Included Points of Interest

Arucas

Arucas is famous above all for its church: the neo-Gothic **Iglesia de San Juan Bautista**, built from dark volcanic basalt over the course of decades and nicknamed the Cathedral of Arucas for good reason. Its soaring towers are visible from miles away. The interior houses Italian sculptures, Flemish paintings, and stained-glass windows from Paris — it's absolutely worth setting aside a long visit. The town center around the church is a pleasure, with covered markets, shops, and characterful restaurants. Another renowned destination is the Arehucas rum distillery, which has been producing rum since 1884: it offers guided tours and a tasting room. It pairs naturally with a stroll through the banana plantations you'll see along the roads heading inland. The botanical garden of the Marquesa de Arucas adds a leafy detour on the edge of town. Arucas makes an excellent first stop on a northern loop — well connected by road, with good fuel and services. Arrive via the **GC-330** from Firgas for a more scenic approach through the green ravines, or use it as a launch point before climbing inland along the long and beautiful **GC-21**.

Latitude: 28.1188 Longitude: -15.5231

Iglesia de San Juan Bautista

This is the church that defines Arucas. Built entirely from local dark grey-blue basalt over nearly seventy years, its two pointed towers dominate the town's skyline from every approach road. The interior comes as a complete surprise — three long naves, elaborate stained-glass windows by the Parisian Maumejean that cast coloured light across the stone, and a 16th-century crucifix on the main altar. Give it fifteen minutes; the transition from the sun-dazzled square to the cool, cathedral-like nave is striking. The baptismal chapel holds a finely carved blue stone font. The square outside is ringed with local cafés and restaurants — a good spot for a coffee after your visit. The famous Arehucas rum distillery is a short walk away and offers tastings. This is a natural fuel-and-coffee stop on the north coast route — the church is unmistakable from the main road. Park in the square, take a short stroll around the centre, and use Arucas as a launching point before the roads begin to climb inland.

Latitude: 28.1188 Longitude: -15.5231

Firgas

«Firgas is worth the visit for the **Paseo de Gran Canaria** alone, a tiled pedestrian walkway descending through the center of town with ceramic bas-reliefs depicting each island of the archipelago and water running along carved stone channels at your feet. A thirty-meter waterfall, surrounded by subtropical vegetation. It is one of the most unusual and photogenic public spaces on the island. The views north toward the Atlantic from the riverside walk are lovely and distinctive, which is where the nickname "balcony of the Atlantic" comes from. The parish church of San Roque sits on the main square, simple and intimate. The town is compact: you can walk the whole of it in twenty minutes. A bar on the square is the natural stop for a coffee. The access roads from Arucas or Teror wind between banana plantations and pine-scented hills, with little traffic and reasonably good asphalt, but they are short and not very stimulating. Firgas is an easy stop to add to a circuit in the north, and far less frequented than Teror or Arucas — quieter, with a more authentic, local atmosphere. A stop more for the pleasure of discovery than for the pleasure of riding»

Latitude: 28.1056 Longitude: -15.5639