Come quickly visit gran canaria, one of the Spanish tourist islands in the Canary Islands. Only 3h30 from France! Looking for a route plan for your stay in Gran Canaria? Do you know where to sleep in Gran Canaria, where to go out? How to get to your hotel from the airport? Activities, transportation ...
Then come visit gran canaria, one of the Spanish tourist islands in the Canary Islands. Only 3h30 from France, with fantastic landscapes (little known to French children), mild heat in winter, Spanish festive atmosphere in the many spas, surfing, cycling, world-famous triathlon, relaxation, thalassotherapy, absolute "safe" destination. Yes, that's it, I confirm it!
So follow me, in this article I will tell you how to make the most of your visit to the island of Gran Canaria
- A little history and geography is for your good !!!
- What to visit in Gran Canaria
- Transportation during your visit to Gran Canaria
- Finding accommodation in Gran Canaria is still important !!
- Leisure and sport in Gran Canaria.
- Or go out to Gran Canaria.
- How to get to Gran Canaria easily and how to get to your hotel from the airport
1) A little history and geography in Gran Canaria
A video for you to want to visit Gran Canaria:
Gran Canaria is one of the 8 islands of the Canary archipelago (the best known is Tenerife), 210km from the West African coast, which explains its warm climate, even in winter, especially in the south of the island, the most near the coast, and there, I confirm, I was there in January, 26 ° during the day !!!
The island of Gran Canaria is rounded, with a surface area of 1560km, 47km wide. more than 55 long., 43% of which is a protected area classified by Unesco, perfectly friends !!! So unspoiled nature lovers like me, you will enjoy! The distance between 2 distant points never exceeds 80kms, so it is easy to visit the island of Gran Canaria while staying in the same place.
The white sand beaches stretch along 60 km of coastline. The "Pico del Pozo de las Nieves" is the highest point of Gran Canaria (1949m) with the "Roque Nublo", a natural and emblematic monument for the Canaries, in the center of the island, at an altitude of 1813m.
A central mountain range delimits the north and the south of Gran Canaria with 2 different climates and landscapes: the cliffs dominate the west and the southwest, the great sandy beaches are in the south and the magnificent and impressive Dunas de Maspalomas ”cataloged as Heritage of the UNESCO.
Temperatures vary a lot, based on the south of Gran Canaria in January, I started from 25 ° on the coast to 16 degrees in the interior of the island ... so bring some wool when you visit Gran Canaria therefore , alternating warm coasts, valleys and subtropical forests (incredible palm trees), sometimes snowy peaks, hence its nickname "Miniature Continent".
So does that make you want?
Here is a link to know the weather in Las Palmas, keep in mind that the south of Gran Canaria is even hotter.
Some words of history:
Research on the first inhabitants indicates a clear link with the northwest coast of Africa and the cultural environment of the Berbers, colonizers of the island in 500 BC. Then, the arrival of different peoples to Gran Canaria was permanent, hence the very welcoming and warm character of the Canaries.
Gran Canaria suffered the Spanish conquest in the XNUMXth century with violent battles with the Guanches, an indigenous people, of which there are many traces in the traditions of the entire island.
Starting in the XNUMXth century, continuous ship traffic led to the island's tourist development, which became famous as a rest center and spa for European patients, followed by the development of airlines and the huge tourist boom.
2) What to visit in Gran Canaria
Unesco classified Gran Canaria as a World Biosphere Reserve in 2005 with 46% Protected Area, so Nature lovers, hiking, hurry !!
Another video, always to make you want to!
For your visit to Gran Canaria in 4 days, I recommend 3 excursions to do:
- The visit of the interior of the island with the Cumbres (the peaks), the small authentic and fresh villages
- La capitale, Las Palmas, superbe
- The tour of the island of Gran Canaria, following the coasts, with the famous and fascinating dunes of Maspalomas to the southwest, very African!
First, the visit of the interior of Gran Canaria, not to be missed, with its Cumbres (summit):
Here is the Google map - What to see on the island of Gran Canaria. It is a bit of a roadmap with the main places not to be missed in the Canary Islands:
Here are the main sites to see along the 140 km of this interior circuit, do not hesitate to take a guided walk, many times not very expensive, so as not to miss anything, here is a link that can inform you.
- If you're heading south like me, head to San Bartolomé de Tijana, then through splendid landscapes with lush vegetation, amazing reliefs, pine forests and palm trees! Remember, Gran Canaria is also called the "miniature continent"
- Cruz de Tejeida modules with the Parador de Tejeda (see "where to sleep in Gran Canaria"), in a great environment,
Grandiose crossroads from where you can continue to the famous Roque Nublo, spectacular emblem of Gande Canaria, located near the Pico del Pozo de las Nieves, the highest peak, 1949m.
