Find out what to do in Gran Canaria during your holidays. If you still have not decided to travel to the island, we present you 40 reasons to visit Gran Canaria.
We propose you a list of the best things to do and the main places to see in the island with the related guided excursions to visit them.
If you already know the tourist area where you are going to stay, please also check what to do in Playa del ingles, things to do in Maspalomas, the top things to in Puerto Rico, in Puerto de Mogan or San Agustin.
We recommend you to spend, at least one or two days of your holidays, enjoying some of these activities.
You can either visit the most emblematic places on a comfortable bus driven by an expert driver and accompanied by an official local guide or you can discover the island on a jeep safari that will take you to spectacular spots only reachable with this kind of tours. If you like hiking, you can do any of our hiking tours.
Choose among many of the boat trips in Gran Canaria. Feel the thrill of whale and dolphin watching, experience an incredible tour on board of a submarine, relax on a glass bottom boat that will take you from Arguineguin to Puerto de Mogan or on a ferry from Puerto Rico to Puerto de Mogan, spend a day going fishing on one of our boats or enjoy a boat party with Dj, musicians, dancers and the best atmosphere of the island. Please, check the catamaran trips if you are only interested on these type of boats.
Some beaches like Taurito, Puerto de Mogan or Playa del Ingles offer some of the most demanding water activities such as parasailing flights, jet ski tours, jet ski rental, banana boat rides or kayak rental.
Is there anything more fun to do than a buggy tour in Gran Canaria? Enjoy one of the 2 buggy safari available, one 100% off-road and the and the other one the includes asphalt roads and off-road adventure.
Be a Tuareg for a moment riding on camel in Maspalomas or in Fataga. But if you love horse riding, you can ride a horse in one of the most beautiful ravines of the island.
Come with your friends and family to the best theme parks in Gran Canaria: Sioux City park, Palmitos park zoo, Aqualand water park or Holliday World amusement park.
Known as “Little Venice” thanks to its canals, this city nestled in an old fishing town is one of Gran Canaria’s most visited places. Walk along its quiet streets, lined with white-faced two-story houses with colorful flowers on their balconies. Enjoy its beach, tour its sports pier or eat something at one of the numerous restaurants.
If you come on a Friday, you can also explore its popular market.
Don’t forget that you can experience a unique adventure from Puerto de Mogán: going 20 metres under the sea in a yellow submarine.
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Without a doubt, the landscape formed by the dunes of Maspalomas is the island’s most representative and iconic. Its 400 hectares of dunes, which can be over 10 metres high and stretch to the banks of Maspalomas Beach, make this place one of Gran Canaria’s most photographed. The best place to contemplate the immensity of this natural space is the Lookout near the Riu Palace Maspalomas hotel.
If you want to feel like a nomad, we recommend you do one of Gran Canaria’s most popular activities and go on a camel ride through the Dunes of Maspalomas.
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The Maspalomas Lighthouse has been declared a World Heritage Site and is one of the oldest functioning lighthouses on the Canary Islands. It is 60 metres tall and up to 6.2 metres wide, which means it can be seen from almost anywhere on Maspalomas Beach.
Declared a Natural Monument and a World Heritage Site, the Guayadeque Ravine is one of the island’s most well-known and beautiful canyons. It is 11 kilometres long and its steep walls are hundreds of metres tall.
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The historic centre of Agüimes is, without a doubt, one of Gran Canaria’s most beautiful. The houses offer the perfect example of the island’s traditional architecture, with stone and lime facades. Touring its streets, you will see many sculptures adorning them, the most popular of which is the camel.
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Very close to Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés is a landscape that you can’t miss. It’s one of those hidden treasures that is much closer than you think.
From the Degollada de la Yegua Lookout, you can see a panoramic view of the Fataga ravine, a large canyon 15 metres long and comprised of arid scenery, which is gorgeous at any time of day.
