Firgas: Gran Canaria's Water Town Has A Street Waterfall

Firgas: Gran Canaria's water town is a popular day trip stop in north Gran Canaria Firgas: Gran Canaria's water town is a popular day trip stop in north Gran Canaria

The Villa de Firgas is one of the most popular towns in north Gran Canaria for people who really want to get away fro it all and visit authentic local spots. Gran Canaria Info fans love its peaceful atmosphere and famous street waterfall and mosaics. 

firgas gran canaria 039Firgas is Gran Canaria's water town

You'll notice that lots of the water bottles sold in Gran Canaria are made by the Firgas company. This is because the area, actually Gran Canaria's smallest municipality, has rich water springs and a long history of chanelling water to its banana and watercress farms. 

Water fall street and mosaics at Firgas

firgas gran canaria 037The town celebrates its heritage at the Paseo de Canarias: A long set of steps with a waterfall right down the middle. The sides of this pretty street are decorated with a mosaic made from colourful Sevilla tiles. Each section of the mosaic celebrates one of the twenty Gran Canaria municipalities.

Firgas' pretty church and Plaza

firgas gran canaria 045El Paseo de Canarias is in the old centre of Firgas town right by the Plaza and the San Roque church. It has an attractive interior that is worth seeing if the doors are open when you visit. 

The church dates back to 1845 and replaced an older one built on the site of an ancient Canarii temple back in the 16th Century. 

Don't miss the restored water channels in the plaza with spots for laundry washing. This ancient water channel actually runs all the way to Arucas and was an important source of water in the area for hundreds of years. 

On weekdays you can also visit the old water mill downhill from the plaza. 

Arucas is at its livliest in August during the San Roque fiestas. 

How to get to Firgas town

Landlocked Firgas municipality is located in north Gran Canaria and is 465 metres above sea level. 

firgas gran canaria 051The easiest way to drive to Firgas is to start in Las Palmas and head west on the GC2 motorway and turn inland along the GC20 road. Go past Arucas and go straight through all the roundabouts on the GC20 until it turns into the GC30 and you reach the turnoff for Firgas.

Lex Says: As with all driving in Gran Canaria, use Google maps on your phone for exact directions. 

firgas gran canaria 054There is almost always plenty of parking in Firgas close to the church and you can't really get lost in the town itself. 

If you don't want to drive, catch one of the regular blue buses (line 204) that head to Firgas from the San Telmo bus station in Las Palmas. 

Walkers will want to visit the nature reserves at the Barranco de Azuaje and the Doramas Forest as they are amongst the greenest spots in Gran Canaria and have the largest remaining areas of the island's endangered laurel forests.

 

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Lex from Gran Canaria Info shows us the highlights of Firgas town Photos Gran Canaria
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Tip of the day

  • Exchange Money In Gran Canaria Or At Home?
    Exchange Money In Gran Canaria Or At Home?

    Visitors to Gran Canaria often ask whether it is better to exchange their local currency for euros at home or in Gran Canaria. 

    The answer is that it is almost always better to buy your euros at home than it is to bring pounds to Gran Canaria and use local banks or currency exchanges. This rule of thumb applies all over the world. A currency is almost always cheaper the further away you are from the place you can spend it (because demand for it is lower). 

    Exchange rates are almost always better at home than in Gran Canaria

    You are very likely to get a better exchange rate using a British currency exchange specialist or local bank. Many of these companies will deliver your euros to your home.

    One of the best rates in the UK is often from the post office, especially if you do it well in advance.

    The only way you'll get a better rate in Gran Canaria than at home is if the exchange rate changes while you are travelling and this is rare. 

    You also have to bear in mind that currency exchanges in Gran Canaria are getting rarer and some local banks don't exchange money for non-clients. 

    To Transfer large amouynts of money to Gran Canaria, or to make regular transfers, always use a reputable currency broker such as Currencies Direct. This will save you money on exchange rates and bank charges and is highky secure. 

    The risk of bringing cash to Gran Canaria

    Another important factor to consider is the risk of bringing cash to Gran Canaria: If it is lost or stolen, there is no way of getting it back. 

    It is much safer to bring a debit or credit card and use local bank ATMs to take out money. These days, a good option is a pre-charged debit card. 

    Cards may be slightly more expensive that carrying cash, unless you seek out a bank card with low commissions, but it is much more secure. 

    Bank ATMs like Bankia, Santander and BBVA often charge lower rates than the ATMs in shopping centres and busy tourist areas.

    Alex Says: Always select the Euro option at ATMs in Gran Canaria because the exchange rate is much better than if you opt for the Local Currency option. The same applies when you pay by card in shops and restaurants.

    See our Gran Canaria Tips section for more nuggets of useful local information.

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