Hotels in Arucas

Arucas

Arucas is a historic town in the north of Gran Canaria, about 12 kilometres west of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and roughly 15 minutes away by car. With more than 37,000 inhabitants, it is one of the largest municipalities on the island. Its skyline is dominated by the neo-Gothic Church of San Juan Bautista, built by hand from the local grey-blue volcanic stone between 1909 and 1977, with a bell tower 60 metres high. The same blue stone, quarried here for centuries, gives the old town its handsome façades and paved streets. Sugar cane has been grown around Arucas since the 15th century, and the Arehucas distillery, one of the best-known rum makers in Spain, offers guided tours of its cellar of more than 4,000 American oak barrels. The Jardín de la Marquesa, a romantic garden laid out around an 1880 mansion, displays more than 500 plant species. From the summit of the Montaña de Arucas there are panoramic views over the banana plantations and the north coast. On that coast lie the beach of Bañaderos-El Puertillo, the natural pools of Los Charcones and the beach of San Andrés. Buses 205, 206 and 210 connect Arucas with the main bus station in Las Palmas. It suits travellers who want a quiet, authentic base close to the capital, with culture, food and the Atlantic coast nearby.