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This small town in the island’s southern region is also one of the island’s most beautiful. It is outstanding due to its location in the Fataga Ravine, the beauty of the surrounding palm trees, and the traditional Canary architecture of its homes. Its narrow, steep and cobbled streets are lined with low houses with white facades made of stone that contrast with the wooden windows and doors.
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Located in the Fataga Ravine, this area has numerous Canary palm trees (Phoenix canariensis), which make this an oasis in the desert.In addition to seeing this valley on our excursions, you can also ride a camel through the Fataga Ravine while enjoying the canyon’s impressive views.
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Tejeda is considered one of Spain’s most beautiful villages due to its location and the white facades of its houses, which is typical of the island’s traditional architecture. Located 1050 metres above sea level, Tejeda is in itself a spectacular lookout from which to contemplate Roque Nublo and Roque Bentayga.
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These rocky monoliths in central Gran Canaria are two of the island’s most important natural symbols. Located very close to one another, Roque Nublo (Cloud Rock) is larger at 80 metres tall and a height of 1,813 metres above sea level, while Roque Bentayga reaches 1,414 metres above sea level.
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Also known as the Bandama Caldera or the Bandama Volcano, this crater is the island’s largest at over 1,000 metres in diameter and 200 metres deep.
<p “>From the nearby lookout, you can contemplate the crater, the coast and some villages toward the north, since it is 569 metres above sea level.
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Located in the historic district of the city of Arucas, this neoclassic church was built between 1909 and 1977. Its impressive facade causes many people to call it the Cathedral of Arucas.
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Teror is probably the most-visited town in Gran Canaria due to its charm. The historic centre is known for the facades of its two-story houses in which the wooden balconies really stand out.Take advantage of your time in Teror to visit the Basilica of the Pine, one of the most venerated churches on the island.
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The Basilica of the Pine is located in the historic district in the village of Teror and was built in the neoclassic and gothic styles.
It is a pilgrimage destination for the inhabitants of Gran Canaria since the island’s patron saint, the Virgin of the Pine, is found here.
Agaete is the most beautiful fishing village in northern Gran Canaria. It stands out thanks to its peaceful streets, maritime path, beach and wall. If you do an excursion on the island, this is a good place to eat and to sample Canarian cuisine.
Another good reason to visit Agaete is to see its spectacular scenery, in which the cliffs along the coast contrast with the greenery of the valleys in the island’s interior.
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The area known as Los Tilos de Moya is a leafy forest, mainly of laurisilva and lindens, located near the village of Moya.
The scenery in this thick forest contrasts with the landscapes of the grand ravines and arid lands found in the island’s southern region.
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The city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is the capital of the island and of the “Las Palmas” province. It is also the most populous city in the Canary Islands. It is worth exploring:
The Vegueta Neighborhood is the city’s historic centre, the seed from which Las Palmas de Gran Canaria flourished. Its origins date back to when the Crown of Castille conquered the island toward the end of the 15th century.
It’s worth walking along its streets and getting to know the Plaza de Santa Ana with the Cathedral,Town Houses, Canary Museum and the Columbus Museum.
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Declared a National Historic-Artistic Monument, the cathedral is the island’s most important church and various styles are mixed in its architecture, especially neoclassic and gothic. If you decide to go up the bell tower, you will be able to see magnificent views of the Plaza de Santa Ana and the city.
Triana Street, José Mesa Avenue and López Street are the capital’s most important shopping districts. On these streets and their side streets, the biggest clothing, shoe, perfume and jewelry brands can be found, to name a few, in addition to cafes and restaurants where you can eat and drink.
Nestled in an area not often frequented by tourist is a lookout that offers spectacular views of the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
From here, you can appreciate the entire city and its most iconic places: Puerto de la Luz, Ciudad Jardín, Maritime Avenue, Alcaravaneras Beach, etc.
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Considered one of the most beautiful urban beaches in the world, Las Canteras Beach is where the city’s residents prefer to enjoy their free time, since they can sunbathe, swim in the sea, walk along the avenue or drink something in the numerous restaurants and terraces.
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