Agüimes offers a variety of leisure attractions for visitors, whether it is strolling through the historic centre, green areas and natural landscapes, or taking part in the different cultural activities that are held throughout the year.
One of the most interesting visits for tourists is to the Parish Church of San Sebastián, a stone building in the style of a cathedral, with a façade which is one of the best examples of Canary Islands neoclassical architecture. It was declared a National Artistic Historic Monument in 1981.
In the plaza de San Antón there is the Agüimes Interpretation Centre, which enables visitors to understand the architectural, artistic and historic features of the Historic Centre, the different types of buildings that exist or once existed there, such as the rural houses, the houses of the bourgeoisie, craft workshops, chapels, churches, convents and archaeological sites.
For those who wish to see the natural area of the municipality there are two places that must not be missed: Temisas and Guayadeque.
Temisas is a beautiful scenic area that has been declared a Representative Canary Islands Hamlet by the Canary Islands Government.
In this area it is possible to view an outstanding landscape of mountains, with the rock formation of el Roque Aguayro and the largest olive grove of the Canary Islands, where the eighteenth century chapel of San Miguel is located.
Guayadeque is a deep ravine that divides the island. It is the location of the very interesting cave dwellings of Cueva Bermeja, with the chapel of San Bartolomé Apóstol and several inviting restaurants built right into the rock of the mountains. This is also one of the most beautiful routes on the island for seeing the almond trees in blossom, in the months of January and February.
El Barranco de Guayadeque, classified as a Natural Monument and as a Resource of Cultural Interest, has an Interpretation Centre built into the sides of the ravine. A visit to this centre means making a journey through time, from when erosion and volcanic activity shaped the landscape to the times of native settlement, colonisation and up to the present day.
La Montaña de Agüimes is another of the more interesting places for visitors, as it has archaeological remains where native cave drawings can still be seen, as well as cave dwellings. The most important site is Morro del Cuervo, with its unique collection of petroglyphs.
The petroglyphs of Balos, in el Barranco de Balos, are some of the most important cave drawings in the Canary Islands.
The highlight of the beaches of this coastal municipality is the beach of la Playa de Vargas, which has become consolidated as one of the best beaches in the world for radical windsurfing. Because of this, the annual world championship is held here - the Vargas PWA Wave Classic Grand Prix - attracting the world’s best windsurfers. This beach also has a camping site designed and equipped for enthusiasts of this sport.
For visitors who wish to view the seabed of Gran Canaria, Agüimes offers one of the most spectacular beaches for diving: la Playa de El Cabrón, one of the marine areas with the greatest richness in biological and ecological terms in the Canary Islands Archipelago.
The municipality of Agüimes has two more beaches, la Playa de Arinaga and la Playa de Balos. Although they are exposed to the trade winds, especially in summer, these beaches are very popular.
Visitors to Agüimes will notice the great craft tradition of the municipality, with a large number of workshops and craft workers throughout the village. The typical open-work embroidery, stone carvings, the more traditional pottery of the island of Gran Canaria and the making of typical costumes are some of the craft items that are most widely available in the workshops of Agüimes.
At the municipal tourist office visitors can obtain information on the craft workers who currently have a workshop in Agüimes.
For those who wish to purchase products from the land, there is no better way than to visit one of the agricultural markets of the municipality. Every Thursday (from 9.00 a.m to 2.00 pm), opposite the Agüimes Bus Station (Estación de Guaguas), and every Friday (from 9.00 a.m to 2.00 p.m) next to the church of San José Obrero, in Cruce de Arinaga, visitors and locals appreciate the large variety of fruit and vegetables from the area, as well as the stands with flowers, footwear and other items.
Also in Cruce de Arinaga there is the shopping centre Centro Comercial La Zafra. Jewellery shops, gift shops, health food and fashion shops share this centre along with leisure areas and cafés.
The municipality of Agüimes has a great tradition of popular gastronomy. The learned preparation of potajes (stews made with vegetables, watercress.....), fish, mojos (sauces), char-grilled meat and other meat dishes, or liqueurs made according to the recipes of past generations can be found in the recipe book of the municipality: ‘Las Recetas de Agüimes’ (Recipes of Agüimes).
Viticulture and cheese making are also an important part of the gastronomy of this town. Wines with the denomination of origin of ‘Señorío de Agüimes’ have won several prizes at wine competitions in the islands.
The cured, semi-cured and fresh cheeses from Cruce de Arinaga and the area of Temisas have a major role in the tastings and regional fairs dedicated to this exquisite, popular product of the Canary Islands.
The bread of this municipality has also achieved such renown that it has become the subject of a popular expression: "it’s better than Agüimes bread".
In Temisas it is posible to eat in small bars that offer home cooking and local products. In Guayadeque there is grilled and char-grilled meat. In the Historic Centre, as well as tapas bars and cafes, there are several restaurants with traditional food, and in Arinaga there is perhaps more variety, especially in places that specialise in fresh fish and seafood.
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Accommodation: Agüimes
Would you like to come along on a tour around Agüimes?
The Gastro Gran Canaria company offers culinary tours around the municipality of Agüimes. Come along and get to see traditional cuisine on the island.
