We came to Gáldar in north-western Gran Canaria mainly to visit the Cueva Pintada, one of the island’s most important prehistoric sites, but quickly realized that the small town had a number of other sights that made it worth sticking around for a bit.

These include a couple of cool free museums, a nice leafy town centre and Gran Canaria’s oldest Dragon Tree, which is connected to an interesting local legend involving a witch.

What’s more, we only met a few other travelers here, which means Gáldar is a good place to get off the island’s tourist trail. Read on for our recommendations of what to do in town.

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The Best Things to See in Gáldar

There’s a pervading sense of history here, not least due to the fact that this used to be the capital of one of the island’s prehistoric Guanartematos (chiefdoms).

The prehistoric importance is alluded to in statues of ancient Canarian people and legendary figures across town, but the most effective reminder are the Painted Cave and the remains of the surrounding pre-hispanic village.

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The Painted Cave Museum (Cueva Pintada)

Arguably the main sight in town (and I don’t just say this as a slightly biased archaeologist;-) is the Cueva Pintada (Painted Cave), one of the island’s most important prehistoric sites. The ancient cave is adorned with polychrome murals, and is the best-preserved pre-hispanic artwork on Gran Canaria.

The geometric patterns of multi-coloured triangles and rectangles are similar to ones found in Northern Africa, serving as a reminder of the cultural connection between the prehistoric Canarians and the Amazigh People of the Northern Sahara.

Also quite interesting are the remains of a large excavated pre-hispanic settlement surrounding the cave, with walkways allowing you to see the site up close and some interactive screens explaining various details about the inhabitants’ building techniques and daily lives.

In another part of the complex there are some reconstructed houses and a small exhibition room with display cases containing prehistoric tools and figurines, although a lot of them are replicas and Las Palmas’ Museo Canario is a much better place to visit if you’re interested in the artefacts.

There’s also a 15-minute film on the prehistoric people’s social system and confrontation with the Spanish Invaders. The entrance to the cave itself is timed to avoid too much moisture building up, damaging the paintings. The rest of the museum can be visited at your own leisure.

We visited on a Sunday, when the entrance is free, but usually it’s 6€. You can check the current opening times here.

Iglesia de Santiago

Right at the heart of Gáldar lies the Iglesia de Santiago from the 1770s, with its imposing neoclassical façade, which completely dominates the pretty little Plaza de Santiago in its shadow. We found the interior of the church worth checking out, too.

Nice touches are the ornate baptismal font and the chiaroscuro-style paintings of the apostles by Francisco de Zurbarán. The main altar is also quite interesting, as it’s clearly made from wood, but the way it’s painted tries to pass it off as marble.

Casa Museo Antonio Padrón

Before coming to Gáldar, we hadn’t heard of Canarian painter Antonio Padrón, so we stopped at this small museum mainly out of curiosity, but ended up really enjoying it.

Padrón’s art has an interesting style, combining modernist techniques with themes inspired by Canarian life and culture. Some of the paintings reminded me of late-period Picasso. The museum also includes the artist’s living quarters and a small, pretty courtyard full of palm trees and blooming flowers.

You can see the entire museum in about 20 minutes, and it’s completely free to visit. You can check the current opening times here.

Teatro Consistorial

This was one of those stops we almost missed but were glad we didn’t. The ceiling of Gáldar’s Old Theatre, painted by Agaete-born artist Pepe Dámaso is an unexpected gem. The painting shows comic-like plants and animals and winds its way snail-like up into the cupola.

The entrance to the theatre can be found on the eastern side of the town hall. People were preparing a play when we were here, but allowed us to take a glimpse inside. If it’s closed, you can ask in the tourist information office in the town hall, and they’ll open it for you.

The Town Hall and Dragon Tree

In the courtyard of the Casas Consistoriales (town hall), sits a beautiful dragon tree that is said to date to at least 1718, which would make it the oldest living specimen in all of Gran Canaria.

In terms of size, it doesn’t come close to some others we saw on the island (especially the humongous one on Teror’s main square), but that’s said to be due to the limited amount of nutrients available in the courtyard.

There’s also a nice myth connected to the tree. According to legend, the tree housed the spirit of a deceased witch until a little girl cut a portrait of the witch into one of its branches, freeing the spirit. To see the image, you’ll have to stand with your back to the tourist information office and look into the centre of the tree.

Also worth a peek is the pretty assembly hall off the colonnaded courtyard, which has a nice
trompe-l’œil wall painting.

Museo Agáldar (History Museum)

This small history museum in the Casa del Capitán Quesada is another stop that gave us a sense of the town’s bygone times, as it’s housed in a 19th-century building with its original layout still intact. The small exhibition inside highlights Gáldar’s evolution over the centuries, with old photographs and objects of daily use.

The lower floor is all about the pre-hispanic people, who settled in the region, with some interesting artefacts. Especially fascinating to me were the skulls and bones showing various traces of different diseases and injuries – I guess, that’s the archaeologist in me nerding out again.

The upper floor details the history after the Spanish Invasion. There were some interesting subjects as well, but the information signs there could have done with some editing in my opinion. There’s no entrance fee, and you can check the opening times here.

Ermita de San Sebastián

This is far from a must-see sight, but the little, yellow-painted chapel has a nice, understated exterior that reminded us of early colonial chapels in some Latin American countries. It sits a short walk east of the town centre near Plaza de los Guanartemes. When we were there, it wasn’t open, though.

Other Places Worth Checking Out

There are some other worth-while places to see in town, including La Recova, the covered Municipal Market off Calle Capitán Quesada.

Some historic buildings in the town centre are also worth checking out, including the Hotel Emblemático Agáldar near the church or the Heredamiento de Aguas de la Vega a block east of Plaza de Santiago.

Finally, the various statues depicting ancient Canarians around town, especially on Calle Guaires, are worth a look.

Map of Gáldar’s Sights

All of the sights mentioned above can be found in this map of Gáldar.

Where to Stay in Gáldar

We only passed through Gáldar on our way to Agaete, where we stayed, but there are a few well-rated options in town, as well, like the historic Hotel Emblemático Agáldar. You can check for more places to stay in the map below.