Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria the third largest of the Canary Islands. The capital is Las Palmas (the largest city in the Canary Islands) and lies in the northeast. Every Thursday there is a tapas evening in the old town of Las Palmas. A perfect opportunity to get in touch with locals and enjoy the Spanish flair.

In the south, San Augustin, Playa del Ingles and Maspalomas are the most popular tourist areas. The highlight and a must for every vacationer are the dunes of Maspalomas. You can take a long walk from Playa del Ingles to the Faro de Maspalomas lighthouse. The dune landscape is extremely impressive. Early risers should watch the sunrise at Playa del Ingles - it's wonderful!

In the southwest of the island is the picturesque port town of Puerto de Mogan with its traditional houses and alleys. At Playa de Mogán, the sea is very calm due to the artificial bay. Puerto de Mogan is arguably the most beautiful place to watch the sunset. And at night you can go swimming in the calm sea. The man-made white sandy beach of Playa Anfi Del Mar in the south is very popular with families with children. In the evenings there is a mini disco for children and the evening show, which are organized by the hotel of the same name, directly on the promenade. The beach section is not very big and gets quite crowded in summer. After sunset the beach becomes empty and like in Mogan you can go swimming here at night.

The natural swimming pools in Las Salinas (Agaete) in the north are also worth a visit. The highest mountain on the island is Pico de las Nieves, at 1,949 meters and is located in the center of the island. The most important landmark, however, is the Roque Nublo at 1,813 meters.

On the night of June 23rd to June 24th, Fiesta de San Juan (celebration of the summer solstice) is celebrated. Large fires are lit on many beaches, DJs play and there is dancing and partying all night. This traditional celebration takes place in mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. I was able to experience this festival at Playa del Ingles and it was fantastic.

The bus connections on the island are very well organized, until late at night. It is no problem to travel south from Las Palmas at night from the San Telmo bus station.

Beaches: