Gran Canaria has long been a hugely popular destination for
British tourists, and is a destination synonymous with no-frills sunshine
holidays. The Spanish island’s location just off the coast of West Africa means
it’s a magnet for northern European sun worshippers. Many visitors hardly stray
from the coastal resorts, which is a real shame as there are lots of easily-accessible sights
to see.
The
Mountains
Hiking certainly isn’t the first that springs to mind at the
mention of Gran Canaria but for those willing to leave the beach resorts and
head into the mountainous middle of the island, there are some fantastic hike
trails and incredible views to enjoy. Assuming it’s a clear day, there are breathtaking views across to neighbouring
Tenerife from the higher reaches of Gran Canaria. Even if there is a layer of cloud, the top of Tenerife’s Mount Teide
still pokes through.
The mountains are surprisingly green compared with the arid
coasts of Gran Canaria. Thanks to the difference in altitude, the elevated
interior of the island gets far more rain and even snow in winter. The area
around the small town of Tejeda is particularly popular with hikers as it sits
between Gran Canaria’s iconic natural landmarks: Roque Nublo and Roque Bentayga. These two towering monoliths look out for miles over the surrounding
landscape.
Maspalomas Sand Dunes
For anyone that’s really reluctant to stray too far from
their sun bed, the vast swathes of sand dunes immediately behind Maspalomas Beach are a must visit. It’s easy to forget sometimes that Gran Canaria is
nearer to the Sahara Desert than Spain, but not here.
The dunes stretch for several miles in the land between the
pleasant resort of Maspalomas and the high-rise hotel hell that is Playa del
Ingles.
Be warned: large stretches of the beach in front of the
dunes are nudist areas! In one particularly awkward moment we were surrounded
by naked septuagenarian men, blinking and staggering in the sunshine like some
sort of bizarre zombie film. Don’t be put off by that though as there are some
great landscape photos to be taken here.
Firgas
Otherwise a fairly typical place, the strangely
corporate-sounding village of Firgas is home to what has to be one of the most
ornate streets anywhere in the world.
The pedestrianised Paseo de Canarias is one creative
masterstroke after another. It begins with a succession perfectly decorated benches and a staggered
multi-tier fountain. As the path rises, each of the six Canary Islands
is the afforded its own porcelain tribute, complete with a 3-D model of each
island and its unique coat of arms.
The crest of the Canary Islands as a whole features two
dogs, rather than canaries, which it’s often thought the islands take their
name from. In fact, the islands are named after the wild dogs that were found
by the first settlers. The name is taken from Latin (canus being Latin for dog)
which is lucky as the ‘Dog Islands’ doesn’t sound quite as enticing.
Arucas
Found just inland from Gran Canaria’s north coast, Arucas is
a lively mid-sized town famous for the imposing neo-gothic Church of San Juan
Bautista. Apart from its size, what sets it apart is it’s made from volcanic
rock, making it a distinctive landmark that towers above its surroundings.
On our visit we were lucky enough to see a carnival
procession making its way around the base of the cathedral. Keep an eye out for
lizards poking their heads out from the gaps in the wall in the adjacent car
park.
Arteara
If venturing into the steep peaks of the mountains on the
narrow winding roads doesn’t sound like fun, a glimpse of some of Gran
Canaria’s natural beauty isn’t far away from the coast. Just a fifteen minute
drive from the tourist hotbed of Maspalomas, near the village of Arteara, is an
impressive roadside viewpoint with vistas reminiscent (albeit on a less
impressive scale) of the Gran Canyon.
There’s still a sheer drop on either side of the viewing
platform so vertigo sufferers may still want to stay away from the edge. This
is a nice sample of some of the scenery higher up on Gran Canaria for anyone
with a hire car that’s unsure about tackling the mountain roads.
