The island of Gran Canaria is third in size in the archipelago, after
Tenerife and Fuerteventura. It has a surface area of 1,532m2 and its most
outstanding features are the ravines which come down from the central peaks -
which are over 2,000m high - to the shore.
With its endless sandy beaches, dramatic mountainous interior, desert like
dunes and acres of lush green vegetation, Gran Canaria is the most scenic
of the Canary Islands. Although smaller than both Tenerife and Fuerteventura it
is, nonetheless, home to half the entire population of the archipelago. Its
superb climate and diversity of natural features has helped make it one of the
most popular year-round holiday destinations in the world.
Las Plamas, the capital of the province, is the largest city of the
archipelago, a prosperous, beautiful place with 370,000 inhabitants and the
largest port in GRT in Spain. The capital has the attractions of
a large city, with excellent hotel and catering facilities, night clubs,
international shows, an intense social life and an ample calendar of festive
occasions and celebrations throughout the year. A must in this modern, active
city is the noble, peaceful old area of Vegueta, where one finds stately old
houses with impressive, private inner courts and with artistically worked
balconies facing onto narrow streets and sheltered squares.
The Old city has the most important sights; the Gothic-neo-Classical cathedral, which was begun in
1497, Columbus House, the residence of the first governors of the island, which
is a lovely building housing an interesting museum about the times of Columbus,
the Canary Museum, which has the most complete collections of the traces left by
the Guanches, the pre-Spanish inhabitants of the islands. Interesting churches
include San Francisco's and the Hermitage of San Telmo, which has a Mudéjar
coffered ceiling. The Provincial Fine Arts Museum, the House cum-Museum of Pérez
Galdós and the Néstor Museum round off the treasure of art, architecture and
history in the city.
Las Canteras is a magnificent, 2,600m long beach with a pleasant temperature
throughout the year.Overall the climate is milder than
other neighbouring islands, with pleasant temperatures that remain constant all
year round. However due its mountainous range, you can see snow on the highest
peaks and glorious sunshine a few miles down the road. Rainfall is more likely
at the beginning of the year, turning the land green and fertile which
encourages strong agricultural development.
Places of Interest:
Gran Canaria’s most popular resort is Playa del Ingles
with its frantic nightlife and four miles of beach. Here you can join a camel
train through the Sahara like sand dunes, go shopping in the colossal Yumbo
Centrum or drink and dance the night away in some of the very best nightclubs
and discos in the Canaries.
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