Of course, the view is fantastic on the southern and eastern slopes of the island.
- Tejeda, adorable mountain town, must-see
- Artenara: highest town (1219m),
- Valleseco and its lagoon, recognized winter refuge for migratory birds.
- Towards the west, near the coast, you can cross the magnificent pine forest (Pinar de Tamadaba, in the Parque Naturel de Tamadaba, you have it on googlemap)
- Terror: It is essential for this town that I really adored
Its narrow streets, its famous XNUMXth century basilica, its historic center constitute one of the most important cultural heritages in the Canary Islands.
- Arucas, absolutely, with its amazing black lava stone church.
Your Aruhecas rum factory, visit more Gran Canaria rum tasting, very nice, not bad Gran Canaria rum !!
- San Mateo: Adorable town, a must see in the weekend market, one of the most important on the island, there is often an orchestra in a tent and people dance, eat, it is very nice! You will easily find cheap little restaurants. Great memory!
- It goes without saying that the walk is wonderful and the nature absolutely fascinating.
- Allow approximately 160 km of loop.
So here you have a great walk that will surprise you with the variety, the majesty of the landscapes, the authentic charm of the villages crossed. Finally, I had made this trip with a minibus tour (link or this), very beautiful and well organized.
The capital Las Palmas (in the northeast of Gran Canaria):
It is the largest city and the largest port in the Canary Islands., Not to be missed!
It is one of the places where you can stay because it is bordered by a magnificent 4 km long sandy beach, "La Canteras".
To visit it, nothing better than the Hop On Hop Off Bus, for information here is the link, it allows you to see the main sites and stop at your own pace:
I have this pretty good habit when I discover a city.
It is divided into 2 parts:
- the historical heart with the wonderful colonial district "Vegueta", classified as a Unesco Heritage: to see mainly:
-the place Santa Ana,
-The Bishop's Palace, the Palace of the Regents.
-the magnificent Cathedral
-the Casa de Cristóbal Colón (Casa de Colón), again him.
-the Canary Museum
- le quartier "Las Coloradas", on the heights of Las Palmas.
- the port area with
-Le Puerto de la Luz, the port of Las Palmas
- The famous and splendid Canteras Beach and the entire tourist hotel zone, with narrow streets, bars, cosmopolitan and cosmopolitan restaurants ... This is where you have to come and have fun at night!
It is one of the most beautiful urban beaches in Gran Canaria, with 4 km of white sand.
Note the splendid Alfredo Krauss Auditorium, at the northern end of the beach. Top with a rich and varied program.
Gran Canaria tour from the south
This is the route I took, from Aguimes to Mogan:
- Aguimes
To see with its main historic district, its episcopal palace.
- In the surroundings, the Barranco de Guyadeque, of surprising beauty.
- Vargas beach is famous for windsurfing (this beach is a little south of San Agustín, 5 km).
- Follow the coast to the southwest, there are 17 km of coastline, a climate, hot and dry, very African, very pleasant in winter:
You go through the spas of San Agustín and the beaches of Las Burras (quieter, for those who love leisure), Playa del Inglés, to the famous dunes of Maspalomas, classified as a Protected Area by Unesco. It is a magical place of 400 hectares, you will love it!
- Maspalomas dunes beach: with 3 zones, one for family, one for nudists, one for gays.
- Plage of Playa del Ingles: one of the largest spas on the island, with many hotels and something to party. Very suitable for those who like non-stop entertainment!
- I would like to point out a great walk that runs along the coast from San Agustín to the dunes of Maspalomas, tried by me and really great:
- Here's a Google map on this ride:
- Puerto Rico
I had a great catamaran ride from Puerto Rico, the team was very nice, it was great, if you have time, check out this link for information;
- Amadores Beach (Lovers' beach), very cool with a beautiful sunset at sunset over the Teide volcano in Tenerife, the island opposite.
- Mogán and Puerto de Mogán a charm! Place of competition of triathlon.
From there you can take the boat to walk along the west coast of Gran Canaria.
- Along the coast, quite fantastic landscapes, wild, with ravines, cliffs, you will be surprised !!
- Continuing northwest, winding roads and spectacular cliffs for more than 20 km,
- Agaete : one of the most charming towns, much further north, during your visit to Gran Canaria: white terraced houses, in an oasis of banana trees, orange trees, palm trees….
- To visit the south of Gran Canaria, here's a very nice excursion.
- Quite an impressive day: visiting Tenerife from Gran Canaria, see this link for information.
