Things to do in Gran Canaria: Trip to Canary Islands 2025
Researching for the Canary Islands guidebook? Here is the ultimate guide to help travelers start planning their vacation to the Canaries’ third-largest island. This guide will list things to do in Gran Canaria which state why this island has captivated and intrigued people.
Due to its diverse terrain and pleasant climate, this continent feels like paradise.
While the beaches are stunning and the weather is spectacular, there’s much more on this beautiful island, from culture and history to food and wine. So, keep reading to dig up the best out of this gem.
Everything about Gran Canaria: Things to do in Gran Canaria and Ways to Get!
This guide will cover everything from things to do in Gran Canaria to stay options to let travelers enjoy the fullest and have a memorable weekend.
Read More – A Complete Guide for Unforgettable Things to Do in Chania
THINGS TO DO IN GRAN CANARIA
Beaches – The main reason why travelers prefer going to Gran Canaria is definitely the shining beaches and sun retreat. The best beaches in this place are Puerto de Mogan, Anfi del Mar, and Amadores Beach near Puerto Rico. These beaches are enclosed, so there are no risky waves and you can enjoy paddling in the calm water.
Dolphin-watching trip. Dolphin watching is also an incredible idea to spend your mornings, apart from spending your day by the pool or beach. The tour costs €40 per adult and it is around a 2-hour trip where you can watch whales and dolphins.
Beach Clubs – If you want to experience a luxury vibe, then head to Perchel Beach Club in El Pajar, Amadores Beach Club near Puerto Rico, or Maroa Club de Mar in Anfi der Mar.
They have a champagne party style with DJs, hot tubs, swimming pools, and great restaurants. This is indeed a great way to spend your day!
Other things to do
Visit the Maspalomas Dunes made from Saharan sand, which creates a natural reserve in the Maspalomas area and is great to explore. Here you can stick to the trails and even try camel riding. Also, you can try a tour on an e-bike or e-scooter.
Palmitos Park – This park is around a 20-minute drive from Meloneras and is located amidst mountains. Here you would love the animals including those stunning fish, reptiles, meerkats, monkeys, and the most beautiful dolphin.
Here you can get close to those dolphins, touch them, and also take selfies with them. For adults, it is €34, €25 for 5-10-year-olds, and €13 for 3-4-year-olds. You can also get a joint ticket with Aqualand.
Visit some of the smaller towns along the coast – From here you can even go on day trips around the island and visit enchanting towns and beaches nearby.
One of the most favorite is Puerto de Mogan, which is a beautiful coastal town filled with whitewashed buildings, cobbled streets, and bougainvillea.
There is also a market and a few little places to wander around. Restaurants are there lining the harbor and also there are seafood restaurants to enjoy the delicacies. In these towns, you can try submarine rides and also enjoy banana rides and other water sports.
Other things to do in Gran canaria
Other highly recommended things are visiting Cocodrilo Park which is also a research center and is home to Guancho, the biggest crocodile in Europe.
Gran Canaria has a lot of things to offer. Apart from these towns and parks, there are moonlight cinemas, watersports, surfing activities, and more. There is also an exciting seaside train which travelers can enjoy.
Being in this region, you can try the wine and visit vineyards and craft breweries too. Wine tourism has always excited visitors, so make sure to try this one. Gran Canaria is highly popular among cyclists and thrill lovers who love to explore mountainous terrains.
There is also the option to head hiking inside the interior. it’s miles a great deal greater rustic than the touristy motels at the coast and you may go to some of the hillside towns or climb up the mountains – there are masses of routes and trails to observe and something to in shape aof ll abilities.
Travelers usually love to rent a touch (no license required) boat while on a tour so if that’s your element then you can rent a ship in Pasito Blanco and discover the coastline at your very own tempo.
If you want to do an afternoon trip to some of the hillside villages then Tejeda and Artenara are notably encouraged.
There are plenty of lovely little tavernas in which you could take a seat on the terraces searching out of the hills and valleys and enjoy a few wine and tapas with a view.
There are also a few eating places which include Restaurante Tagoror (constructed in a cave) and Mirador l. a. And yes do not ignore Cilla (the satisfactory view of the mountains in Gran Canaria).
