Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria Holiday

Gran Canaria is an island of contrast. At one end of the balance, there is the vacant, rolling sand dunes and at the other, energetic resorts where the nightlife keeps going until the early hours.

It's scarcely shocking that the southern end of the island is so well-liked with holiday makers. One long, golden, sandy beach joins to the next, while the enormous, heaving dunes of Maspalomas are a steady token that the Sahara Desert and Africa are only a short distance away.

Puerto Rico, with its fashionable yachting marina, is top of the list for waters sports. Playa del Ingles, with its active promenade and multinational business area, has an abundance of restaurants, bars and shops to entice you away from the beaches. If you're seeking a little more isolation, lose yourself in the sand dunes of Maspalomas.

Away from the beach, the scenery of Gran Canaria is very diverse and outlandishly stunning. It's worth a trip inland to the mountainous heart of the island to see the volcanic crest of Pozo de las Nieves where the rocky slopes give way to valleys of banana plantations and pine forests.

Las Palmas is the island's capital and it's a mecca for shopping. Whether you want your holiday souvenirs to comprise clothes, hand woven baskets or brand-name electronics, you'll have a great selection!

After dark, you'll have a large quantity of nightclubs and bars to decide from. Playa del Ingles is lively well into the early hours and attracts groups and couples from around the globe. For hassle-free evenings lingering over a meal and a glass of wine, San Agustin and Bahia Feliz have a more suitable family atmosphere.