Top Things to Do

Sunbathing

Just like Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, Gran Canaria makes its way through on the tourist map of the world by putting forward one chief asset: its beaches. Las Canteras is the jewel of all stretches of sand in the north, being, at the same time, the largest beach on the island, whereas Playa del Ingles is one of the most notable beaches in south Gran Canaria. All in all, the beaches in Gran Canaria are as various as to be able to suit all tastes and whims, which is why the tourist flow sunbathing on these beaches is as miscellaneous as it gets: gay people and conventional families, nudists and sports enthusiasts.

Sports

There are plenty of beach-related sports tourists can resort to while sunbathing. Surfing and windsurfing are the first water sports one can think of while planning a vacation in Gran Canaria, the island being, in fact, the ultimate European destination in terms of surfing, which is why Gran Canaria has rightfully incurred the surname of the Hawaii of the Atlantic. Related to this aspect, the Gran Canaria PWA Gran Prix is a height of all water sports events to be held each year on the island. On the other hand, in the spirit of diversity, tourists can also resort to a plethora of air sports, golf playing, horse riding, tennis and trekking, for instance.

Nature exploration

About one half of the surface of Gran Canaria has been declared a protected area, which means the nature asset of the island is as rich and as diverse as it gets. The Nublo Rural Park is the largest of all nature protected areas, yet its fame is exceeded by the renowned Maspalomas Sand Dunes, the nature attraction reputation of which is enhanced by its being assimilated in the gay tourism circuit. However, the Doramas Rural Park and the Pilancones Nature Park, just two give two examples, are definitely worth searching out. All in all, Gran Canaria is, besides a beach resort island, a place full of nature diversity and abundance, a genuine temple of nature.

Cuisine

Culinary speaking, the Canary Islands are a mix of Spanish cuisine with Mediterranean, African, Portuguese and Caribbean influences. An all-tempting array of ingredients of great nutrient value, such as fish, vegetables, cheese, meats and cereals combine and yield the mouth watering fish-based dishes, papas arrugadas, a wide range of soups and stews, and, of course, the famed gofio. It is to gofio that many of the traditional dishes served in Gran Canaria owe their miscellaneous texture, whereas the most prominent color and flavor is foisted on the queen of all dips and sauces: mojo.

Island hopping

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is the place where island hopping becomes more than an abstract promise. Las Palmas is the place from where the boats operated by the main sea line companies in Gran Canaria depart and head for the other islands of the archipelago. Island hopping is, in fact, an activity strongly recommended in the Canary Archipelago, regardless of the particular island tourists choose as vacation destination proper. The bottom line is the archipelago as such is, one might say, a world with its own structure, uniqueness and diversity, but in order to map it properly from a tourist point of view, visitors should definitely cover as much as possible of it.

Unconventional Gran Canaria

Roughly speaking, Gran Canaria features all the ingredients necessary for a memorable vacation. Sports tourism and medical tourism are but two of the manners of approaching the huge tourist resourcefulness of Gran Canaria. But underneath the mainstream leisure opportunities available on the island, Gran Canaria does not fall short of the label of rural tourism paradise, not to mention its generous platform for gay tourism. Mainstream and unconventional at the same time, Gran Canaria meets all sorts of tourist prospects.