GRAN CANARIA TRAVEL GUIDE - CANARY ISLANDSIf you are looking for a holiday hotel, apartment or villa in Gran Canaria, the following information may help by giving you an overview on the Canary Island of Gran Canaria.
Most people come to Gran Canaria for its abundant sunshine and its golden beaches. They head for the south and the guaranteed rain-free resorts such as
Playa del Ingles,
Maspalomas and
Puerto Rico. Here, the pleasures of sun and rest and recreation often prove so seductive that some never set foot outside their resort except to catch the plane back home. Thus they miss the one essential characteristic of Gran Canaria - its diversity.
Gran Canaria is the third largest of the seven major Canary Islands - the largest are
Tenerife and
Fuerteventura. It is a circular, volcanic island which last erupted seriously about 3,000 years ago. The land comes steeply down from the high central peaks, with vast barrancos - dry water courses or ravines - running to the coast like the spokes of a wheel.
Golden sands and blue seas are the essence of Gran Canaria for most visitors, but there are increasing numbers of people who come here to windsurf, sail, fish, ride, play golf, mountain-bike, or paraglide. Walkers and botanists find the island irresistable. As for nightlife, there is enough choice of clubs, cabarets, pubs, discos and casinos to satisfy any taste, and at any decibel level.
LOCATION OF GRAN CANARIA:The Canary Islands are divided into Eastern and Western provinces, with Gran Canaria in the east [along with
Lanzarote and
Fuerteventura].
SERVING AIRPORTS:Gran Canaria [LPA]
Flight time from the UK: Approximately 4 hours.
BEACHES IN GRAN CANARIA:Gran Canaria has a variety of beaches which will suit all tastes. The more popular beaches can get very crowded, but if you are seeking a secluded spot, there's enough sand on the coastline to give everyone their own bit of space.
Playa del Ingles, in the south of Gran Canaria, is probably the most famous beach on the island and is also one of the busiest throughout the year. It stretches for nearly 3km and is lined with bars, restaurants, hotels and shops. Adjoining this beach is
Maspalomas - arguably the most beautiful on the island with fine white sand stretching for 6km. The beaches here are well served by bars, restaurants and sports centres, especially at Faro de Maspalomas.
A little northwest along the coast, you will find the popular resort of
Puerto Rico with its crescent shaped sandy beach and sports harbour. A more peaceful bay can be found west of
Puerto Rico at
Playa de los Amadores where ball games and radios are banned. Sunbeds are available for hire and there is a good selection of bars and restaurants behind the beach.
A short way west is the fishing port of Puerto Mogan with its traffic tree village of local-style houses and narrow alleyways. This quiet resort has an excellent protected beach which is perfect for young children.
In the north of the island there is the wonderful beach of Playa de las Canteras which is to the west of the island's capital - Las Palmas. The beach is 3km of golden sand, flanked by a promenade.
SHOPPING IN GRAN CANARIA:LAS PALMAS : Shops are open from 10:00 to 13:30 or 14:00, and then from 16:30 to 20:00. The department store El Corte Ingles in Las Palmas on Avenida Mesa y Lopez, is open all day.
If it is shopping centres you want, try Las Arenas at the west end of Las Canteras Beach in Las Palmas. On three levels, it caters for a wide range of tastes, from fashion to traditional gifts, from books to jewellery. There are plenty of restaurants plus sea views. The biggest centre is at La Ballena, 3km out of town on the road to
Teror, complete with hydermarket and more than 100 shops.
The best places to shop in
Las Palmas are the streets around the Parque Santa Catalina and in the Triana district, particularly the pedestrianised Calle Mayor de Triana and the small streets off it.
RESORT SHOPPING: Shopping can be bizarre experience in the sourthern resorts because, with the exception of
Puerto de Mogan, the activity is concentrated in the giant shopping/restaurant/entertainment malls called centros comerciales, rather than in shops on streets. Nobody will be surprised if you bargain over the prices quoted for goods on sale in the centros comerciales. You can take the opportunity to haggle over items such as perfumes, leather goods, T-shirts, towels, clothes, electronic products, etc.
Most of the ceramics sold on the island are made in the traditional manner and to traditional designs. These are generally simple objects of everyday use, like bowls, plates or jugs.
EATING OUT IN GRAN CANARIA:Spaniards love eating out, and Canarians are no exception. Given the number of visitors to Gran Canaria, it is no surprise that the island offers every kind of Spanish and European food. However, Canarian food is rather different: country cooking, revealing a deep love for the island's own ingredients.
