Gran Canaria holidays

Cosmopolitan Las Palmas is the biggest city in the Canaries with a life aside from tourism. It features an historic district with superb Colonial architecture, a major shopping area, the golden sands of Playa de las Canteras, and one of the largest ports in Spain. The covered Market and the Museo Canario should not be missed. The bars and restaurants along the front are frequented by visitors and locals alike, and there is a lively nightlife.

Maspalomas is famous for its photogenic giant sand dunes which separate it from Playa del Inglés. This is a protected area, open only to walkers and camel safaris. The man-made resort lacks a central focus though the 65 metre-high Faro de Maspalomas, built 1886, is a striking landmark. La Charca, a seawater lagoon, hosts many species of migratory birds. Family attractions include two water parks and Holiday World funfair.

Playa del Inglés (literally “Beach of the English”) is Gran Canaria’s busiest tourist resort. Despite the name, its superb long golden sands are popular with many north European nationalities. There is no single focus to this man-made resort; instead it clusters around 11 shopping centres. The island and Playa del Inglés in particular, is a magnet for gay holidaymakers; its heady nightlife ranges from drag cabaret to sleek upmarket clubs.

An extension of Playa del Inglés (Gran Canaria’s busiest tourist resort), San Agustin shares a similar stretch of soft golden sand but is quieter and more upmarket than its boisterous neighbour. It is popular with families and an older clientele. Nightlife is laid-back, though one of only two casinos on the island is to be found here. Family attractions nearby include a water park and Sioux City, a Wild West re-creation.