Las Palmas: Gourmet Tapas and Wine Tour in the Old Town

Vegueta is a fine place to make a meal last: four tapas stops turn a quick lunch into a leisurely walk through Las Palmas’ oldest quarter. The self-guided format lets you set your own pace, with the route linking restaurants to Plaza de Santa Ana, the cathedral and other historic squares.

I like two things in particular: you can choose from two tapas at each restaurant, and each stop includes a drink, with options such as local wine, draft beer or a soft drink. I also like that the stops are close together, so the food is paired with an easy wander rather than a trek across town.

The main consideration is that this is not a guided tour, and the experience can vary from restaurant to restaurant. Most of the food and service has been well received, but one stop has drawn a notably weaker response, and a restaurant may not immediately recognise the tour. WhatsApp support is available if you need help sorting that out.

• Four tapas and four drinks are included, with one of each per person at every stop.
• The route stays in Vegueta, with short walks between restaurants and time to pass Plaza de Santa Ana, Calle Obispo Codina, Plaza del Pilar Nuevo and Plaza de Santo Domingo.
• You choose one of two tapas at each venue, and a drink from the available choices.
• The tour is self-guided, so you decide when to begin and how long to linger, but must finish by 10:30 PM.
• The start and finish are named: begin at El Monje de Santa Ana and end at El Vasco de Vegueta.
• A digital PDF and WhatsApp help make the independent format easier to manage.

A meal that takes you through Vegueta

At $55 per person, this is part food tour and part introduction to the Old Town. You are not simply paying for four plates; you are buying a ready-made sequence of local restaurants, drinks and short walks through a historic district where it is easy to spend an afternoon.

The structure is simple. At each of four restaurants, you choose one tapa from two options selected by that venue, then pair it with one drink. The choices include tinto de verano, draft beer, soft drink or sweet wine. The exact food and drink selection depends on the stop, so think of the tour as a tasting of what each restaurant offers rather than a fixed menu.

That flexibility suits people who like to eat at an unhurried pace. You can pause between stops, take in a square or look around the area, rather than keeping up with a guide and a group. One participant stretched the experience to about three hours, which gives you a useful sense of the pace, though your own timing will depend on how long you stay at each table.

The trade-off is that no guide accompanies you. You will not get live explanations of Canarian ingredients or the buildings as you walk. Instead, you get the freedom to explore independently, with directions in a PDF and WhatsApp assistance if something goes awry.

Starting at El Monje de Santa Ana

Your first stop is Restaurante El Monje de Santa Ana. Go inside, tell the waiter you are taking part in the tapas tour, and show the QR code ticket. You will need that code at all four restaurants, so keep it accessible on your phone.

The opening stop is a practical way to get oriented. You begin close to Plaza de Santa Ana and the cathedral, two of Vegueta’s most recognisable landmarks. The tour does not include a guide to explain them, but you can take your own time in the square before moving on.

A particularly enthusiastic account singled out La Taberna del Monje for its food, staff and atmosphere. That is a useful name to keep in mind, but the tour’s restaurant sequence and choices are set by the organiser and venues, so do not assume every booking will have the same experience or selection.

The QR code is central to the process. Show it at each restaurant rather than expecting staff to know your name or booking details. Most of the time, the arrangement should be straightforward; if a staff member is unsure, contact the organiser through WhatsApp. One past mix-up was resolved quickly this way.

Santa Ana Square and the cathedral

Plaza de Santa Ana is a natural pause between bites. The route allows time to pass through the square, where the imposing Catedral de Santa Ana anchors the Old Town. You can look around at your own speed, take photographs or simply sit for a few minutes before continuing.

The cathedral is the clearest landmark on this walk, and the plaza helps give the food stops a sense of place. This is not a cathedral tour, and no entry or guided visit is specified. Treat it as an outdoor stop and a chance to take in the setting rather than counting on an organised interior visit.

The nearby streets are part of the pleasure. Vegueta’s historic centre is compact enough that short walks connect the restaurants and squares without demanding much stamina. The listed walks between points are about three minutes, though that does not include time spent looking around or finding your way.

Calle Obispo Codina and Plaza del Pilar Nuevo

From the cathedral area, the route passes Calle Obispo Codina and continues to Plaza del Pilar Nuevo. These are not meal stops in themselves, but they break up the food with a glimpse of the Old Town beyond the restaurant tables.

Because the tour is self-guided, you can make these sections as brief or as leisurely as you like. If you are eager to eat, follow the directions and keep moving. If you enjoy the buildings and street scenes, take a little longer, while remembering that the tour must be completed by 10:30 PM once you have started.

The short distances are a real advantage for a food walk. You are not using up your appetite on a long march, and the route is easy to fit around a day in Las Palmas. Still, the PDF matters: follow its stop order rather than relying only on a map or assuming the restaurants will all be obvious.

Plaza de Santo Domingo and the later stops

Plaza de Santo Domingo is another passing point on the route, adding a quieter square to the sequence of historic places. With several stops close together, the walk feels less like a formal excursion and more like a planned way to sample a part of town you might otherwise pass through without stopping.

