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Beaches, beaches and yet more beaches

Almost 60 kilometres (37 miles) of Gran Canaria’s 263-kilometre (163-mile) coastline is covered with sand.

Home to a whopping 80-plus beaches, you’ll never be short of a spot to shake out your towel and snooze in the sunshine. Due to the island’s volcanic roots, you’ll find a whole kaleidoscope of sand, ranging from perfectly golden to silvery grey and lightly toasted brown.

Whether you’re looking for an all-inclusive Gran Canaria package deal in 2017, a family resort with child-friendly waters, a party hotspot or somewhere to sunbathe in the buff, Gran Canaria holidays always come up with the goods.

You can get a flavour for the island’s resorts on our page about hotels in Gran Canaria.

Cocktails and cafés in the capital

It’s a serious mistake to think that all-inclusive Gran Canaria holidays are only about the beach.

Stretched across two scenic bays, Las Palmas, the capital of the island, is a buzzy city packed with historic sights, al fresco cafes and trendy tapas bars. With two beautiful urban beaches and a chic marina, it’s a cosmopolitan spot to shop ’til you drop, splash out on cocktails and sit around in the sunshine.

A cheap 2017 holiday in Gran Canaria is easily filled with things to see and do, but the island’s capital Las Palmas warrants a break all of its own. 

A playground for grown-ups

Beyond the bright lights of Las Palmas and the luxury beach resorts, Gran Canaria is a natural playground just begging to be explored.

Nature buffs and hikers will be in seventh heaven at Roque Nublo (Cloud Rock), set within the Gran Canaria Biosphere Reserve and surrounded by fragrant pine forests. This iconic chunk of volcanic material is one of the largest free-standing rocks in the world and, with the aid of a few ropes, you can scramble up to its cloud-swirled summit. It’s guaranteed to add some adrenaline to your Gran Canaria holiday.

When to go 

Warm and sunny almost all year round, it’s pretty hard to get a Gran Canaria holiday wrong.

However, if you’re headed for Las Palmas in July or August, beware the Panza de Burro (Donkey Belly). This is a grey patch in the middle of summer, when the trade winds push clouds over the city, often making it the only overcast spot on the island. Some years it doesn’t show up at all, while other years it hangs around for weeks. If sunshine is a deal breaker on your Gran Canaria holiday, your safest bet is to swerve these months or avoid the capital.

Like anywhere in Europe, prices surge when schools let out, making it harder, but not impossible, to grab cheap family holidays in Gran Canaria.

If you’re after a bargain package deal to Gran Canaria in 2017, stick to the shoulder months and travel between February and May (avoiding half terms and Easter) or from September to mid-December. These months are brilliant for picking up cheap package holidays, whether you’re after a luxury all-inclusive Gran Canaria holiday deal or a budget getaway with a bunch of mates.

Events for your diary

Looking to party with the locals? Book your Gran Canaria holiday to coincide with Carnival (dates change each year, but fall in February or March) or Gay Pride in May, both riotous fiestas that will get you shimmying in the streets.