Gran Canaria – Online

Gran Canaria, being the most popular of all the Canary Islands, is known for its party-scene. However, tourists should not miss all the beautiful calm places the island also has to offer.

Gran Canaria’s landscape varies from desert, like dunes, over pinewoods to ~2000m high mountains in the centre of the island. The big variety of landscapes available on this relatively small island invites visitors to go hiking or even to discover by backpacking.

In additon, the cathedral of Santa Ana and the boulevard Calle Mayor de Triana in Las Palmas, the capital of the island, are very popular destinations for culture-interested visitors.

The Palmitos Park near Maspalomas is a beautiful botanical garden which also acommodates monkeys, crocodiles, an orchid house, an aquarium with different species of fishes and coral displays, and Europe’s largest butterfly house.

The best place for surfing on Gran Canaria I can recommend is Castillo del Romeral, placed on Gran Canaria’s east coast.

About three kilometers from the center of Castillo del Romeral you just have to follow the path in southern direction to get to this surfers paradise.

You will be suprised! Alltough this place is not that far away from Playa Ingles, it is not that touristy.

Near the rocky beach along the surfing spot you can find a nice little lake with lots of birds and little fishes.

And if you should become hungry by surfing, take a look at all these tiny seafood restaurant along the coast or just ask one of the locals where you could get something special to eat.

Gran Canaria offers some unique sailing opportunities for anyone who enjoys the ocean and wants to see the island from a truly different perspective.

You can pick from anything really – sailboat or catamaran are the most usual posibilities. The many harbors and marinas along the island offer something for anybodys taste.

Excursions for a whole day are a popular break from relaxing on the beach and you can choose to either explore the waters close to the island and get some spectacular views, or go out further and really get your feet wet in the clear, blue ocean.

One of the most popular cruises are trips to watch dolphins. The boats are usually equipped with binoculars for early spotting of these majestic animals.

Few other places in Europe offer such a unique opportunity and you’re always welcome to go snorkeling or diving and explore the mysteries of the sea.

Dinner cruises are a personal favorite as there is almost nothing that compares to seeing a beautiful sunset when you’re out on the ocean. Throw in good music and a wonderful meal and you truly have a perfect evening.

If you visit Gran Canaria, you must absolutely go to see the peddlar market in San Mateo on Sundays.

The truckers sell their products: every kind of vegetables, fruits, healing plants, flowers, etc.

Best of all their specialities is “chorizo del teror ” (a very hot paprika sausage). Then you can drive by Tejeda in direction to La Cumbre and enjoy a miraculous view.

It´s really worth visiting markets on Gran Canaria with their typical atmosphere and their valuable products and traditional specialities.

If you are interested in getting in touch with native canarian people you should visit the nothern coast of the island.

In Arucas they are distilling original canarian rum. You should have a shot at this. It’s delicous!

Between Gáldar and Agaete you will find a lot of caves. These are the places, the aboriginal Canarians, called “Guanches“, were living in.

The most spectacular one, I think, is the “Cueva Pintada” placed in Gáldar. You will discover cave-paintings in white, red and black colour.

The biggest cave you will see in Tunte (San Bartolomé de Tirajana), which has been the aboriginals living room and granary.