Things to do in Agaete and Puerto de Las Nieves, Gran Canaria

In this post we are going to mention 10 best things to do in Agaete, a municipality in the northwest of Gran Canaria. First of all, you should know that this area of the island is much loved and visited by all the islanders. Its main tourist attraction is the fishing village of Puerto de Las Nieves, probably because it is one of the parts of the island that has maintained 100% of its essence. We must not forget to mention its multitudinous festival of La Rama, which we will tell you more about below. However, Agaete hides many places to visit and we will mention them all below. Let’s go there!

10 Best Things to do in Agaete, Gran Canaria

As we see it, Agaete and its Puerto de Las Nieves must be on your list of things to do in Gran Canaria. Below we list more places to see in Agaete municipality.

1. Puerto de Las Nieves, a must-see in Agaete

The Puerto de Las Nieves is the fishermen district of Agaete, where you can find its beautiful beaches, the Ermita de Las Nieves, a wide offer of restaurants, souvenir shops and one of the ports that connects Tenerife with Gran Canaria.

In front of the Puerto de las Nieves, there was a natural monument named Dedo de Dios (finger of God). It was a finger-shaped volcanic rock. Unfortunately, it was devastated after a tropical storm in the year 2005. Now only his lower part remains. In the same way, we want to highlight the beauty of their houses in white and blue colors with marine details.

2. The beaches of Puerto de Las Nieves

In Puerto de Las Nieves village there are two main beaches, Las Nieves, opposite the new pier. As well as the Muelle beach, next to the old pier. Both beaches are calm, crystal clear and with stones. In addition, the two are very close to each other.

The locals also tend to lie down to sunbathe next to the old dock or in the wood beds that they have put in Las Nieves beach. We show you below some photos of both beaches: a paradise.

3. The natural pools of Las Salinas

There is a walk that joins the Puerto de Las Nieves with the well-known natural pools of Agaete named Las Salinas. Years ago it was a salt mine, hence its name. Nowadays it is a perfect place for the bath formed by three pools of volcanic rock with sea water.

However, we want to inform you that here it is much windier than on the beaches of Agaete and sometimes it is uncomfortable to be. The best time to enjoy the pools is in the months of September and October.

4. Agaete town, things to do in Agaete

The town centre of Agaete is about 15 minutes’ walk from the fishing village. In the town centre we can highlight the Church of La Concepción and its square, two places of cultural interest. The Agaete Town Hall is also located here.

As you can see for yourself, the village itself is very pretty with white houses and Canarian balconies. This is where one of the most important popular festivals of Gran Canaria takes place, which we will tell you about below.

5. Valle de Agaete (Agaete Valley)

The Agaete Valley is one of the least known corners of Gran Canaria. However, everyone who visits it is conquered by its beauty. Here the coffee plantations of the Valley stand out, the main claim of the area. You can also visit a farm or wine cellar, such as Los Berrazales. There is an excursion to the northern villages of Gran Canaria that includes a stop in Agaete Valley from Las Palmas city. You can check other travelers opinions and details below. Here you will also find one of the best restaurants in Gran Canaria: La Casa Romántica.

7. Tamadaba Natural Park, one of the best things to do in Agaete

Another outstanding place to see in Agaete is the Tamadaba Natural Park. You can enjoy the landscapes of this protected area along the coastal road that connects Agaete with La Aldea de San Nicolás (many curves). We also recommend its recreational area, camping area and the famous Llanos de la Mimbre viewpoint. If you go to any of these three points, you will be able to see the Tamadaba pine forest close up. A spectacular Canary Island pine forest inhabited by endemic species such as the Blue Chaffinch. Below you can see the Llanos de la Mimbre viewpoint with Puerto de Las Nieves at the background.

Another highlight in Tamadaba is the Roque or Risco Faneque (the 7th highest coastal cliff in the world), a spectacular cliff that is difficult to access. However, given its immensity, you can see it perfectly from Puerto de Las Nieves or from the circular route through the Agaete Valley that we share with you below. This is one of the views we had during that route.

7. Hiking in Agaete, top things to do

If you would like to do some of the most beautiful hiking routes in Gran Canaria, there is a circular route from Puerto de Las Nieves that goes through the Valley and Era de Berbique that is spectacular. You can see this circular route through the Agaete Valley here.

