We headed to Gran Canaria in November to escape the darkness, after spotting a cheap last-minute deal with Apollomatkat. The idea was to soak up the sun and explore a bit of what this perennial favorite destination for Finns has to offer.
We rented a car from the airport for the entire week to better explore the island. Being somewhat impatient holidaymakers, we might not have the patience to spend a week just lounging by the hotel pool and in one village, and having a car gives us the freedom to explore places at our own pace.
Our hotel was located in Puerto Rico, on the southwest coast of Gran Canaria. This area is known for almost 100% guaranteed sunshine and clear seawater. Our hotel was the Maracaibo Aparthotel, situated on the outskirts of the village on a mountainside, offering beautiful sea views from the balcony. It was absolutely delightful!
The room also had a small kitchen, which was a nice addition, allowing us to have breakfast in the room and enjoy it on the balcony. There was a small grocery store next to the hotel, where we found all the essentials, so we didn’t have to go far to shop.
The hotel had a decent pool area, complete with a pool bar. There was no designated parking at the hotel, but we could park the car for free on the street in front of the hotel.
The location was indeed perfect in every way, slightly uphill, so the views were really nice, and the beach was about 450 meters away, with Puerto Rico’s center just under a kilometer away.
The beach in Puerto Rico was really nice and sheltered, with cozy restaurants/bars if hunger or thirst struck. From Puerto Rico’s beach, there is also a beautiful scenic walkway to the neighboring Playa de Amadores beach, which was also really cozy. If you’re staying in either of these places, it’s definitely worth taking a stroll along this route, with really nice views.
During the week, we practically drove around the entire island, and here are our highlights from Gran Canaria:
Natural Attractions
Roque Nublo
Roque Nublo – Located in the central part of the island, one of Gran Canaria’s most famous attractions, an 80-meter-high rock formation. It’s also one of the world’s largest naturally occurring rocks.
Pico de los Pozos
Pico de los Pozos viewpoint – Gran Canaria’s highest point at 1949 meters above sea level. Beautiful views in several directions. It’s advisable to bring warm clothing because while the sun can be scorching at the beach, it can be quite cool up here.
Maspalomas Sand Dunes
Maspalomas Sand Dunes – Gran Canaria’s own Sahara, with beautifully undulating sand dunes covering a large area. The wind can be quite strong, and you might get sandblasting on your face.
Soria
Soria – Stunning canyon-like landscapes and scenic drives, a really nice and beautiful area to drive around. At times it even brings to mind the Grand Canyon. The village of Soria also has an impressive dam.
Agaete Piscina Natural
Agaete Piscina Natural – Natural seawater pools in the northwest corner of the island. Nice to stroll around on the rocks and watch the waves crashing.
Mirador del Balcรณ
Mirador del Balcรณn viewpoint – Stunning views, with rugged cliffs rising from the sea.
Tamadaba Natural Park
Tamadaba Natural Park – One of Gran Canaria’s more untouched areas, with stunning landscapes and beautiful pine forests.
Villages
- Puerto de Mogan – A really charming small and colorful beach village on the southwest coast of the island. Floral splendor, small canals, and curved bridges. If Soria had shades of the Grand Canyon, here you have Venice. Definitely our favorite among Gran Canaria’s villages.
- Meloneras – Beautiful and stylish beach village near Maspalomas. Here you’ll also find a lighthouse built in 1890, still in operation.
- Bahia Feliz – Nice small beach village and beautiful beach.
Gran Canaria really surprised us with its versatility. The reputation as just a monotonous beach holiday destination may have made us avoid the destination before, but this trip certainly changed our attitude toward it. Almost guaranteed sunshine and beautiful natural attractions will surely tempt us to return.
