San Juan – the traditional district above the old town
Right beside the old town of Las Palmas
The district San Juan is within reach in only five minutes by foot from the cathedral Santa Ana. The way to the quarter is already worth seeing, because you pass some of the most beautiful and quiet squares of the old town, such as the Plaza Espiritu Santo or the Plaza Santo Domingo. Like San Antonio it is located on a hill and through the narrow and romantic alleys you quickly reach the 50 metre high ‘peak’ which rewards you with the most picturesque view over the old town of Las Palmas.
Location San Juan
Due to the fact that 90% of San Juan’s transport routes consist of one metre broad alleys, cars are not allowed at all in this district. The rhythm of life in San Juan is comparable to that in the mountain villages of Gran Canaria. Its inhabitants are sitting along the side of the road the whole year and enjoy the view over the old town and large parts of Las Palmas.
Once you have reached the top of the quarter, you can explore the beautiful church with its modern, white concrete cross and its disused subterranean military site. We recommend you to do your trip to San Juan early in the morning to watch the beautiful sunrise at the east coast. San Juan is an authentic part of Las Palmas like it is only known to the locals.
