Canary Islands

Gran Canaria

A miniature continent

A miniature continent, that's one of the most apt descriptions of this wonderful island that stands out for the variety of its landscapes and its micro climates. You can relax or have fun on one of its beaches, enjoy a day in the countryside at the summit or stroll through a large cosmopolitan city that will delight shopping enthusiasts.

The island has 236 kilometres of coastline, 60 kilometres of which are beaches. The carnivals are one of the island's tourist attractions and the Drag Gala, its most important event, promotes the island's name on an international level. Every day on Gran Canaria can be an experience.

Historic centre of Vegueta: from museums to a tapas route every Thursday, in the old town of Vegueta you can find everything including one of the oldest markets in the archipelago.

Las Canteras beach: without leaving Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, we find one of the best urban beaches in Europe. Las Canteras is located right in the centre and stretches along several kilometres of golden sand. You can stroll along the sand or along its spectacular promenade full of restaurants and cafés.

Maspalomas: dunes This 400 hectare oasis is located in Playa del Inglés. Maspalomas is noted for its biodiversity, an excellent beach, a palm forest and a brackish lagoon that is a real treasure for birds.

Pintada cave: one of the most important archaeological sites on the island and in the Canary Islands. A museum and an archaeological park have been built around it to ensure its conservation and to continue research into the ancient inhabitants of Gran Canaria.

Nublo rock: one of the largest rocks in the world. This rock is of volcanic origin and rises more than 1,800 metres above sea level.

Barranco de Guayadeque: this ravine is located between Agüimes and Ingenio and is one of the largest in the Canary Islands. There are still archaeological and prehistoric remains in its interior. It is the perfect place to spend a day with the family and take a break for lunch in the famous cave restaurants where you can sample some of the traditional Canary Island cuisine. They usually specialise in meat.

Wines and cheeses of the island: Gran Canaria is famous for its great collection of typical wines and for its irresistible cheeses. They can be found in most traditional Canary Island restaurants. It is ideal as a starter, either fresh or roasted.

Potajes y pucheros: watercress stew is the most widely consumed stew in the archipelago because watercress is the star ingredient in many Canary Island recipes. On the other hand, the puchero (stew) is one of the most complete dishes of Canary Island gastronomy.

Fried or grilled fish with wrinkled potatoes and mojo (green): The typical fish of the island is vieja. It is often eaten with wrinkled or boiled potatoes with green mojo.

Black Canary Island pig: the meat of this native breed is highly appreciated by the local population and there is currently a great demand for its products. Be sure to try it if you have the option – its meat is very tasty.

Gofio escaldado: gofio is a mixture of toasted and ground grains with a little salt. It is very common to mix it with a little fish stock to obtain a puree or a cream with a unique flavour. The way it is prepared may vary from one island to another.

Sancocho: the dish of the fiestas. It is traditionally one of the star recipes of Good Friday. It is a dish of salted fish, usually wreckfish, parboiled (cooked) and is always accompanied by parboiled potatoes and pellas (kneaded balls) of gofio and mojo.

It is an island rich in history, from the first settlers of whom little is known to this day, to its role in the conquest of the New World, being one of the islands where Christopher Columbus arrived. It has also been the birthplace of great artists such as Benito Pérez Galdós.

If you're on the island in February or March, you can't miss the famous carnivals in the Canary Islands' capital. Every year it attracts thousands of people and the Drag Queen contest is its biggest spectacle.