Visit Gran Canaria

The third largest of the Canary Islands, Gran Canaria is known as the 'miniature continent' because of its sheer diversity. Only 130 miles from Africa, it has a perfect year-round climate, crystal clear waters, white sands, high peaks and green valleys. With family friendly resorts, fabulous golf courses, a buzzing nightlife and a fascinating local culture, Gran Canaria is an unbeatable mix.

Image Gallery Gran Canaria © www.grancanaria.com

Eating & Drinking


There are a huge choice of eateries in Playa De; Inglis ranging from English and Irish-style pubs, fast-food joints, and steakhouses to speciality seafood restaurants and upmarket hotel restaurants. There are also lots of fast food restaurants and "British food" options in Puerto Rico as well as pavement cafes and restaurants.

There are dozens of bars and clubs heavily concentrated in the commercial centres and most hotels have nightclubs and/or evening shows too.

Entertainment


Sports are wide and varied on Gran Canaria. The pleasant all-year-round climate makes it an excellent location for golf. One of the most popular courses is in Las Palmas but there are plenty to choose from and new courses are being built all the time, as demand grows. The island's rugged volcanic rock formations also make it a fantastically challenging location for rock climbing. There's plenty of overhangs, vertical cliffs, gullies and rock needles for the serious climber. There's also karting, cycling, horse-riding and various water sports including windsurfing, diving and deep-sea fishing.

There are also a few commercial centres in the big resorts for holidaymakers looking to take advantage of some duty free shopping.

Sioux City theme park in San Agustin is a recreation of the American Wild West with shoot 'em ups, can-can girls and plenty of cowboys, while Holiday World in Maspalomas is a more traditional affair with white-knuckle roller coasters and a Ferris wheel. There are also several water parks where you can spend an entire day splashing in various pools, slides and river rapids.

The famous dunes of Maspalomas are well worth a visit. Covering more than 4,000 hectares, they have been esignated as a national park and contain many varieties of wildlife - especially sand lizards. Camel rides over the dunes are an eventful and memorable experience for those who dare!

The surrounding area


The major northern cathedral city of Aracus is famous for its great architectural heritage - as well as rum! The biggest sugar cane rum factory in the Islands is here and regular trips are arranged to sample the products. You will find the tropical Jardin de Hesperidesand, and from the city's highest peak, Montaña de Arucas, you can enjoy good island views on a clear day.