Travel Guide of Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria: a miniature Continent
Gran Canaria is an island located in the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the four islands belonging to the eastern province Las Palmas, which is made up of: Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and very recently La Graciosa; in addition to the islets of Alegranza, Montaña Clara, Roque del Este, Roque del Oeste and Islote de Lobos (the last one is very close to Fuerteventura). Canary Islands are made up of two provinces, the eastern province mentioned above and the western province Santa Cruz.
What can't you miss in Gran Canaria?
Gran Canaria has a great cultural and natural offer with a wide range of leisure, shopping and adventure opportunities. In Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, the island's capital, you can enjoy an exceptional shopping experience and complement it with the cultural offerings of the Historical Centre of Vegueta and Triana, as well as having a swim in Las Canteras beach, one of the best urban beaches in Europe, on the same day.
Gran Canaria is an island that won't leave you indifferent and that concentrates in a very reduced area several microclimates that give rise to big changes in its flora and that have caused the pseudonym of "The miniature Continent". We invite you to discover the green heart of Gran Canaria with one of the many activities scheduled to visit the centre of the island, such as the Roque Nublo, the villages of Teror and its basilica, Arucas and its neo-Gothic church of San Juan, the village where the rum distillery (Arehucas) with the most important wineries in Europe is located, the picturesque village of Fataga known as the Valley of a Thousand Palms and many other places. Come and discover this continent in miniature!
The population of Gran Canaria is very close to 850.000 inhabitants and is the second most populous of Canary Islands although the highest in population density, which is concentrated in the north of Gran Canaria (where almost 80% of the population lives) and having Las Palmas of Gran Canaria a population around 383.845 inhabitants. The Port of Las Palmas, also known as Puerto de la Luz, is one of the most important not only in Spain but also in Europe, due to its strategic location between three continents (Europe, Africa and America), which has made it one of the main cargo and container exchange ports in the North Atlantic.
Gran Canaria is a world-class tourism destination and we could say that it was the first in the Canary archipelago to be developed. The south of Gran Canaria is where the largest tourist accommodation is located, and it is the destination of more than 3.3 million visitors every year. On the other hand, Puerto de la Luz has become in recent years a very important cruise ship base during the winter season.
