Book Gran Canaria holidays for hitting the beach all year round, eye-popping scenery and mountain villages so pretty you'll want to rip up your flight ticket home.
Gran Canaria is not called a “continent in miniature” for nothing - it has something for everyone. The densely-populated and historical capital of Las Palmas is a gateway to the isolated fishing communities of the ragged northern coastline. Inland, the mountains hide dizzying peaks and lush green valleys beneath carpets of forest. And in the south, the party zones of Puerto Rico and Playa Ingles throb with neon nightlife, whilst the rolling dunes of Maspalomas shelter sunbathers.
Best of Gran Canaria holidays for...
- Active types: Take to the trails of Roque Nublo Park on foot or bike. A whole network of signed walking and biking trails weave through the forests and valleys of the incredibly dramatic high ground.
- Nightlife: Party till you drop in Playa del Inglés, winter party capital of Europe. Not just the heart of gay club land, the resort pounds out the decibels for ravers of every persuasion under the Gran Canarian sun. Nearby, Maspalomas also burns bright with more than its fair share of neon nightlife.
- Kids & teens: Roll up, roll up... hit the rides and attractions of a traditional funfair at Holiday World in Maspalomas. Friday and Saturday night is a good time to go, with the added bonus of street parades and shows.
- Romance: Grab a quayside table in Puerto Mogan to watch the sun set and the yachts and fishing boats to-ing and fro-ing in the harbour. Fresh seafood is a speciality though other tastes are also catered for.
- Babies & toddlers: Pack bucket, spade and plenty of sun cream for a day on the gently sloping sands of Maspalomas beach. Although some areas of the dunes are frequented by nudists, there's still plenty of space for families to do the traditional seaside stuff on the mile-wide beach.
- Free & cheap: Pack a picnic and head up to the Embalse de Cueva de las Niñas recreational area. Stone barbecues and picnic tables provide al-fresco dining with a heck of a view, right beside an emerald-green reservoir.
- Shopping: Allow plenty of time to stroll down the Calle Mayor in Las Palmas. Along this half-mile-long retail ramble you should bag some cheap duty-free, designer labels and a quirky banana-leaf souvenir or two.
