Gran Canaria has beaches of all kinds. In fact, they are the magnet that has been attracting visitors from all over the world for generations.
There are very popular and well-known beaches, such as the long stretch of sand of Maspalomas; family and quiet beaches, such as San AgustĂn, the beach of Amadores or the small beach of Puerto de MogĂĄn; lively beaches, such as the traditional tourist enclave of Puerto Rico, one of the places with the best climate in the whole country; and urban beaches, such as Playa de las Canteras, which we want to tell you about today. Would you like to get to know it? I assure you it’s worth it!
The main urban beach
Las Canteras beach is the main urban beach of the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in Gran Canaria (Canary Islands). Frequented all year round, it is the favourite beach of most of the city’s inhabitants and foreign visitors, who can enjoy it at any time of the year thanks to the mild climate.
Why is it called Las Canteras beach?
The name of the beach has to do with La Barra, a sedimentary rock of sandstone and calcareous depositions that runs parallel to the shore, providing shelter from the north swell and giving it a personality of its own. Before, however, it was known as Arrecife beach, as La Barra emerged from the water as such. Later, it was exploited as a quarry to extract the rock that was used, among other uses, for numerous constructions in the city, such as the Canary Islands Cathedral.
Refuge for fish and walkers
The seabed of Las Catedrales beach is a refuge for a thousand types of fish, while on land, the beach is a refuge for walkers, fishermen, surfers and surfers.