TRAVEL SPOTLIGHT – GRAN CANARIA By Harden Holidays
With a winning combination of great weather, good beaches, sophisticated nightlife, interesting history and marvellous scenery, the island of Gran Canaria is a great year-round destination. Nicknamed a minicontinent, the island has coastline scenes of dramatic cliffs giving way to golden sandy dunes, with rugged mountains, tropical forests and tranquil valleys. Gran Canaria’s mountainous interior, fantastic for sightseers, ramblers and serious hikers alike, includes spectacular crags, caves, and charming old villages such as Artenara, and Tejeda. The most famous is the well-preserved village of Teror, which acts as the island’s spiritual centre and features some of the best examples of colonial style architecture, plus a beautiful 18th century church. Gran Canaria hosts an extensive calendar with a fantastic array of religious festivities, a programme of musical events from classical recitals and opera to rock, jazz and Celtic celebrations. There’s a film festival, international football tournament attracting top European teams and, in November, there’s the renowned ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers), a transatlantic yacht race from Las Palmas to St Lucia. The Las Palmas and Maspalomas February Carnivals are celebrated with much gusto and comprise parades, concerts and live music. The Festival of Almond Blossom features folk dancing, concerts and wine tasting and July’s Fiesta de Nuestra Senora del Carmen is one of the most impressive annual events. - The North Coast Agaete on the northwest coast surrounds a striking rocky bay and boasts delightful botanical gardens that are well worth a visit. For gardening enthusiasts and nature lovers, there’s also Jardin Canario, located to the southwest of Las Palmas in Tafira, and Caldera de la Bandama, a substantial volcanic crater 1,000m wide.
