Agüimes

Agüimes is one of the island's most picturesque small towns.

The old town, or casco historico, is best seen in the mid-afternoon, when there's little traffic. It´s best to park just outside the centre, as the older part of the town is a maze of one-way streets, some of which are extremely narrow.

Many of the buildings around the square have been carefully restored. There are some good cafes if you fancy stopping for a coffee and a snack. There's also a small but pretty hotel with a restaurant.

Look out for the life-size bronze statue of a donkey - homage to an animal which was one of the main forms of transport for goods in earlier times.

In a side-street, there's another life-size bronze - this time it's a camel.

You're unlikely to spend more than 45 minutes or so walking round the town, so it's a good idea to combine this with a visit to the barranco of Guayadeque.

Agüimes isn't quite such a sleepy place as it may appear, as it's the administrative centre for the district which includes the big industrial estate and port at Arinaga.