The riscos

San Nicolás, San Juan, San Roque, San Antonio and San Francisco—five picturesque, working-class neighbourhoods with a strong identity—rise above the old town, climbing uphill in clusters of self-built homes, bursting with colour and constantly watching over the city centre below.

These are the riscos, the result of the city’s spontaneous growth, offering a postcard-perfect image of houses perched on mountains and slopes. This distinctive scene was captured on canvas by the indigenist painter Jorge Oramas and has, in recent years, attracted the attention of photographers and visitors, who have documented the striking colour palette and layout of the homes in these neighbourhoods.

Walking through them is like entering a maze of steep lanes and stairways that wind up and down, revealing views of the city and the Atlantic every few steps. It is a wonderful way to discover the most down-to-earth side of the capital of Gran Canaria.