Agaete & Puerto de las Nieves, Gran Canaria

10 best things to do in Agaete

1. Puerto de las Nieves: the harbour, its fishing boats and the fast ferry to Tenerife, under the Tamadaba cliffs.
2. Las Salinas natural pools: free sea pools in the black lava, about 11 minutes' walk north of the harbour.
3. Agaete old town: white houses around the Iglesia de la Concepción, where the Flemish triptych of the Virgen de las Nieves is now kept.
4. Valle de Agaete: a green valley of fruit terraces running inland from the town.
5. A coffee plantation: guided visits with a tasting at Finca La Laja; book ahead.
6. Maipés archaeological park: some 700 pre-Hispanic tombs in a lava field, some more than 1,300 years old.
7. Paseo de los Poetas: the harbour promenade, with statues of three Gran Canaria poets.
8. Ermita de las Nieves: the harbour chapel, where the Bajada de la Rama ends every 4 August.
9. Fresh fish at the harbour: restaurants line the seafront.
10. Ferry views: watch the fast ferry leave for Santa Cruz de Tenerife; on clear days Teide shows across the channel.

Agaete vs Puerto de las Nieves: what's the difference?

Agaete is the municipality and its main town, a little inland around the Iglesia de la Concepción. Puerto de las Nieves is Agaete's coastal district: the harbour, the ferry terminal, the beaches, the Las Salinas pools and most of the restaurants.

The two are 1.75 km apart, about 25 minutes on foot or a few minutes by car. The Valle de Agaete runs inland from the town.

Puerto de las Nieves

A working fishing harbour that is also the Fred. Olsen port for Tenerife: fishing boats share it with the fast ferry, and the cliffs of the Tamadaba massif drop into the sea behind it.

The Ermita de Nuestra Señora de las Nieves stands by the harbour. The Flemish triptych of the Virgen de las Nieves, attributed to Joos van Cleve and brought to Agaete in the 16th century by the Genoese merchant Antón Cerezo, used to hang here. The original is now kept in the Iglesia de la Concepción in the town; the chapel has a copy.

Along the seafront, the Paseo de los Poetas has statues of the modernist poets Tomás Morales, Saulo Torón and Alonso Quesada (José de Armas Medina, 1999), each with a tiled panel quoting their lines about the port.

Las Salinas natural pools

Sea pools in the black lava at the north end of the promenade, about 900 m (11 minutes on foot) from the harbour. Entry is free.

When there is a swell, waves break over the edge and swimming gets awkward: go on a calm day, wear shoes that grip on the rock and bring sun cream, as there is no shade.

Valle de Agaete and the coffee plantations

The valley climbs inland from the town between steep ridges, with terraces of mangoes, avocados, citrus and coffee.

The Canary Islands tourist board promotes its coffee as the only coffee plantation in Europe: Arabica of the Typica variety, grown below 400 m. Finca La Laja / Bodega Los Berrazales, on Calle Los Romeros, runs guided visits through its terraces with a tasting of its coffee and wine. It doesn't publish prices or times online, so book with the farm first.

Maipés archaeological park

On the road up the valley, behind the town's football ground, the Maipés archaeological park protects some 700 pre-Hispanic burial mounds in a lava field, some built more than 1,300 years ago. The largest are truncated cones up to 8 m across and 3 m high. Check the opening hours on maipesdeagaete.com, keep to the paths and don't climb the tombs.

Best beaches in Agaete

• Playa de las Nieves: pebbles beside the harbour, split in two by the old pier; the pier side is calmer.
• Las Salinas pools: the best swim when the sea is calm (above).
• Playa de Guayedra: south of the port under the cliffs; a handful of parking spaces and a 10-minute walk down. Popular with naturists.
• Playa del Juncal: small and clear, good for snorkelling on calm days.
• Playa del Risco: easy to reach but exposed, with strong waves.

This is the north-west coast, so the sea is often rougher than in the south: check the flags and stay out when it's up. To compare beaches across the island, see our Gran Canaria beaches guide.

Where to eat

• Fish restaurants line the seafront in Puerto de las Nieves. Ask for the catch of the day: vieja (parrotfish) is the local classic, with papas arrugadas and mojo.
• Buy Agaete coffee at the farms in the valley.
• In the valley, Casa Romántica is listed in the Michelin Guide.

More dishes to look for in our Gran Canaria food guide.

How to get to Agaete

By car: 37 km from Las Palmas (about 40 minutes), 57 km from the airport (about an hour) and 87 km from Playa del Inglés (about 1 h 15), on the motorway along the north coast. Times are without traffic, from OpenStreetMap routing.

By bus: lines 103 and 130 from Las Palmas (below). By ferry from Tenerife: the fast ferry docks in Puerto de las Nieves (below).

Hiring a car makes the valley and Maipés easier to combine; our car hire guide covers what to book.

Places on the map

• Puerto de las Nieves harbour
• Las Salinas natural pools
• Ermita de las Nieves
• Iglesia de la Concepción (Agaete town)
• Maipés archaeological park
• Finca La Laja / Bodega Los Berrazales
• Playa de Guayedra

Parking in Agaete and Puerto de las Nieves

Puerto de las Nieves has a public car park at the port, run by the port authority, Puertos Canarios. In December 2025 ferry passengers complained that rental-car companies were filling most of it, so don't count on a space on busy ferry days.

Near Playa de las Nieves and the restaurants there are small private car parks that charge by the day. On 4 August, the day of the Bajada de la Rama, arrive very early or come by bus.

Bus from Las Palmas

• Global lines 103 and 130 leave from San Telmo bus station in Las Palmas; a single costs €4.40.
• Line 103 runs roughly hourly and calls at Guía and Gáldar; the last bus back from Puerto de las Nieves leaves at 23:30.
• Line 130 is semi-direct and skips Guía and Gáldar, but runs only 4–6 times a day.
• From the south, take line 1 or 30 to San Telmo first (€5.60 from Playa del Inglés), then change.

Timetables and fares for every line are in our Gran Canaria bus guide.

Ferry from Agaete to Tenerife

Fred. Olsen Express sails from Puerto de las Nieves to Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 80 minutes, with up to 8 sailings a day.

Its free Ferry Bus leaves Parque Santa Catalina in Las Palmas 60 minutes before each sailing; book it at least 48 hours ahead.

Fares, cars and the other routes are compared in our Gran Canaria ferry guide.

One-day Agaete itinerary

• Morning: walk the harbour, the Ermita and the Paseo de los Poetas, then swim at Las Salinas while the sea is calm.
• Lunch: fish at one of the seafront restaurants.
• Afternoon: drive up the valley for Maipés and the coffee farm (booked ahead).
• Evening: back to the port for sunset over the sea.

From the south without a car this is a long day, with two buses each way.

Bajada de la Rama (4 August)

Every 4 August, thousands of people dance through Agaete behind brass bands and the papagüevos, the giant heads, waving branches of pine, eucalyptus, laurel and heather down to the Ermita de las Nieves, where the branches are offered to the Virgen de las Nieves. It recalls aboriginal rain rituals and has been a Fiesta de Interés Turístico Nacional since 1972.

The town fills up: come early or by bus. Programme and practical tips: La Rama festival guide.

Is Agaete worth visiting?

Yes, if you want the north-west's cliffs, a working harbour, sea pools and a green valley in one day, or you're catching the ferry to Tenerife.

Less so if you're after a sandy beach and reliable sun: the beaches are pebbly, the sea is often rough and the north is cloudier than the south.

Frequently asked questions

By Enrique Medina · Checked on 5 October 2026

Local author from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Every fare, time and distance on this page comes from the sources above.