The small town of Agüimes is located about 30 kilometers southeast of Maspalomas and Playa del Ingles. With narrow, winding lanes and colorful houses, which were already built in the 15th century, a completely different side of Gran Canaria is offered to any visitor. In addition to numerous monuments, small markets and great restaurants, as well as traditional and modern buildings, the city with about 30,000 inhabitants also offers plenty of opportunities for hiking or places for water sports.
Shopping
Those who visit the city quickly realize that the saying “opposites attract” applies to Agüimes more than to many other places. The center of Agüimes has been preserved in the old style and thanks to the long tradition of handicrafts, there are many workshops and small shops offering handmade decorations or traditional clothing. Especially popular here are lace crafts and embroidery, but also stone carvings or handcrafted pieces made of ceramics. But in addition to the old-style buildings, you will also find many modern boutiques and relaxed restaurants that invite you to enjoy the warm weather.
Anyone looking for fresh products is perfectly served by visiting one of the weekly markets. One takes place on Thursdays between 9 and 14 o’clock at the bus station of Agüimes and the other weekly market can be visited every Friday at the same time in Cruce de Arinaga at the church San José Obrere. Fresh fruits and vegetables as well as shoes and accessories are offered here.
Furthermore, in Cruce de Arinaga you will find the shopping center La Zafra with several boutiques, jewelers and souvenir shops next to some nice pubs and cafés.
Relaxation and sports
Agüimes has some really great beaches. Probably the most popular one is the sandy beach of Playa de Vargas, which is particularly popular with visitors who are interested in windsurfing. That is also where the Vargas PWA Wave Classic Grand Prix takes place. This is a windsurfing competition that attracts many windsurfers from all over the world every year.
But there are also some diving areas, such as El Cabron, near Arinaga off the south-east coast of Gran Canaria. The beach strip here is rather narrow but consists of sand and is also used by surfers.
Museums and points of interest
If you want to know more about the history of the place, you should definitely visit the local museum, which is located next to the main road that leads to Ingenio. The museum itself is located in the former Bishop’s Palace, which was built more than 300 years ago. For a fee you can admire the many memorable moments of the city within the last 500 years.
In the center of the city in the Plaza de San Antón, you will find the “Centro de Interpretación del Casco Histórico”. Here you can get more information about the history of the place and its inhabitants. The construction of many historically valuable buildings is also explained here and is well worth seeing for those who are enthusiastic about the architecture, art and history of the city.
For fresh air and nature, you should also explore the surrounding areas. Particularly recommended is the side town Temisas, which was declared a Representative Canary village by the Canarian Government. A trip to Guayadeque should not be missed when visiting Agüimes. Guayadeque is a gorge where you can find the cave settlement Cueva Bermeja. Here, in the cliffs of the canyon, some restaurants and the chapel of the Holy Apostle Bartholomew were built and during spring season, almond trees bloom, which conjure a beautiful contrast in the mountain landscape.
Gastronomy
Restaurants and cafés in Agüimes specialize primarily in traditional dishes, with cheese and wine production also playing a very important role. Classically for the Canary Islands, there are many good fish dishes and casseroles with cress, but also grilled meat and traditional liqueurs are offered.
Right in the old town center there are some restaurants, which are popular because of their traditional dishes. In Guayadeque you should not miss the meat dishes and if you prefer seafood, you will find the largest selection in Arinaga.
Things worth knowing about Agüimes
The Carnival in Agüimes is very popular with its many competitions for young and old, but also festivals with a long tradition are often visited.
For example, the Fiesta Nuestra Señora del Rosario takes place during the last weekend of September. Here, water and flour are carried to the mill to honor the staple foods of the Canary Islands.
