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Per person in euros: cheapest direct return flight for 2 to 4 nights. Select a month for flight times, hotels and things to do.

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Discover Gran Canaria

Las Palmas Cathedral, Gran Canaria
Las Palmas Cathedral
Roque Nublo, Gran Canaria
Roque Nublo

City guide

About Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria sits at the center of the Canary archipelago and is often described as a 'continent in miniature'. Within a relatively compact circular island, it packs an astonishing variety of landscapes and climates.

The south is defined by the sweeping golden sand dunes of Maspalomas; the central highlands rise to dramatic volcanic monoliths like Roque Nublo; and the northeastern shore hosts the cosmopolitan capital of Las Palmas, boasting the colonial quarter of Vegueta and the vast city beach of Las Canteras.

Best time to go
Blessed with a subtropical oceanic climate, Gran Canaria is a reliable year-round destination. Winters are warm and bright (daytime highs around 21 to 23°C). In February, Las Palmas hosts an internationally celebrated Carnival. Summers are warm and sunny (around 27 to 29°C).
From the airport
Gran Canaria Airport (LPA) is situated on the east coast, 18 kilometres south of Las Palmas and 30 kilometres north of Maspalomas. Global bus line 60 runs directly to Las Palmas in 25 minutes; routes 66 and 90 connect directly to Maspalomas. Taxis cost approximately 30 euros to Las Palmas and 45 euros to Maspalomas.
Getting around
In Las Palmas, the municipal yellow buses (Guaguas Municipales) offer frequent city service. The reliable blue Global intercity buses connect every town and resort across the island. To explore the dramatic hairpin roads of the central mountains and villages like Tejeda, a rental car is ideal.

What to see in Gran Canaria

  • Dunes of MaspalomasA 400-hectare protected nature reserve of undulating golden sand dunes meeting the Atlantic ocean beside a historic 19th-century lighthouse.
  • Roque NubloAn 80-metre volcanic basalt monolith rising from the island's central highlands, revered as an ancient sacred site by the indigenous Guanche people.
  • Vegueta and Casa de ColonThe 15th-century historic quarter of Las Palmas, featuring cobbled lanes, Santa Ana Cathedral, and the mansion where Christopher Columbus stayed.
  • Playa de Las CanterasOne of Europe's premier urban beaches, a three-kilometre curve of golden sand sheltered by a natural offshore reef, lined with a pedestrian promenade.

Neighbourhoods

  • Vegueta and Triana (Las Palmas)The historic colonial and cultural heart of the capital, lined with heritage buildings, traditional courtyards, and pedestrian shopping streets.
  • Las Canteras (Las Palmas)The vibrant beachfront neighborhood buzzing with open-air seafood cafes, surf schools, and sunset walkers along the promenade.
  • Maspalomas and MelonerasThe southern resort strip anchored by the famous dunes, featuring palm-lined esplanades, oceanfront restaurants, and calm swimming beaches.

Food and drink

Taste papas arrugadas con mojo (salted wrinkled potatoes with red pepper and green coriander sauces) and sancocho canario, a traditional boiled salted fish dish served with sweet potato and gofio (toasted grain flour). Sample artisan flower cheese (queso de flor) from the northern village of Guia, and enjoy sweet local dwarf bananas.

Questions about Gran Canaria

How many days do you need on Gran Canaria?

Four to five days allow you to experience the dunes of Maspalomas, drive into the dramatic mountain interior to Roque Nublo, and explore the historic sights of Las Palmas.

Does the weather vary across different parts of the island?

Significantly. The south is nearly always warm and dry, while the northern coast and mountainous interior experience more cloud cover (known locally as the panza de burro) and cooler air.

Month by month breakdown

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