If you are going to travel to Gran Canaria soon and you want to know the best things to do in Gran Canaria, you are in the right place. In this article we will share with you 25 places to visit in Gran Canaria on your own. The island is not very big, but it offers endless hidden and little-known places. From its capital, to its beaches and coast, its interior with landscapes full of contrasts, its towns, its markets, etc. And we cannot fail to mention its typical gastronomy and its people, two factors that make a destination memorable. We, as residents of the island, have prepared a list for you, we hope it will help you. Here we go!
25 things to see and do in Gran Canaria
Next we will review the best 25 best places to visit in Gran Canaria, passing through Las Palmas city, then through its beaches, followed by its towns, monuments and natural spaces and, finally, its gastronomy and the most important festivals. Don’t miss our tips at the end!
✔ Visit Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
1. A walk through the neighborhoods of Vegueta & Triana
The capital city is the best place to go in Gran Canaria if you are a foodie and like sightseeing. Find here all our tips about the things to do in Las Palmas. We can say that the most important is the old town Vegueta. Below you have a list of the places to visit in Vegueta:
- Casa-Museo Colón
- Catedral de Canarias
- Santa Ana square
- San Antonio Abad church (where Christopher Columbus prayed)
- Canarian museum
- Vegueta market
- Espíritu Santo square
- CAAM museum
- Los Balcones, Mendizabal and La Pelota pedestrian streets
If you have time, we also recommend you a walk through the Triana neighborhood, one of the most beautiful and oldest in the city. Here you can make some shopping at the main street of Triana, go to the Literary Cabinet, the San Telmo park, visit the Pérez Galdós Theater and the Benito Pérez Galdós museum, as well as walk through its most beautiful pedestrian streets: Pérez Galdós, La Peregrina, Perojo and Cano.
2. Las Canteras beach
One of the things to do in Gran Canaria is to swim in Las Canteras beach, one of the best urban beaches in Spain. If the weather is not so good, you can simply walk along its promenade from the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium to El Confital beach.
✔ Best beaches in Gran Canaria & natural pools
One of the best things to do in Gran Canaria is undoubtedly discovering its coastline and enjoying its long beaches, as well as getting to know its characteristic natural pools. Below we will mention the most special and unique ones.
3. Maspalomas things to do
Maspalomas beach is one of the most important places to go in Gran Canaria south. Here you should visit the Dunes, the Lighthouse, the Oasis and the beach. We recommend that you take a look at our detailed post about this beach with more tips, the best places to have a panoramic view of the Maspalomas Dunes, places to eat in the south that are not for tourists, etc.
4. Güigüi beach. Gran Canaria places to visit
Güigüi or Guguy is located in the nucleus of the UNESCO Gran Canaria Biosphere Reserve, so you can imagine how virgin and paradisiacal these beaches are. This beach is one of the top things to do in Gran Canaria for adventurers and hikers, since to get here you must pass the test of walking a hard trail. One option for those who cannot go on foot is to book a boat excursion.
5. Sardina del Norte beach, Gáldar. Things to do in Gran Canaria
The Sardina del Norte beach is one of the great unknown and, without a doubt, for us it is one of the places to see in Gran Canaria. The beach has the European Blue Flag and is located in a 100% local environment. Ideal for diving and eating good fresh fish. From here you can also see a beautiful sunset with views of Tenerife due to its orientation towards the west.
6. Tufia beach. Gran Canaria must sees for diving lovers
In the coast of Telde is hidden this small cove of dark sand ideal for diving. The beauty of this beach is the town with marine details that surrounds it. In addition, thanks to the Tufia hill, it is not usually windy. However, the planes arriving or leaving the island pass through here. Keep in mind that there are no bars or toilets on Tufia beach.
7. Natural pool El Agujero, Gáldar
The north of Gran Canaria has a more volcanic coastline and, therefore, special and different. Thus, we invite you to discover one of the best natural pools in Gran Canaria is El Agujero, on the coast of Gáldar. You have all of the beaches of Gran Canaria and natural pools in our guide. Below you can have a look at our top 10 of natural pools.
