Bandama Caldera Crater

Address: Caldera de Bandama, near Santa Brígida, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain

Website: https://www.grancanaria.com/turism/

Hours: Open daily (daylight hours)

Admission: Free

Bandama Caldera is a volcanic crater on the eastern edge of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, located near the town of Santa Brígida. It is a well-known Holocene volcanic feature with a pronounced rim and a deep central depression.

A short, well-marked trail descends from the rim to the crater floor, and the rim viewpoint provides panoramic views across the 1-kilometre-wide hollow and out toward Las Palmas. The site combines accessible short walks with geological interest and visible archaeological remains on the rim.

The caldera formed during relatively recent volcanic activity on Gran Canaria and is part of the island’s volcanic field; the rim and surrounding slopes contain lava flows and scoria deposits. Human use of the rim and nearby slopes goes back to pre-Hispanic times, and later agricultural use has shaped the lower slopes.

Bandama sits in northeastern Gran Canaria, within the municipality of Santa Brígida, to the southwest of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. It is reached by road from nearby towns and serves as a roadside natural viewpoint for visitors to the island.

• Crater size: The crater is approximately 1 kilometre in diameter and around 200 metres deep, making it one of Gran Canaria’s most accessible volcanic craters.
• Archaeological interest: There are archaeological traces and evidence of pre-Hispanic settlements on and around the rim, visible at several locations near the viewpoint.

What to See#

• Pico de Bandama: A basaltic volcanic cone and summit viewpoint rising above the caldera rim, at about 569 metres above sea level, offering panoramic views over the crater and surrounding Gran Canaria landscape.
• Crater floor and inner slopes: The caldera floor, roughly 1 kilometre across and about 200 metres deep, which can be reached on foot by a marked path descending from the rim.
• Mirador del Pico de Bandama: A roadside viewpoint on the rim with parking and interpretation panels that provide the main access point for most visitors.

Bandama is a short drive from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria-take the GC-15 toward Santa Brígida and follow signs for the Mirador de la Caldera de Bandama. There is a small car park at the viewpoint; local buses from Las Palmas serve Santa Brígida, from which the crater is a short taxi ride.

• Park at the Mirador de La Caldera on the GC-15 for the classic view; the viewpoint is signed and has a short path to the crater rim.
• If descending into the caldera, wear sturdy shoes-the slope is steep and partly loose scoria.
• Combine the visit with a trip to the nearby Bandama golf course or the wine bars of Santa Brígida for a varied day.
• Avoid times of poor visibility-on hazy days the crater's scale is lost.