Wow, what a trip! The Canary Island of Gran Canaria in Spain truly surprised us. We never imagined this island would be so diverse, colorful, and varied. Together with TUI, we experienced breathtaking mountain ranges, beautiful beaches, vast sandy deserts, charming mountain villages, coffee and banana plantations, and much, much more. Gran Canaria isn’t just an island for package holidaymakers. Active holidaymakers, in particular, will find plenty to enjoy here. We’ll tell you about our most beautiful sights on Gran Canaria, which you definitely shouldn’t miss.

• The Dunes of Maspalomas
• Market in Arguineguin
• Puerto de Mogán
• The largest cactus park in the world
• Europe’s only coffee plantations
• Beaches on Gran Canaria
• Catamaran excursion
• The mountains on Gran Canaria
• Sights on Gran Canaria – Mountain village of Tejeda
• The lonely west coast of the island
• Conclusion Gran Canaria
• Arrival in Gran Canaria
• Our hotel in Maspalomas
• Rental car on Gran Canaria

The Dunes of Maspalomas

The top sights on Gran Canaria include the Maspalomas Dunes are located in the south of the island and stretch between Maspalomas and Playa del Ingles. They are almost 6 kilometers long and up to 2 kilometers wide. It almost feels like you’re standing in the Sahara Desert in Morocco. It’s an incredible feeling to trudge through the hilly sand dunes. Visiting the dunes at sunset is especially recommended. The mood, the light, and the atmosphere are simply beautiful and unique.

If you plan to visit the dunes during the day, it’s best not to walk barefoot on the sand. It’s extremely hot, and your feet will burn quickly. The sun is very high, making the temperatures in the Maspalomas dunes almost unbearable. It’s best to arrive early in the morning or later in the evening, starting around 8:00 p.m. Incidentally, it’s still not entirely clear how the dunes developed. However, it is assumed that they were formed by erosion and erosion.

Market in Arguineguin

The weekly market in Arguineguin takes place every Tuesday in Plaza Negra from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is the largest market on the island and offers practically everything you can imagine. We especially loved the selection of fruit and vegetables. You can shop locally and very cheaply there. From Maspalomas, drive towards Puerto Rico. After just 12 minutes, you’ll reach the small fishing village. You can stroll leisurely along the coastal promenade and linger on the beautiful beaches and bays.

Puerto de Mogán

Our readers highly recommended Puerto de Mogàn to us. No sooner said than done! After visiting the market in Arguineguin, we continued on to the next attraction in Gran Canaria. Our destination was the beautiful town of Puerto de Mogàn, affectionately known as “Little Venice.” Upon seeing the village, you’ll quickly understand why it’s called that. Numerous canals and bridges, colorful house facades, garlands of flowers, boats in the harbor, and a cozy atmosphere. Puerto de Mogàn is one of the most beautiful villages in Gran Canaria, and we can absolutely understand why.

Here you’ll find several restaurants, shops, cafés, and even a private beach for swimming and sunbathing. The yellow submarine, which you can explore the underwater world, is also moored at the harbor. The tour lasts 40 minutes and takes you past a wreck, among other things. Or rent a kayak and explore the area from the water. Local ferries also depart from Puerto de Mogàn to Anfi, Puerto Rico, and Arguineguin (Lines Bluebird and Salmon). The boats even have glass bottoms.

Conclusion: This picturesque harbor town is worth a visit. It’s romantic, playful, and truly has a touch of Venice. Puerto de Mogàn stands out from the tourist hotspots of Playa del Ingles or Puerto Rico. And by the way: If you want a great view of the town, visit the “Mirador Puerto de Mogàn” viewpoint. To get there, follow the blue signs (Callejón las Conchas, 26, 35139 Lomo Quiebre).

The largest cactus park in the world

By chance, we discovered another attraction on Gran Canaria – the largest cactus park in the world. It is located just under 40 minutes from Mogàn. The path winds through the mountainous landscape. In the municipality of “La Aldea de San Nicolás,” you will find Cactualdea Park. It is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and adults pay €6.50 admission. There’s a small shop, a museum, a restaurant, and other amenities on site.

