Gran Canaria in 4 Days: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit

Throughout Gran Canaria there are dozens of urban settlements that combine the best of the mountainous environment of the centre of the island with the beach and maritime character of its coasts. The best things to see and do in Gran Canaria are those that make the most of these two facets of the island and so in this publication I have grouped together a number of activities that will help you make the most of a four-day visit.

Dunes worthy of a Saharan landscape, black sand beaches of volcanic origin and mountain peaks that resemble a continental mountain range. These are just some of the sights you'll see on your 4-day trip to Gran Canaria if you decide to follow this fun itinerary of plans and activities that I've thoughtfully put together for you.

The capital of Gran Canaria is a rather peculiar place, because although it is not a big city with millions of inhabitants, it is a community that has managed to modernise. This is without forgetting the old character of some of its neighbourhoods and the architectural identity that defines many of its more touristy residential areas.

So, for the first day of your trip, I have proposed that you get to know a couple of places in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria as well as some of the other great tourist attractions in the communities closest to this urban epicentre.

Tour the neighbourhood of Vegueta and the famous Triana Street

The neighbourhood of Vegueta is located at the southern end of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This is the area where the historic centre of the city is located. The Cathedral of Santa Ana, the Episcopal Palace, the street on which the Fuente del Espíritu Santo and the Casa de Colón are located are some of the corners that deserve to be visited during your stay in this beautiful area of Gran Canaria.

Many of the best tours of Gran Canaria focus on visiting the neighbourhood of Vegueta in depth and therefore can be a good alternative to spend the morning of the first day of your trip in an appropriate way. On the other hand, Calle Triana is a famous pedestrian artery that stretches from the northern end of Vegueta to San Telmo Park and is a place not to be missed. At least if there are a few things you need to buy before continuing with your travel itinerary.

Then take a sightseeing bus around the city

As you will still have several places to visit in this city and the idea is to be able to return home after having seen the most of each of the attractions of this island, I suggest that you enjoy a bus tour of Gran Canaria. It would take you from north to south and from east to west through the whole of this community.

It's a good idea because it's a guided tour where you won't miss a single detail about the places you see along the route. It's also a good plan knowing that at the end of the tour you can get off at the stop that suits you best and that is closest to the car rental centre you have chosen for your trip.

The truth is that you will need a vehicle to be able to complete the rest of the activities of this tourist itinerary and it is actually an indispensable resource, even if you intend to have an improvised trip in which you are interested in seeing several important places of the island.

Drive to Los Charcones

Once you have a car at your disposal and have had lunch in some of the restaurants in the centre of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, take the GC-2 motorway in the direction of the community of Bañaderos. At the exit 200 metres before the Bañaderos roundabout you will find the entrance to the Los Charcones promenade and if you drive along this road you will arrive directly at the place I recommend.

These are natural pools that have formed on the rocks of the coast, which in turn are well known on the island for the quality of the windsurfing that can be practised on the beach in front of them. They are a good alternative if you want to enjoy your first swim in sea water in an environment that is not like the typical sandy beach.

Take a guided tour of the Destileria Arehucas wine cellar

As one of the distinctive aspects of Gran Canaria is being able to go from the maritime environment to mountain life with a drive of a couple of minutes, it is appropriate that the next activity on your first day on the island is to drive along the GC-20 in the direction of the village of Arucas. This is to have a guided tour of the facilities of the famous Arehucas Distillery.

This is an activity that includes a rum tasting and a tour of the cellars of the most important rum producing company in all the Canary Islands. Keep in mind that it is a plan that usually lasts about 45 minutes and that will still leave you free time to complete the day getting to know another of the great attractions of this beautiful Canarian town.

Visit the Parish Church of San Juan Bautista in Arucas

This Catholic church, erected at the beginning of the 20th century, is one of the most impressive buildings on the island. It stands out for being a neo-Gothic structure on an island where architectural trends have always opted for the baroque style of the colonial conquests.

Sitting down for a drink or a coffee in the nearby restaurants may be the ideal way to end this entertaining day. If you are interested in finding a suitable place to catch the sunset and start to enjoy the night, I can advise you to go to the municipal park or to the viewpoint of the Montaña de Arucas. Mainly due to the fact that both places are accessible with the car you just rented at midday.

The beauty of Gran Canaria is not limited to the populated north coast of the island and this is no secret to anyone. The south-eastern end of the island is full of communities and activities that attract all kinds of tourists to take part in different types of activities.