Here's a little preview during your walk in Gran Canaria, it is a mix of fantastic landscapes, classified as Unesco Heritage, or lovers of cycling, hiking, surfing, triathlon will be delighted, with modern festive spas, right on the water.
3) Looking for accommodation
During your visit to gran canaria, has, in my opinion, mainly 2 regions to adapt to the advantages and disadvantages of each one:
- To the capital Las Palmas (northeast of Gran Canaria) and its magnificent large beach, The pits: the advantages, and good to have everything in the place, a magnificent city and its Spanish animation, and a sensass beach; but the climate is less hot and sunny than in the south (think about it if you go in winter)
- Southwest of Gran Canaria, in Playa de Las Ingles and the famous Dunes of Maspalomas, San Agustín, Puerto Rico, Mogan. The big advantage for me is the heat and the sun when you go in winter.
- Expect a lot of concrete at these spas! But a few miles inland and it's a total change of scenery!
To Las Palmas:
- Catalina Park Apartments: Good deal with these apartments for rent, conveniently located near Plaza Catalina, from € 36.
- Bed § Chic Las Palmas, 76, rue General Vives, very nice, quiet and well located in the center of Las Palmas, 8 minutes from the beach, about € 76, good price.
- Hotel Verol: super good value for money, 50m from the beach, € 55.
- RK Luz Playa Suites, absolutely great, right on the beach, nearby restaurants, bars and a low price (€ 65 with frequent discounts)
On the South Coast of Gran Canaria:
The hotel offer is very dense, the climate is great, a bit African, with beautiful sandy beaches and nature very close!
A super landscaped walk connects San Agustín with the Dunes of Maspalomas, great, it is a paradise for walkers and runners.
Here are some interesting directions:
- Monte Feliz apartment hotel in San Agustín, here is an excellent address 4 minutes from the beach, € 40:
- Hotel apartment Marinasol, a very good address also in San Augastin, € 69, with spa, fitness, 3 minutes from the beach, indoor and outdoor pool.
- Olympia Club: another very nice address in Playa del Inglés, studio kitchen on the seafront, balcony, swimming pool € 50 per night
- Hotel Playa Del Sol in Playa del Inglés (adults only): very interesting because the rooms have a kitchenette, the pool area is very nice, free sauna, 14 minutes walk from the beach, about € 70
- Very nice Bouganvilla apartments on the beach of San Agustín, with a well equipped kitchen, a balcony and excellent value for money.
If you want to stay within Gran Canaria:
- Parador de Cruz de Tejeda: an exceptional night with a crazy view! Give this to your love!
- For nature tourism in Gran Canaria, here is a very interesting link: www.grancanariafincas.com.
4) The toactivities in Gran Canaria
Impossible to get bored in Gran Canaria! 60km of white sand beach, sun, very important and even world-famous sports activities:
- Surf and Bodyboard on the island of Gran Canaria:
World famous, it is more practiced in the North of Gran Canaria, with a first class infrastructure: from El Confital with the wave of Las Monjas, to Galdar and its wave of Fronton. On this rocky coast, fans can surf breaking waves 5 m high.
- Windsurfing in Gran Canaria:
Gran Canaria is a must for the world champions, it is with Hawaii, the world Mecca of Windsurfing !!!
The beaches of Pozo Izquierdo and Vargas are famous in the southeast. Another cool spot further south between Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas.
- To stay close to these beaches:
Grancanariarent Vecindario apartment, next to Pozo Izquierdo beach
Here is an excellent address, not very expensive (€ 50 to € 70, frequent discount price), room or apartment, super well equipped, in Vecindario:
Camping Playa de Vargas, near Vargas beach, low price (€ 35) and you are on site with all the organization for surfing.
- You want to go sailing:
Very practiced, with a specialty, Canarian Latin Sailing.
- Bicycle, Triathlon, Running in Gran Canaria
Cycle tourism is very active, with competitions every year and numerous hiking clubs in splendid nature.
Here is an address where you can find useful information: www.grancanaria.com
On the other hand, in Mogán, in April, there is an annual international Triathlon competition, here is the link for information: http://www.calendrier.dusportif.fr
- Thalassotherapy on the island of Gran Canaria:
Gran Canaria has numerous thalassotherapy establishments, thermal cures, massages ... everything to take a break and eliminate stress! Spa areas are very common in several hotels, including the famous Gloria Palace in San Augustin. Here is an address that will give you all the information: www.grancanariawellness.com
- Diving in Gran Canaria:
The seabed of Gran Canaria is among the most beautiful in the South Atlantic. In Las Palmas: the area of Bajas de la Isleta, and the Barra on the beach of “Las Canteras”. To the south: “El Cabron” Beach, Baja de Pasito Blanco and to the Northwest: Galdar
- The Palmitos Park (among many other theme parks)
Magnificent zoo and ornithological park, with a spectacle of birds of prey, dolphinarium; It is located on the southwest coast of Las Maspalomas, it opens every day from 10 a.m. to 18 p.m.
