10 tips for traveling to Gran Canaria

Tips for travelling to Gran Canaria

We want to share with you our best tips for traveling to Gran Canaria that are applicable to all the Canary Islands. Especially if you are traveling for the first time, since there may be things you do not know yet. The most basic and that you may already know is that the Canary Islands belong to Spain, so the currency used is the euro. In the same way, Spanish is spoken in the Canary Islands, although with a peculiar accent, more similar to Venezuelan than Castilian. If you think so, let’s go there with our tips for first-timers in the Canary Islands. See you in our YouTube channel with more videos about Gran Canaria!

1. We do not recommend drinking tap water

Unlike in most European countries and cities in Spain, it hardly rains in the Canary Islands and the water in homes is usually desalinated. In addition, enough chlorine is added so that you yourself will notice a somewhat strange taste. In general, in the homes of the Canary Islands we do not drink tap water and as a general rule it is not recommended. There are houses in which there is a water filter in their taps or American refrigerators, in that case yes.

2. Take some warm clothes

The weather in Gran Canaria and in the Canary Islands in general is one of the best in the world. However, it is important that you bring some warm clothing if you plan to visit its mountains and inland towns. Especially in the fall, spring and winter months. Keep in mind that the highest mountain in Spain is in Tenerife with 3,718m of altitude.

Therefore, if you are going to visit El Teide, the Roque Nublo Natural Monument or any other mountain or inland area, temperatures may drop below 5 degrees in winter. And, at the same time, on the south coast of the Island enjoy 20 degrees.

3. Rent a car, tips for traveling to Gran Canaria

Whenever we can we repeat it, Gran Canaria is an island with totally different landscapes that are worth knowing. Many of these corners are found in remote places where you can not easily reach by public transport. Therefore, one of the best tips that we can give you is to hire a car in Gran Canaria to discover the island. Compare all the car rental options on the island at RentalCars. Here you will also find the local rentals such as Cicar, Autoreisen or Top Car. If you also want to know the prices of private transfers in Gran Canaria, you can check all the options and reviews here.

4. Benefit from reduced taxes. Tips for traveling to the Canary Islands

In mainland Spain we have the IVA tax, which as a general rule is 21%, but the Canary Islands are governed by a different tax. It is the Canary Indirect General Tax or IGIC and as a general rule it is 7%. Therefore, you should know that for the purchase of certain products, it is cheaper to do so in the Canary Islands. These are: alcohol, tobacco, perfumes and electronics, for example, an iPhone or a camera. Take a look at the post about perfume shops in Las Palmas.

5. Arrange a travel insurance

Like every trip, we advise hiring an insurance. So at least we do it whenever we travel. You will have coverage of flight delays, loss of luggage and even coverage of health expenses at destination in the event of an accident. We offer all our readers a 5% discount on any of their policies by booking through the following image. Be informed that this discount will be valid for any destination, not only for the Canary Islands 🙂

Find now the different options of insurances and prices depending on the number of days.

6. Be careful with the sun the whole year, tips for traveling to the Canary Islands

In Gran Canaria and in the Canary Islands in general it is usually sunny all year round, so if you visit the island outside of the summer season, remember to also use sunscreen, since although the solar radiation is less, it also burns and is harmful to your skin.

7. Find cheap flights to the Canary Islands

There are quite a few connections between the Canary Islands and Europe, as well as between the Canary Islands and Madrid or Barcelona. We recommend that you look for the combination that best suits your dates, times and budget. The main airline that connects the Canary Islands with Spain is Iberia. Then you can always look at inter-island flights with Binter.

Therefore, if you do not mind that the flight is not direct, it is often cheaper to make a small stopover in Madrid or another Canary Island to reach your final destination island.

8. Avoid staying in tourist areas, tips for traveling to the Canary Islands

Surely the cheapest accommodation on the island is found in the most crowded areas. Please, take a look at our post about hotels in Gran Canaria and the best areas to stay on the island if you don’t want to stay in an area for tourists.

9. Taste the Canarian gastronomy

We recommend you take a look at the article on Canarian food and what to order in restaurants. Highlight the internationally awarded Canarian cheeses, gofio, potatoes with mojo, fruits such as avocado, banana and papaya, fresh fish, among others. In the case of Gran Canaria, we have a guide that includes more than 80 restaurants throughout the island that we would recommend to our friends. That is, they are the ones we visit. We also have some guide packs with special prices that you can check at the end of this post.

10. Get your Revolut card for free, tips for traveling to Gran Canaria

Travel lighter with the Revolut card with no fees on ATM withdrawals and card payments worldwide, you’ll enjoy the freedom of knowing you’re ready to explore, whenever. You can get the Revolut card here.

If you have any other questions before traveling to Gran Canaria or any other Canary Island, leave us a comment below or contact us at info@localguidegrancanaria.com. Next, we also leave you just one click away from all our Gran Canaria travel guides to discover the most authentic side of the island on your own without wasting time organizing your trip. Have a good trip!