The named final restaurant is El Vasco de Vegueta. This is where expectations should stay flexible. The quality of the four stops has not been uniform for everyone: some accounts describe most or all of the tapas as tasty, while one particularly negative assessment focused on the food, service and setting at this last venue.

That does not mean you should expect a poor finish. It does mean that the tour’s value rests on the overall combination of four tastings and a walk, not on a promise that every restaurant will be equally memorable. If one tapa is less to your taste, the other three stops and the time in Vegueta still form part of the experience.

What the food and drinks add up to

Four tapas and four drinks can make a substantial tasting outing, especially if you take your time. But the portions and exact dishes are not specified, and additional food or drinks are not included. If you have a large appetite, plan for the possibility that you may want to order something extra at your own expense.

The two-choice format is a useful middle ground. You get some say in what arrives without having to study a long menu at every restaurant. The venues choose the options, so this is not the tour for someone who needs to select from a broad menu or wants guaranteed dishes.

The drink selection also makes the tour easy to adapt to different preferences. You can choose an alcoholic option, such as local wine, draft beer or sweet wine, or take a soft drink. Water is listed among the included beverage options as well. The choice is made at each stop, subject to what the venue offers.

Food quality is the part most likely to vary. Some visitors have found the local dishes full of flavour and the restaurant teams welcoming; others have enjoyed three tapas out of four rather than every one. That is a fair expectation for a multi-venue tasting: you get variety, not four identical standards under one kitchen.

Is $55 a fair price?

At $55, the cost works out to four tapas and four drinks, plus a route that removes some of the guesswork from choosing places to eat in Vegueta. If you would order a drink with each small plate anyway, the price can make sense, particularly if you value having the restaurants selected and the walk laid out for you.

It is less compelling if you want a guide, a large meal, or complete control over the dishes. The guide is not included, extra food and drinks cost more, and each restaurant sets its own two tapa choices. You are paying for convenience and variety as much as for the food itself.

For an independent-minded visitor, that arrangement has real value. You get a reason to explore the Old Town, a sequence of nearby places to stop, and enough flexibility to fit the outing around your day. People who prefer a host to explain local food and answer questions face to face may find a guided tour more satisfying.

Getting the most from the walk

Read the PDF before you set out, then keep the QR code handy. The directions and stop order are sent digitally 24 hours before the tour, and the QR code is presented at each restaurant. A quick glance at the instructions before leaving your hotel or accommodation can save you from fumbling with your phone at the first table.

Give yourself time. Although the duration is listed as one day, the tour is not a full-day guided outing; you choose when to start, and the restaurants are close together. Around three hours is a reasonable planning allowance based on one reported outing, but it is not a fixed schedule.

Start early enough to enjoy the pauses without watching the clock. You have until 10:30 PM to finish after beginning, which leaves a broad window, but a relaxed meal can take longer than expected. If a restaurant does not recognise the tour, show the QR code and contact the organiser on WhatsApp if needed.

The experience is marked wheelchair accessible. If accessibility is a deciding factor for you, it is still sensible to confirm any specific needs directly with the provider, since the available details do not describe the route surface or the access arrangements inside each restaurant.

Who should book this tapas walk?

This tour suits you if you like trying local food but prefer to explore without a guide setting the pace. It is especially handy if you are new to Vegueta and want an easy route that combines meals with the cathedral area and several nearby squares.

It also works well for people who enjoy variety. Four venues offer a broader taste of the local dining scene than a single restaurant visit, while the short walks help make room for each stop. The independent format is a plus for couples or small groups who want to chat, linger and make their own pace.

Skip it if you want a detailed food-history lesson, a guaranteed menu, or a fully consistent restaurant experience from start to finish. The tour offers a good framework, not a guide-led class or a promise that every tapa will be a favourite.

I would book it if you want an easy-going way to eat your way around Vegueta and are comfortable with a little variation between venues. The combination of four tapas, four drinks, short walks and WhatsApp backup makes it a practical introduction to the Old Town. Just keep your expectations balanced: enjoy the route as a whole, and let the strongest stops do the talking.

FAQ

How many tapas and drinks are included?

You receive four tapas and four beverages per person, with one tapa and one drink at each of the four restaurants.

What can I choose to drink?

The listed choices include local wine, draft beer, soft drink or water. Tinto de verano and sweet wine are also named among the drink options. Availability can depend on the venue.

Can I choose my tapas?

At each restaurant, you choose one tapa from two options selected by that venue.

Where does the tour start and finish?

The tour starts at Restaurante El Monje de Santa Ana and finishes at Restaurante El Vasco de Vegueta.

How do I show that I have booked?

Present the QR code ticket at each of the four restaurants. At the starting restaurant, tell the waiter you are taking part in the tapas tour.

How long does the tour take?

You choose when to start and move between the stops independently. One reported outing took about three hours, but the timing depends on how long you spend at each stop.

When must I finish the tour?

Once you have started, you have until 10:30 PM to complete it.

Is the tour guided, and can I get help?

The walk is self-guided, and a guide is not included. You receive a digital PDF with the directions and stop order 24 hours before the tour, and WhatsApp assistance is available if needed.