La Aldea de San Nicolás

What surprises about Gran Canaria is the picturesque places that can be found as La Aldea de San Nicolás is a town in the western part of the island and where you can see the Güi Güi Gorge or Guguy which is a Special Natural Reserve and a Ecological Sensitivity Area and that supposes the last virgin space of the island. The Barranco de Güi Güi has a quite particular spelling, composed not only by ravines but also by cliffs that represent very well the insular geology. You can see areas with an interesting endemic flora such as tabaibas, cardones, Canary palms and remains of thermophilic forests. Also it is possible to emphasize the fauna that can be descried, lizards, rabbits and many birds that nest in the steep walls of the coastal cliffs. Here the charm of the Barri Güi Güi does not end, there are archaeological sites near the Mountain of the Horgazales. On the beach where the ravine ends, you breathe peace and tranquility, it has a length of 800 meters and when the tide rises it divides in two, you can reach it through a path of climbs and Drops of 2 hours.

Inagua is a natural place that is within the municipal term of Aldea de San Nicolás and part of Tejeda. Inagua is located in the southeast of the island, is formed by geological materials considered the oldest on the island and dominated by the imposing Pino Canario, such is the importance that is qualified as Reserva Natural Integral. The natural spot of Inagua harbors a quantity of flora and fauna of great interest, talking about animals you can see the blue finch that is a type of bird sub endemic species in Gran Canaria

Located in the Aldea de San Nicolás is a kind of theme park dedicated to the cactus and is called Cactualdea Park. The enclosure has dimensions of around 15,000 square meters and houses up to 1200 different species of cactus brought from the most unsuspected parts of the world. Copies from countries such as Madagascar, Bolivia, Mexico, Guatemala etc. In the Cactualdea you can see varieties of infinite shapes, sizes or colors, an example is one of the largest cactus in the world with a height of 6 meters. In the Cactualdea, a park dedicated to the largest cactus in Europe, it also offers other plants and some animals, you can see palms, aloe vera plants and cardones among animals such as turtles or donkeys. The Cactualdea also has an amphitheater within its facilities, the simulation of a volcano to know how they work. Finally, you can relax in the cafeteria, having a drink on your terrace and finish the visit by picking up some souvenirs in the store. La Catualdea or Casa de las espinas also has a reproduction of a cave Guanche that recreates even the smallest detail these caves where the first settlers lived.

One of the best preserved mills in this part of the island is the Molino de La Ladera, located in Aldea de San Nicolás. El Molino is located at the corner of the road that leads to the town of Mogán in the population center of La Ladera that belongs to Aldea de San Nicolás The person in charge of the construction of this building was Antonio Bautista León, the blacksmith, known for being an authentic innovator of technology in the valley, started the construction of the mill in 1898. The mill had a tragic journey, the day of its job in operation collapsed a bucket ending with the life of a child of 13 years and some injured. Once the Molino de La Ladera was re-conditioned, it became the third water source in the village, what is different from the rest is the adaptation of the mill to a greater or lesser amount of water. water and was in operation until the 50s. The town hall of Aldea de San Nicolás acquired the mill that was in a state of remarkable neglect, was restored and now can be visited in the network of Community Development Project of the Village of San Nicolás.