For the second day of your trip I have grouped together several sites that perfectly capture the beach and sandy essence of this part of Gran Canaria so that you can balance your trip towards other types of environments. Keep in mind that the car will still be the most important resource for the logistics of this itinerary, as there is no way you can get from one point to another at your leisure if you don't have a private vehicle at your disposal.

Start the day with a snorkelling session in Mogán

Puerto de Mogán is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque corners of all the Canary Islands. This is because its old fishermen's houses that have been restored create a rather peculiar atmosphere if you add the canals that are also accompanied by a luxurious marina full of sailboats and yachts.

The beach of this town is a popular tourist destination in Gran Canaria, but the activity I recommend you enjoy when you are in this port is a snorkelling session on the nearby reefs. Basically, it's a boat trip that usually lasts about 3 hours and includes a snorkelling session at a small beach called El Perchel which is only accessible from the sea.

I recommend you have breakfast at any of the dozens of restaurants in Mogán before starting this tour which is usually booked for mid-morning. Swimming and scuba diving are two activities that work up an appetite too quickly and it's no fun standing in the middle of the sea with an uncomfortable appetite for lunch.

Continue to the Maspalomas Dunes

When you return to the island from your boat trip you will have to resume driving along the GC-1 towards Maspalomas. Along this motorway you will pass through several tunnels, as you will be moving from a terrain of ravines and cliffs to a flatter area of the island. At some point you will find the possibility of turning off towards the GC-500 road and when this happens you will turn off again to take the GC-510 towards the Maspalomas Dunes car park.

There you can leave your car in any of the different spaces designated by private companies or by the municipality of Maspalomas to be able to enter this section of the island that has kilometres of dunes worthy of a Saharan photograph. You can play on the sand for as long as you like, as access is completely free. If you want to make the most of your time, you can take part in some of the dune camel rides offered at the entrance to the park or book online.

Visit Aqualand Maspalomas if you are travelling with children

Once you've got your doubts out of the way, you'll want to get all the sand out of your system and Aqualand Maspalomas is a good option. It is a water park with several mechanised attractions and several slides that can be the most fun moment of the whole trip for the youngest members of the family.

So if you have children or are with children as company on this trip, it is not a bad idea to dedicate a couple of hours to this activity. However, if it's a trip for adults you don't have to worry, as there will also be other theme parks in Gran Canaria that you can enjoy at other future stages of your visit.

Drive to the Mirador de Fataga

If you start driving along the GC-60 road towards the north of the island you will be taking one of the most beautiful routes in the whole of Gran Canaria. It is an ascending road that takes you through several mountain villages on the island and the idea is that you drive to the Mirador de Fataga so that you can admire the beauty of the south from above.

Stopping for lunch at any of the taverns you see on this route is recommended if you haven't decided to eat at one of the restaurants in Maspaloma or even the cafeterias in Aqualand by this point in the day. That is in case you have decided to visit this water park.

Take advantage and enjoy the surroundings of the Ventana del Nublo

The Ventana del Nublo is one of the most important natural highlights of the mountainous region of Gran Canaria and this area is less than 30 minutes by car from the Mirador de Fataga. That means you should take advantage of the proximity to get to this area before sunset with the clear intention of enjoying the sunset on these geological formations that offer you a panoramic perspective of the volcanic peaks of Gran Canaria.

I have to highlight the fact that tourist exploration of this section of the island is one of the best things to do in Gran Canaria in winter, as it is a good plan for sporting, family and healthy entertainment. That's without having to deal with a drop in water temperatures on the beaches or the rising wind in these coastal resorts on the island.

Up to this point in your trip you have not had the opportunity to enjoy a beach session without being interrupted by other activities in order to make the most of the time and the proximity to other interesting places on the island.

For this reason I propose several activities associated with the sea for this third day of your visit to Gran Canaria. There is not a single second to lose knowing that you have less than 48 hours left to enjoy this beautiful island.

Start the day at Agaete Natural Pool

In the north-east of Gran Canaria, in the village of Agaete, there is a set of natural pools twice the size of Los Charcones that can mark the start of your tourist planning for a day that in theory will revolve around the sea. The site has a free car park as well as a promenade which you could walk along to find a breakfast alternative among the 7 restaurants in the area.

