Monday, 11 January 2016 12:57

7 Reasons Why Las Palmas Is A Damn Cool City For Work & Play

Why Las Palmas is a great place to visit, live and work Why Las Palmas is a great place to visit, live and work www.photosgrancanaria.com

There's more to Gran Canaria than tourists, beaches and sunshine although the island's capital Las Palmas gets plenty of each. As a place to work and live Las Palmas has a few extra things going for it too.

The best city beach in the world

Let's not beat about the bush; Las Canteras is one of the world's great urban beaches and certainly the best in Europe. It's long, wide, sandy and beautiful with everything from shoals of friendly fish to surf waves. The beachfront is Las Palmas' most desirable property zone and gives everyone in Las Palmas something to do on those long sunny summer days.  

Las Canteras beach guide.

The best outdoor shopping in Spain

The Triana shopping district, with its pedestrian lanes and elegant facades, is one of Spain's top outdoor shopping districts and took the top spot in a national vote a couple of years ago. The area has a great mix of fashion stores, independent boutiques (look in the back lanes just up the hill from the main drag), and outdoor cafes and restaurants. Just over the road is old town Vegueta; Perfect for a wander and stuffed with museums, galleries and yet more spots to stop for coffee.

It's not just Triana that hot for shopping: Mesas y Lopez street is its modern equivalent, and Las Arenas has lots of top names all under one roof. 

Las Palmas shopping guide

The cleanest city air in Spain

Las Palmas, with the ocean on both sides, officially has the cleanest air of any Spanish city according to a World Health Organisation study

It's no surprise as there's no heavy industry in Gran Canaria and any pollution from Las Palmas' traffic justs gets blown away by the Trade Winds. 

One of Europe's biggest ports

It's easy to focus on the beach in Las Palmas, but the vast Puerto de la Luz on the eastern side of the city is one of Europe's top container and oil services ports. It's also a popular cruise ship destination and the city welcomes a million passengers every year. With the cruise ship industry expanding and oil services booming in the Atlantic, La Luz has a bright future. 

The best climate in the world

Las Palmas city came out top of a Syracuse University study into the cities around the world with the most pleasant weather. The study measured everything from temperature to average rainfall, humidity levels and the prevalence of serious weather disturbances. Las Palmas was top of the list

The best digital nomad hangout in Europe

Four out of the five top digital nomad hangouts around the world are in Thailand, according to the definitive Nomad List site. The other is Las Palmas.

With lots of cool coworking spaces, surf schools, beachfront hostels and a laid-back Latino vibe, not to mention cheap beer and an epic carnival, Las Palmas is the perfect place to work and play.

Las Palmas for digital nomads and co-working.

The best place to learn to surf in Europe

With everything else Las Palmas has to offer, and sea you can actually swim and surf in all-year-round, Las Palmas is Europe's top spot for surf virgins. The south end of Las Canteras beach, called La Cicer, has waves almost every day and there are a dozen surf schools just waiting to get you on your feet. 

 

Published in Las Palmas

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Tip of the day

  • Exchange Money In Gran Canaria Or At Home?
    Exchange Money In Gran Canaria Or At Home?

    Visitors to Gran Canaria often ask whether it is better to exchange their local currency for euros at home or in Gran Canaria. 

    The answer is that it is almost always better to buy your euros at home than it is to bring pounds to Gran Canaria and use local banks or currency exchanges. This rule of thumb applies all over the world. A currency is almost always cheaper the further away you are from the place you can spend it (because demand for it is lower). 

    Exchange rates are almost always better at home than in Gran Canaria

    You are very likely to get a better exchange rate using a British currency exchange specialist or local bank. Many of these companies will deliver your euros to your home.

    One of the best rates in the UK is often from the post office, especially if you do it well in advance.

    The only way you'll get a better rate in Gran Canaria than at home is if the exchange rate changes while you are travelling and this is rare. 

    You also have to bear in mind that currency exchanges in Gran Canaria are getting rarer and some local banks don't exchange money for non-clients. 

    To Transfer large amouynts of money to Gran Canaria, or to make regular transfers, always use a reputable currency broker such as Currencies Direct. This will save you money on exchange rates and bank charges and is highky secure. 

    The risk of bringing cash to Gran Canaria

    Another important factor to consider is the risk of bringing cash to Gran Canaria: If it is lost or stolen, there is no way of getting it back. 

    It is much safer to bring a debit or credit card and use local bank ATMs to take out money. These days, a good option is a pre-charged debit card. 

    Cards may be slightly more expensive that carrying cash, unless you seek out a bank card with low commissions, but it is much more secure. 

    Bank ATMs like Bankia, Santander and BBVA often charge lower rates than the ATMs in shopping centres and busy tourist areas.

    Alex Says: Always select the Euro option at ATMs in Gran Canaria because the exchange rate is much better than if you opt for the Local Currency option. The same applies when you pay by card in shops and restaurants.

    See our Gran Canaria Tips section for more nuggets of useful local information.

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