In this guide I will list all the major attractions to visit in Gran Canaria, which can be combined into a 4 to 7-day vacation, the duration of which mainly depends on how much you love beaches and how many you want to visit. 🙂
Let’s start with a map showing all the places to visit in Gran Canaria that I will talk about in this guide, so you can easily identify them and calculate the routes to reach them. If you like the idea, save this page on your smartphone to have the map and itinerary handy while you’re on the island! 😉
You might also be interested in: Where to stay in Gran Canaria
Map of the main attractions to visit in Gran Canaria
La Venecia de Canarias: Puerto de Mogan
Puerto de Mogan, a small town in the southwest of the island, hides one of the most colorful gems to visit in Gran Canaria.
I’m talking about what is (maybe improperly) called “la Venecia de Canarias”: a colorful neighborhood in front of the port full of flowers, alleys and canals, little houses and excellent restaurants for a dinner while watching the sunset.
To be honest, more than a small Venice it reminds me of a neighborhood on some Greek islands, so don’t go there expecting a copy of Venice. In fact, forget the name and enjoy it for what it is, by walking randomly through its streets several times.
It’s a place you should definitely visit in Gran Canaria at least once during your trip. If time allows, I recommend arriving in the afternoon and staying on the adjacent beach until sunset, then having dinner in one of the seafront restaurants, since the area faces southwest and you can enjoy the sunset.
If this “little Venice” won you over, here you’ll find available accommodations and here a catamaran tour around the area with open bar and lunch on board.
Dunes of Maspalomas
The dunes of Maspalomas are something you can’t exclude from you itinerary in Gran Canaria.
It is a small desert a few kilometers wide, which borders the ocean on one side and the urban centers of Maspalomas and Meloneras on the other.
I also talk about the Dunes of Maspalomas in the guide to the beaches of Gran Canaria. This area in summer is best visited in the morning or at sunset to avoid too much heat; in winter the situation is more flexible.
Some activities you may like, before going on with the article:
But don’t forget water and a hat when you go there.
The surrounding areas, Maspalomas and Meloneras, are among the most famous for staying in Gran Canaria, so if you haven’t booked yet, it could be a good starting point.
Caldera de Bandama
The Caldera de Bandama is one of the most interesting natural features to visit in Gran Canaria for those who love hiking, or at least to stop by and take a photo.
The Caldera de Bandama is basically a crater 200 meters deep and about 1 km wide, entirely covered in vegetation, which you can descend into via a path.
Definitely a different kind of trekking route! At this link you’ll find the detailed itinerary of the trail in the Caldera de Bandama, which can be visited in half a day. But if you venture into it, remember that climbing back up takes more time than going down, so don’t go just before sunset.
If you just want to snap a photo of the Caldera, you can instead drive up to the adjacent Pico de Bandama, from where you’ll get a complete view.
Peaks of Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria lets you easily reach the highest peaks and admire the entire island around you like no other islands! (and if the sky is clear also the nearby Tenerife)
The highest peak to visit in Gran Canaria is Pico de Las Nieves, very easy to reach (you can drive there…) and with an impressive view.
The second peak, Roque Nublo, offers a more interesting trail to hike and an equally stunning view.
I talk about both in detail in two separate articles: visiting both peaks can easily be done in half a day.
Arucas, Firgas, Teror: traditional villages to visit in Gran Canaria
This tour of traditional villages to visit in Gran Canaria can be fit into an afternoon or a whole day if you want to take it slow, since these three towns don’t require more than a couple of hours each and are all in the north of the island within short distance.
Firgas is a small particularly quiet village a few kilometers from the north coast of Gran Canaria offering a couple of open-air tributes to the Canary Islands.
Along the first road you can admire seven “paintings” (one for each Canary Island), containing a relief of the island, a painting of its landscape, and the emblem with some facts.
Along the second avenue, in addition to a series of cascading fountains, there’s a long row of “benches” painted with emblems and decorations dedicated to various ayuntamientos of the Canary Islands (a bit like Italian municipalities), in a style reminiscent of Plaza de España in Seville.
What I remember most about Firgas is the tranquility, the silence, the small bars that looks like private garages, and the view that stretches all the way to the sea from the outer streets of the village.
It could also be a good area to stay in Gran Canaria for those looking for peace and quiet and who don’t need a sea view room or plan to move around frequently: the accommodations consist mainly of private apartments or holiday homes, even for large groups. If you’re interested, you can browse them here.
Arucas is a small town similar to Firgas in terms of its city center, neat, traditional, and perhaps a bit more visited also thanks to the beautiful cathedral that stands there.
In addition to the cathedral, there are also some nice squares to rest in the shade of large trees and a freely accessible garden with plants and large bamboo.
If Arucas hits you and you want to stay there, the same considerations about accommodations made for Firgas apply: here you can see all available options.
A little farther from the coast and at a higher elevation, we then find Teror: another traditional village to visit in Gran Canaria for those seeking a break from tourist life and more historical elements.
Among the 3 villages we’ve seen, Teror is perhaps the most well-kept and largest, still visitable in a couple of hours and suitable for those primarily looking for peace and quiet.
Located also on the northern side and at a slightly higher altitude (540m), the village of Teror can be cooler during the winter months.
Las Palmas, the capital city
Las Palmas is the “capital” city of the island. In this city, you can choose to spend an entire day or less depending on how much you enjoy being in a city.
Let’s start with the beach side: in Las Palmas you can find two interesting beaches, the long sandy beach of Las Canteras, located on the northernmost land peninsula of the city right behind the buildings, or the wilder playa del Confital a couple of km further north, completely surrounded by nature and suitable for surfers.
Now let’s move on to the “history” and “shopping” sides of this city. Going a bit further south you can find two different versions of Las Palmas just a few meters apart: the historic district (Vegueta) around Plaza San Agustin and Plaza Santo Domingo, characterized by colorful, charming, and quiet avenues, and the modern part of the city (Triana), with wide streets full of shops and activities.
Note the different crowd levels, in two photos taken at the same time of the same day. 😀
After your shopping break, seek some greenery by walking towards the end of Calle Triana in the direction of Parque San Telmo, where there are sometimes artistic installations, or towards the larger Parque de las Rehoyas or Parque Santa Catalina or why not, go get a drink or ice cream in the park in front of the small but well-kept Castillo de La Luz.
If the city of Las Palmas is intriguing you and you’d like to visit it with a Free Walking Tour (that is, a free group tour led by a tourist guide), here’s one you can book online.
If you want to stay in Las Palmas, there is certainly no shortage of options. Here you’ll find them all, from hostels to 5-star hotels.
Interesting activities in Gran Canaria
Have time to spare and want to dedicate a day to a sports activity that’s fully organized? Have a look at these:
- A Kayak tour in the south of Gran Canaria at a great price;
- From beautiful Puerto de Mogan, this or this catamaran tour with open bar, breakfast and lunch, and a snorkeling break;
- Dune buggy tour in the south of Gran Canaria, with pickup available from your accommodation.
Beaches to visit in Gran Canaria
Well, this was probably obvious and implied! There are many beautiful beaches to visit in Gran Canaria, which I talk about in much more detail in the guide to beaches of Gran Canaria.
Decide how much time to spend based on how many days you have left in your itinerary! 🙂
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