Santa Brigida, which is the third smallest town in Gran Canaria after Firgas and Valleseco, is in the northeast of the island. Pay a visit to the Bandama Caldera if you’re in the region. This volcanic crater is a national monument and you can get some great photos.
The crater is nearly 600 metres above sea level and it’s about a kilometre wide. It takes thirty minutes to walk to the bottom and you can see lots of volcanic ash (in many colours) and some interesting botanic species too. You can buy food or drinks at Bandama Caldera. Bandama is home to the Royal Golf Club, which is the oldest Spanish golf club.
You can find traces of Aboriginal culture in the area, such as caves carved into the rocks. You can see remnants of an aboriginal burial mound in El Tope and also pottery and ceramic remnants have been found in this area.
This was one of the first areas in the island to be colonised by the Spanish, thanks to the fertile lands and freshwater springs. The eucalyptus-lined streets feature pretty houses with flowery balconies and a lot of British used to own summerhouses in Villa de Santa Brigida in the early 1900s because of the cooler air (compared to the resorts in the south like Maspalomas and Puerto Rico, not compared to Britain!)
Photo by Marianne Perdomo
The church in Santa Brigida is a triple-nave Gothic basilica and this is interesting to visit. You can see right across Las Palmas from Santa Brigida because this town is more than 500 metres above sea level.
Don’t miss a trip to Valle de Santa Brigida if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the south. You can get the bus from Las Palmas to Santa Brigida – lines 301, 302 and 323 go there from Parque Santa Catalina and buses 301, 303, 305, 307 and 311 from the San Telmo bus stop in Las Palmas. Of course, you can also rent a car in Gran Canaria and take that.
Accommodation in Santa Brigida
Probably the best hotel in Santa Brigida is Hotel Escuela Santa Brígida which is a historic hotel with very reasonable rates.
Click the picture for more details of the hotel.
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