

El Mono Curioso: If you are looking for classical tapas this is a good option!