What's on in Gáldar

Gáldar sits on the green north-west of Gran Canaria, well away from the southern resorts. It was the seat of the island's pre-Hispanic kings, and that history is still here in the Cueva Pintada, a painted cave from the aboriginal Canarian world preserved under a modern museum roof. The town itself is a real working place, backed by banana plantations running down to the coast.

Its big moment is the Fiestas Mayores de Santiago de Gáldar, now well past its 540th year, honouring the patron saint across high summer. For a different flavour, Gáldar Urban Fest brings street art and music, and the agricultural market keeps the farming roots front and centre. Here's what's on while you're here.