Welcome to Visit-the-World's Gran Canaria section ...

Visit Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria, as the name suggests, is in the Canary Islands, off the coast of Morocco. It is almost circular in shape, being about 27 miles in diameter. It was here that Christopher Columbus called, in 1492, on his way to the New World. It has been delighting visitors, with its fantastic sunshine and natural beauty, ever since.

It captivates tourists, with its varied landscapes that range from pine
covered hills and banana plantations in the north, to a mountainous central region and the towering Maspalomas sand dunes in the south of the island. The sheer scale of the dunes is unbelievable and it's said that this natural phenomenon is at its most beautiful at sunset.

The resort of Maspalomas is the more sedate and upmarket neighbour of
Playa del Ingles, which is just five minutes to the east.

Playa del Ingles, literally "beach of the English", is a purpose-built
tourist resort, established in the late fifties. It has grown into two square miles of self-catering accommodation, hotels, bars, restaurants, discos and nightclubs. It is very popular with the the British, Irish, Dutch, Germans and Scandinavians, particularly as they all try to escape the short, dark rainy days of our northern European winters.

Playa del Ingles has seven kilometres of sandy beach, offering watersports as well as sun-bathing and leads to the Maspalomas sand dunes further to the west.

A few more miles to the west, is the newer, growing resort of Puerto Rico at the very south of the island. The beach here is at the mouth of a steep valley and is quite a sheltered sun-trap. It is loved by those who like their weather even hotter than the Canarian average. This is a real fun resort, very popular with the British in particular.

If you are seeking a quieter, more secluded holiday, Playa Taurito, a little further west, fits the bill. There is a frequent bus service to Puerto Rico and Playa del Ingles.

At the very western end of the south coast is the beautiful fishing village of Puerto Mogan, with its happy blend of old and modern buildings, all painted white. The southern-Spanish style modern buildings, mostly two-storeys, with wrought-iron balconies, are grouped around a lovely yacht marina.

Puerto Mogan also has many paved pedestrian-only lanes with flowers cascading from overhead supports. It is a truly charming and beautiful little place. The best way of arriving here is by boat from the busier resort of Puerto Rico. The trip along the coast is stunning. It is my favourite memory of our holiday in the area.

In the north of Gran Canaria is the largest port in the Canary Islands. This is the world-famous resort and duty-free port of Las Palmas, a favourite port- of-call for cruise ships over many years. The harbour is on one side of a narrow peninsula and a beautiful sandy beach is on the other side.

Where better to escape our northern winters than Gran Canaria?