Moving to Arucas

Matthew’s article this week concentrates on moving to Gran Canaria’s Arucas

Moving to Arucas: Gran Canaria’s more than the sum of its resorts

Ups
Sure, expats do make their home where they used to holiday. But this municipality in the less touristy north of the island offers a less transient location for a new life abroad. Arucas, a Castilian corruption of the aboriginal Arehucas (itself the name of Gran Canaria’s finest rum), is the polar opposite of Playa del Inglés.

Downs
The weather. In summary, the north of the island can be up to 10 degrees colder than the balmier south. Also, the panza del burro (the donkey’s belly), the big, black cloud which blights Las Palmas de Gran Canaria summers extends as far west as Arucas.

In and out
Travelling from the Aeropuerto de Gran Canaria (LPA), you can be in Arucas’ municipal capital in half an hour. Cut that time in two if your starting point’s Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. It’s a scenic drive along the coastline-hugging GC-2.

Education
The bilingual Colegio Las Arenas has a base in the muncipality’s Trasmontaña for infants and secondary-school pupils. However, they’re notorious for their English teachers not lasting the academic year. If you want your kids to have a more stable relationship with a school’s academic staff, you’re better off enrolling them in Cambalud’s trilingual Anita Conrad which offers education in English, German, and Spanish.

Shop until you drop…
Carretera El Pino’s Nain-Shop specializes in (non-sports) casual clothing for young men and women. The Arehucas rum distillery offers free tours and tastings. You can stock up on the rums you like at their shop, including dark, white, and honey varieties.

Property types
The centre of Arucas has some beautiful traditional properties. Some of them need quite a bit of work, however, in making them conform to 21st-century standards. Newer builds can be found in the likes of Santidad, an area in which you can find some bargains as the Spanish property boom, against the expectation of developers, turned to bust. If you like to beside the seaside, beside the sea, you’ll find apartments in Bañaderos’ El Puertillo.

Market watch
Apartments and land from €70.000 upwards including duplexes in the likes of Cardones and villas with amazing Atlantic views rising up to €2.500.000.

In Praise Of
“We moved to Arucas in the north of Gran Canaria four years ago from Dublin. In winter, there’s a fair amount of rain. Therefore, it’s much greener and a whole lot more locally-grown produce is available.
Arucas has lots to do for a young family, sports and cultural activities are abundant, and there are always concerts and fiestas happening. I work in the south of the island. When they finish the last leg of the GC1, my current commute of 50 mins will be down to 40.” Ivan Kelly (Southern Property Gran Canaria)

• Are you an expat in Arucas? What do you like/dislike about it? Let us know below.

Matthew Hirtes

Matthew Hirtes, our resident broadsheet journalist, moved to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria back in 2004. He’s travelled extensively through Spain, covering it for such publications as Telegraph Travel, Metro, and The Independent. The author of Going Local in Gran Canaria: How To Turn a Holiday Destination into a Home, Matthew truly is a resident expert.

Matthew writes for two sections of Spain Buddy: Moving to Spain and Spanish Football as well as providing Reviews