✔ Towns to visit in Gran Canaria
As we said at the beginning, the towns and their people are one of the elements that make the difference in each destination. We are sure that the locals will make you fall in love and, therefore, the towns too. Below we will mention you our selection of the most beautiful villages and towns on the island.
8. Agaete & Puerto de Las Nieves
We can affirm that Agaete and its Puerto de Las Nieves is the most beautiful fishing village on the island. It is surrounded by cliffs, its houses are white with marine touches, its friendly people and, in addition, you can eat yummy!
9. Gáldar
Did you know that Gáldar was the first capital of the island of Gran Canaria? In its historic center you can still see its old theater, casino, market, church, pedestrian streets and, of course, the famous archeological museum of the Cueva Pintada. Remember that we have a post with all the things to do in Gáldar. Finally, you can even try one of the top Gran Canaria attractions for hikers: the Way of St. James which starts in Maspalomas and finishes in Gáldar.
10. Tejeda
Tejeda is of mountains and valleys, one of the most beautiful towns in Spain. It is famous for its delicious almonds, Almond Blossom Festival and incredible views of Roque Bentayga. The houses in Tejeda are all white like the ones we show you in the next photo. Don’t forget your coat in the months of October to June!
11. Teror, one of the best things to do in Gran Canaria
This is where the Virgen del Pino, patron saint of Gran Canaria, rests. A town that stands out for the Basilica of Teror, its Canarian balconies and pedestrian streets. We recommend visiting it on a Sunday, since it coincides with the local market. TIP: go early because many locals visit this village on Sundays.
12. Puerto de Mogán, Mogán
It is one of the most visited towns in Gran Canaria given its proximity to the tourist areas. Puerto de Mogán is a claim for its white houses with colorful touches, its bougainvilleas and marina. In addition, it has a beach, Mogan beach, with calm waters highly recommended for families. Puerto de Mogán is one of the best place to go in Gran Canaria for couples because from here you can enjoy the best sunset on the island.
13. Agüimes, places to visit Gran Canaria
In the eastern part of the island, a little inland, we find the town of Agüimes. Its old town or historic center is full of metal sculptures such as the camel that we show you in the next photo. At the same time, its colorful Canarian houses make it one of the essential places to see in Gran Canaria.
14. Arucas, town of the rum
The town of Arucas is mainly known for its church of San Juan Bautista and Ron Arehucas rum. Its historic center is full of beautiful pedestrian streets where you can appreciate the stonework of Arucas. A gray stone that covers its church and that we can see throughout Arucas, as well as in different areas of the island. Here we tell you all the things to do in Arucas.
15. Firgas, la Villa del Agua
Firgas is known for its water. In fact, in practically all the restaurants they will make you drink Firgas water. This small town stands out for its Paseo de Gran Canaria and Paseo de Canarias, full of tiles mentioning each municipality with a central fountain. You can combine this place perfectly with Arucas, since they are just 10 minutes from each other. If you like hiking, take the opportunity to get to know the Azuaje Special Nature Reserve.
16. Fataga, San Bartolomé de Tirajana
Fataga is another beautiful corner to visit in Gran Canaria. Also, to get here you will really enjoy the road. You cannot miss a stop at the Viewpoint Degollada de Las Yeguas.
✔ Natural monuments and sites
The sacred mountains of Gran Canaria and their entire surface offer endless trails. We highly recommend that you take a look at our section hiking in Gran Canaria. You can’t imagine what the island hides! Meanwhile, we will tell you about the natural environments that we believe you cannot miss.
17. Roque Nublo, one of the best things to do in Gran Canaria
This monument is a symbol and icon of the island, which is without a doubt one of the Gran Canaria top places to visit. If you like hiking, there is a trail to get on foot to Roque Nublo Natural Monument. It won’t take you long and you can even go with children. The views from here are spectacular, one of the best places to appreciate the contrasts of the island’s landscapes.
