This wonderful place is situated 150 km off the coast of Western Sahara in the Atlantic Ocean.
Seven major islands and six smaller form the Canary Islands. It is the second largest island of the Archipelago. People used to call Gran Canaria a “mini continent” because it has various climates, landscapes and it is located between three continents-Europe, Africa and America.
Thinking about going to visit Gran Canaria? We think it’s a great idea!
About Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria is located in the Canary Islands archipelago southeast of Tenerife and west of Fuerteventura.
Las Palmas
Its capital is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria also known as “Las Palmas”. It is in the north part. The population of the city is about 400,000. It is divided into four main areas.
The first is the district of Vegueta which is 500 years old. It is famous for the museums, theatres, the Cathedral.
The second area is the tourist area where we can see a beautiful beach with lots of restaurants and shops situated on the shore.
The next area is the port and the last is the University with more than 20,000 students in it.
Poema del Mar Aquarium
Visit Poema del Mar and be amazed by the spectacular biodiversity of the blue planet. Immerse yourself in 35 different freshwater and marine ecosystems and marvel at the colorful diversity of life.
The oversized aquarium is truly impressive, especially the aquarium cylinder. It is definitely worth spending an hour or two in the aquarium. Visitors are usually well spread out so it doesn’t feel crowded and you have a good view from all sides.
Have an unforgettable experience exploring the different habitats with all their curiosities and abilities of countless species of animals in the Amazon, the depths of the ocean, as well as fluorescent corals, deltas, beaches and mangroves.
Explore La Jungla – a luminescent space that replicates the macrothermal jungle of Barro Colorado in Panama’s Canal Zone – and marvel at the extraordinary biodiversity that manifests itself in a seemingly endless array of plant species.
Dive into the Arrecife, a large cylinder with more than 400,000 liters of water, and observe many colorful corals and fish species typical of Indo-Pacific aquarium systems.
Dive into the Deep Sea – a unique exhibit with perspective views from multiple vantage points into the deepest part of our oceans – and experience the wonders of these dark waters firsthand: Some 3,000 specimens of up to forty different species swim here!
Discover El Veril – An exhibition of Canary Islands flora and fauna makes this special aquarium an almost tangible natural phenomenon!
Price: 27 (children under 4 years free)
Opening hours: 09:30 – 17:30
Address: Poema del Mar, Sanapú Port, 35008, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Skip-the-line ticket
Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance
Pozo de Las Nieves
Not far away from it is located Pozo de Las Nieves. It is the highest peak of the island- 6431 feet above sea level. There we can see green forests, deep valleys with many kinds of tropical fruits and flowers. In the winter it covers up with white snow that makes the landscape perfect.
The weather in Gran Canaria
You have found the perfect destination – all year round!
As early as March, you can look forward to pleasant temperatures with seven hours of sunshine a day. Even at Christmas the water temperature is still 20°C. No wonder Gran Canaria is one of the most popular holiday destinations outside the high season.
Gran Canaria’s subtropical climate is mild and sunny all year round, with an impressive 300 days of sunshine. The ideal time to visit is from April to October, when daytime temperatures range from a pleasant 20 to 25 degrees Celsius. It should be noted that the north is slightly cooler than the south.
Gran Canaria, like all the other islands of the Canary Islands archipelago, lies within the trade wind belt. This means that visitors will always enjoy a pleasant subtropical climate, despite an average humidity of around 70%. The wind ensures that it never gets oppressively hot! Gran Canaria has a permanent spring!
Temperature extremes on this third largest of the Canary Islands range from a comfortable twenty to thirty degrees Celsius throughout the year. A remarkable feature is the volcanic mountain range: Up to two thousand meters high, it acts as a weather divide, creating a wetter northern part and a drier southern part! When clouds approach from the northeast, they rain down on the mountain slopes or hang low over the slopes of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria – “donkey bellies” as the locals say.
If you want to go hiking or biking, don’t forget to wear warmer clothes in the higher mountain areas, as the temperature drops by about one degree Celsius for every hundred meters of altitude. It can be considerably cooler in the interior. Most of the rainfall occurs in the higher mountain regions.
In summer, the difference in temperature and climate between the north and the south can be even more pronounced, when the Saharan winds cause temperatures in the south to rise above 30° C, although this phenomenon rarely lasts more than two days.
In addition to the two main climatic zones, Gran Canaria has numerous microclimatic zones. They are created by the different altitudes as well as by the deep ravines (barrancos) in the interior of the island!
The various climates, good wind conditions and the warm temperature of the water make Gran Canaria a real paradise spot. It’s a perfect place for sailing and other water sports. On its shores (about 240 km long) you can do everything- from shopping to partying.
The infrastructure of Gran Canaria is also well developed. This is a result from the good weather conditions. No matter what you want to do there you can do it. You can swim, sail, dive, and go fishing in the waters of the ocean. You can also enjoy the luxury of the yachts that are offered for rent.
Where to stay when you visit Gran Canaria
Puerto de Mogan
When we talk about the resorts in Gran Canaria we need to say that Puerto de Mogan is probably the most beautiful one. It is situated on the south-west coast of Gran Canaria.
It is a great place and it is nowadays called Little Venice. It is full of nice yachts and has many little bridges. The window panes of the houses there are painted in beautiful shades of green, yellow and red. You can see flowers and greenery anywhere in the city.
