Good to know
Good to Know
- Mesa y López and Triana are the two classic shopping cores of Las Palmas and are both fully walkable/pedestrianised, making them the easiest option for a nomad without a car.
- Several much larger malls exist on the island (e.g. Siete Palmas, Los Alisios, Las Terrazas outlet, El Mirador) but sit well outside the central/Las Canteras area and generally require a bus, taxi or car to reach comfortably.
- Most independent shops keep hours of roughly Monday–Saturday 10am–10pm and close on Sundays, though some Triana shops open the first Sunday of the month, and large chains/malls like El Corte Inglés and Las Arenas keep longer or daily hours.
- The Mesa y López pedestrianisation is part of an ongoing 'MetroGuagua' urban renewal project, so expect some ongoing construction/changes to street layout in the area.
- There's no true Apple Store in Las Palmas — for buying new hardware, Banana Computer (Apple Premium Reseller, two central locations) is the go-to, and for repairs Universomac or ProMac (both Apple Authorized Service Providers) handle warranty and out-of-warranty work with turnaround typically under 72 hours.
- Because the Canary Islands sit outside the EU VAT/customs zone, don't assume mainland-Spain or EU online shopping norms apply here — many retailers exclude Canary Islands shipping entirely, and Amazon orders can occasionally get cancelled post-purchase if a third-party seller hasn't configured Canaries shipping.
- If you need something fast, buying in person from Banana Computer or ordering directly from Apple's own online store (which does support delivery/pickup logistics for the islands) is usually more reliable than a random third-party Amazon Marketplace seller.
- Always add your NIF/CIF number when checking out on Amazon.es for Canary Islands delivery — omitting it is a common cause of customs delays.
Online Shopping Reliability
- Workarounds
- Local package-forwarding/consolidation services (e.g. mainland-Spain or EU relay addresses) are commonly used by residents to access retailers that otherwise exclude the islands, though this adds cost and time.
- Structural Issue
- The Canary Islands' special tax status (IGIC instead of mainland VAT, and exclusion from the EU customs union) means a large share of European retailers simply don't ship there at all — one industry estimate put this at 60% of online stores not shipping to the Canary Islands.
Amazon Es
- Overall Reliability
- Workable but inconsistent — described by shopping guides as 'a bit hit and miss' for the Canary Islands specifically, since the archipelago sits outside the EU VAT/customs zone.
- Official Shipping Times
- Amazon's own help page states standard shipping to the Canary Islands takes 8 to 12 business days, with Premium Shipping in 3 to 5 business days, and standard shipping is free for Prime members.
Practical Caveats
- Buyers must enter their CIF/NIF number in the shipping address field, since without it the transport company may have difficulties completing customs procedures, which can delay or block delivery.
- Not every listing ships to the islands — some third-party sellers haven't configured their systems for the Canaries, so an order can be accepted and paid for, then cancelled afterward because the item can't actually be delivered.
- Some nomads report better product availability by setting a Canary Islands address on Amazon.de rather than Amazon.es for certain categories.
Aliexpress
- Fast Shipping
- 7 to 14 days
- Standard Shipping
- 15 to 45 days
- Customs Note
- Packages can be held at Canarian customs for clearance, adding unpredictable delays, and buyers are advised to declare item values correctly to avoid extra fees.
Malls And Districts
Avenida José Mesa Y López (Zona Mesa Y López)
- Type
- Shopping district
- Highlights
- Both buildings of El Corte Inglés, Zara, H&M, Guess, Marks & Spencer, The Body Shop, plus the Mercado Central de Las Palmas food market next door.
- Neighborhood
- Between Triana/city centre and Las Canteras, near Ciudad Jardín
- Practical Info
- Reachable on foot from Las Canteras beach or by Guaguas Municipales bus lines serving the area; several underground car parks (Parking Mesa y López, Parking Arriaga) sit within short walking distance.
- Description
- Widely considered the city's premier shopping boulevard. The Mesa y López area, located around Avenida José Mesa y López, is the city's most famous shopping area, with big international brands alongside local boutiques and markets. The eastern stretch between Plaza de España and the old Naval Base has been pedestrianised, turning what was once a noisy traffic corridor into a walkable, tree-lined promenade.