Another of the hiking routes to do in Agaete is the circular hiking route through El Hornillo and El Sao. Along a large part of the trail you will have views of the entire Agaete Valley and Barranco de Agaete. In addition, both the little village of El Hornillo and the Barranco del Sao are well worth a visit.

Similarly, within Tamadaba there are several easy hiking trails such as the mythical Charco Azul. For the more adventurous or expert hikers, there is the San Pedro trail that descends through the valley, which we hope to share with you soon.

8. Dedo de Dios (finger of God), Puerto de Las Nieves

The Dedo de Dios or Finger of God was one of the emblems of Gran Canaria. One of the most important natural monuments of the island. And we say “was” because in 2005 the tropical storm Delta swept it away. It was a hand-shaped rock formation from which a thin finger-shaped rock protruded. Furthermore, that finger seemed to be pointing towards the sky. To this day it is still possible to appreciate from the dock what remains of the Finger or as some call it, the stump of God. At the end of 2020 they wanted to pay tribute to him by projecting its silhouette at night as we show you below.

9. Guayedra beach, places to visit in Agaete coast

Guayedra beach is one of the few remaining unspoilt beaches on Gran Canaria. It is ideal to come and watch the sunset or to disconnect from the more crowded areas of the island. However, bear in mind that there are no services nearby and that the beach can be dangerous in rough seas. As you can see in the following photo, it is a pebble beach, but when the tide goes out it is left with beautiful black volcanic sand. The building we see in the middle of the Guayedra ravine is one of the rural hotels in Gran Canaria that we recommend: the Redondo de Guayedra.

There are other beaches in Agaete to visit, although much more dangerous. They are the Risco and Faneroque beaches. You can find more information on the previous links.ç

10. Maipés of Agaete site, Gran Canaria

One of the top places to visit in Agaete is the Archaeological Site of Maipés, a volcanic lava flow (malpaís) where we can find around 700 tombs of the aboriginal Canary Islanders more than 1,300 years old. This cemetery and archaeological park was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in 1974 due to its geological value for the Canary Islands. The space is adapted to be visited by people with reduced mobility.

• ⏰ Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, closed on Mondays. From April to September until 6:00 pm.
• 💵 Price: € 3 general and € 2 for students and over 65 years old.

11. La rama fest, things to do in Agaete

Finally, we end with one of the most popular events in the Canary Islands: La Rama de Agaete. The festival takes place every 4th of August and is attended by thousands of people from all over the island and even from other Canary Islands. The event begins next to the church of La Concepción. The attendants and colourful papagüevos dance through the village to the sound of the Agaete band while waving their pine or eucalyptus branches. The festivities end at the beach and the church of Las Nieves at Puerto de Las Nieves.

If you decide to go to this popular festival, we recommend you take public transport from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. There is a special service and you will avoid having to drive with a few extra beers. Moreover, parking is mission impossible.

Restaurants in Agaete

Concerning the best places to eat in Agaete we will always recommend Puerto de Las Nieves. Here there is a wide gastronomic offer, especially fresh fish restaurants and local food in general. Our favorites on the beach are Angor and El Cápita. On the contrary, if you want to eat something quickly or your budget is smaller, you also have the option of El Mesón del Bocadillo, with a rather curious offer of sandwiches. Anyway, we invite you to read our post with more restaurants in Agaete with recommendations such as Casa Romantica in the Valley and other more hidden ones.

Where to stay in Agaete, Gran Canaria

Also, without a doubt, Agaete is one of the best places to stay in Gran Canaria. Here we recommend booking at least one night to discover this area of the island. We highlight the Hotel Occidental Roca Negra, being the best known in the area, and the Redondo de Guayedra that we mentioned before. In any case, below you can see all the rural houses, small hotels and holiday homes in Agaete.

Guides to Gran Canaria

Finally, if you want to see more of Gran Canaria’s authentic places on your own without wasting valuable time, our guides will be a great help. We have itineraries for up to 14 days on the island, a complete guide with 35 one-day plans, a restaurant guide including more than 80 places we locals frequent. Check them all out below and enjoy your holiday like a local!

Video about all the things to do in Agaete

We leave you below with a video about all the things to do in Agaete, one of the most beautiful towns of Gran Canaria. Do not forget to activate the English subtitles and subscribe to our channel!

Ruth & Jorge

We are Ruth & Jorge, Gran Canarians with a travelling soul. Experts in tourism and digital marketing. We share the most authentic side of Gran Canaria (where we live) and… our adventures around the world!