HOW TO GET TO & GETTING AROUND GRAN CANARIA
There may be one foremost airport on the island, Gran Canaria Airport, with lots of worldwide flights however in case you’re already inside the Canary Islands you could take advantage of the island hopping planes Binter or CanaryFly or the ferries that journey among the exclusive islands.
Depending on what you want to do in Gran Canaria you might want to rent a vehicle. Travelers do, specially because they wanted a car ride and didn’t need to ought to bring it round all day if we had been going someplace and returning in a taxi.
However, if you’re much less confined than we have been then public shipping is sincerely smooth around the island. Taxis are everywhere and are metered and no longer luxurious (the price from the airport to our motel in Meloneras might have been approximately €forty for a 30-minute journey).
Get around Gran Canaria
The bus device may be very clean and complete if you’re touring between cities, but the street device within the centre of the island is not first rate so in case you want to do some exploring or hiking inside the mountains then it’s possibly excellent to hire your very own vehicle.
there’s also a catamaran system that travels up and down the south coast which is easy to apply, cheap, and a laugh! It’s known as the Lineas Bluebird and it stops off in 4 extraordinary ports along the coast, Arguineguin, Anfi del Mar, Puerto Rico & Puerto de Mogan.
We took the total trip from Arguineguin to Puerto de Mogan one day and it turned into the sort of adorable manner to travel. The go back price became €20 a person and took around an hour but it became so first-rate to be out of the water within the sun.
The boats all have glass-bottomed hulls as well so that you can see marine existence as you journey and in case you’re fortunate you can regularly spot dolphins and whales from them too. They’re very common and you can hop on and off at exceptional places every time you want.
WHERE TO STAY IN GRAN CANARIA
We stayed within the Lopesan Costa Meloneras which is in Meloneras in Maspalomas on the South of the island. (most of the hotels are placed on the south of the island alongside all the beaches and traveler points of interest).
it’s miles a stunning, opulent, 5* resort with countless swimming pools and a fabulous spa however ended up being a piece too fancy for our desires with a little one.
We opted for the breakfast-simplest alternative however all-inclusive is to be had too.
Stay options –
We prefer to head out and devour in nearby restaurants in the evenings in preference to stay inside the hotel however it turned into exceptional which will price liquids and lunches by means of the pool to the room.
What became really super was the area. It becomes proper subsequent to the beautiful Maspalomas Dunes Nature Reserve and a stone’s throw from the waterfront and all of the eating places that Meloneras has to offer.
I also had a cute Mama To Be rub down within the spa one day and would have appreciated to have spent more time in there enjoyable but I didn’t get the possibility.
Other stays-
We did love the fact that they provided a own family room that had double beds in it which became extremely good as Nellie is no longer in a cot.
In hindsight, we’d probably. have preferred to live at one of the smaller cities similarly along the coast, Puerto de Mogan or Anfi del Mar.
The lodges had been less fancy and could have been walkable to child-pleasant seashores so we might look at options there if we pass again.
There have been additional masses of neighborhood restaurants everywhere so we might have been spoilt for choice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
I did study Airbnb and maybe employed an apartment but they all seemed to be in addition away from the beach and no longer in notable locations so it appeared that on this occasion a motel or motel sincerely changed into our excellent choice.
Where to Eat in GRAN CANARIA
Restaurante Grand Italia – This became the most effective restaurant that we in reality went to more than once and we chose it for our final night in Gran Canaria.
The menu was sizable (each form of pizza and pasta you could consider) but additionally, masses of clean carpaccio, and seafood, and the beef looked exquisite too.
Travelers chose this due to the fact Spaghetti Bolognese absolute favored meal and it is cherished always. The personnel had been also suitable along with her and bought her special ice lotions and even gave her a touch toy on the give up! glad youngster, happy mum!
We had an exceptional dish one night of the Tagliatelle with Salmon and Caviar and I’m able to’t endorse the red meat Carpaccio with truffle enough! It turned into definitely brilliant and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
Restaurants
Ceniza eating place – This restaurant has pretty a conventional Spanish fashion menu however is a bit extra upscale than traditional tapas eating places. they have got a fire burning in the kitchen and make a big deal out in their fireplace-cooked specials.
We had the mussels to start and then I selected the turbot and Dan had the sluggish-cooked lamb shank and the whole lot turned cooked flawlessly. They were very knowledgeable approximately and served exquisite nearby Canarian wines too and we had a certainly lovely nighttime there.
