Arucas

Arucas is one of the towns in the north of Gran Canaria that's well worth visiting, and is less than 20 minutes drive from Las Palmas. If you're coming from the south, it makes sense to visit Teror first, and then head back via Arucas. The trip will take just over half a day.

The first thing most people mention about Arucas is the Iglesia de San Juan Bautista. Built out of local black granite and inspired by Gaudi's cathedral in Barcelona, it provides a spectacular contrast to rest of the town. There's a nice square just behind it, with pavement cafes and restaurants.

The old town has a faded grandeur which reflects its past wealth which came first from rum and then from bananas.

As many of its historic buildings are restored, it's becoming an increasingly popular place to live for people seeking a quieter town in easy reach of Las Palmas.

There's a good selection of cafes and restaurants for lunch, but there's better shopping to be had elsewhere on the island.

In the town's park, there's a good art gallery which has frequently changing exhibitions by contemporary Canarian artists, along with a permanent collection of sculpture.