With more than its fair share of glorious weather, Gran Canaria is situated around 150 kilometres from the northwest coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean. Gran Canaria villas are extremely popular, mainly due to the blissfully hot summers with rainfall being a very rare occurrence. The main tourist resorts can be found in the south of the island where temperatures tend to be slightly higher and there are wide stretches of white, sandy beaches that are ideal for sunbathing and swimming.
In addition to the island’s magnificent beaches, there are also vast areas of sand dunes that stretch on for miles and miles. A third of the island is dedicated to a UNESCO biosphere programme to encourage sustainable development of the natural surroundings. With a lot of places on the island being protected, the countryside is beautifully unspoilt and teeming with wildlife. Palmitos Park, a large bird park, is a great place to spend the day when you book a Gran Canaria villa. Located towards the south of the island, there are botanical gardens and pleasant walks with incredible views. Over 230 species of exotic birds inhabit the park, as well as monkeys, crocodiles, an aquarium and a butterfly house. There is also a café for refreshments and a gift shop to buy souvenirs.
The whole island was formed volcanically with many interesting rock formations to be found across the island. People who hire a Gran Canaria villa often travel to see one of the island’s most famous landmarks, the Roque Nublo, an 80 metre high monolith that was created by a volcanic eruption some 4.5 million years ago. Another interesting volcanic feature is the Bandama Caldera near the capital city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, a 200 metre deep volcano crater which you can walk down into via a steep path which takes around 30 minutes.
The Maspalomas area is where the main holiday resorts are located and a lot of Gran Canaria villas are situated there. Maspalomas town has some fantastic beaches for bathing and a huge dune area, as well as El Faro de Maspalomas, a delightful lighthouse standing 68 metres tall on the seafront at the western end of the town. Another popular place to hire a villa in Gran Canaria is Puerto Rico, a purpose built holiday resort on the southwest coast with a glorious sandy beach and two picturesque harbours. With plenty of souvenir shops, supermarkets, bars and restaurants, Puerto Rico caters perfectly for holidaymakers.
If you fancy a day trip from a rented Gran Canaria villa, the town of Puerto de Mogán is a charming fishing village with a small sandy beach. A series of canals link its marina to the fishing harbour giving it the affectionate nickname, the ‘Venice of the Canaries’. Restaurants and bars line the waterfront and there is a very popular market held there every Friday. In contrast, if you visit the capital city of Las Palmas during your stay in a Gran Canaria villa, you can expect to find plenty of shops and restaurants, as well as theatres, operas, concerts, festivals and excellent nightlife. There are some beautiful parks and squares around the city, and the Museo Canario is a particularly interesting archaeological museum.
Other places on the island that are worth visiting when you stay in a Gran Canaria villa are the Cenobio de Valerón caves, a spectacular series of caves where visitors can take guided tours, the archaeological park of Cueva Pintada with some fascinating ancient cave drawings, the Las Palmas Carnival that is held every year in June and the Atlantico shopping centre located near to the airport. As well as this there are many activities to try such as water sports, golf, hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, rock climbing and even camel safaris. Families staying in villas in Gran Canaria may also like to keep the children entertained with visits to the island’s theme parks and water park.
