Gran Canaria · Discover Canary Islands

About Gran Canaria

Dunes, peaks and a real city.

Gran Canaria is almost round, with mountains rising to nearly 2,000 metres in the middle and deep ravines running down to the sea on every side. In the south are the dunes of Maspalomas and the busy beaches of Playa del Inglés. In the north-east is Las Palmas, the largest city in the Canary Islands, with its old quarter of Vegueta and the long city beach of Las Canteras. In between are pine forests, mountain villages and ancient cave sites.

1,560 km²Area, the third-largest island

865,000People in 2024, most of them in and around Las Palmas

1,949 mPico de las Nieves, the highest point

LPAGran Canaria Airport, on the east coast

Don't miss

The best of Gran Canaria.

Maspalomas DunesA protected nature reserve of moving dunes between Playa del Inglés and the Maspalomas lighthouse.
Roque NubloA short walk to the island's most famous rock, with views over the Caldera de Tejeda.
Tejeda & Roque BentaygaMountain villages and viewpoints in the centre, and the cave sites of Risco Caído, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Las PalmasVegueta's old streets, the Casa de Colón and three kilometres of beach at Las Canteras.
Puerto de MogánA small harbour with canals and flower-covered houses on the sunny south-west coast.
Pozo IzquierdoOne of the windiest spots in the world for windsurfing, on the east coast.

Maps

Gran Canaria on the map.

Map. Gran Canaria: Roque Nublo, the Caldera de Tejeda, Las Palmas and the Maspalomas dunes. — Gran Canaria: Roque Nublo, the Caldera de Tejeda, Las Palmas and the Maspalomas dunes. Tap the map to open it full size.

Practical

Everything you need to know.

Getting there

Gran Canaria Airport (LPA) is on the east coast, about half an hour from both Las Palmas and Maspalomas. Ferries from Agaete and Las Palmas sail to Tenerife, and from Las Palmas to Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and mainland Spain.

Getting around

The Global bus network covers the coast well. For the mountains, a hire car gives you much more freedom, but the roads are steep and winding.

When to go

All year. The south is the sunniest and driest. The north and the mountains are greener, and can be cloudy and cool.

Where to stay

Las Palmas for city life and Las Canteras, Maspalomas or Playa del Inglés for beaches, Puerto de Mogán for a quieter base, a rural house near Tejeda for the mountains.