Today, the Gran Canaria island can offer tourist a lot of things. There is a lot to discover wherever you decide to explore, be it north, south, east or west. It doesn’t matter whether you are travelling with your significant other, with friends or if you are going on a family vacation, Gran Canaria will provide everything you need for an unforgettable and exciting vacation. The south is the most popular part of the island, and there you can see the beautiful fisherman communities such as Puerto Mogán (a picturesque village also known as Little Venice), Puerto Rico, Maspalomas, Meloneras, San Augustín, as well as the famous Playa del Inglés. But don’t let the spectacular landscapes and views distract you from the hilly north and west coasts, or the inland area, where many protected areas and natural parks are situated.
The Maspalomas are famous sand dunes located on the south shore of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. The dunes stretch over an area of 400 hectares, and as of 1987, they are a natural reservation under state protection. The never-ending sand hills will make its visitors feel like they are in a real desert. However, as opposed to a desert, in Maspalomas, the visitors are greeted with a big, beautiful beach just after the dunes end, where they can enjoy everything that the sun and ocean have to offer. Maspalomas are a true heaven on Earth, the kind only nature can create. The dunes are sand deposits made by the continuous wind blowing sand over to the shores of Gran Canaria, where the sand has been collecting for years.
The most beautiful part of Las Palmas is its historical center, the famous Vegueta, where some of the most important historical buildings are located: The San Antonio Abad chapel, the Santa Ana square, the Casas Consistoriales, the Obispado, the Casa Regental, as well as the Cathedral of Santa Ana. Vegueta was constructed in the Spanish colonial style, with its narrow streets, colorful buildings which have existed for more than five hundred years, and the site is a must-see for all who visit Gran Canaria.
Puerto de Mogán used to be a fisherman community, but today it is a popular tourist destination with many colorful houses, beautiful promenades, as well as a wide variety of restaurants. The village is located in the southwest of Gran Canaria. Because of the canal connecting the marina to the fisherman arch, Puerto de Mogán was nicknamed “The Venice of the Canaries”. Visitors of this location can obtain fresh fish among other things at the great town market which is organized every Friday.
The Tilos de Moya Natural Reservation is a bay wood natural reservation, where one can see over 50 subspecies of the plant. It is an ideal spot for mountaineering enthusiasts, with many paths passing through the bay forest, with all the paths being labeled as “Grade One”, meaning that you don’t need to be in particularly good physical shape to complete any of the trails. As you enter the reservation, you may not be taken aback by its beauty, as the path to the reservation goes parallel to the highway, but as soon as you pass this portion of the trip, you will find yourself in a forest, surrounded by many types of bay trees, as well as many kinds of opuntia.
The Bandama Caldera natural crater is one of the Gran Canaria Island’s, The Canary Island Archipelago’s, as well as Spain’s protected natural sights. This volcanic crater soars to a height of 574 meters, and its highest peak is Pico de Bandama. The crater itself is a thousand meters wide and 250 meters-deep, and the geological materials found inside provide the crater with a variety of colors.
