The Guanches are believed to be the first inhabitants of the Canary Islands. Where they came from is still uncertain, but they could actually be a mix of Berbers from the north of Africa, and scandinavian vikings. Written material from the spanish “conquistadores” in the 15th century states that the Guanches could be described as tall and blue-eyed.

Modern research has given that the Canary population of today has a significant level of blood group 0, just as in some areas of North Africa, like the Berbers of Ait Haddidu of Upper Atlas. But the researchers have still not found any solid explanation for the blue eyes of the Guanche population.

All mayor islands were inhabited by the Guanches, and they were ruled by different tribes. They lived at Stone Age-level, and often used volcanic caves and rock formations for creating small villages. Even though they lived on islands, it seems they never reached a high level of knowledge about sea and boats. And how did they get there in the first place if they didn’t know anything about boats?

The Spaniards started to discover the world in the early 1400?s, and the Canary Islands were amongst the first territories to be conquered. The conquest of the Canary Islands began in 1402, when the expedition of Juan de Bethencourt landed in the island of Lanzarote.

Every island fought back, but with little success. The Guanches couldn?t stand the military pressure from the spanish. After all, the Guanche society was at a Stone Age-level, while Spain at the same time aimed to conquer the whole world by using modern ships and weapons. The story tells us that the biggest islands, the ones of Gran Canaria and Tenerife, were the last ones to fall, after famous battles such as the one of Acentejo, Tenerife.

The Spaniards erradicated the Guanche culture of the Canary Islands in the same way they were to be acting in certain parts of South America some decades later. The Guanche people was either sold as slaves, or as it seems, integrated in the new society which of course meant conversion to Catholisism. The Guanches are nowadays extinct as a distinct people, as they became mixed with the Spanish.

Shopping in Las Palmas is, nowadays, an activity that attracts locals as well as tourists. Las Palmas is the capital of the eastern Canary Islands, with about 400.000 inhabitants. This gives you enormous shopping possibilities. To tackle all the great shopping areas in Las Palmas, you will definitely need a good pair of walking shoes!

First we take a little look at some locally produced goods worth shopping. Second, we list the mayor comercial areas of the Las Palmas area.

Local products of the Canary Islands

Rum: The Canary Islands produce a huge quantity of rum each year, and they are very proud of their product. This is what they drink at local fiestas, without a doubt. Brands like Ron Arehucas, Artemi and Cocal fill up the liquor shelves in each and every store. There is also a sweet honey rum, Ron Miel. All of this you can buy at a very low price.

Electronics: The Canary Islands have a lower VAT than on the spanish mainland. This means that certain products are cheaper. In Las Palmas you’ll find a lot of Bazaars selling electronics, and you should always compare their prices with the ones of the larger chains like Mediamarkt and Corte Ingl’s.

Cigars: The Canary Islands have always been known for its tobacco production and you’ll find a huge offer of cigars and cigarettes. And these products are indeed very cheap, definitely among the lowest prices in Europe.

Wine: Even though the Canary Islands are not internationally known for its wine production, local wine is produced in all islands. Look for Vi’a Frontera (El Hierro), Malvasia (Lanzarote) and El Monte (Gran Canaria).

FoodWell, the list of food worth buying is abundant. The Canary Islands have always had better meat than their fellow spaniards, since the port of Las Palmas received the south american cargo boats shipping the meat straight from Argentina and Uruguay. The canary island banana, or “pl’tano” as it’s called, is much sweeter and tasty than its central american counterparts.

ClothingSpain has always been keen on fashion, and surely you’ll find the clothing you’re after. Spanish chains like Massimo Dutti, Zara, Cortefiel, Mango, Springfield offer an incredible amount of good shopping. Not to mention the shoes. Even though chinese shoe production is gaining market shares, the spanish shoe production is still significant.

Mayor shopping areas of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Almost all of the shopping centers below are easily accessed by car or by bus. Every mall but Mesa y L’pez offers abundant free parking as well. The places described below are not in tourist areas, thereby granting you the same excellent shopping possibilities as natives.

Mesa y L’pez: This is a huge shopping street in Las Palmas where you find stores like El Corte Ingl’s, Zara, Cortefiel, Zapatos Navarro, Quesada? I can recommend La Oca, a fantastic store for home decoration.

Triana: A traditional shopping area for pedestrians. Stroll along this beautiful street, sit down to have a “cortado” (small espresso with milk) and just enjoy life.

Corte Ingl’s: They have two high street stores in Las Palmas, one in Mesa y L’pez, and one in 7 Palmas. They have about everything you need, as well as a lot of staff that help you find what you need.

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