Gran Canaria

STORY ISLAND

Also known as "miniature continent", Gran Canaria stands out for its marked contrasts. In the same day we can enjoy wonderful beaches surrounded by dune fields and climb to the peaks covered with Canary Island pine forests, whose greenery stands out against the dark volcanic substratum.

...And on the way you will find deep ravines, valleys, imposing rocks and volcanic calderas, impressive cliffs... incredible places to walk along paths and stop to contemplate the landscapes that open up before your eyes. Or also from the comfort of your car or public transport, because Gran Canaria has an extensive and well-maintained road network.

GRAND CANARY

The western half of Gran Canaria is a Biosphere Reserve.

Like the rest of the Canary Islands, it is blessed with an enviable climate, an eternal spring that invites you to live intensely its rich nature and diversity of landscapes, its charming seaside and inland towns, its traditions, culture and history. Also the modernity of the tourist and urban centres such as Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Gran Canaria. The cosmopolitan and lively capital holds one of the most precious jewels of the island that always surprises the visitor. Would you like to get to know it?

Gran Canaria completes its innumerable offer with a wide range of cultural, leisure and sporting activities, as well as a wide range of accommodation, restaurants, commercial establishments and wellness centres.

An eternal spring that invites you to live intensely its rich nature and diversity of landscapes, its charming seaside and inland towns, its traditions, culture and history.

Which beach are we going to today?

Undoubtedly, the beaches are at the top of the list of attractions that the city has to offer. Gran Canaria. There is something for everyone: large, small coves, lively, secluded, golden sandy beaches.

In the south are the largest, with calm waters and mostly white sand. As they are located in the main tourist centres, they have all the services, as well as being the easiest to access.

Those in the north are quite different: small coves of dark sand or volcanic rock, with more waves and some with more complicated access, although there is also the option of cooling off in cosy natural pools. They are, however, beautiful and wild beaches, capable of making us connect with nature in its purest state.

One of the best urban beaches in Europe, Las Canteras, is located in the heart of the capital of the island of Tenerife. Gran Canaria.

In the natural heart of the island

Gran Canaria is much more than sun and beach. It is also nature and rugged landscapes of great beauty, such as the one in the heart of the island presided over by Roque Nublo, an imposing volcanic monolith that can be reached by a path suitable for almost everyone. From this natural vantage point, the views are breathtaking.

Crowning the grandiose cliffs of the northwest of the island, a landscape known as the "dragon's tail", is the Tamadaba Natural Park, one of the best-preserved primeval Canary Island pine forests in the Canary Islands, together with Inagua, the refuge of the blue chaffinch, a small bird exclusive to this island.

These and many other attractions of great scenic value are included in the Biosphere Reserve, a vast territory that occupies a significant area of the island. Nature, the traditional work typical of these areas, accommodation and tourism activities of a rural nature coexist under a sustainable and respectful strategy aimed at guaranteeing their survival.

Natural and rural areas that can be explored thanks to the extensive network of trails that cross endemic pine forests and ravines, run alongside large freshwater reservoirs or lava flows... Environments where we can also find charming hamlets and villages where we can stop to recharge our batteries with traditional gastronomic products or simply chat with the friendly and hospitable locals.

Getting to know welcoming villages and hamlets 

Away from the bustling urban and tourist centres of the coast, in the interior of the Gran Canaria we find quiet villages and hamlets where everything happens unhurriedly. These are places of peace where the concept of "time" takes on another dimension, the one that allows us to connect with the simple life, and where traditions are still deeply rooted. 

One of these places with such a special charm is Tejeda, the Gran Canarian town that is part of the The most beautiful villages in Spain. There must be a reason for this. Here you will find the Parador Nacional de la Cruz de Tejeda, a modern hotel perfectly integrated in the surroundings and from where you can see one of the most beautiful landscapes of the island. Very close to Tejeda is Artenara, the highest village on the island. Gran Canarialocated at the gates of the lush pine forest of Tamadaba.

Tejeda is part of "The most beautiful villages of Spain".

Another essential visit takes us to the beautiful historic centres of Santa Lucía de Tirajana and Agüimes or Fataga, with their exuberant palm groves and white houses that have preserved the rural architecture of the past. Gran Canaria. Further north we reach Teror to see its basilica and the beautiful balconies typical of the houses that surround the square, and Arucas, whose centre, declared to be of historical and artistic interest, houses a magnificent architectural work, the Parish Church of San Juan Bautista, with its rich stonework and glass windows. 

The list of villages and hamlets dotted around the island is endless. Visiting them is undoubtedly the best way to get to know the identity and idiosyncrasy of the island. Gran Canaria. 