Dedo de Dios beach is another site you could visit if you fancy a short walk along a hiking trail. This is highly recommended, as this is one of the best things to do in Gran Canaria.

Enjoy the beauty of the Tamadaba Natural Park

When you're done in Agaete you'll have to start driving along the GC-200 and along the way you'll pass through the curves of the Tamadaba Natural Park. It's quite a beautiful area worth admiring, so it's a good idea to take a couple of minutes detour to the Mirador de Tirma Artenera.

If this doesn't interest you, then you can take the GC-2 tunnel detour to get to La Aldea de San Nicolas de Tolentino more quickly, as this is the next destination on your journey.

Don't hesitate to have lunch in La Aldea de San Nicolas de Tolentino

La Aldea de San Nicolas de Tol entino doesn't really have anything special beyond the fact that it's the area where different routes from the north of the island meet and that it's close to the Güigüí Nature Reserve.

As you will probably be hungry after a morning of sun, beach and hiking, it is advisable to have lunch in one of the modest restaurants that you will find in this village as well as in the rest of the GC-200. The truth is that the next and last activity of your third day is also very demanding, from a physical perspective. That's why a significantly large lunch is something you'll be grateful for at the end of the day.

Take the hiking route to Playa de Güigüí

For many locals Playa de Güigüí is the most beautiful and special beach in the whole of Gran Canaria. An influential factor in this significant appreciation by this population is the fact that it is completely inaccessible by car.

If you are interested in visiting it, you should know that it is a nudist beach of black sand surrounded by volcanic cliffs. These three characteristics have given it an identity that seduces more and more tourists to start the hiking route of about 5 kilometres. This route takes visitors from the public car park located between the village of Tasartico on the GC-204 road and the beach of the same name.

You can leave your car there if you are interested in the walk. Although you should also know that small boats usually leave from Tasartico Beach during the high tourist season that can take you to enjoy the sunset on this beautiful and peculiar beach.

With the arrival of the fourth day of the trip, nostalgia begins to set in, and so does the impression that there are still so many interesting things to see on this beautiful island.

That's why I have proposed that you complete the itinerary with some places that for the local population are the best kept secrets of the mass tourism that usually takes place in the high season of international travel.

Meet the famous village of Teror

Hundreds of thousands of Gran Canarian people agree that the village of Teror is the most special and beautiful village on the island. This makes it the first stop on your last day on the island and breakfast in one of its picturesque cafés is not the only thing you should do in this community.

Visiting the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de los Pinos, seeing the Cistercian Monastery and admiring the Episcopal Palace are some activities that have to be accompanied by a tourist walk through the streets of the village. The streets are full of centuries-old houses with wooden balconies in the best Canarian style and colourful façades.

A quick trip through Tejeda

Take your time to enjoy Teror, as the anxieties don't make as much sense knowing that you've made the most of your trip. When you feel ready, start driving in the direction of Maspalomas on the GC-21 until you meet the GC-210. By this point you will be less than fifteen minutes from the change to the GC-60 which will start the descent to the coast but not before passing through the picturesque village of Tejeda.

Of this place I can highlight its urban beauty, as it is a community full of hills where most of the houses are painted white in the best style of the coastal villages of Lanzarote or Fuerteventura.

Have fun at Sioux City Park

Once you're in Maspalomas and you've had lunch at either of the two previous stops of your day, you'll have to quickly take the GC-1 and then change to the GC-500 and head towards Sioux City Park.

This is a fun theme park that is a faithful reproduction of a typical American Wild West town. For this reason you will find yourself in such a peculiar panorama that you will be surprised to know that such a place exists in Gran Canaria.

Here you will see theatrical performances on an authentic film set, a zoo and also buildings with several commercial establishments that will keep you entertained for the rest of your afternoon. This may be the farewell to the trip, although the proximity of the place to Maspalomas means that there is still one last activity to enjoy.

Finish the trip with a sunset in Playa del Inglés

After a trip as special as the one you have enjoyed for this point of the itinerary, it would be a real shame if you could not enjoy a good sunset on your last day in Gran Canaria. That's why I recommend that when you leave Sioux City Park you head back along the GC-500 to Playa del Inglés.

This is a kilometre-long beach with one of the highest concentrations of hotels and shops on the island. This means that you can admire a beautiful sunset and then go for dinner at a special place, such as the Hard Rock Cafe or the touristy Columbus Restaurant.