Travel Spotlight with Harden Holidays

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.

- Las Palmas Las Palmas de Gran Canaria or Las Palmas as it is more commonly known, is Gran Canaria’s most populous city and is home to almost half the islands population. For a look back into the islands history, Las Palmas has a host of museums including the Canarian Museum which is dedicated to the history and archaeology of the Canary Islands. Equally the Casa de Colon which shows the voyages and artifacts of Columbus and his journeys, the museum also boasts two other floors which house, art, models and 13 other exhibition rooms.

The beach of Playa de Las Canteras is one of Gran Canaria’s most famous beaches and is located in Las Palmas. At around 3km long and set off the La Barra barrier reef, the waters are calm, and the shore-front has an abundance of restaurant, bars and shops.

- Palmitos Parque One of the island’s principal attractions, Palmitos Parque features stunning subtropical gardens which provide homes for exotic birds, and include a butterfly house and an aquarium dramatically set in rocky surrounds. For those with an interest in nature or for those looking for things to do in Gran Canaria away from the beach, Palmitos Parque is a great option. - Central Highlights 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 wellpreserved 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.

- Catamaran Cruises A favourite amongst things to do in Gran Canaria, is to set sail on a specially designed glass bottomed catamaran in search of some of the 29 different varieties of dolphins and whales that can be found off the south west coast.

- Dunas de Maspalomas The protected natural park of Dunas de Maspalomas encompasses a region of spectacular sand formations and the area boasts more than 6km of golden sandy beaches where the dunes meet the ocean, plus there’s a freshwater lagoon and delightful palm grove.

- Theme Parks Set in a tropical oasis in the south of the island, the vast water park Aqualand Maspalomas, boasts an abundance of waterslides and attractions to suit all the family. Theme parks are great when looking for family things to do in Gran Canaria, or for day-trips away from the beach.

The days in the Canary Islands are long and sunny with mild temperatures and few variations. August is the hottest month with an average temperature of 24°C (75°F) and the coldest is January at 18°C (64°F) with the most daily sunshine hours on the 10th August. The wettest month is December with an average of 31mm of rain. The best moth to swim in the sea is in September when the average sea temperature is 23°C (73°F).

There is a lot more to be said about the island and all that it has to offer. To find out more and book your next holidays to Gran Canaria contact the Harden Holidays team on 0800 023 8974 or email info@hardenholidays. co.uk

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