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Gran Canaria Holidays

Gran Canaria Holidays

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Holidays to Gran Canaria

Choose any of our Gran Canaria holidays and all-inclusive deals and you'll soon be jetting off to the second most populous island in the Canaries. Gran Canaria is like paradise for those who enjoy a relaxing sunny holiday. Select your holidays to Gran Canaria and join tourists from all over the world who flock here each year to visit one of the island’s best-known features – the beaches. The variety of beaches accompanied by the stunning coastlines, make this the place to be to achieve ultimate relaxation and enjoy the beauty of the island at the same time. Popular coastal resorts of Playa del Ingles and Maspalomas cater for those who simply love to pull up a sun lounger and chill out at the beach all day in preparation for a night of dancing at the bars and clubs.

With plenty of resorts to choose from – and only four hours from the UK – Gran Canaria is a great choice if you’re looking for a sunshine holiday.

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Our Top Gran Canaria Holidays

Price is based on 2 adults sharing one room for 7 nights. Prices shown below are guide prices only. Refine your results using your preferred departure airports and travel dates below.

Top Selling Gran Canaria Holiday Destinations
Gran Canaria Popular Activities
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Shopping Centre Puerto Rico

Visit Puerto Rico’s open-air Shopping Center for a wide range of independent businesses. From clothes shops and restaurants to souvenirs and leather goods, you can be a part of the life and soul of this Gran Canarian town. And there’s even a karaoke bar!

Maspalomas Aqualand Waterpark
Aqualand Waterpark

The kids - and you - will have a whale of a time at Aqualand, with a host of fun slides and water chutes to satisfy thrill-seekers and little ones alike. Kids will be entertained in the children's area and grown-ups can chill out in the Jacuzzi. You might even fancy swimming with sea lions too.

Maspalomas Sand Dunes
Maspalomas Dunes

Upmarket Maspalomas is home to luxury hotels and the biggest golf course in Gran Canaria. It's also got 400 hecatres of magnificent golden sand dunes which have wow factor in bucket loads. Do it by camel and you'll really feel as if you're in the Sahara rather than Spain.

Maspalomas Lighthouse Silhouette at Sunset
El Faro Lighthouse

The third highest lighthouse in Spain used to provide a beacon guiding ships from Africa and America. Now it's well worth the climb to the top for the fantastic views of Maspalomas.

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What to expect to find in Gran Canaria

The third largest but most developed of the seven islands in the Spanish-administered Canary archipelago, Gran Canaria has been billed as a miniature continent because of the variety of climates and landscapes that it offers, from the big city bustle of the capital, Las Palmas, to the serenity of its lush woodlands.

The Canary Islands lie in the Atlantic Ocean, about 125 miles (200km) from the African coast and almost 800 miles (1,280km) from the closest European port of Cadiz. Gran Canaria is almost circular, with a diameter of about 32 miles (50km), and is characterised by deep ravines that radiate out from the centre down to the coast.

The north of the island is humid and lush, with green valleys and volcanic craters, while the south is arid and desert-like, with vast stretches of sandy beach. The interior of Gran Canaria has steep highlands dotted with small villages, sporting white houses with red roofs, banana plantations, and orchards bursting with tropical fruits.

Tourists generally favour the southern coastline, flocking to the well-known beaches of Playa del Inglés or Maspalomas, where the sea washes soft sands and empty dunes stretch for miles. The capital, Las Palmas, lies on the northeast tip of the island, between two long beaches, Las Caletas, and Alcaravaneras.

The nightlife in Gran Canaria is energetic and fun, with nightclubs, foam parties, karaoke, casinos, and cabarets dominating the party scene. Most of the nightlife on the island is centred round Playa del Ingles, and the Kasbah Centre here is brimming with pubs and clubs, such as the Hippodrome, Havana, and the iconic Pacha nightclubs, which are open until the early hours.

If travellers are looking for a gay party scene, they should head to the Yumbo centre. Entrance to most nightclubs is free but drinks and cocktails can be expensive. The capital city also has a great nightlife: Las Palmas' Plaza de Espana, in the Mesa y Lopez district, has pulsating clubs and bars that are open until very late, as well as live bands, jazz bars, pubs, discos, and a casino.

The Maspalomas Plaza is great if visitors are looking for a couple of relaxing pints in a bar, and Puerto Rico is one of Gran Canaria's hottest resorts after dark, with all-night clubbing and pubbing at places such as Disco Joker and Snoopy's Bar.

Playa del Cura is a fantastic location for a mellower evening out and, although there is a club in Puerto Morgan, most of the evening entertainment is distinctly low-key in comparison to its neighbouring resorts.

