Gran Canaria, one of the Canary Islands off the Atlantic Coast is a great destination for year-round sun. You can fly direct to Las Palmas Airport (LPA) from most European locations. This is a perfect place for a beach-based family holiday with lots of hotels in the 3 to 4-star range that offer kids' clubs, entertainment and pools.
Gran Canaria Hotels are available across the entire island, many of them within the resorts such as Amadores, Arguineguin, Bahia Feliz, Maspalomas, Meloneras, Playa Taurito, Puerto Mogan, Puerto Rico, San Augustin and the capital Las Palmas, a busy city with its cathedral and old town. There is a good choice of self-catering accommodation on the island as well as villas and basic hostels. Many of the hotels in Gran Canaria are very family friendly, providing play areas and babysitting services. The resort of Playa del Ingles is especially popular among gay and bisexual tourists.
Some high-end, 5-star properties from the major chains, as well as Spanish chains such as Iberotel, H10, Hesperia, Nunez, Riu hotels, Sirenis, Viva, Barcelo, Tyrp, Sol, Melia, NH Hotelels, AC hoteles and Abba, are located around the island.
Along with the beautiful beaches, sports and lively night life, there is much more to enjoy. Most notably, tourists can visit attractions, historical buildings and museums in Las Palmas. You might want to visit the historical district of Vegueta, with its old buildings and cobbled streets where Christopher Columbus prepared for his adventures. Find out more at the Casa de Colon Museum.
Further inland you can explore the village of Teror, with its gleaming white buildings. Still relatively untouched by tourism, here you will find a taste of the Gran Canaria of old.
Take a break from the beaches and head further north, where you will find pretty fishing villages such as Puerto de Las Nieves. You can also climb the island's highest peak of Pozo de las Nieves or explore the pine forest of Tamadaba.
Sporting activities include mountain biking, quad biking, camel safaris through Maspalomas, surfing at Arguineguin and windsurfing at Pozo Izquierdo.
Las Palmas, the capital, is home to a great nightlife, featuring many lively bars and clubs. Alternatively, visit Playa del Inglls, which is widely accepted to be Europe's winter party capital. The Yumbo Centre is a Mecca for members of the gay community, while the Kasbah Centre is home to numerous family pubs.
There are plenty of carnivals throughout the year, such as the Gran Canaria Carnival in February, Gay Pride at Maspalomas in May, the International Windsurfing Championships in July and the Telde Water Festival in August. The International Festival of Contemporary Dance takes place in October and November plays host to Womad, one of the world's leading music festivals.
These festivals are popular among tourists, which is why hotels book up quickly; for this reason it is essential to book early to avoid disappointment.
The weather in Gran Canaria is warm and sunny, with temperatures hovering between 16 and 32 degrees Celsius. The warmest month is August, when temperatures often stay in the 30s.
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