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Our city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has four beaches: Las Canteras, Alcaravaneras, El Confital, and Playa de La Laja. They are all different, and you can find anything from the wild Atlantic with heavy currents for surfers to family-friendly, calm and clear blue waters with ice cream stands dotted about.
Here´s our review, with easy directions to get there from Stardust House.
Las Canteras
Playa de Las Canteras is one of the best urban beaches in the world. It´s in the middle of the city of Las Palmas, and stretches several kilometers across the waterfront.
A lava reef just off the shore acts as a natural barrier that breaks the waves: it protects the lively marine life and calms the waters, making Las Canteras a perfect spot for diving and snorkeling.
Vibrant City
Life
A promenade dotted with bars, cafés, ice-cream parlours and restaurants runs along the entire beach. The bars fill up after sunset and creates a lively atmosphere far into the night, and if you walk to the far end - beyond the Auditorium - there is the Plaza de la Musica with its late night bars and live music in the weekends.
Great Accessibility and Amenities
You can rent sun beds and parasols, there are showers, changing rooms, public toilets and lockers, and you can find easy parking nearby.
In the La Cícer area at the far end (close to the Auditorium), you can even take Surf Lessons and rent equipment.
On the Playa Grande there are ramps for people with reduced mobility, with access all the way down to the sea. Here you will also find spaces for sports like volleyball and tennis. Additionally, the beach has Life Guards and parks for children.
Traditional Midsummer Night in Las Palmas
On Midsummer Night´s Eve, Las Canteras is home to an enormous, family-friendly party: tens of thousands of locals celebrates Summer Solstice here with parties, barbeques, and live concerts on the beach.
How to get there
From Stardust House, walk to the Teatro Bus Station in Triana, and take any bus going towards Santa Catalina.
More
info about the Las Canteras Beach »
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Alcaravaneras
The Alcaravaneras beach is located just by the City Harbour,with the City Marina surrounding it. The harbour breaks the waves and makes the water here calmer than you will find on the other city beaches - making it a popular beach for families with children.
Mostly frequented by local families, the
beach can be crowded in the summer, but not many tourists finds their way
here.
It is 550 meters long, and has a stretch of 400 meters with golden sand.
Amenities
A basketball court, permanent Beach Volleyball nets, a playground for children, a fotball area, free toilets and showers, and a small convenience store that sells snacks like ice cream and hot dogs. There is also a Kayak training centre here.
The beach has lifeguards and suirveillance from July to September, between 11 and 18.
How to get there
From Stardust House, walk to the Teatro Bus Station in Triana, and take bus no. 1, 2, or 12 to Alcaravaneras.
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El Confital
The Bay of El Confital is a Special Area of Conservation, close to the La Isleta and Las Coloradas districts. The beach is much rougher and a bit more inaccessible than the city´s other beaches, but you can walk there from Las Canteras or the Santa Catalina Park, and it has a beautiful view of the Las Canteras beach.
El Confital is a place frequented almost only by locals and is a popular picnic spot, but it is also famous for surfing; several World Championships has taken place here.
This is a quiet place, and you might well find yourself alone here on a weekday. Nudism is allowed here. There are saltwater pools and small mini beaches with sand and smooth rocks. The area lends itself to trail running, and has a wooden promenade along with trails going along the coastline and into the hills.
How to get there
From Stardust House, walk to the Eufemiano Jurado Bus Station in San José and take bus no. 12 to La Isleta, then follow the waterfront promenade by foot.
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Playa de La Laja
A perfect spot for surfing, but less popular for bathing since it is right next to the highway, and the wind here can be strong. The beach itself has black sand, and there are small saltwater pools nearby.
In addition to surfing, you can play both football and tennis here. The beach is a kilometer long, and is usually pretty empty of people, but it has lifeguards.
One should still take care swimming - there are strong currents.
How to get there
Bus no. 13 stops right across the street from Stardust House and will take you all the way to Playa de La Laja.
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Other beaches in Gran Canaria
Our island is full of beaches, and if you take a bus to the South Coast, you will find sandy beaches and clear skies year round.
The popular tourist
destination Las Palomas is 40 minutes away by bus, and the
family-friendly Puerto Rico and Mogan districts is just a bit further on
the same route. Here´s some information on the most popular beaches »
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Photo Credits
Photo,
Las Canteras [1]: Uwe Barghaan - CC
BY-3.0
Photo,
Las Canteras [2]: Juan Emilio - CC
BY-SA-2.0
Photo,
Playa de La Laja: Canary Islands Photos - CC
BY-2.0
Photo,
El Confital: El Coleccionista de Instantes Fotografía & Video - CC
BY-SA-2.0
Photo,
Alcanaveras: Bengt Nyman - CC
BY-SA-4.0