Calle Mayor De Triana
- Type
- Shopping district
- Highlights
- Mix of high-street fashion chains and small specialty stores; nearby Calle Cano, Calle San Bernardo and Plaza Hurtado de Mendoza add menswear boutiques, art-supply shops and jewellers.
- Neighborhood
- Triana, historic centre
- Practical Info
- Fully pedestrian and easy to explore on foot, though parking in the immediate area is noted as difficult; well connected to the historic Vegueta district.
- Description
- The city's oldest commercial street, pedestrianised and lined with 19th- and early 20th-century buildings. In the Calle Mayor de Triana you will find the main stores and franchises found in European cities, including Mango, Zara, Bershka, Intimissimi, Calzedonia, Women's Secret, Guess, Decathlon City and an Apple Store, alongside independent shoe, perfume and jewellery shops.
Centro Comercial Las Arenas
- Type
- mall
- Highlights
- Primark, C&A, Media Markt, a Carrefour hypermarket, multiple cinema screens, and rooftop bars/restaurants overlooking Las Canteras beach.
- Neighborhood
- Southern end of Playa de Las Canteras, next to the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium
- Practical Info
- Around a 15-minute walk or short bus/taxi ride from the city centre; free parking is offered, and the mall is open daily, including late hours.
- Description
- One of the city's largest and most modern malls. Centro Comercial Las Arenas is a large and modern shopping mall on the southern end of Playa de Las Canteras in Las Palmas, offering fashion, sports gear, souvenirs and electronics across multiple floors, plus a cinema and terrace restaurants with sea views.
Centro Comercial El Muelle
- Type
- mall
- Highlights
- Fashion, shoes, watches, jewellery and perfume shops, a supermarket, and a gym; located beside Parque Santa Catalina and the Poema del Mar aquarium.
- Neighborhood
- Muelle de Santa Catalina, port area
- Practical Info
- Taxi rates from directly inside the port-side mall are higher, so it's cheaper to walk to Parque Santa Catalina to hail one; some retail units have turned over in recent years as the mall works to revitalize its tenant mix.
- Description
- A longstanding mall right at the cruise port. Centro Comercial El Muelle is a shopping mall inside Muelle de Santa Catalina in Las Palmas, with a bright, medium-sized layout of shops plus open-air bars and restaurants, a bowling alley and video game arcade on the top floor.
El Corte Inglés (Mesa Y López)
- Type
- Department store
- Highlights
- A ground-floor supermarket with a well-regarded fresh produce, meat and seafood counter, a bookstore, and a rooftop restaurant/cafeteria.
- Neighborhood
- Avenida José Mesa y López
- Practical Info
- Open roughly 9:30am–9:30pm; visiting foreigners can request a free 10% discount tourist card and Tax Free paperwork at the international information counter.
- Description
- Spain's flagship department store chain has two adjacent buildings here — one dedicated to fashion and one to home goods and gourmet food. Fashion accessories, men's and women's clothing, children's clothing, sportswear and sports equipment are the second store's focus, while the home building holds a large gourmet food hall.
Mercado Central De Las Palmas
- Type
- market
- Highlights
- Fresh fish and meat counters, local cheeses and deli goods, and a general market atmosphere distinct from the surrounding retail chains.
- Neighborhood
- Mesa y López commercial area
- Practical Info
- A short walk from El Corte Inglés and the Mesa y López pedestrian strip; typically closed on Sundays.
- Description
- The city's largest covered market, sitting right in the heart of the Mesa y López shopping zone. It is the largest of the four markets in the city, distributed over two floors and a shopping gallery, selling fresh produce, meats, cheeses and fish alongside a small gallery of specialty stalls.
Official Apple Store
- Detail
- There is no genuine Apple-operated retail store in Las Palmas or anywhere in the Canary Islands; the nearest official Apple Stores are on mainland Spain (e.g. Madrid, Barcelona). What locals often loosely call the 'Apple Store' in Las Palmas is actually an Apple Premium Reseller.
- Present In City
- No
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
This section has no cited sources.
More About Las Palmas
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.