The Valle de Agaete is the green valley that rises behind the town towards the mountains of Gran Canaria's interior. Unlike the arid south coast, this northwest-facing valley catches enough moisture from the trade winds to support lush cultivation: banana plantations, papaya, citrus, avocado, and — uniquely in Europe — commercial coffee. The Agaete coffee (Café de Agaete) is grown on small terraced plots at altitude and is considered one of the rarest coffees on the continent.
A drive or walk up the valley rewards with increasingly dramatic views back over the coast and plenty of local colour — small farms, old houses, terraced gardens climbing the hillsides. The villages of Los Berrazales and Agaete town itself are worth pausing at. The thermal springs at Los Berrazales feed a small spa hotel if you want an excuse to linger.