Page 549 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

THE C ANAR Y ISLANDS  547

with bright disco lights and
flashing neon. There are more
than 300 restaurants and over
50 nightclubs.
West of Playa del Inglés
the beach undulates into the
Dunas de Maspalomas. A
pleasant contrast to the hectic
surrounding resorts, these
dunes form a protected nature
reserve. Their western edge
(marked by a light house) is
occupied by a cluster of luxury
hotels. Just behind the dunes
lies a golf course encircled by
bungalow estates.
Everything is laid on for the
package holiday: water sports,
excursions, fast food, as well
as go-karts, camel safaris and
funfairs. Best of these include
Palmitos Park, with exotic
birds in subtropical gardens,
and Sioux City, a fun-packed
Western theme park.

 Palmitos Park
Barranco de los Palmitos. Tel 928 79
70 70. Open daily. & 7
∑ palmitospark.es
 Sioux City The rocky shore and steep cliffs of the northeast coast near Agaete
Cañón del Águila. Tel 928 76 25 73.
Open Tue–Sun. & 7 a pretty scatter of white houses triptych and model sailing ships.
∑ siouxcitypark.es around a striking rocky bay, Close by is the Huerto de las
is growing into a small resort. Flores, a botanical garden.
Every August, Agaete holds the
t Agaete Fiesta de la Rama, a Guanche Environs
(see p551) rainmaking ritual A brief detour inland up along
Las Palmas. * 5,600. n Avenida
Señora de las Nieves 1, 928 55 43 82. which dates from long before the Barranco de Agaete takes
_ Fiesta de las Nieves (5 Aug). the arrival of the Spanish. An you through a fertile valley
∑ agaete.es animated procession of vil lagers of papaya, mango and citrus
bearing green branches heads trees. North of Agaete are
The cloudier northern side of from the hills above the town the towns of Guía and Gáldar.
the island is far greener and down to the coast and into the Though there is little to see
lusher than the arid south, and sea. The villagers beat the water here, both parish churches do
banana plantations take up to summon the rain. contain examples of the religious
most of the coastal slopes. The Ermita de las Nieves statuary of the celebrated
Agaete, on the northwest coast, contains a 16th-century Flemish 18th-century sculptor, José
Luján Pérez.
Nearby, towards the north
coast, lies the Cenobio de
Valerón. One of the most
dra matic of the local Guanche
sights, this cliff-face is pock-
marked with nearly 300 caves
beneath a basalt arch. These
are believed to have been
hideaways for Guanche priest-
esses, communal grain stores
and refuges from attack.
Y Huerto de las Flores
Calle Huertas. Tel 680 70 02 01.
Miles of wind-sculptured sand: the dunes at Maspalomas Open Tue–Sat. & 7 8

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