Hotels in Gáldar

Gáldar

Gáldar is a historic town in the north-west of Gran Canaria, about 21 kilometres west of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, set at the foot of the mountains two kilometres from the coast. It was the seat of one of the island's two pre-Hispanic kingdoms, and with around 25,000 inhabitants it remains one of the main towns of the north. In the centre, the Cueva Pintada archaeological park preserves about fifty aboriginal dwellings from the 6th to the 15th centuries and one of the most important cave paintings in the Atlantic. The Plaza de Santiago, shaded by Indian laurels and tropical gardens, is home to the church of Santiago de los Caballeros, built between 1778 and 1826 as the first Jacobean parish outside mainland Spain. In the courtyard of the town hall stands a dragon tree planted in 1718, considered the oldest on the island. The volcanic cone of the Montaña de Gáldar dominates the landscape between Gáldar and Guía and gives its name to the local building stone. Banana growing is the main activity, with the largest production on Gran Canaria, alongside tomatoes and the famous Gáldar onions. About five kilometres from the centre, the fishing village of Sardina has a sheltered beach, a small port and a lighthouse on the island's north-western tip. Buses link Gáldar with Las Palmas in around 40 minutes. It suits travellers interested in Canarian history, local food and a quiet base on the north coast.