Karl WP Beyer On a Sunday we will start a week-long cruise from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Mein Schiff 4. We left Germany early and move into our cabin around noon. Mein Schiff 4 does not leave port until late in the evening and the mandatory rescue exercise is scheduled for the early evening. There is enough time for a stroll by the sea in Las Palmas' Santa Catalina district.
Las Palmas - shopping center in front of the cruise ship dock
Boulevard Paseo de las Canteras
Under Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - attractions we describe the attractions that seem important to us in the southernmost major city in Europe, with a population of around 380.000. We haven't seen Las Canteras beach for a long time, so we are drawn to the city beach, which is more than three kilometers long.
Las Palmas - Las Canteras Beach
The wide beach boulevard Paseo de las Canteras with its many cafes, shops, tapas bars and restaurants invites you to stroll, look and linger. We look out over the Atlantic and watch the many surfers waiting near the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus to grab the right wave for a long glide. The light sandy beach begins in the northeast of Las Palmas on Calle Prudencio Morales and extends to the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus.
Paseo de las Canteras
Surfer in front of the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus
Named after the lyrical tenor Alfredo Kraus, a world-famous son of the city, the iconic building combines modern architecture with traditional Canarian designs. The Catalan architect Óscar Tusquets designed a building made of natural stones, resting on a lava base and crowned by a glass dome.
Alfredo Kraus Auditorium
The congress center and concert hall, inaugurated in 1997, is one of the most striking buildings in the city. Music events and festivals are held in eleven halls of different sizes. The head of a Medusa is emblazoned above the outside of the 1.656-person symphony hall.
Auditorio Alfredo Kraus - the head of Medusa
Museo Elder - a museum to touch and participate in
The distance between the cruise ships and the auditorio is around 3½ kilometers. Most of the time the path leads along Las Canteras beach. At the end of our tour we cross the Calle Luis Morote and pass the Museo Elder, dedicated to science and technology. We regret that we do not have the time to visit. The well-structured museum presents more than 200 exhibits and simulations on space travel, mathematics, physics, human development and the vegetation of the Canary Islands. Touching the exhibits and experimenting is expressly encouraged.
Elder Museum
Caravel Niña III
Caravel Niña III
Opposite the Elder Museum is a detailed reconstruction of the Niña III in a part of the Parque Santa Catalina. The 17 meter long caravel sailed under the command of Christopher Columbus together with the Santa Maria and the Pinta to the New World. In 1992 the replica started from the Spanish Huelva via Gran Canaria and La Gomera on a trip to America.
Summary
When the weather is nice, a walk from the cruise terminal to the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus is a recommended and entertaining undertaking. There is a lot to see and experience and the time flies by.
Update January 2021
