Gran Canaria: 1 week to visit the hidden gems of the island
Read my brain:
✿ Really worth doing!
✎ Not worth it, unless you have time to spare!
Introduction to Gran Canaria
I want to start this article with this tile I found on the wall of a restaurant I ate in. I think this really introduces you to the culture, lifestyle, mentality, and vibe you can live in Gran Canaria.
Literally: “We open when we arrive, we close when we leave and if you come and we are not here, we don't coincide”.
Known as the “continent in miniature”, Gran Canaria is the place we all look for with its famous year-round temperate climate. You can come here for both summer breaks and winter sun. Its diverse landscape is made of
A dry, desert-like south with undulating sand dunes
A lush green north where the capital Las Palmas is
A colder center with coniferous forests.
Whether you’re looking for extreme watersports (surfing especially!) and challenging terrain (Biking!), epic vistas and diverse hiking trails, family resorts with plenty of activities, a romantic getaway or you simply want good food and wine and plenty of sunshine, the island has you covered.
Your perfect Plan for your week in Gran Canaria:
You will need 6 full days approximately.
REMINDER: This blog allocates experiences in the way that saves the most time (spent on reaching areas) and energy! Isn’t it great? <3 ).
♥ Day 1: Hike to Fuente de Los Azulejos
♥ Day 2: Aldea, Agaete & Galdar
♥ Day 3: Firgas & its waterfalls, Arucas, Teror
♥ Day 4: Roque Nublo, Pico de Las Nieves, Tejeda
♥ Day 5: Caldera de Bandama & Las Palmas
♥ Day 6: Maspalomas & Puetro de Mogán
YOU ARE PLANNING TO VISIT OTHER CANARIAN ISLANDS TOO (TENERIFE, LANZAROTE, FUERTEVENTURA…)? No worries <3 I got you covered!
DO NOT MISS MY ARTICLE:
If you wish to find my map pins and easily follow them, follow me on mapstr!
Who to go with:
Your friends or partner! It is quite an adventurous island. It has lots to do, so if you wish to do the kind of trip I did (with a new adventure every day, from hiking to walks, from visiting villages to relaxing on beaches) across the entire island, you want to go with someone that follows your explorer spirit!
How long:
I think 1 week is the perfect time to enjoy this island without rushing, seeing the most kinds of adventures this place offers! It’s then up to you if you wish to stay longer and have some days to relax in between all experiences, or if to only do a few of the following experiences of Gran Canaria and stay only fewer days.
Where to stay for the night:
Despite this article focusing on staying in Agaete (a city that’s situated on the northwest coast), I will suggest you 3 different alternatives where to stay, depending on your preferences & needs:
Agaete: this city is located in the northwest. Why is it great?
On the sea, you can enjoy a fresher climate,
The easiness to go to the beaches even every day
Sunset views as its coast is on west
Its location is useful to reach most of the places of this article!
Nightlife & Life in general is definitely limited compared to the next ones though.
Arucas: a very local and authentic village.
It’s in inland so no sea, but if you wish for something more internal, free of tourists, and super local, then this is for you!
Las Palmas: (the capital!) I usually hate going to tourists and big cities, capitals, and metropolis…
But it is full of things (restaurants, people, etc.) therefore practical.
It’s a very beautiful city and in a way, it gives you the vibe of one of those sea cities in the USA, it reminded me of Miami Beach, Los Angeles… with its palms on the coast, big super long roads, clear sky…
Info; we stayed in Pasito Blanco (Between Puerto Rico & Maspalomas) because we were recommended the south coast to avoid the wind. Though this location was not comfortable to reach all destinations on this trip, therefore I am recommending you to other places above!
Rent your car:
We rented the car with TopCar. I know Cicar as well(should be cheaper but sometimes with longer queues).
GRAN CANARIA
Key information on the country:
The Canary Islands are the southernmost region of Spain and the largest and most populous archipelago of Macaronesia. Because of their location, the Canary Islands have historically been considered a link between the four continents of Africa, North America, South America, and Europe.
Capital city (of the Canary Islands in general)
Las Palmas (de Gran Canaria)
Ps: Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the second capital of the Canary Islands.
