Arucas: artistic treasure

We start our tour through San Juan Square, where the architectural development of Arucas homes stands out with the presence of several buildings constructedover four centuries, from the 17th to 20th. Our visit then takes us to the Church of San Juan Bautista, the city’s most emblematic building, entirely carved in blue stone by the local inhabitants in neo-Gothic style.

The first stone was placed on March 19, 1909 and opened to worship in 1917. Inside there are works of great beauty and heritage value such as the reclining Christ of Manolo Ramos and French windows, recently restored.

We continue our walk to the Cultural Center, traditional Canary house of the seventeenth century, highlighting its splendid inner courtyard with a Dragon tree. We take the Leon y Castillo pedestrian thoroughfare, where the headquarters of the Canary Mapfre Guanarteme Foundation stands out, with artistic exhibitions throughout the year. At the end of the street we find Constitution Square, which features the Old Town Hall built in 1875 and recently restored. In the same square we also find the Old Market, recently converted into a shopping center.

We are now heading towards the Municipal Museum, the former Casa del Mayorazgo de Arucas and, later, the Gourié Family housing. It is located inside the Municipal Park, where you can visit the traveling exhibitions that are programmed throughout the year in the Museum, along with the permanent halls of the artists Manolo Ramos, Santiago Santana, Guillermo Sureda and Abraham Cárdenes and students.
A stroll through the Municipal Parkis highly recommended, with botanical specimens from the five continents, in harmony with the native flora. At the end of the Park, the presence of the majestic building of the Heredad de Arucas y Firgas stands out, built in 1909 and completed in 1912, with the aim of housing the association of owners of water rights.

From here, visitors should continue to the Arehucas Rum Factory, where you can take a free guided tour, through its facilities, and taste the products made at the factory. Thereisprivate parking forvisitors.

Nearby is the Cantera Museum, located in the premises of the company Piedras La Cantera, where the atmosphere that was lived in the town’s old quarries is faithfully recreated. You can also buy stone crafts produced locally.

Arucas is known as the City of Flowers, partly due to its magnificent gardens, such as the municipal gardens and the Marquesa Gardens. You can reach this garden through the road that joins Arucas with Bañaderos, at about 0.5 kilometer.

This garden, property of the Marquesado de Arucas, has more than 2,500 species of tropical and subtropical flora, which the first marquis was collecting during his trips abroad.

To finish the tour of Arucas old town, visitors are encouraged to climb the Montaña de Arucas to take in the splendid views of the interior and the coast of Arucas, from its viewing points.

To complete the tour, visitors can go down to the coast, where the historic Salinas del Bufadero (salt flats), from the 17th century, are located and whose salt is unique in Gran Canaria. The seafront of El Puertillo is a perfect place to stroll by the sea, or taste delicious fish dishes in the local restaurants. Also noteworthy is the rehabilitation project for the coastal area, with new recreation and leisure areas for citizens (new beach areas, natural pools, parking, terraces and restaurants).

Festivities

JANUARY
Day 20 San Sebastián (Arucas oldtown)
APRIL MAY
Fiesta de La Cruz (The Cross)
MAY
Festival of San José de la Montaña (El Trapiche).
Feastof Santa Rita (Juan XXIII).
Festival of San José Obrero (Los Portales).
Feast of Cristo de la Salud (El Cerrillo) where you have the opportunity to visit the interior of the Calvario Hermitage.
Feast of San Isidro Labrador (Cardones Mountain).
Feast of San Fernando (Lomo de Arucas).
Feast of Our Lady of Fatima (Lomo Quintanilla).
Feast of San Francisco Javier (San Francisco Javier).
Corpus Christi Street Carpet Festival
JUNE
Feast of San Pedro (Bañaderos).
Festival of San Juan (Arucas).
JULY
Festival of San Juan “El Chico” (Hoya de San Juan, El Hornillo and Castillejos).
Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes (Visvique).
Fiesta of Our Lady of Carmen (Montañeta, Santidad, Arucas Casco, El Puertillo and Tinocas).
Festival of San Luis Gonzaga (Lomo Espino).
JULY AUGUST
Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Escaleritas, Bañaderos).
AUGUST
Feast of Santa Patricia (Transmontany).
AUGUST SEPTEMBER
Party of Ntra. Mrs. Del Carmen (Tinocas).
SEPTEMBER
Festival of Santa Lucía (El Puertillo).
Feast of the Virgin of the Rosary (La Goleta).
OCTOBER
Feast of the Virgin of the Rosary (Tres Barrios).
NOVEMBER
Festival of San Andrés (San Andrés).
DECEMBER
St. Lucia

Links of interest

http://www.arucasonline.com/

http://www.grancanaria.com/turismo/en/la-isla/municipios-de-gran-canaria/arucas/descubre-arucas/