The 11 best recreational areas in Gran Canaria

In this article we want to share with you all the details about the main recreational areas of Gran Canaria. Specifically, we will give you information about 11 places to have a picnic on the island, so you will have a choice. It is important that you keep in mind that all are located inland and above 600 meters above sea level. Therefore, during the cool months you should wear enough clothing (it can be less than 5 degrees in the winter months).

Likewise, keep in mind that to get to many of these recreational areas, quite curvy roads await you, not suitable for those who suffer from car sickness. Finally, At the end of this post we will give you information about other places where you will find picnic tables, but without services and/or areas to make grills or barbecues. Let's go!

The 11 best recreational areas and zones in Gran Canaria

Below you can learn about some of the main recreational areas of Gran Canaria. Leave us a comment at the end to know which one is your favorite and, in this way, we can all know the experiences and opinions of those who have already visited them.

1. La Laguna de Valleseco, recreational areas of Gran Canaria with permission

We can say that Valleseco Lagoon It is one of our favorite recreational areas in Gran Canaria. This space stands out for the lagoon with ducks located in the middle of the park. It can be visited by crossing several paths that are very easy to go with small children. It also has a racecourse that borders the lagoon of almost 1 kilometer. Here you can run, walk or ride a bike. Even here many children play football.

• Services: water, toilets, stoves, parking, playground (small), picnic tables and kiosk

Note that To use the picnic and barbecue area you must ask permission from the Valleseco city council by calling 928618022 extension 102. You have to pay €1,50 per person, although on weekends you can pay directly to the security guard who is doing his rounds. To visit the lagoon and walk or play sports, a permit is not necessary. (neither pay).

2. Llanos de Ana Lopez, San Mateo

This recreational area is one of the essential what to see in San Mateo. Definitely a plan classic from the summit of Gran Canaria to spend a day with the family and a little bit of cold hehe. This recreational area is located near the The Roque Nublo, so you can take the opportunity to visit it and then have a picnic at the picnic areas. Don't forget the coat!

• Services: water, bathrooms, stoves, parking, picnic tables and kiosk

3. Las Niñas Dam, Tejeda

La Las Niñas dam It is also located in an ideal environment to disconnect with nature. You can also camp here, with prior permission. At the same time, by having a pinch (made with three fingers) or reservoir, many even dare to wear their raft and sail or practice sports such as paddle surfing (SUP). The latter, especially after the winter rains, since In summer it can be quite dry and hot..

• Services: Water, bathrooms, stoves, picnic tables and parking

4. El Troncón, recreational area in Valsequillo

If you want a change of scenery, we are sure that El Troncón is one of the places that you still have to visit. Within this recreational area of Valsequillo we highlight a park for children and a zip line. Great plan! Keep in mind that the recreational area is not that large (both in terms of tables and parking spaces), so we recommend going early.

• Services: Water, bathrooms, stoves, picnic tables, kiosk, playground, zip line and parking

Here we leave you a brief video of the El Troncón Recreational Area. We wait for you at our YouTube channel!

5. Tamadaba Natural Park, recreational areas of Gran Canaria

In the Tamadaba Natural Park there is also a space with picnic areas to spend the day with your loved ones in wild nature. There is also a camping area in this park, but it is somewhat more separated. We suggest you combine this picnic plan with a hiking route through the Tamadaba Natural Park passing through the spectacular Llanos de la Mimbre viewpoint.

• Services: water, bathrooms, barbecues, parking and picnic tables

6. Monte Pavón recreational area, Santa Maria de Guía

We can say that Monte Pavón is one of the greenest areas of Gran Canaria. As soon as you arrive with the car you will notice it in the landscapes (except in summer, of course). Is found in an area dedicated to livestock and the production of the delicious Guia DOP flower cheese at 1.200 meters of altitude. Therefore, it is a very cool area in winter. If you want to take advantage and combine the picnic or barbecue plan with a walk, take a look at the Entre Cortijos hiking route.

• Services: water, bathrooms, barbecues, parking and picnic tables.

7. Llanos de La Pez, Tejeda

Llanos de La Pez is possibly one of the most popular and cool recreational areas on the island. Here you can be perfectly fine in winter below 5 degrees, but with humidity the thermal sensation can be worse. It is located just 5-10 minutes by car from Roque Nublo, so you can also combine the picnic with your visit. It is one of the largest recreational areas in Gran Canaria with capacity for almost 1.200 people.