Official language:
SPANISH
Population
2.1 MILLION (2021)
Religion
Catholics
Currency
EUROS
Weather
Mediterranean climate
Nationality
SPANISH
Interesting notes:
1)
Moby Dick was filmed here!
In 1954, the legendary John Huston revolutionized the capital of Gran Canaria with the filming of this spectacular film starring Gregory Peck.
More than a hundred technicians from England and the United States, a replica of the whale of more than 65 meters built by artisans of the island and whaling boats: an unprecedented deployment on the island at that time.
2)
Every year during the month of November, sailors from all countries depart from all over the clock to cross the Atlantic towards the Caribbeans making the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, ARC, the largest transoceanic nautical leisure event in the world.
3)
These islands were the last port in which the caravels Santa María, La Pinta, and La Niña docked in the expedition of Christopher Columbus bound for the eastern coasts of Asia. On August 9, 1492, they arrived in Gran Canaria to settle for several weeks in order to refuel, finish conditioning the ships, and recruit some sailors before embarking on the long journey that would lead them to the discovery of the New World.
4)
12 kilometers from the capital, in the municipality of Arucas, is the most famous rum factory on the islands: Arehucas Distilleries. More than 130 years of the life of one of the hallmarks of Gran Canaria which is also the largest and oldest rum factory in Europe the doors of this emblematic building are open to the public from Monday to Friday.
5)
Japanese cuisine first arrived in Spain more than 50 years ago by Toshihiko Sato and his renowned Fuji restaurant located in the capital of Gran Canaria. Japan's fishing fleet had an important base in the port of Las Palmas and Sato decided to take the opportunity to bring to the island the best-known dish of his country, the sushi. It thus became the first Japanese food restaurant in the country.
6)
Discover cool events in Gran Canaria:
Enormous carnival celebrations in late February where the whole island seems to get dressed up,
The Transgrancanaria multi-altitude long-distance running race in March
The Challenge Mogán triathlon competition in April,
The gravity-defying sand-sculpture nativity on Las Canteras beach every December.
7)
Gran Canaria has an abundance of waterfalls.
Barranco de Cernícalos and Barranco de Azuaje have water all year round.
Otherwise, after a week of heavy rain (usually in winter) almost every Barranco on the island has a waterfall, the most popular ones are Charco Azul and Barranco de la Manta.
8)
The only coffee plantation in Europe is in Agaete. Finca los Castaños is the only location in Europe where they still cultivate coffee ☕. In the 18th century, farmers started cultivating Arabic coffee beans, now there are 40 farmers that focus on this coffee plantation. At the coffee plantation (where they also grow fruit and make wine) you can book a tour to get to know the plantation and of course, also taste the coffee.
9)
GC-200 is one of the most dangerous roads in Spain. If you enjoy stunning ocean and mountain views, and an adventure while driving this is a road for you!
The GC-200 starts at Puerto de Mogán and ends North of Agaete. The road is rated as one of the most dangerous roads in Spain due to its hairpin bends and cliff drops. These circumstances give you gorgeous views with the mountains on one side and the ocean + Tenerife on the other side.
Day 2 of this article will bring you there on Road GC-200! You will basically ride it all from south to North!
10)
You can stand in an old volcanic crater and walk on the edge of the volcano. Caldera de Bandama is a 200-meter-deep volcanic crater. which has a diameter of 1KM.
The soil is so fertile that the crater is overgrown with palm trees and other plants.
The hike down takes about 30 minutes, and the hike back up of course a bit more! You can also add a walk around the edge, which gives amazing views of the crater, Las Palmas, the ocean, and sometimes even Fuerteventura.
The Caldera got the name Bandama because it once belonged to a Dutch/Belgian merchant Daniel van Dame (the house in the middle was also his) but the Spanish couldn’t pronounce ‘van Dame’ so it ended up as Bandama.
11)
There are several vineyards on the island where you can do wine tasting. There are several vineyards on the island. The volcanic soil and the stable weather conditions make Gran Canaria a perfect island for vineyards. Some of the vineyards also have wine tastings and tours.
The first location was Caldera de Bandama but now there are vineyards across the whole island. There are several famous wines that are made on the island such as:
Mocanal from Bodegas San Juan,
Agala 1318 & Agala 1175 from Bodegas Bentayga.