18. Guayadeque ravine, Agüimes / Ingenio. Places to visit in Gran Canaria
The Guayadeque ravine is one of the beautiful hidden places in Gran Canaria that you must visit. We locals love to go on weekends to get in touch with nature and enjoy Canarian food at a good price. Guayadeque’s restaurants are inside cave houses, a mandatory gastronomic experience on your visit to the island.
19. Tamadaba Natural Park. Gran Canaria sightseeing in the nature
One of the best things to do in Gran Canaria if you are a nature lover is the Tamadaba Natural Park. In this protected natural area you will be able to go hiking surrounded by unique species of Gran Canaria, such as the blue chaffinch, the woodpecker, the Tamadaba flycatcher, the fistulera, among others. Also, if you have never seen a Canarian pine forest, here you will have the opportunity. One of the places of interest in this natural park is the Viewpoint of Llanos de La Mimbre. From here you will have the best views of Agaete and Puerto de Las Nieves.
20. Los Azulejos of Mogán. Places to visit in gran canaria by car
Another of the places to visit in Gran Canaria is the Fuente de Los Azulejos. An essential stop if you are going on a road trip along the west coast of the island. This route by car has several cool stops like these mountains of colors, as well as the Mirador del Balcón with the best views of the sea in the west. There is a trail from here that reaches the Inagua Integral Nature Reserve. You have all the information about the hiking route in the previous link and in the hiking section of our site.
21. Las Vacas ravine
Just a few minutes by car from Agüimes we have the Las Vacas ravine with the most curious formations to see in Gran Canaria: the Tobas de Colores. Take a look at the previous link with our tips to keep in mind if you decide to visit this site since it is not worth going just for the Instagram photo. In other words, we suggest you combine it with sites like Agüimes or Guayadeque. Our visit here was a bit disappointing, but we know that it is one of the best attractions in Gran Canaria for many, so we do not want to stop mentioning it to you.
22. Pico de Las Nieves Viewpoint & Nublo window, Tejeda
We recommend that you take a car ride to the Viewpoint Pozo del Pico de Las Nieves, since from here you can appreciate the highest mountains in Gran Canaria: Pico de Las Nieves, Morro de La Agujereada and Roque Nublo. In addition, from this point you can walk to the Nublo Window or Window Gañifa, a claim for the most adventurous and photography lovers.
23. Caldera de Bandama, Santa Brígida
Until now we have not recommended you to go through the municipality of Santa Brígida. Here is one of our most beautiful natural resources: the Caldera de Bandama. It is located next to the Bandama peak, where there is a viewpoint to appreciate the spectacular views. If you dare to go hiking, there is a circular route along the edge of the caldera suitable for children. Then you cannot miss on your visit to Gran Canaria the tasting of the wine from this area, grown on volcanic gravel.
✔ Local gastronomy. Things to do in Gran Canaria
24. Canarian food
If you are a food lover, sightseeing in Gran Canaria doesn’t have to be your priority. We have a wide offer of restaurants and markets to enjoy the typical gastronomy of the Canary Islands. The main ingredient could be categorically affirmed that it is cheese, especially flower cheese (vegetable rennet). Nor can you miss the Chorizo de Teror sandwich and the pork leg sandwich. On our blog, we recommend local food restaurants, breakfast places, Michelin star restaurants and so on.
On the other hand, if you do not want to spend your time reading articles we have an ebook with more than 80 restaurants to eat in Gran Canaria. It includes all the places we residents go. Also, here we mention sites that are not even on TripAdvisor 🙂
Keep in mind that if you buy other of our Travel Guides, we will give you a discount on the restaurants one, so we recommend you take a look at all the options below.
✔ Carnivals. Things to do in Gran Canaria
25. Carnival of Las Palmas de GC & International Carnival of Maspalomas
The Carnival is one of the cool things to do in Gran Canaria. They normally take place in the months of February and March, it always depends on when Easter is. First, those of Las Palmas city take place with key days such as: the Parade, the Drag Gala, Los Indianos and the Vegueta Day Carnival. On the other hand, once the capital’s Carnival is over, the southern Carnivals begin, in Maspalomas. Here the biggest party is the day of the parade. A carnival in the street at more than 20 degrees in the middle of winter. How nice!