K1 food & living room – this eating place has a comfortable chill-out vibe and is first-rate for lunches or sundowners.
The meals became a good deal better than we were looking ahead to – the tuna tartare became definitely something I’d go back for – and the salads have been delicious too. they have a DJ inside the nighttime and the vicinity will become more of a living room bar serving dinner and superb cocktails.
Other food spots:
Pitos y Flautas – This restaurant was one of the first that we attempted along the prom and we simply loved its conventional tapas menu.
they’d all the same old; Jamon Iberico, Padron peppers, croquetas, Canarian potatoes – (papas arrugadas which means wrinkled potatoes which are little salted and baked new potatoes served with a smoky purple pepper, mojo sauce) as well as pizzas, seafood, meats, and salads. They even made Nellie’s pizza in the form of a tiger which impressed her!
Restaurante El Senador – This seafood restaurant is a beach club at some stage in the day with a terrace with solar loungers, day beds, and a DJ. At night they have Stay Track, and a Mojito bar and the food is honestly wonderful.
Their specialties encompass paella, roast suckling pig, and fish cooked in a salt crust and you may see all of the sparkling fish in their chiller cabinets and pick out your very own dinner. Nellie became mainly eager about the parrot kept in an aviary at the back of the restaurant!
Food places:
Restaurante Escaleritas – is a conventional Spanish eating place based on Maspalomas beach and served some of the satisfactory fish that we ate all excursion. Order the ocean bass in salt here and do not get disillusioned.
It became the juiciest, tastiest fish I’d had in a long time (however to be honest I didn’t get plenty of a look in as Nellie polished off maximum of my element).
additionally, they did a grilled vegetable plate as properly which became a great addition because the Spanish don’t seem to provide many greens on their menus and i was craving some!
eating place Velero Casa Antonio – This restaurant is similar in fashion to Escaleritas, historically Spanish, and again serves first-rate tapas and seafood.
make certain to request a table in the principal restaurant as whilst we booked this was complete so we have been ingesting out again in their overflow restaurant which had no view and turned into plenty more cafeteria-like! once more, the salt-cooked fish turned into first-rate and we cherished the Gambas Al Ajillo here too!
We also ate out in other cities – particularly for lunches and those are some places we might particularly recommend:
Travelers food recommendations:
Maroa membership de Mar in Anfi del Mar – this changed into an upscale seashore membership with day beds, and hot tubs, and that YOU CAN have a champagne birthday party vibe in excessive season.
Travelers can have a lovable lunch at the restaurant right here which turned into a very chilled and laid-back, lots greater informal than we had been looking forward to.
Puerto de Mogan – There are lots of less expensive cafe/brasserie-style eating places located across the beach promenade with the nicer restaurants ready across the beautiful port.
Just have the first-rate seafood at Restaurante Fragata but you will like the appearance of Restaurante Mogan and on online casino Mediterraneo.
*** Get your Spain visa appointment in a time and make sure you enjoy the best!!!
Conclusion
Gran Canaria is a popular island in the Canaries after Tenerife. The island is no less than a paradise and feels like a mini continent which is full of with lush mountains to deserts.
Most traveler head to this island for its beautiful beaches. But beyond this coastline, there are lot of things to do in Gran canaria, from exploring monuments to bustling around the streets. Follow our guide to discover the best things and know how to be there timely with Online Spain visa.
FAQs
Canarian human beings adore kids, and you’ll locate households socialize together from grandparents to infants until all hours. And don’t be amazed if Canarios talk in your youngsters before they talk to you – the island is extremely own family pleasant.
Gran Canaria is one of the most famous destinations for the LGBTIQ+ network.
The island and islanders are extraordinarily open, and it’s far a safe environment to be your self.
every yr there may be a famous iciness delight in Playa del Inglés, focused around the Yumbo Centrum – the sector’s simplest LGBTIQ+ purchasing center – where you’ll locate bars, stores, eating places and clubs.
Some days in Gran Canaria, you may discover that the air could be very hot and yet it’s foggy or misty.
that is referred to as the calima – the new winds that blow over from the close by Sahara barren region sporting sand dirt in the air. while it won’t hurt you, it may make temperatures and being outdoor unsightly.