If you enjoy wine and if you would like to explore a vineyard definitely check out Bodega San Juan.
♥ Day 1: Hike to Fuente de Los Azulejos
Get my full Google Maps road trip route for Day 1 here.
(Note: This article is based on a night stay in Agaete, if you are staying somewhere else, no worries! You can anyway click & use these routes and change your starting point to your location!).
If you wish to find my map pins and easily follow them during your trip, follow me on mapstr!
✿ Drive to Los Azulejos, and hike to the Fuente.
Fuente de los Azulejos is an unusual rock formation on the island of Gran Canaria. The name literally means "fountain of tiles", because of the color of the rocks resembling Portuguese tiles. These colors are caused by the process of hydrothermal alteration and oxidization.
Just follow the GC-200 road to kilometer 49, and see the beautiful rock formations of the Monumento Natural Los Azulejos De Veneguera (Rainbow Rocks). Then, leave your car parked in a dirt car park with a sign saying Fuente de los Azulejos.
The trail begins, bring water and comfortable shoes!
You will easily find a wooden label indicating where the trail begins. It begins with a very steep part.
PS: The trail is a “ring” which lasts 4-6 hours, BUT you can also just do 1/4th of the trail only up until the Fuente and it would take you around 1 hour and something to arrive :). Then, decide if to the entire ring, or whether to walk back down.
If you go further you can also see Barranco de La Manta waterfall! :)
♥ Day 2: Drive GC-200 road to see Aldea, Agaete & Galdar
Get my full Google Maps road trip route for Day 2 here.
(Note: This article is based on a night stay in Agaete, if you are staying somewhere else, no worries! You can anyway click & use these routes and change your starting point to your location!).
If you wish to find my map pins and easily follow them during your trip, follow me on mapstr!
✿ Visit Agaete
The municipality of Agaete is a coastal town located at an altitude of 43 meters above sea level. The territory of Agaete is generally very steep and there are three main basins: El Risco, Guayedra, and Agaete.
I found this village so beautiful that I believe it to be my favorite on the island! So white, like a very typical Canarian village. Very clean as well, well taken care of, with lots of things.
✿ Take a bath at the Piscina Natural
The Piscina Natural of Agaete is a “natural pool” on the coast of Agaete, made by fencing the coast so that the ocean water would get in, but you would bathe in a calm and safe space, protected from the waves of the ocean. The water is crystal clear and it’s definitely a must-do for this area.
✿ Do a tour of the Coffee Plantations!
-Bringing back here what I told you in my “Interesting facts” above this article.
The only coffee plantation in Europe is in Agaete. Finca los Castaños is the only location in Europe where they still cultivate coffee ☕. In the 18th century, farmers started cultivating Arabic coffee beans, now there are 40 farmers that focus on this coffee plantation. At the coffee plantation (where they also grow fruit and make wine) you can book a tour to get to know the plantation and of course, also taste the coffee.
We went to Bodega Los Berrazales, they do daily tours (just get there at the right time, 4 pm should be the latest but check their site!
✿ Go to Playa La Gueyedra
If you are rather looking for something more savage and far from the crowd, opt for Playa de Guayedra. It’s 15 minutes drive from Agaete, and gives you a beautiful beach with an ocean view and with all the mountains behind you!
✎ See la Pineta de Tamadaba
The reason why it’s not within the top things to do for me, (but it’s rather a ✎) is because I did not go here myself, so I don’t feel like exposing my opinion. I though know that it was not within the most suggestions to me, and this is the reason why I kept it as the last priority.
The highest altitude of the Agaete area is reached in the mountainous area of the Pineta de Tamadaba, at an altitude of 1,180 meters.
If you are more of a mountain person, then you should opt for this rather than the beaches!
✿ Drive to Aldea & relax in Playa de La Aldea
This is a very small and unique village where most locals live. Playa de la Aldea has rocks (not sand!) but the view of the mountains is breathtaking!
NOTE: The beach I am referring to, is the one in front of the port, you can find it at this spot here. DO NOT confuse it with the beach which is a bit later which is the official Playa de La Aldea. I suggest this other part because I found it cuter and more unique.
