Paseo de Canarias Promenade

Local name: Paseo de Canarias

Stepped street of tiled relief maps of the Canary Islands, above a water cascade lined with mosaic benches

Paseo de Canarias is a pedestrian promenade in Firgas, a town in the north of Gran Canaria. It descends the slope in terraces, and each terrace holds a tiled model of one of the Canary Islands in relief, with information and figures on that island set beside it. Below it, a stepped water cascade runs down the next street, flanked by benches faced in tile mosaic, one for each town of Gran Canaria, and wall panels dedicated to the same towns.

Historical landmark

Entrance: Free; it is a public street with no ticket.
Accessibility: The island terraces and the cascade street are both laid out in steps down the slope.
Parking: Free car parks about 130 m and 180 m away; free street parking in town.
Difficulty: None to speak of: a walk through town from the car park, with steps between the levels. About 15 minutes covers the promenade and the cascade.
Transport: Line 204 from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, lines 211, 251 and 222 from Arucas; stop Firgas (La Molienda), about 75 m away. Services are infrequent.
Advance booking: Not needed.
Hours: Open at all times.
Address: 35432 Firgas, Las Palmas, Spain

What makes it special

Each island of the archipelago gets its own tiled terrace, modelled in relief, so walking down the steps is a tour of the Canaries one island at a time. The population figures beside each one date from the 1990s, when the promenade was built. Set against today's numbers, they show how much the islands have grown since.

The street below is the other half of the visit. Water drops down a staircase of small falls between benches covered in broken-tile mosaic in the manner of Gaudí's Park Güell in Barcelona. Each bench is dedicated to one town of Gran Canaria, and more tiled panels on the wall carry the theme on. If you are staying on the island, look for the bench of your own town.

Good to know

The cascade does not always run: it has been dry in March and in the heat of late summer. The tiled islands and benches are there regardless.
The promenade and the cascade take about 15 minutes; an hour covers the rest of Firgas as well.
Free public toilets stand about 90 m away.
A church and a square with a view lie close by and fit into the same walk.
Buses to Firgas run infrequently, so check the return times before you set out.

Getting there

By car, the approach ends in one of two free car parks, about 130 m and 180 m away in a straight line. Street parking in town is free too, and from either car park it is a walk of a couple of streets to the promenade.

Buses stop at Firgas (La Molienda), about 75 m away, with direct services from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and more lines from Arucas. They do not run often, so plan the return journey before you leave.

An information map stands right by the promenade. The island terraces and the cascade street are joined by steps, so the whole visit is on foot and on stairs.

Best time to visit

Best: daylight on a dry day, when the glazed tiles show their colour, combined with a walk to the church and square nearby.

Avoid: building the trip around the cascade alone.

The water is not always on — it has been dry in March and in the late-summer heat — while the tiled islands and mosaic benches are there every day of the year.

Sun & daylight

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Church of San Sebastian (Aguimes)