Telde is the same distance from Las Palmas and the airport. The second city of Gran Canaria with a population of around 100,000, Telde is also the oldest – recognised by papal decree way back in 1351. If you visit only one place in Telde, make it the Basílica de San Juan Bautista, a stunning Gothic church handily located on the main square.
Further south and well worth the slight detour is Valsequillo. Noted for its gastronomic delights including cheese, strawberries and wine, you can buy these products directly at the regular markets or sample them in a good selection of bars and restaurants – if you can reclaim your jaw from the floor after you take in the amazing views of the surrounding countryside, that is.
Further south is Ingenio, one of Gran Canarias’s more ancient towns. Perfect for a ramble, Ingenio seems a sleepy sort of place until you discover it’s actually a hive of activity with the island’s embroidery industry based here.
After crossing the Barranco de Guayadeque, possibly the most fertile valley Gran Canaria has to offer, you’ll reach Agüimes. Small yet perfectly formed, this town showcases the typically Canarian neoclassical architecture with the Parroquia de San Sebastián, the local church and the town’s finest example of this unique form of architecture.
Santa Lucía de Tirajana is a charming village with whitewashed buildings and demands your legs be stretched. As does the equally lovely San Bartolomé de Tirajana, admired even more after a shot or two of their famous liqueurs or spirits. And Fataga is the perfect place to wander around, as many consider it to be the most picturesque village in the whole of Gran Canaria.