There is a hidden gem here, a tunnel that gives you a stunning view of the beach & the mountains!
I think this is the perfect place to have a picnic, they have wooden platforms, tables, benches, and more. There is also a Cafè, called “El Charco”.
You can also then go to the beach nearby and see it, there is a nice “Charco” (an “eater hole”).
✿ Galdar: Find a hidden gem of Gran Canaria at Charco de Los Espejos!
Drive northern than Agaete to find Charco de Los Espejos, a water hole with turquoise and crystal waters! You won’t regret it, I hope for you the water is sunny cause it allows the water to show its beautiful colors. ♥ Day 1: Drive GC-200 road to see Agaete & Aldea
✿ Galdar: Visit Sardina, and relax at Playa de Sardina del Norte
It’s a very small village close to Agaete which has a very local aspect. There is a beach called Sardina del Norte, very cute!
After the day, you could actually have dinner here perhaps!
✎ Galdar: another beautiful beach here is: Playa Boca Barranco
Playa Boca Barranco is a very wide & sandy beach.
✎ See Cueva Pintada
I did not think it was interesting enough to go, to be honest, so I skipped this visit & in fact, it is a ✎ for me! But if this kind of thing is of interest to you, then you should go!
Cueva Pintada is a painted cave, an archaeological museum, and a park in the town of Galdar. It is one of the most representative archaeological sites in the Canary Islands, discovered in 1873. It plays a very important role in understanding the period prior to the conquest of the island. In 1972 it was declared a Historic-Artistic Monument.
♥ Day 3: Villages tour in Firgas (with Hike to waterfalls), Arucas, Teror
Get my full Google Maps road trip route for Day 3 here.
(Note: This article is based on a night stay in Agaete, if you are staying somewhere else, no worries! You can anyway click & use these routes and change your starting point to your location!).
If you wish to find my map pins and easily follow them during your trip, follow me on mapstr!
✿ Firgas: See the Waterfall of Barranco de Azuaje
Firgas is the village where this excursion begins!
This Barranco is a steep ravine with towering walls known for hiking trails, laurel trees, clear streams & waterfalls.
As I mentioned in the above part of this article in “Interesting facts”, Gran Canaria is full of waterfalls, if you want to see more, read above.
The Azuaje gully takes us back to a kind of jungle rich in vegetation. We descend to the bottom of the gully, walk along it for a stretch and then ascend back to civilization.
The starting point of the loop is the town of Firgas, a small village that is certainly worthy of the visit (perhaps at the end of your walk). At this spot you can find the wooden sign to begin!
The route starts at the Carretera Las Madres (mirador) from where we take the slippery path that descends to the bottom of the gorge.
✿ Visit Firgas
Super small but super cute as well! It’s a very local village with unique stairs representing the Canary Islands.
The vibe is very authentic: locals would talk to you, they all know each other…
But the best local vibe you can have it in… read the next paragraph! I wanted to make a dedicated space for it because it deserved it!
✿ Firgas: Eat at Restaurante Casa Conchi (We would pronounce it “Conci” in Italian!)
This was the most local and authentic experience I had on the island. The Restaurante Casa Conchi is owned by Conchi indeed, a super sweet woman that would welcome you as if you were her sister or brother, you feel at home. All locals go there and know each other (like it would happen in a small village in Italy). The food is amazing, quality is very high. On Saturday night they put music & dance, so cute!
Try local wine (or coming from Lanzarote) & Ron Miel, produced in the Island!
✿ Teror: Visit the village & Sunday Market!
If you can manage to do this day tour on Sunday, you will find the Sunday Market here, the Mercadillo de Teror! It’s definitely authentic :).
In Teror, eat tapas at La Gaveta De Cristo
They serve jamon, huevos (eggs), local cheese, and more! The quality was very good :).
Whilst you are in Teror, you cannot miss a stop at La Casa del Perfume Canario. They have natural scents, you can try them all and fall in love with them!
Need to do some souvenirs-shopping?
Teror has got you covered! Head to El Perenquén!
✿ Arucas: Visit the village!