What’s there to see here? Well, cacti. The largest collection in the world, with more than 1,200 species. In addition to South and Central American plants, there are also numerous plants from Australia and the USA. On an area of approximately 15,000 m², you’ll find dragon trees, aloes, palm trees, large cactus fields, and much more. We even ended up buying some different seeds (€1 each). Let’s see what we can grow here in our apartment.

Europe’s only coffee plantations

We love coffee! So it was a great blessing for us that Gran Canaria is home to Europe’s only coffee plantation. To be honest, until then we didn’t even know that coffee was grown in Europe. At the foot of the Tamadaba cliffs lies the Agaete Valley. Here, the Bodega Los Berrazales grows wine and coffee on the Finca de La Laja. In addition to these crops, oranges, mangoes, avocados, lemons, and much more are also cultivated here. None of this is exported; everything stays on the island.

The finca produces almost 1,500 kilos of coffee annually. The plantations are especially known for their excellent wines, some of which have received special awards. We were given a short tour and learned a bit about coffee and wine production. At the end, we were treated to a wine tasting, homemade cheese, spread, crackers, and coffee. Admission, including the tour and tasting, costs only €8 per person. The entire property is also beautiful and incredibly idyllic.

Beaches on Gran Canaria

We always thought that the Canary Islands generally only had black and, above all, rocky beaches. But on Gran Canaria, we were proven wrong. On the way to Puerto de Mogàn, for example, we reached Playa des Amadores. This beach is very popular and is one of the most beautiful on the entire island. The sand is light and soft, the water turquoise and crystal clear. The lagoon is sheltered, and the water is very calm. Here you can relax on one of the loungers or cool off in the sea.

The beach is around 800 meters long, very busy, and well-visited. Since 2004, this beach has even been awarded the “Blue Flag” due to the excellent water quality. Be aware, however, that Gran Canaria is a package holiday island, so don’t be surprised by the many hotels and concrete blocks. The south, in particular, is generally very focused on tourism and is overdeveloped. But we already knew that before the trip, so the sight didn’t really shock us.

Other beaches on Gran Canaria:

• Maspalomas Beach
• Playa des Ingles
• Playa de las Canteras
• Taurito Beach
• Arguineguin Beach
• Playa de las Nieves

Catamaran Trip

We really wanted to go out to sea on the last day of our Gran Canaria trip. So we booked a catamaran tour* the day before. Early in the morning, we were picked up promptly at 8:20 a.m. in a small coach and driven to Puerto Rico with others. Our catamaran was already waiting for us in the harbor. At 9:30 a.m., the tour began north, always following the coast. We passed Puerto de Mogàn and Playa des Amadores.

We drove for just under an hour to a small bay. There we dropped anchor and enjoyed the clear water, the sun, the music, drinks, and the good food. There, we also had the opportunity to participate in a variety of water sports (parasailing, jet skiing, speedboating, etc.). Apart from our boat, there was no other boat in the bay. That was really pleasant. We were even able to take some really nice shots with our drone. We highly recommend the tour, even if you have to share the catamaran with 50-65 other people. There’s plenty of space, though, and it never feels crowded. Book the tour here*.

The Morning Cruise Tour cost us €63 per person. It included snorkeling equipment, the speedboat ride, lunch, soft drinks, sangria, and beer. In total, we were out for about five hours. Despite the large number of guests (around 50), it was very relaxed and quiet. Since we booked so spontaneously, this tour was the only one available. Private tours with just 10-12 guests are also available. These are naturally a bit more expensive. €63 was more than reasonable for us.

The mountains of Gran Canaria

What we were particularly looking forward to before the trip were the mountains. We love being in nature, especially when we’re at altitude. On Gran Canaria, you’ll find a remarkable and diverse mountain landscape. The enormous gorges in the central mountain range, the many viewpoints, the mountain villages, reservoirs, palm groves, and the green north are simply fascinating.

We recommend, among other things, the tour to Roque Nublo, a rock at an altitude of 1,803 meters. It is the island’s landmark and offers spectacular views of the entire island. In good weather, you can even see Tenerife and the 3,718-meter-high Teide volcano. From the parking lot, it’s a 20-30 minute hike to the rock. Be sure to bring water and wear sturdy shoes. Flip-flops were fine, but shoes would have been more comfortable.

