# Living in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria VS Playa de las Americas, Tenerife



## conildlf (Jun 13, 2020)

Has anyone lived in both?

I was hoping for some insight on Las Palmas, Gran Canaria VS Playa de las Americas, Tenerife (or comparable beach city in Tenerife) for living for 3 months or 6 months+ time period.

I have been to Las Palmas and loved it, never to Playa de las Americas.

How do they compare in regards to Architecture, Food, Natural Beauty, Surfing (waves close by in their respective towns, Safety, Ease of Life, Beaches, Farmers Markets, Ocean, People, Cost, Rent, Tourists etc?

And if anyone has questions about Las Palmas I am happy to help with my limited knowledge. Feel free to ask.

Thank you.


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## Hepa (Apr 2, 2018)

Playa de las Americas is a tourist resort, full of persons from mainly the U.K. I have to go to the South of Tenerife annually for financial advice. Two or three days is enough for us, never in a million years could I live in Playa de las Americas.

On the other hand I first visited Las Palmas in 1962, I return at least once a year, tourists are in the minority and from many nations. I like Las Palmas, I certainly could live there, the local Canarian population are really friendly, I have made many friends.

When I first decided to emigrate to the Canary Islands, Gran Canaria was my first choice, however I accidentally discovered the secret meridian island of El Hierro and which is now home.


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## conildlf (Jun 13, 2020)

Hepa said:


> Playa de las Americas is a tourist resort, full of persons from mainly the U.K. I have to go to the South of Tenerife annually for financial advice. Two or three days is enough for us, never in a million years could I live in Playa de las Americas.
> 
> On the other hand I first visited Las Palmas in 1962, I return at least once a year, tourists are in the minority and from many nations. I like Las Palmas, I certainly could live there, the local Canarian population are really friendly, I have made many friends.
> 
> When I first decided to emigrate to the Canary Islands, Gran Canaria was my first choice, however I accidentally discovered the secret meridian island of El Hierro and which is now home.


Do you see many people surfing on El Hierro?

Any insights to life in El Hierro would be greatly appreciated if you have the time.


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## Hepa (Apr 2, 2018)

conildlf said:


> Do you see many people surfing on El Hierro?
> 
> Any insights to life in El Hierro would be greatly appreciated if you have the time.


El Hierro is 273 square KM, similar to the Isle of Wight, in southern England, 1502 meters in height, population is shown as 11,000, however most of those reside elsewhere, the actual population is maybe 5,000. English is rarely used, there are few residents from the British Isles, maybe seven or eight.

Tourism has passed us by, therefor the island has. retained its original culture and charm.
The countryside is quite spectacular and diverse with some incredible views.

I have seen the young ones surfing in the charco in El Tamaduste. they use half sized surf boards that I have never encountered in other places. The main water activity is scuba diving of which we are world famous. The beaches here are few and very small with not much sand.

The tourists that do arrive seem to come for walking holidays, there are a multitude of ancient footpaths or old mule tracks, that criss cross the island. Other tourists come for the scuba diving.

We have an airport, with flights to and from Tenerife north and Las Palmas, the flights re under an hour.
There is also a ferry from Los cristianos in Tenerife, daily except Saturdays, the crossing takes two and a half hours. Both flights and ferry fares for non Canarian residents are somewhat expensive.

Electricity arrived in the 1970's and contrary to popular belief, we do have flush toilets 

A car will be needed and can be hired on the island. There are hotels but not many.

The cuisine is mainly local, veggies and vegans have difficulties, full English breakfast are a definite no no, Bisto gravy and Yorkshire puds bring your own.

Hope this helps, if you visit you will either love or hate your stay.


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## conildlf (Jun 13, 2020)

Thank you. 

That warms my heart to see that you found your own piece of beauty on this earth.

How would you compare El Hierro VS La Palma and La Gomera?

Its kind of funny since there is almost Zero information on the internet for surfing on El Hierro. Confused by the fact that there is a pretty famous surf spot on Fuerteventura called "El Hierro", so searching for information gets lost in glitch of the google algorithm.

Probably to the advantage of the adventurous traveler.

You mentioned scuba diving, is the water quality/clarity better on El Hierro or some other reason why it is popular for this?

Thanks for your information as I could understand why you might want to keep it all secret to yourself. Ha.

