In this guide · 3 sections
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has a small, local gay bar scene that is quite different from the big resort nightlife down south. It sits in the Santa Catalina district, just inland from the northern end of Playa de las Canteras, around Parque de Santa Catalina and streets like Calle Doctor Grau Bassas. Everything is within easy walking distance of the beach hotels.
The capital vs the resorts
If you want a large international circuit of bars and clubs stacked over several floors, that is the Yumbo Centre in Playa del Ingles, about 50 km south. The capital is the opposite: a handful of venues, a mostly local crowd, and a more relaxed, Canarian mood built around socialising rather than late-night clubbing.
The bars
- Instinto - the city's main gay club, a late-opening dance venue near Santa Catalina and the anchor of the local scene.
- Motown - a friendly music-led bar in the Santa Catalina area.
- Distinto - a gay bar drawing a local crowd near the beach district.
- La Buena Vida - a relaxed, gay-friendly cafe-bar good for an early-evening drink.
- Saturdays - a mixed, gay-friendly bar in the same walkable area.
Practical notes
Nights start late, as everywhere in Spain, and weekends are livelier than midweek. Everything is walkable from the Las Canteras seafront, cards are accepted everywhere, and prices are city rather than resort level. For the wider island, see the Gay Las Palmas & Gran Canaria Guide.