Gran Canaria holidays

Things to do

Explore your destination

Here's a little taste of what's on offer: for more excursion ideas, speak to your Rep.

Island Delights
See a whole new side to Gran Canaria. Leave the tourist areas behind and journey through lush pine-scented forests, plunging ravines and volcanic rock formations to the traditional Gran Canarian villages.

Sioux City
Swagger through the original filmset of 'A Fistful of Dollars', Clint Eastwood-style. Join your Reps in the saloon and try line dancing to famous country and western tunes, before an amazing western-themed show.

Jeep Safari
Hold on tight as you head off the beaten track on this fun jeep tour. You'll travel through picturesque pine forests and the island's beautiful outback, with your very own professional guide at the wheel.

Highlights

• Strolling around the old and new quarters of Las Palmas, Gran Canaria’s bustling capital city and co-capital of all the Canary Islands, with its sandy beach, cathedral, excellent shopping and replica of an old Canarian village, Pueblo Canario
• Looking at the many colourful plants and flowers at the botanical garden, near Tafira Alta, will leave you with happy memories of your Gran Canaria holiday
• Splashing down slides at Aqualand Maspalomas, an enormous waterpark, with a surf beach, exciting rapids and over 33 different slides
• Taking a swing at Maspalomas’s Campo de Golf, an 18-hole course with amazing views of the sand dunes
• Ambling around the harbour at Puerto de Mogán, known as ‘little Venice’ with its little waterways, flower-filled alleys and quiet restaurants
• Hiking, cycling or walking across the island’s interior, with its desert-style scenery of cacti and Wild West-style plains
• Pretending to be Lawrence of Arabia on a camel ride across Maspalomas’s awesome sweeping sand dunes
• Hiring a car to discover pine forests, lush valleys, aboriginal caves and dramatic rugged features, like Roque Nublo
• Going all Clint Eastwood in a shoot-out at Sioux City’s Wild West theme park, with its fantastic shows, wigwams, saloons and country
• Experiencing real island life at Gran Canaria’s traditional villages with their pretty whitewashed houses and places to tuck into tapas with the locals

Food and drink

With the influence of its homeland, Spain, one of the most popular meals in Gran Canaria is tapas, where you can order a selection of little dishes like spicy chorizo sausage and hot Mojo sauce, Jamón Serrano, a dry-cured Spanish ham, local cheeses and Ali Oli, bread drenched in garlic olive oil.

Freshly caught seafood is a speciality, particularly sea bream and Sancocho, a salty fish and potato stew. You can accompany meals with Ron Miel, honey rum, or Sangria.

In Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas, you’ll find the international, Indian, Italian and Chinese restaurants as well as British favourites if you’re after a taste of home.

Evening Flavour

For lively nights out on your Gran Canaria holiday, head to the buzzing commercial centres, beach bars and restaurants of Playa del Inglés and Puerto Rico.

For more relaxed evenings, Playa Meloneras's beach restaurants and Puerto de Mogán's picturesque harbour offer upmarket dining. Or you can head to Maspalomas’s Varadero and Faro2 commercial centres, which have a laid-back feel with peaceful bars and restaurants.

Shopping

Lively commercial centres, including Playa del Inglés's Kasbah centre and four-level Yumbo Centre, are brimful with dining, entertainment and shopping, with perfumeries, souvenir shops and tax-free electrical bargains.

In Las Palmas, you’ll find a few large shopping centres with chic boutiques and, in the ‘zona commercial’, the fabulous El Corte Inglés department store.

If you prefer a more traditional shopping experience, Puerto de Mogán and Arguineguín have great weekly markets.

Dates for the Diary

Carnaval is celebrated for three to four weeks around Easter all over Gran Canaria, with fancy dress costumes, dancing and comedy shows.

For the Family

• Little ones will love Aqualand’s Mini Park, where the mini-slides, rapids and pools are made especially for kids
• Spend the day at Maspalomas’s Holiday World, with a fun fair complete with rollercoaster and laserdrome for big kids while, five minutes away, there’s a boating lake, pony rides and a karting track for smaller ones

Local weather

Information

Language: Spanish. Currency: Euro. Standard GMT: +0. Spanish Tourist Office: 2nd Floor, 79 New Cavendish Street, London W1W 6XB. Telephone: 020 7486 8077. www.spain.info

Travel money

Euro

You can get commission-free foreign exchange on currency notes and travellers cheques at most First Choice Travel Shops and Holiday Hypermarkets.