On a cultural tour of museums

It is practically impossible to find a town on the island without at least one museum, although it is the capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, which has the widest and most varied offer. In the heart of the city's magnificent historic quarter, a visit to the Canary Island Museum is a must. This museum shows different aspects of the life of the aborigines, with very curious pieces such as the collection of skulls and mummies; the Casa de Colón, a unique building which, as well as bearing witness to Christopher Columbus' passage through the island, also shows the history of the Canaries and their relations with America; and the CAAM (Atlantic Centre of Modern Art), with exhibitions of artists from Europe, America and Africa linked to contemporary culture. For those with a passion for technology and science, the Elder Museum is a must.

In the rest of the island we can discover true curiosities such as the Casas Cuevas de Artenara Ethnographic Museum, housed in an old dwelling that was probably the dwelling of the aboriginal inhabitants. The museum displays furniture and domestic objects whose simplicity connects us with the modest life of yesteryear. Other ethnographic establishments are the Museum of History and Traditions in Tejeda, where, among other singularities, there is a recreation of an old grocery shop and all kinds of objects, or the Museo de la Rama in Agaete, dedicated to one of the best known and most popular festivals in the Islands, which is attended by thousands of people every summer.

A route that will provide the perfect excuse to explore Gran Canaria and discover its history and culture.

Discover fascinating archaeological sites

The island conserves an important part of its historical and archaeological heritage, vestiges that help us to know and understand better the culture and way of life of the ancestors who inhabited Gran Canaria.

A good example of this is the cultural landscape of Risco Caído and the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria, declared World Heritage Sites, which gives an idea of the value of these areas. It is an extensive mountainous area in the centre of the island that bears the traces of a unique cultural process that evolved over more than 1,500 years with hardly any outside influence, from its Berber roots in North Africa to the Castilian conquest.

In the north of Gran Canaria we find a jewel of Canarian archaeology: the Cueva Pintada de Gáldar Museum and Archaeological Park, a settlement of more than fifty houses and artificial caves that formed part of a pre-Hispanic settlement. One of the caves contains an exceptional example of Aboriginal mural painting. Also in this area is the Maipés de Agaete Archaeological Park, a huge and spectacular volcanic rock field surrounded by the beauty of the valley, which the aborigines used as a burial site.

Guayadeque, one of the largest and most beautiful ravines in the southeast of the island, is of great archaeological value. It preserves numerous caves that were used by the ancient settlers of Great Canary. Another interesting archaeological site is La Fortaleza, which has an interpretation centre where we can discover the daily life of the island's aborigines, as well as the cave houses where they lived, a model of housing that is still preserved today.

And these are just some of the witnesses of the past that fortunately have come down to us to know, value and respect. 

The Cultural Landscape of Fallen Crag and the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria is a World Heritage Site.

The Cueva Pintada de Gáldar Museum and Archaeological Park, a settlement of more than fifty houses and artificial caves that formed part of a pre-Hispanic settlement.

Pamper yourself on the wellness island

Gran Canaria is well known in Europe as a health destination. Back in the 19th century, travellers from the mainland came to the island to recuperate from all kinds of ailments thanks to its mild climate. Over the years, the concept of rest and recuperation has evolved, but revitalisation and the resulting physical and mental well-being are still guaranteed on the island.

Sand, sun, sea, fresh air, volcanic stones, modern treatments and facilities, qualified professionals. Gran Canaria has everything you need to pamper yourself, take time to recharge your batteries and come back refreshed, either in one of the many wellness centres on the island or on a relaxing stroll at sunset, breathing in the sea breeze or the fresh air of the forests.

Practice your favourite sport

There is no sport that can resist this territory surrounded by the sea and with a spring-like climate all year round. If it also has all kinds of facilities and services to practice it, we have no excuses to spend some time exercising our bodies. 

The options are endless: play golf on modern courses while enjoying the ocean breeze, ride a board and deal with the waves and the wind, ride a mountain bike and ride the trails provided for this purpose, run on the shore of the beach, swim in crystal clear waters, climb mountains suitable for all levels. It doesn't matter how fit you are. At Gran Canaria there is sport for everyone.

And there's still the night! 

The fun and entertainment continues when daylight fades on the island. If you still have energy left, the tourist centres and the capital in particular offer countless options to choose from. Restaurants, terraces, leisure centres, fashionable bars, cinemas and shows. All the plans to experience the lively nightlife as well.

In summer it's easy to find a lively fiesta in the island's coastal and inland towns. However, if you prefer something quieter, in Gran CanariaAs a Starlight Tourist Destination, it is possible to take part in astro-tourism activities and enjoy an outing with specialised guides to observe the stars.