Main DishesTop of the list and found everywhere are
papas arrugadas [wrinkly potatoes]. These are small potatoes, boiled in their skins in water and coarse salt. They are eaten with a sauce called mojo. Mojo verde [green] is made with oil, vinegar, garlic, cumin, coriander and parsley. Mojo rojo [red] is with paprika instead of the coriander and parsley; and there is mojo picon, with a bracing dose of chilli. These dishes are also served with meat and fish. Other rustic dishes on the Gran Canarian menu include rabbit, usually served in stews, and hearty sancocho, a great favourite in bars and simple eateries. Sancocho consists of salt fish, usually in chunks, soaked and boiled, and served with papas arrugadas, mojo sauce and balls of gofio.
As may be expected, fresh fish is served in many places, especially in fishing villages. Cheese is also produced in a number of villages, most notably queso de flor [flower cheese], a light goat cheese scented with artichoke flowers. Asparagus and avocados are grown in many areas of the island.
Island DrinksOn an island where fruit is mostly tropical and sub-tropical - mangoes and papaya are common - the local fruit juice is well worth tasting; and Gran Canaria also boasts its own excellent mineral water.
Of other drinks, wine is produced in small quantities, especially in the Bandamas area, around Santa Brigida. A number of bodegas are to be found in and around Monte de Lentiscal, and quality is said to be improving. In San Bartolome de Tirajana a local liquer called
guindilla is made from the sour cherry. A lemon-flavoured liquor called mejunje is made in Santa Lucia. More popular across the island is local rum, Arehucas, made in Arucas on a base of sugar cane. Canarian workers are very inclined to take a short of it at breakfast time.
Canarian DessertsOn Gran Canaria desserts are not a culinary adventure. Apart from flan, a custard pudding popular throughout Spain, the local speciality is bienmesabe ["how good it tastes"], made from almonds and honey, it is often used as a sauce poured over ice cream. Nougat and marzipan are other local products.
DON'T MISS IN GRAN CANARIA: - Swagger through the original filmset of "A Fistful of Dollars", try line dancing to famous country and western tunes, before an amazing western-themed show. All at Sioux City near Puerto Rico.
Holiday World - In the centre of
Maspalomas, Holiday World is open during the day and evening and offers the more traditional rides, a big wheel and a laserdrome where all the family can battle it out with laser guns.
Loro Parque - Houses the larges collection of parrots in the world, an aquarium with a shark tunnel, a penguinarium, dolphins and sea-lions.
Camel Capers - Become Laurence of Arabia on the breathtaking camel ride across the dunes of
Maspalomas.
Las Palmas - Set between two bays, the capital, las Palmas is worth a visit for its Old town, museums and cathedral.
Magic Vision - What better way to see the wonders of the sea than on a glass-bottomed boat.
Whale Watching - This is a change to search for whales and dolphins.
Market Days - It you enjoy browsing markets ...
Puerto Mogan on Fridays and
Maspalomas on Wednesday and Saturdays.
Watch the Sunset - Visit the lighthouse at
Maspalomas to watch this spectacle.
Walk in the Tamadaba Pine Forest - With soft pine needles underfoot and undergrowth of cistus and thyme.
Linger in the Sun - Sit at the terrace cafe in the Parque Santa Cataline in
Las Palmas. Watch the locals play chess and dominoes at outdoor tables.
For the photographer - Visit the Jardin Canario in Tafira. Bridal parties come in droves to be photographed in this setting.
Canarian Wrestling - See a match [lucha canaria] a team sport dating from pre-Spanish, Guanche times.
Cenobio de Valeron - This network of around 300 caves is one of the most important archaeological sites in a rocky cliff a few miles east of Santa Maria de Guia.
Casa de Colon - Once the governor's residence, this fine building in
Las Palmas now houses exhibits recalling the age of exploration.
Vagueta - The oldest part of
Las Palmas containing a concentration of the most historic sites of Gran Canaria.
YOU SHOULD KNOW:The name "Gran Canaria" first appeared on a Spanish map in 1339. The historian Pliny he Elder, called the island "Canaria"; a possible reference to the large dogs [from the Latin
canis, 'dog'] which he reported living on the island.
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Disclaimer:
By its very nature much of the information in our travel guides is subject to change at short notice and travellers are urged to verify information on which they are relying with the relevant authorities. Corona Holidays [UK] Limited cannot accept any responsibility for any loss or inconvenience to any person as a result of information contained above.