In the past, Puerto de Mogan was mainly dependent on fishing. There are still a few fishermen who go out early in the morning. However, many residents have realized that tourism can also be a lucrative business. Many small shops and restaurants have sprung up, serving culinary delicacies to Central European tourists or selling souvenirs of their stay. In the center you can have a meal in extravagant restaurants; there are bars and shops everywhere.
The beach there is well protected from the Atlantic wind and waves so you can perfectly enjoy resting there. The beach of Puerto de Mogan is simply beautiful – with its golden brown sand it literally invites you to sunbathe! On weekends and during holiday periods it is a bit busier than usual, but during the week you can always find a quiet corner to relax.
Playa del Ingles
Most tourists stay in one of the resorts on the south coast when they visit Gran Canaria, others go to Playa del Ingles, which is full of dunes and beaches of golden sand.
It is one of the most famous and visited beaches of Gran Canaria. It is visited by more than 2.000.000 tourists every year.
Playa del Inglés is located in the south of the island. With almost three kilometers of golden sand and calm waters, it borders the Maspalomas Dunes Natural Park and offers numerous hotel complexes and apartments for accommodation. Along the beach there are several areas for family activities such as volleyball or beach soccer, as well as special offers for children.
As a large part of the tourist center of Playa del Ingles, this beach extends from the southern part to Punta de Maspalomas. The northern end of the beach is an ideal family beach with many accommodation options, umbrella rentals, showers, etc., while further towards the Punta you will find more wild nature – including surf spots & nudist areas!
Maspalomas
The beach of Maspalomas, in the south of Gran Canaria, is one of the few places where the sky, sea and sand come together in a paradise.
Close to the historic lighthouse, tourists can visit the numerous shops or take a break while enjoying the view of the sea. Every day, the wind and the sand create a new landscape with breathtaking sunsets over the ocean.
This quiet Atlantic beach offers visitors comfort and various services for a relaxing vacation. The exceptional atmosphere will delight anyone looking for a relaxing vacation – there are many accommodations to choose from!
The dune landscape is reminiscent of a desert: let yourself be enchanted and forget the hustle and bustle of the city!
San Augustin
A relaxing beach vacation in Gran Canaria awaits you at the beach of San Agustin in the resort of the same name. Here you will find a wide range of accommodations and services without being overrun by tourist crowds.
Just a few kilometers from the busier Playa del Inglés is the volcanic sand beach, more than 600 meters long. The beach’s golden waters also have little current and gentle waves – ideal for splashing around with kids!
The quiet sandy beach is ideal for a relaxing day in the sun and also offers one of the largest thalassotherapy centers on the island.
The beach promenade also attracts with numerous cafes, restaurants as well as bars for the small hunger in between or to treat yourself after a long bathing day in the evening. For the necessary relaxation, rented deck chairs including umbrella, free parking and showers are also available.
There is also a good bus connection between Maspalomas and the beach area – so nothing stands in the way of a dream day!
Puerto Rico
Quality of life with an ocean view!
Start your day with the ocean and enjoy a delicious breakfast on the beach. The Puerto Rico Resort offers you many advantages for a relaxing stay in the sun.
Puerto Rico, located in the south of Gran Canaria, is known for its white houses that stretch along the slopes to the coast. The sea here is calm all year round and invites you to watch dolphins during a boat trip or excursion from the marina.
Puerto Rico’s 280-meter-long golden sand beach in Mogán is ideal for families: while the children splash around in safety, parents can relax in the warm sand. The sheltered beach is always calm and can be used for swimming at any time.
Puerto Rico Beach is equipped with sunbeds and umbrellas, and with a variety of shops and services nearby, you can spend the whole day here! You can retire under the shady trees to read a book or take a kayak tour through the water while keeping your drinks cool.
Numerous shopping centers offer culinary delights as well as cafes & bars to make your stay in Puerto Rico even more enjoyable. The golf course, only five minutes away, is ideal for beginners and the good public transport connections make it easy for residents of Gran Canaria to choose this place as a holiday destination!
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Tamadaba Natural Park
Gran Canaria, one of the islands in the Canary Islands archipelago, is a true paradise for nature lovers. There are numerous tropical landscapes to discover and the entire island has even been declared a Biosphere Reserve.
In Gran Canaria, the Tamadaba, Pilancones, Inagua and Oscuro ravines, the Nublo and Doramas nature parks and the Maspalomas dunes are particularly well known, all of which are nature parks or protected areas with breathtaking flora and fauna.
The Tamadaba Nature Park covers an area of 7,500 hectares in the west of the island. It is located within the Western Gran Canaria Biosphere Reserve, declared by UNESCO.
The area of the National Park is the beauty of the west coast of Gran Canaria.
Here visitors can admire endemic pine forests, dizzying cliffs on almost inaccessible coasts or experience an extraordinary biodiversity in the ravines.
A twenty-minute drive on the highway from Artenara will take you to Llanos de la Mimbre – the park’s mountaintop recreation area, where you can picnic under the pine trees before enjoying the spectacular views from the summit of Pico de la Bandera.
Further down, the road from Aldea de San Nicolás leads to the Mirador del Balcón – an unobstructed view of dragon-tailed cliffs or the secluded Playa de Guayedra beach at the foot of a palm-lined ravine.
All the factors of the climate, the beauty of the nature, the perfect infrastructure turns Gran Canaria into one of the best places for living on Earth.
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