Well, these has been our list of the 25 things to see in Gran Canaria. It is normal that you do not have time to do them all if you come a few days, so you can always return. As we see it, it is a shame that those who visit Gran Canaria are left with the image of Amadores beach or Anfi beach. Two super tourist beaches with artificial sand, well, real sand but brought from the Caribbean. Does Gran Canaria have something to envy the Caribbean? Each destination must promote its local side, its most authentic side.
At the same time, we see a clear example of the destruction that has been allowed to be done in Puerto Rico, a beautiful beach, but surrounded by cement from the coast to the mountains with restaurants that promote junk food and Irish pubs. In any case, we know that one of the most famous Gran Canaria tourist attractions is the sun (and get drunk). With this blog we hope to change this.
Best places to visit in Gran Canaria with kids
If you are going to travel to Gran Canaria with children, we recommend that you take a look at this list of activities that you can do:
- Amusement park Holiday World Maspalomas
- Trampoline park Urban planet Jump
- Camel ride, things to do in Maspalomas
- Poema del Mar Aquarium zoo
- Palmitos Park Gran Canaria zoo
- Maspalomas Water Park Aqualand
- Cocodrilo’s Park zoo
- Whale watching, things to do in Puerto Rico
- Angry birds Activity Park
You have more information in our article about things to do with children in Gran Canaria, including outdoor activities in Gran Canaria such as beaches for families and recreational areas.
✔ Hotels in Gran Canaria
We do not want to stop recommending that you browse a bit through our articles on the best places to stay in Gran Canaria. We talk about rural hotels, 5-star hotels, family hotels, private villas with pools, cave houses, pet friendly hotels, adults only, etc.
✔ Rent a car in Gran Canaria
Finally, to be able to visit and tour all the sites that we suggest, the best option to get around the island is by car. We recommend a search engine such as Rentalcars.com in which you will see the price comparison of all the rent a car on the island, including Canary Island companies such as Cicar, Top Car and Auto Reisen.
Best month to go to Gran Canaria
The best month to visit Gran Canaria is any month. The weather in the Canary Islands is very similar the whole year. However, you should take in mind the following tips:
- The best weather (sunny and warm) is on the south coast of the island. Here you will never have less than 15 degrees and during the days the temperatures are from 20 to 35 degrees the whole year.
- You might take some warm clothes if you are visiting the mountains and interior villages. During winter months we can have less than 5 degrees in Roque Nublo or Tejeda
- From June to August it is usually cloudy in the north of Gran Canaria due to the Alisios winds. This phenomenon is called “Panza de Burro”.
- Concerning prices, the most expensive months to visit Gran Canaria concerning flights and hotels are usually from November to March. You will find the highest room night prices for New Year’s eve.
- On the contrary, the cheapest months go from after Easter and until the end of June.
- Concerning prices, the most expensive months to visit Gran Canaria concerning flights and hotels are usually from November to March. You will find the highest room night prices for New Year’s eve.
- On the contrary, the cheapest months go from after Easter and until the end of June.
If you are visiting Gran Canaria from the UK, don’t forget to bring your passport as we belong to Spain and after the Brexit you require it to enter in the European Union countries.
Find more things to do in Gran Canaria in our travel guides
We hope that our blog will guide yourself and help you to discover everything you can see and do in Gran Canaria on your own. Anyway, if you don’t have time to browse and read all our articles, we recommend our digital travel guides for Gran Canaria, something that will save you time when organizing your trip. In addition, our recommendations always flee from the touristy and bring you closer to the more local side of the island. We include tips, places to eat and the best itineraries so you don’t miss a minute of your vacation.
By clicking on the above image you will be able to see them all and forget about wasting your time organizing things to do each day. Leave it in our hands and discover the most authentic places to visit on the island!
Finally, if you still do not have your travel insurance to Gran Canaria or to any other part of the world, benefit from a 5% discount for being our reader by booking through the following image.
