Tenerife Resorts : Gran Canaria

History and Information

History

Gran Canaria, rarely Grand Canary (archaic), is the third largest island of the Canary Islands, an archipelago located in the Atlantic Ocean 210 km from the northwest coast of Africa and belonging to Spain. It is located southeast of Tenerife and west of Fuerteventura. The island is of volcanic origin, which is mostly made of fissure vents.

The island was populated by the Guanches, who may have arrived as early as 500 BC. The Guanches called the island Tamarán. It was claimed by Spain in the 15th century.

Gran Canaria's surface is 1,560 km² and its maximum altitude is 1,949 meters (Pico de Las Nieves). It has a round shape, having a diameter of just about 50 km.

It is divided into twenty-one municipalities.

The island has a population of 802,257 with 378,628 (year 2005) of those in the capital city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is the biggest city of Canary Islands, also the capital of the province of Las Palmas, and also one of the two capitals of the autonomous community of the Canary Islands, along with Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Tourism

This island is called a "Miniature Continent" due to the different climates and variety of landscapes found. The island is under protection as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

The number of annual visitors is 2.2 million (2,200,000). Most of the tourists visit the southern part of the island.

Hotel

The Roque NubloThe north tends to be cooler while the south is warmer and sunny. The east coast of the island is flat dotted with beaches while the western coast is rockier and mountainous.

The island posseses 32 Natural Protected Spaces, that include the Rural Park of Nublo, Doramas's Jungle, the Ravine of Azuaje, Tamadaba and Pino Santo

Many tourists stay in the south of the island, which is sunnier and has less rain than the north. There is a large bird park, Palmitos Park, in the south of the island, as well as many beach resort communities.

The resort communities start in the eastern part of the southern coast in the Maspalomas area which includes the towns of San Agustín, Playa del Inglés, Sonnenland, and Maspalomas where most tourists visit.

The Dunes of Maspalomas are located between Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas. Another tourist attraction is the Lighthouse at Maspalomas situated at the western end of Maspalomas.

Playa del Inglés is a popular destination for European gay tourists with bars, restaurants and businesses centered primarily in the Yumbo Centrum shopping center.

A gay beach is found near the Maspalomas Dunes. Maspalomas's beach is known throughout the world by it's beacon, oasis and magnificent sand sea.

Still further to the west along the southern shore, also in the Municipality of Mogán are the communities of Puerto Rico and Puerto de Mogán, a picturesque village referred to as "Little Venice" on account on its many canals.

Attractions

Other attractions include Palmitos Park, Reptilandia Park, Cocodrilos Park, Roque Nublo (an 80m monolith), Cenobio de Valerón with about 290 caves, Cueva Pintada the most important archaeological park in Canary Islands and the botanical gardens Jardin Canario (in Tafira Alta) and Cactualdea (in La Aldea de San Nicolás).

El Dedo de Dios, or "God's Finger" was a rocky spire jutting from the sea in Puerto de las Nieves, and was previously the signature attraction of the Canary Islands until it was destroyed by Tropical Storm Delta (2005) that lashed the archipelago on November 2005.

With its numerous off shore underwater attractions; scuba diving centres, guides, and courses are readily available to take in the full beauty of the island.

Other famous rockys are El Cura (also known as El Fraile), The Frog (La Rana), Bentayga, the Roque de Gando, and the Peñón Bermejo. The highest peak of the island is the Pico de las Nieves, with 1.950 m

Las Palmas

The capital city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in the north of the island, has a vibrant city life and the beach Las Canteras is located in the heart of the city.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is also known for its annual Carnival. In the city Christobal Colón ended up at the Trip of the Discovery, recollection of the same one is the Hermitage of San Antonio Abad, where the navigator prayed, and the Casa de Colon.

Other monuments of the capital are the Museo Canario (the most important museum of archaeology of the archipelago), the Cathedral, the Plaza del Espiritu Santo, etc.

The town of Agüimes on the East of the island has been carefully restored so that it's town centre maintains the peace and tranquility of a traditional Canarian town, centered around it's old church and quiet square.

Las Palmas

The district also has some of the best preserved cave homes in the protected area in the Guayadeque Ravine, where even the church has been built into the hillside, and visitors can eat in the popular cave restaurants.

The district also includes the most famous area for scuba diving on the island, the marine reserve at the playa de El Cabrónjust outside the town of Arinaga.

Other important cities of the island are Telde and Vecindario (belonging to the municipality of Santa Lucia de Tirajana) and Gáldar.

In Arucas is a magnificent Neogothic temple known popularly as " Arucas's Cathedral ", amen of an extensive fertile plaine of bananas. In Gáldar and his surroundings one finds an extensive fertile plaine of bananas and aboriginal very important remains, as the Cueva Pintada or Cenobio de Valerón's communal siloes, tombs of burial, and the port of Sardina del Norte (one of the grancanarian ports, together with that of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, where Christobal Colón saturated his ships).

In Teror is the image of Virgen del Pino, Mistress of Canary Islands.

Heading west along the southern coast is the fishing city of Arguineguin in the Municipality of Mogán.

The market, which is held on Tuesdays, is the largest on the island.