You can take numerous hikes in the island’s interior. Another popular option is the tour to the island’s highest point, the Pico de las Nieves. At 1,949 meters, it’s the highest mountain on the island. Be sure to also head further north to Tejeda, Teror, or Artenara. Many beautiful mountain villages and viewpoints await you here.

Sights on Gran Canaria – Mountain Village of Tejeda

There are many beautiful mountain villages on Gran Canaria. We visited, among others, the mountain village of Tejeda. We made our way through the mountains, up and down, in our rental car. You should have a strong stomach. The many switchbacks are quite challenging, even on the west coast. The almost 49 kilometers from Maspalomas are full of curves before you reach the mountain village at an altitude of 1050 meters.

The village is surrounded by orchards and vegetable gardens. From the central square, you have a wonderful view of the Roque Bentayga rock, once a sacred site for the locals. Stroll through the village, enjoy the idyllic surroundings, and treat yourself to a delicious cappuccino in one of the restaurants overlooking the surrounding area. Other popular mountain villages include Teror, Artenara, Fataga, Moya, Firgas, and many more.

The lonely west coast of the island

On the way to the cactus park and the coffee plantation in the west of the island, we drove along the coast and wound our way through the mountains. The views are truly magnificent. Our first stop was at theMirador del Balcòn. This is located at the westernmost tip of the island on a cliff that drops vertically into the Atlantic Ocean.

From there, you have a fantastic view of the “Dragon’s Tail,” a wall of cliffs that winds into the water in a zigzag shape. There’s parking on site, stairs to the viewing platform, and a small food truck, which, however, charges exorbitant prices for drinks. Two small cans of soft drinks and an apple cost us €9.

The journey continues on the GC-2 (the GC-200 was somehow closed). At some point, we reached a pretty valley, the Barranco De Guayedra with Playa De Guayedra. Here we took a short break and let the drone fly over the water. Shortly after, we reached the town of Agaete and finally the Los Berrazales coffee plantation. The west coast is particularly impressive due to its cool coastal route. The beaches are rather rocky and black. Anyone who enjoys the mountain landscapes of the Tamadaba National Park will feel right at home here.

Conclusion: Gran Canaria

We didn’t see every corner of the island, of course. But there were still enough places that impressed us. Gran Canaria has a lot to offer and something for every taste. It’s worth exploring the island with a rental car. We will definitely return one of the next winters. Gran Canaria’s climate is almost perfect: beautifully warm in the summer and very mild in the winter. We were on the island in mid-June and would choose this month again. The weather was perfect, and tourism was very relaxed.

Arriving in Gran Canaria

You can reach Gran Canaria (LPA) from Germany several times a week by plane (charter or scheduled flight). The flight takes 4 to 5 hours, depending on the departure airport. We flew from Hanover with TUIfly (including train tickets). TUIfly also flies from Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, Cologne, Munich, Hamburg, and Nuremberg, among others. Unfortunately, drinks and snacks on board have to be paid for separately. Otherwise, everything went smoothly and on time; the outbound and return flights were very relaxing.

Our Hotel in Maspalomas

We stayed at the chic Club Maspalomas Suites & Spa*. This hotel is located in the south of the island in Maspalomas. It has very modern furnishings and a cool design. We felt very comfortable here. There are only small bungalows and a handful of double rooms. Two beautiful pools, loungers, parasols, a bar, a restaurant, and a fitness and wellness area await you. We really liked our room; it was modern and comfortably furnished.

For us, it was simply perfect that we had half-board included in the package. This meant we didn’t have to worry about anything before and after our sightseeing tours. The food is served buffet-style and is impressive. We also really liked that it’s not a huge complex, but more like a small but fine club hotel. In the evenings, there’s always a program on the stage, usually featuring musicians and bands from the island. By the way, it’s an adults-only hotel, so access is only available to those over 18.

Rental Car on Gran Canaria

To discover the sights on Gran Canaria, you should definitely book a rental car*. You can get one for around €50 per week, with all the essentials included. We had a small Fiat 500 again this time, and we simply love this car. The car drives really well and is perfect for sightseeing.

Driving on the island is also very easy; the roads are mostly very well-developed. There are also frequent highways, which allow you to get from point A to point B quickly. We always book our car through billiger-mietwagen.de because we’ve never had any problems with this platform in the last 5 years.