- Popular festivals in Gran Canaria:
You cannot miss it, not a month or a town is celebrating, it is quite impressive! In February, it is the great carnival of Las Palmas.
5) Discuss whether to do in Gran Canaria
With the new low-cost flights, it is now easy to stay in Gran Canaria on flexible dates:
For my part, from Bordeaux I took Volotea to Barcelona and from there directly to the Gran Canaria airport, on the east coast of Gran Canaria, about 20km south of the capital Las Palmas. The flights Barcelona-Gran Canaria are daily, you also have Madrid-Gran Canaria, so it is easy from the provinces.
Here is a Google map of the island of Gran Canaria with the 2 main tourist areas: the capital Las Palmas and the famous coastal town of Playa del Inglés.
You can reach your hotel by global public transport (if your arrival time is correct), bus ticket (from € 2 € 60 to € 3).
- To the capital Las Palmas de la Grande Canary:
Line 60 takes you directly to the Guaguas station (bus station) San Telmo de Las Palmas. It operates from 6:15 am to 23:15 pm See the full schedule of the Global 60 line here [PDF]
You also have line 91 that connects the South with Las Palmas via the airport (from 6:30 a.m. to 20:30 p.m.). Check the schedules and stops of the Global 91 line here [PDF]
- In the tourist area of southern Gran Canaria: these are lines 66, 91, 9
- Line 66 leaves the airport and takes you directly to the town of Maspalomas, very close to Meloneras. Stop at Playa del Aguila, San Agustín, Playa del Inglés, Maspalomas International Camping, Maspalomas Lighthouse. Regular service from 7 a.m. to 20 p.m. Check the schedules and stops of line 20 Global here [PDF]
-Bus line 91 connects the capital and Playa del Cura, stops at the airport and in the following tourist towns: Puerto Rico and Amadores. Regular service from 6 a.m. to 15 p.m.
Check the schedules, taking into account that you pass through the airport approximately 15 minutes after your departure from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Check the schedules and stops of the Global 91 line here [PDF]
-Bus line 90 stops at the airport on its way between Telde and Maspalomas and passes through Playa del Águila, Bahía Felíz, San Agustín, Playa del Inglés, Maspalomas International Camping, Maspalomas Lighthouse, very close to the Meloneras region. Check the schedules and stops of the Global 90 line here [PDF]
So here are the bus lines to reach the main hotel regions.
If your flight arrives later, here is a site with shared transport at a pretty good price (around € 6 for Playa del Inglés).
6) Transport in Gran Canaria
Well organized with the "Global" public transport line, you can travel through the interior of Gran Canaria easily, visit the site to see schedules and different destinations: (www.globalsu.net).
A very nice way to travel in Gran Canaria and that I have tried is to rent a Vespa for the day with GPS and programmed routes, it is not too expensive and really nice, if that interests you here you have this link for info.
7) Or go out to Gran Canaria
All the tourist centers of Gran Canaria offer a series of bars, restaurants, discos; the nightlife is particularly intense, very fun and noisy, especially in Playa del Inglés (it's a choice!)
To Las Palmas:
- I recommend Le Restaurante de Cuchara, 37, Alfredo Jones street, in Las Palmas, near the beach, really excellent with family and Canarian cuisine, for a very fair price.
- Go to the Plaza de España, in the Mesa y López neighborhood, it is always lively until morning! Get started at the Heineken Café, this is where canaries start their night!
- This is a good address for a tapas bar: Tasca Siete Viejas at 6, rue Pelota. It is very good, inexpensive and warm!
- Las Casquias, a room where you can listen to live music for free.
- The Mojo Club, next to the Alfredo Klaus auditorium, on the beach, there are DJs full of energy!
To Playa del Inglés:
It's a bit crazy, I think tourists only sleep for a nap !! You have to go to the shopping centers, which is where the best clubs are.
- Go to Yumbo (famous for its gay scene) or Mantrix, Kasabh (very djeun!) And Plaza. In July 2010, the famous Pasha opened its doors in Playa del Inglés.
- In Meloneras, there are still quite a few stylish cafes and you can have your little cocktail in front of the sunset.
Here you go, you have all the keys in hand for your 4-day visit to Gran Canaria, a magnificent island in the Canary archipelago.
Other items not to be missed!
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