Gran Canaria has a wide range of shopping opportunities for visitors, and apart from the regular souvenir shops and tourist tat, there is a fine choice of shops and boutiques in just about every town and resort. The Canary Islands enjoy duty-free shopping and Gran Canaria caters well to tourists. The Yumbo and Kasbah centres in Playa del Ingles and Centro Civico in Puerto Rico are great for buying almost anything, while electrical shops, photographic equipment, and imitation designer wear stalls abound.

The Faro 2 Complex in Maspolamas is the place to go for designer boutiques, jewellery, perfumes and designer wear, while the 13-storey El Corte Ingles in Las Palmas is Spain's largest national department store and the Las Arenas Mall in Las Canteras is a favourite with tourists. Puerto Morgan's souvenir shops are more arty-crafty and sell less junk than the usual stores dotted around the island's resorts, but everything from fresh fruits and produce to clothing and football shirts can be picked up at the Friday morning market in town. Reputedly the largest street market in Gran Canaria, and a must for shopaholics, is in the south coast town of Arguineguin, held every Tuesday. Popular souvenirs and gifts include banana-leaf baskets, pottery, embroidered goods and felt hats.

Gran Canaria has a plethora of fantastic attractions that will appeal to all kinds of travellers. Tourists travel to Gran Canaria mainly to enjoy the resorts and beautiful beaches, but there is a lot to enjoy besides sun, sand, and sea.

Animal lovers should head to Palmitos Park, Reptilandia, and Parue de los Cocodrilo to engage with all sorts of creatures, while culture vultures should head to the Museo Canario in Las Palmas to admire the world's largest collection of Cro-Magnon skulls, or the Casa de Colon, a historic old house that is now a sort of maritime museum. For something completely different, visitors should head to Sioux City in San Agustín for a wild-west day out, while the town of Arucas remains a popular tourist attraction.

Getting around Gran Canaria to explore the varied landscapes and various towns and resorts is easy. There are plenty of cheap, metered taxis available in the resorts and towns. Grand Canaria also has reliable and efficient bus services that operate around the resorts and to all the main towns on the island; there is nowhere on the island that takes much longer than an hour to get to by bus. Local car rental companies have offices in all the main resorts for those who prefer to explore independently.

Gran Canaria definitely caters to children on holiday. With many fantastic family attractions, kids will have a great time exploring this island. There are a number of good beaches for kids, although families may prefer to seek out the sandy stretches instead of the dramatically beautiful black beaches, which can be a bit pebbly.

Visitors should take a day trip to Palmitos Park for an interesting day out with birds and orchids, or for thrills, Parque de los Cocodrilo is great for those with a love of predators, while the zoo on the other side is perfect for younger kids to explore. Playa del Ingles is brimming with kid's activities, with everything from amusement arcades and mini-golf to water parks and go-karting, children will find something to keep them entertained.

Another fun day out in Gran Canaria is a visit to Sioux City, which was built originally as a stage set for an American western film in 1972, but developed into a Wild West theme park complete with cowboys, Native Americans, Mexicans, and, of course, a sheriff. There are shows throughout the day, featuring bank robberies, saloon fights, cattle stampedes, rodeos, and gunfights at the OK Corral. Between shows visitors can enjoy a barbeque or taste the culinary delights of the Three Star Saloon.

So what's the weather like in Gran Canaria?
Climate Info

While Gran Canaria has a wonderful climate throughout the year, the south of the island (where the major resorts are located) enjoys its own micro climate with generally better weather than other parts of the island, although the sea breeze can be quite bracing.

The mountainous regions inland are a bit colder and can experience frost or even snow. The average temperature is comfortable all year round, rarely dropping below 63°F (17°C) and often reaching 82°F (28°C) during the day. The peak summer months are June to August, but May and September are almost as hot.

The warmest month is August, when average temperatures range between 70°F and 80.8°F (21°C and 27°C). Winters are very mild along the coast, especially in the south. During the coldest month, January, average temperatures range between 58.5°F and 69.1°F (14.7°C and 20.6°C).

Rainfall in the summer months is almost non-existent, but showers are possible between October and April. Rainfall is unevenly distributed throughout the island, but the south is generally the driest and most sunny. The best time to travel to Gran Canaria is between May and September, but the island is a wonderful destination year round.

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  • Currency The local currency is the Euro
  • Flying time from the UK The flight time from the UK to Gran Canaria is on average 4 to 5 hours flight time
  • Language The local language is Spanish
  • Passports & Visa If you are a British passport holder you do not need a visa to enter Spain & your passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay.