Las Palmas, and 15 Minutes at the Caldera de Bandama

The timings on this one are worth reading before booking, because they are specific and they tell you what the day actually is. Pick-up is from southern Gran Canaria, then north to Las Palmas. The guided walk through Vegueta, the oldest part of the capital, lasts about 20 minutes and takes in the Casa de Colón, the main square, the Cathedral of Santa Ana, the Gabinete Literario and the Pérez Galdós theatre, named after the novelist born in this city. After that you have 40 minutes to yourself. The Caldera de Bandama is a 15-minute stop, long enough for photographs. The crater is 1,000 metres across and 200 metres deep. The Viera y Clavijo Botanical Gardens get 45 minutes, the longest stop of the day. What grows there is the flora of Macaronesia, the region that takes in the Canary Islands, the Azores, Madeira and Cape Verde. The day ends back in Las Palmas, with time for lunch. The Poema del Mar aquarium, Las Canteras beach, the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium and the Las Arenas shopping centre are all within reach if you want them.