Although, El Hierro sounds like the kind of place that thru circumstances has a very good built in "self-filtering" process for too many people or tourists to come.


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## Hepa (Apr 2, 2018)

I cannot compare El Hierro with La Palma or La Gomera, all three are dramatically so different, but all three are well worth a visit.

I don't scuba dive, however I have a friend who does, Shane Gray organises holidays for mainly Irish clients Walking and scuba diving in La Restinga, the most southern town in the Canarian archipelago, he describes the diving as the best Atlantic diving water always warm, visibility excellent, and an abundance of aquatic wildlife, and no tourists!

Surfing is very limited here and far better on other islands.

The tourists do not arrive here in droves, because El Hierro is not a beach resort, there are no direct flights from Europe or the British Isles, the ferries and inter island flights are too expensive, accommodation is limited, no posh five star hotels here, no golf courses, hardly any night life, the facilities that are available mainly cater for visitors from the Iberian peninsular and former Spanish colonies. Occasionally a cruise ship arrives in the port of La Estaca, where there are 14 buildings and only one bar, and we get bunches of lost souls wandering around the capital, looking for something to do.

Here is a link that may be of interest. https://www.scubadivewest.com/dive-trips-and-holidays/el-hierro-holidays/


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## Ardea_herodias (Apr 23, 2020)

This is great information, Hepa. El Hierro has also been on my radar, although I've not visited yet, and what you're saying about only 5000 permanent residents, few tourists, etc., makes it all the more appealing in my eyes. (I'd have mostly been considering La Palma, and I like La Gomera too. When travel again becomes possible from the US, I plan to visit/revisit all three islands.)

A general question that I assume would also be of interest to conildlf - Is it very hard to find long-term rental housing on El Hierro, and do recommend any resources outside of idealista?


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## Hepa (Apr 2, 2018)

We are in an unusual situation, due to the pandemic and the fact that we are covid free, the island has attracted more than normal summer visitors, mainly from other islands and a friend of my wife has property that she rents and are fully booked until October. 

Next year is La Bajada, the four yearly religious festival, where the icon of the Virgen de los Reyes, is dragged round the island accompanied by flutes and drums and dancers with castanets, all in traditional costume, now this event is quite something and very spectacular, but it attracts every man and his dog that has ever heard of El Hierro, they come from far and wide, the Americas North and South, other islands, the Spanish peninsular etc. etc. The population from late June to the end of August increases dramatically, to 35,000, so everywhere will be full.

However in normal times renting should not be a problem, signs are displayed in property windows and inmobilarios often have property to rent.

Idealista, that's a new word, never heard of them before.


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## conildlf (Jun 13, 2020)

Ardea_herodias said:


> This is great information, Hepa. El Hierro has also been on my radar, although I've not visited yet, and what you're saying about only 5000 permanent residents, few tourists, etc., makes it all the more appealing in my eyes. (I'd have mostly been considering La Palma, and I like La Gomera too. When travel again becomes possible from the US, I plan to visit/revisit all three islands.)
> 
> A general question that I assume would also be of interest to conildlf - Is it very hard to find long-term rental housing on El Hierro, and do recommend any resources outside of idealista?


How would you compare or contrast El Hierro, La Palma and La Gomera?


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## Hepa (Apr 2, 2018)

conildlf said:


> How would you compare or contrast El Hierro, La Palma and La Gomera?


I cannot compare the three, they each have an individual identity and all are well worth a visit.

La Palma know locally, La Isla Bonita, the pretty isle, and early in the year capped in snow it is astounding.

El Hierro is called, La Isla Meridiano, that is because when the world was flat, to go any further was quite dangerous, here was the most westerly land on the planet, therefor
Ptolomy placed the zero meridian near to Faro de Orchilla, the most westerly point on the island. Many years later the British Royal Navy appropriated the meridian an place it on the muddy Thames in rainy Greewich.

La Gomera has some interesting history, in 1492 Cristobal Colon (Columbus) was staying on the island, replenishing supplies, strange fellow was Cristobal, he did not believe the world was flat, so after becoming best friends with the Goveners wife, the Pinta, Niña and the Santa Maria sailed west for the Indies, however the navigator was not a seafarer so they made landfall in the Caribbean.

When you have visited the westerly isles, go east and have a look at Graciosa.


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