Agáldar Restaurant
What to order: whatever is in season and the fish of the day; ask for a table on the terrace if the weather is good
Open on Sunday from 13:00 to 16:30 and from 19:30 to 22:00. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
geocalia
Day itinerary · 28.10° N · 15.70° W
Painted Cave, Cenobio and a swim in the lava pools.
The Cenobio de Valerón at opening time, the Painted Cave free on Sundays, lunch in the square at Gáldar and an afternoon of swimming and sunset at Puerto de las Nieves.
Leaving from
Part of Agaete and the North-West of Gran Canaria
Add to my trip
Total time10 h
By car45 min each way
Painted CaveFree on Sundays
Cenobio€3, free for under-10s
Cost€40–65 pp
Best timeAll year
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 45 min by car
via the GC-2 towards Gáldar; exit 20 onto the GC-291 for the Cenobio
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1
Cenobio de Valerón
Opens at 10:00 · €3
- 15 min by car8 km
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2
Cueva Pintada Museum and Archaeological Park in Gáldar
Free on Sunday: the ticket is collected at the box office when it opens, no booking
- 3 min on foot
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3
Agáldar Restaurant
On Plaza de Santiago · on Sunday, 13:00 to 16:30; booking
Plaza de Santiago, 14, 35460 Gáldar · +34 928 897 433
Restaurant €€€Book - 15 min by car10,1 km
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4
Las Salinas natural pools
Water shoes and goggles; with swell there is no swimming
- 10 min on foot
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5
Nieves Chapel and the view of the Dedo de Dios
Sunset facing the cliff
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Back home
In Las Palmas around 19:45
Approximate cost
About €35–60 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Cenobio de Valerón
This Sunday takes advantage of the day when the Painted Cave does not charge for entry. The only thing to watch is the time: the free tickets are handed out at the museum on the day itself, until capacity is reached, and cannot be booked. That is why the day starts early, with the Cenobio de Valerón on the way, and leaves the afternoon for the sea.
The day, hour by hour
9:30 · Set off. From Las Palmas on the GC-2 heading west. At exit 20 take the GC-291 and follow the signs for the site.
10:00 · Cenobio de Valerón. It opens at 10:00. About 300 chambers dug into a tuff wall, the fortified granary of the ancient Canarians. €3, free for under-10s. Allow 45 minutes.
11:00 · Painted Cave, in Gáldar. A quarter of an hour further on the GC-2. Park on Calle Guillén Morales and go straight to the ticket office: on Sundays it opens at 11:00, entry is free and a maximum of two tickets per person are given out. There are no guided tours on Sundays; the visit is self-guided. Allow 70 minutes for the museum and the settlement.
13:30 · Lunch at Restaurante Agáldar. In the Plaza de Santiago, three minutes on foot. Open on Sundays from 13:00 to 16:30; book on 928 897 433.
16:00 · Las Salinas natural pools. A quarter of an hour by car to Puerto de las Nieves. Park at the harbour and walk down along the Paseo de los Poetas. Three lava pools joined by tunnels: bring water shoes, goggles and a snorkel, and check the sea before you get in.
18:00 · Las Nieves chapel and the Dedo de Dios. Ten minutes on foot along the promenade. The 16th-century chapel, the jetty and the Tamadaba cliff with the sun going down.
19:00 · Head home. In Las Palmas around 19:45.
With children and teenagers
The whole day suits children: under-18s do not pay at the Painted Cave on any day, and the route has no architectural barriers. At the pools, only with a calm sea and with an adult alongside. With teenagers who swim well, swap the afternoon for a try dive at Sardina del Norte: €89, from age 10, booked ahead.
Time45 min
Change the route
With teenagers, instead of the afternoon swim: introductory dive from age 10, book ahead:
Try-dive on Sardina del Norte beach
If the sea is rough, instead of the pools (open until 17:00 in winter):
Maipés Archaeological Park in Agaete
To eat fish at the harbour; phone ahead to confirm hours:
El Dedo de Dios restaurant
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
El Dedo de Dios restaurant
What to order: the fresh fish of the day, squid and a brothy rice to share
The Guía Repsol puts it at under €35 per person. No published opening hours: call ahead.
Casa Romántica
What to order: the tasting menu; if you want something simpler, the terrace is open from 12:00 to 18:00
Open Thursday to Monday at midday. On Sunday it serves from 13:00 to 16:00.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Agaete and the North-West of Gran Canaria
Any Sunday of the year, except the museum's closing days (1 January and some public holidays). For swimming, check the state of the sea.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Arrive at the Painted Cave at 11:00
On Sundays entry is free but cannot be booked, and capacity is limited.
- 2Book lunch
On Sundays the centre of Gáldar fills up with museum visitors.
- 3Bring water shoes
The lava at Las Salinas cuts.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is the Painted Cave free on Sundays?
Yes, every Sunday. The ticket is collected at the museum on the day, without booking and until capacity is reached.
How long does it take from Las Palmas to Gáldar?
About 30 minutes on the GC-2; to Puerto de las Nieves, about 40.
Where can you eat in Gáldar on a Sunday?
At Restaurante Agáldar, in the Plaza de Santiago, from 13:00 to 16:30.
Can you do it by bus?
Almost all of it: Global's 103 stops at Gáldar and at Puerto de las Nieves. The Cenobio needs a car.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/spain/canary-islands/agaete-and-north-west-gran-canaria/itineraries/painted-cave-and-lava-pools
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.