Friday, 04 December 2015 08:09

Tip Of The Day: Ask To See The Secret Military Bunker At Bandama

The Bandama viewpoint hides a secret military bunker The Bandama viewpoint hides a secret military bunker www.photosgrancanaria.com

The neo-Canarian visitor centre at the top of the Pico de Bandama volcano hides a secret from Spain's time as a military dictatorship.

The building, pretty as it is, was built in the early 1940s not as a visitor centre but as an elaborate cover for a military observation point. Spanish dictator Franco was convinced that the British planned to invade the Canary Islands (they nearly did) and built a series of defensive bunkers around the coastline. The Bandama viewpoint, with its panoramic views of the east coast, was the perfect place to spot an invasion fleet and warn the island's defences. 

Once the war ended, the bunker was sealed and remained in military hands until the 1980s. When the visitor centre was refurbished, workers found the observation shaft and the secret was out.

The bunker has now been renovated and you can visit it by asking the staff at the visitor centre to open the door. It's small, but there is a fun 12-minute film all about Bandama's history projected onto the wall. 

Definitely worthwhile and just one of the many things you can do at Bandama

Published in Tip of the day

Join the Gran Canaria Info newsletter list

endanlfifrdeisitnoplptruessv

 

 

Follow us on Facebook

Tip of the day

  • Tip Of The Day: Avoid Bank Card Charges By Paying In Euros
    Tip Of The Day: Avoid Bank Card Charges By Paying In Euros

    Save money and avoid rip-off bank charges while in Gran Canaria by paying in euros when using your credit or debit card.

    Many bars and restaurants in Gran Canaria, and in almost all European holiday destinations, give you the option of paying in euros or in your home currency. Opting for your own currency, while it may seem like the safer option, can add as much as 5% to the bill as it triggers dynamic currency conversion. 

    DCC basically means that the exchange rate is calculated at point of sale rather than by your bank. It allows you to see the total cost of the transaction in your own currency but adds up to 5% to the total because it uses a terrible exchange rate. 

    Since the extra money is shared between your bank and the merchant, some places will automatically bill you in your own currency and hope you don't notice. You have the legal right to refuse and void the transaction should this happen. 

    ATMs too

    The same applies when taking money out of ATM machines in Gran Canaria (and anywhere in Europe); Always choose the local currency option to avoid losing money to poor exchange rates.

    If you opt for the local currency option, using bank ATMs is often the cheapest and safest way of getting euros in Gran Canaria. It's far safer than having a big pile of euros hidden in your room or tucked into your shorts.

    More details in this Daily Telegraph article.

Latest articles

Who's Online

We have 5462 guests and no members online

Login / Register

Take this website to the max, login or create an account now! By clicking on any Social Media platform logo, you can login with just one click.