Gran Canaria

1+Beaches

0Cities

Year RoundBest Season

1+Activities & Attractions

Gran Canaria

Best: Year Round

Explore →

About

Discover Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is the third largest island in the Canary Islands and has the largest population. It's often described as a "continent in miniature" because it has so much variety to offer. The capital Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in the northeast of the island, is one of Spain's largest cities. The south coast of the island is now dominated by the tourist resorts which generate most of the island's economy. The centre of the island is mountainous, with the remains of ancient pine forests on the peaks. Maspalomas in the south of Gran Canaria is the tourist zone, with the largest variety of options for enjoying the island.

Explore

What to Experience in Gran Canaria

body of water

Beaches

Famous Beaches

1 to explore

Las Canteras

Cuisine

Taste of Gran Canaria...

Besides many good restaurants of different nationalities, the Canarian Cuisine is especially worth trying. Most restaurants serve local wines as well as Rioja. La Casa Vieja: (North area of Maspalomas) serve Canarian meals like Gofio, fish, squid rings, octopus with vinegar, Papas arrugadas con mojo (salted potatoes with a spicy mix), and grilled meat. In Las Palmas there are many excellent fish restaurants, specially along the coast near Las Canteras beach and El Confital in the neighborhood of La Isleta. An exquisite dish is Chancletes al limón, but many other local fresh fish are excellent too. Restaurant Ciao Ciao near the beach in Las Meloneras serves an Italian cuisine with good pizzas, meat and fish dishes. Restaurante Olivia in Puerto de Mogán serves well prepared local dishes near the yacht harbour in Puerto de Mogán. As an aside, when staying in the area of Playa del Inglés, expect to be regularly solicited by "waiters" who want you to eat at the restaurant they are working for. It can't be avoided but becomes slightly less annoying over time. The Yumbo Centrum dominates the centre of Playa del Inglés. It has dozens of restaurants, bars and clubs, many catering to the gay community, particularly on the higher floors. Some of the cheaper bars are on the Western side of the ground floor. Busy gay bars are Construction on the ground floor and Terry's Show and XL on the first floor.

Weather

Climate

The climate is subtropical semi-arid for most locations, but it may vary a lot depending on where you are going. For the main touristic resorts the weather is mostly comfortable. In Maspalomas there is normally 28-33°C in July at daytime, which drops to 21-24° by night. In winter, day temperature is normally 23° and by night 16-17°. Bad weather can occur, especially between mid-October and March. Temperatures can then drop to 11-12° and be quite windy. Arguineguín has the best climate, with the least wind, and is, due to its protected location, among the driest in winter too. Las Palmas has a bit of a different climate, and is sometimes clouded and rain might occur, even in May or June, but it is not very common. If you travel in winter take at least a thick jacket or two. If you plan to travel to the mountains bring or buy a scarf and gloves. The freezing point can be reached on Pozo de Las Nieves. In summertime, always bring a bottle of water during the day.

Plan Your Trip

Essential Information

Getting There

Multiple Options

If you are in the possession of a driver's licence, a rental car is the best option for discovering the remote locations on the island—see Canary Islands#By rental car for more information. In general, rental cars are available in all resorts. You can also rent a car at the airport — the rental offices are on the ground floor on the new wing for international departures. The public transportation system is well organized and economical. There are regular buses that go all over the island, most of the ones useful for tourists run through Avda. Tirajana in Playa del Inglés and head north to the Atlantico shopping centre or Las Palmas or along the coast towards Puerto Rico. To travel from Maspalomas to Las Palmas the fastest bus is 50, which also stops at the airport. From Playa del Ingles to and from the airport the fastest routes are 66 and 90. Contactless payment is accepted on all routes....

Travel Tips

Getting Around & Staying

Getting Around

Communication

Language & Talk

The official language of Gran Canaria is Spanish. However, one hears many people speaking English and German in the tourist areas. The local inhabitants speak Canario, a Spanish dialect characterized by a slightly more singing tone than the mainland, less clear pronunciation and incorporation of different verb tenses. Even for foreigners with a basic knowledge of Spanish, the varieties spoken on the islands can take some time getting used to. On Tenerife however, the pronunciation seems to be more neutral, and leans a bit more toward normalized Spanish. In a way is very similar to Chilean Spanish.

Stay Safe

Safety Information

Safety Overview

There is relatively little crime in the resorts, the main annoyance is drunks causing trouble. As anywhere, one should not leave valuables unattended on the beach. In Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, applying common sense for large cities is advisable. Some of the streets can be badly lit and the area around the harbour can be a bit threatening. In the south, young male pickpockets operate and often target older tourists. On the beach, African women vendors may try to put a bracelet on your wrist and then charge an exorbitant fee for it. Some of these women can be aggressive however, so always be on your guard. Scream "molestado!" if you have to and if you are forced into having to pay for bracelets, make sure you have a few small bills or change and convince them it's all you have. Male sex workers may approach male travellers for prostitution purposes. If you've been to Tenerife, you may be familiar with the so-called Lookey Lookey Men.

Gallery