• Services: Water, bathrooms, stoves, picnic tables, parking, kiosk-bar and playground

8. El Brezal de Santa Cristina, Santa Maria de Guía

The recreational area of Santa Cristina Heath It is another option to do picnic in Gran Canaria. To use the barbecues and picnic areas you must ask permission from the Cabildo this article. If you feel like combine the visit with a hiking route, take a look at this circular of the Tilos de Moya that passes through the Santa Cristina recreational area.

• Services: Water, bathrooms (including for people with reduced mobility), stoves, parking, picnic tables and cafeteria

9. San Jose del Alamo, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

If you're looking for a space to have a barbecue with friends or asadero as we say in Gran Canaria, the recreational area of ​​San José del Álamo is one of the most mythical. It is a well-known space among locals for its proximity to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Here you will have everything you need to grill your meat and sit comfortably. It is one of the largest on the island, with capacity for 1000 people.

• Services: Water, bathrooms, stoves, parking, picnic tables and playground

10. Finca de Osorio, recreational areas in Gran Canaria with permission

The Osorio farm in TerorIn addition to having a recreational area, it is located within the Doramas Rural Park, one of the most beautiful natural spaces on the island. Here, you and your loved ones can learn about the flora and fauna of the area. As in Santa Cristina, It is essential that you ask for permission from the Cabildo of Gran Canaria to be able to use this space.. We leave you the link this article. On the other hand, if you wanted to know what to see in Teror To combine it with your picnic day (it does not have barbecues), take a look at our post.

• Services: Restrooms, parking, picnic tables and pets

11. Los Granadillos, recreational area in Teror

Next to the Finca de Osorio is the Los Granadillos recreational area, which can be accessed requesting a permit from the City Council Teror. Please note that it is only open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 18:00 p.m. (in winter) and from 10:00 a.m. to 20:00 p.m. (in summer). To obtain a use permit you must contact [email protected] indicating date of access, name and surname of the person making the request, number of people and copy of the DNI on both sides. Once the permit is accepted, the use price is €1,20 per persona.

• Services: Barbecues, bathrooms, parking, playground and picnic tables.

Also, you should know that within the natural spaces of the Azuaje ravine, Los Cernícalos ravine and Los Tilos de Moya, you will also find picnic tables scattered. However, They do not have a barbecue area or toilets.. In any case, if you bring your food you can have a good picnic with your loved ones in the middle of nature. 

Fire traffic lights: use of barbecues in recreational areas

Before planning your visit to any of the recreational areas, if you plan to use the barbecues, Please take into account the fire traffic light shown below.. Likewise, during heat waves (outside the fire risk season) the red light could also be activated or orange. You can consult it whenever you have questions this article. At the same time, he remembers that it is everyone's responsibility to take care of the environment, thus Be sure to take away all trash after your visit, as well as extinguish your embers before leaving each space.

Video of some of the recreational areas of Gran Canaria

Below we leave you with a video of four of the recreational areas that we mentioned before. We are waiting for you in our YouTube Channel with more videos about Gran Canaria.

It is clear that all these picnic sites are a great plan to disconnect from the routine. We hope that this mini guide will help you for your next getaways to the countryside.. You'll tell us which one is your favorite. Below we leave you some articles that may be of interest to you if you plan to combine your picnic day with a hiking route around the island:

• Best hiking trails in Gran Canaria
• Hiking routes with children in Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria digital guides

Finally, remember that in the travel guides section of our blog you can find more plans to discover What to see and do in Gran Canaria on your own without wasting your valuable time. You can see all our digital guides, available in Spanish and English, below.

Ruth González

Hello! I am Ruth, Canarian with a traveling soul. With training and experience in the tourism and digital marketing sector. In this blog I tell you all the tips you need to get to know the most authentic side of Gran Canaria on your own. I also share my travel guides to all the places in the world that I am visiting so that you can discover the destinations like a local and save time planning. In addition to traveling, I love gastronomy and sports. I run and hike in the mountains with my “dog-children” (Silver and Plata). In all these adventures my partner accompanies me, Jorge, which you will also see a lot on this blog.