Attractions on Gran Canaria
Summary
Gran Canaria, despite its name, is actually the third largest of the Canary
Islands, behind Tenerife and Fuerteventura, and, indeed, is situated
between those two islands, in the Atlantic Ocean, much closer to the
nearest point on the African continent than that in Europe. The island is
well-known for its temperate, all-year round, climate, with temperatures
possibly as high as 28 degrees Celsius in summer, and rarely below 19
degrees Celsius, even during the winter months. Rainfall, too, is sparse,
and limited to the spring, autumn and winter months.
Attractions
In the north of the island, Arehucas, situated beneath a, thankfully, dormant
volcano, is home to the Fabrica y Museo Del Ron, the major rum production
facility, and a museum dedicated to the process, and history, of rum
making. Architectural attractions here include the Parish Church of San
Juan Bautista the patron saint of the region, also commemorated with a
lively, annual fiesta, on the 24th of June.
Las Palmas, itself, features the Caso de Colon literally "House of
Columbus" a museum commemorating the visit of Christopher Columbus to the
island, en route to the Americas, and also the main, "Museo Canario"
museum, dedicated to the history of Gran Canaria, from prehistoric
times.
Enthusiasts of nature, and natural history, will find much to interest and
entertain them, on Gran Canaria. The north of the island features the
"Parque de los Crocodilo" unsurprisingly, home to crocodiles, alligators
and many other species and "Reptilandia" again, as the name suggests,
featuring many attractions of a cold-blooded nature, including the fearsome
Komodo dragon. Further south, Palmitos Park features a, perhaps, more
sedate, feast of fauna and flora.
Other "manmade" attractions include Pueblo Canaria, the brainchild of local
artist Nestor Martin-Fernandez, and his vision of a stylised island
village, and, of course, a distinctive cuisine, in which seafood locally
caught sea bass, swordfish, or tuna, for example features very
highly.
Gran Canaria, nowadays, is extremely accessible, via direct, international
flights, from all major airports in the UK, and from mainland Spain, by
air, or by ferry. Indeed, the "Aeropuerto de Gran Canaria", situated some
10, or so, miles, from the capital, Las Palmas, is the busiest airport in
the Canary Islands. Property in
Gran Canaria is, therefore, a very desirable commodity, whether it be
for a holiday home, or on a "buy-to-let" basis, or, perhaps, a combination
of the two.
User comments about Attractions in Gran Canaria:
If you know something about Attractions in Gran Canaria or if you have something special to offer about Attractions in Gran Canaria help us to improve this information with your tips and experiences.
Gregory, 5.03.10
Gran Canaria offers many possibilities to know the isle and culture. You can hike or make boat excursions and visit important monuments.
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