LAS PALMAS for under £100 a night
Your first view of Las Palmas, the largest city in the Canary Islands, will be of the pretty, pastel-coloured houses of the hillier neighbourhoods. These residences owe their exteriors more to thrift than frivolity, however, as they are coated in paint left over from daubing fishermen’s boats. It’s a radiant introduction to a holiday in a city meteorologists say has the most perfect climate in Europe, with an average temperature of 22c (72f).
Where to stay
• Veintiuno
This converted 18th-century home has 11 adult- only rooms fashionably arranged around a traditional Canarian atrium. Look up from a rooftop bar to the neighbouring cathedral and down to the cobblestone paths of olde worlde Vegueta.
B&B doubles from £86, book direct with Early Bird offer, hotelveintiuno.com
• Lemon & Soul Las Palmas
The formerly functional hotel Atlanta has been rebranded as fresh Lemon & soul. Lemons are everywhere, from the tree at reception to the motif on the exterior.
it has 71 zestful rooms spread over six floors and is situated just 50 metres from Las Canteras beach, on Calle Alfredo L Jones, named after the pioneering Welshman who exported bananas from Las Palmas to what would become Canary Wharf in London in the 19th century.
B&B doubles for an average price of £70, lemonandsoul-laspalmas.com
• Guesthouse Katanka
BRIGHT and light, this 1920s guesthouse, with 11 rooms, a children’s play area and a terrace, is the antithesis of the average B&B. it’s in Ciudad Jardin, also home to Anglican holy Trinity Church and the Club ingles, which was frequented by Agatha Christie when the city was gran Canaria’s only resort.
Queen bed from £52, king bed from £65, breakfast included, guesthousekatanka.com
• Bed & Chic
SET in Parque santa Catalina, the 23-room Bed & Chic is in an ideal location. More square than park, the bustling space hosts popular city celebrations including Carnaval, whose hottest ticket is the Drag Queen gala. From the olive-green facade to the Paisley wallpaper, this hotel stands out for all the right reasons.
Doubles without breakfast from £60, bedandchic.com
Where to eat
• Naturalis Beach Bar
KEEP cool in the Atlantic breeze while relaxing at this beach bar’s outdoor tables. it’s specialities include smoothies, salads and sandwiches.
Pair a shake (£3 for a medium or £3.85 for a large) of milk, banana, gofio (toasted cornflour) and honey, which many parents still prepare for their children’s breakfasts, with the classic mixto (ham and cheese) sarnie (£1.71).
Address: Calle Numancia 31 • Restaurante Fuji spain’s first Japanese restaurant opened in Las Palmas. Toshihiko sato, who arrived by boat, launched Fuji in 1967 and it’s now run by former disciple Miguel Martinez. Booking is advised.
starters are big enough to share, including the cold tofu (£3), kimchi (spicy vegetables, £3.50) and octopus vinegret (£3.70). restaurantefuji.es
• Adasu Bistrot
They are a clever lot at the stylish Adasu. not only do they play with words — their name is an acronym formed from the first letters of the five tastes in spanish: acido, dulce etc — they also toy with flavours. snack on satisfyingly crunchy kale-heavy spring rolls (£6) for dinner; at lunch, feast on a generous set menu (£9.42).
Address: Calle Secretario Padilla 73 • Tasca Galileo reserve a lunch table or join the queue before dinner at this heaving tavern. sample Castilian fare with a Canarian flourish, including lagarto iberico (£7.71) — pork cut in a lizard shape — and wash it down with a bottle of wine from one of the capital’s biggest cellars, such as the lively Librato (£10.28) from Don Quixote country.
Address: Calle Galileo 13