Its beautiful church, Paroquia de San Juan Bautista de Arucas resembles the Basílica de la Sagrada Familia of Barcelona that clashes with the very white typical architecture of small houses of the Canaries.
Have a walk around!
Whilst here, eat at La Catedral Bistrò!
✿ Arucas: Visit the Arehucas Rum Distillery
As part of the “Interesting Facts” written at the beginning of this article, I mentioned this interesting curiosity about the island and its rum!
If you did not read it (because you were lazy and skipped my lovely article :( ) I am going to write all the info here again! <3
12 kilometers from the capital, in the municipality of Arucas, is the most famous rum factory on the islands: Arehucas Distilleries. More than 130 years of the life of one of the hallmarks of Gran Canaria which is also the largest and oldest rum factory in Europe the doors of this emblematic building are open to the public from Monday to Friday.
✎ Bathe at the Piscina Natural de El Puertillo
Los Charcones De Bañaderos is very close to Arucas, on Sundays it might get a bit crowded. You will meet red crabby friends, they are so beautiful and walking on the rocks, you will notice them instantaneously, bathe in the sea, and take some sun!
✿ Have dinner on the coast with Sunset at Locanda El Roque & a sea view!
Locanda El Roque is a restaurant overlooking the ocean, with a terrace just above the sea. I did not eat here, but I have suggested it, I don’t know if it’s a tourist place, but the location seems definitely nice!
♥ Day 4: Roque Nublo, Pico de Las Nieves, Tejeda
Get my full Google Maps road trip route for Day 4 here.
(Note: This article is based on a night stay in Agaete, if you are staying somewhere else, no worries! You can anyway click & use these routes and change your starting point to your location!).
If you wish to find my map pins and easily follow them during your trip, follow me on mapstr!
✿ Hike to Roque Nublo
Roque Nublo in Gran Canaria is a geological formation product of a volcanic explosion and erosion after several million years. It’s 80 meters high, making it the third-highest rock in the world and the one located at the highest altitude.
To hike here, it is a total of 3 km (1.9-mile), out-and-back, trail. It takes an average of 1 h to complete.
✿ Hike to Pico De Las Nieves
The highest point of Gran Canaria: Pico de las Nieves lookout point is right in the center of the island. At 1,949 meters above sea level with uninterrupted views out over the Unesco Biosphere Reserve.
If you are a hiking lover and rather wish to find something more challenging, then consider hiking here for the day!
The trail called “Cruz Grande” begins here. It is a 15.2 km out-and-back trail whcih takes 6 hours in total.
♥ Day 5: Caldera de Bandama & Las Palmas
Get my full Google Maps road trip route for Day 5 here.
(Note: This article is based on a night stay in Agaete, if you are staying somewhere else, no worries! You can anyway click & use these routes and change your starting point to your location!).
If you wish to find my map pins and easily follow them during your trip, follow me on mapstr!
✿ Hike to Caldera de Bandama
You can stand in an old volcanic crater and walk on the edge of the volcano. Caldera de Bandama is a 200-meter-deep volcanic crater. which has a diameter of 1KM.
The soil is so fertile that the crater is overgrown with palm trees and other plants.
The hike down takes about 30 minutes, and the hike back up of course a bit more! You can also add a walk around the edge, which gives amazing views of the crater, Las Palmas, the ocean, and sometimes even Fuerteventura.
The Caldera got the name Bandama because it once belonged to a Dutch/Belgian merchant Daniel van Dame (the house in the middle was also his) but the Spanish couldn’t pronounce ‘van Dame’ so it ended up as Bandama.
✎ Barranco de Los Cernicalos
In this area, there is also one of the waterfalls I mentioned in the Interesting Facts above this article: Barranco de los Cernicalos. You can drive there (a 50min drive) and see this waterfall too on the same day if you feel like it!
✿ Visit Las Palmas, the capital city!
After a nice view on the island let’s go back to the city life and enjoy a walk around the city, and why not, a dinner here!
Main visit point: the city center, located all around Plaza Santa Ana.
Dinner: I have several restaurants, choose your fav!
Fuji Restaurant: the one I went to. You are probably asking yourself why I went to a Japanese restaurant in the canary islands. It was my last night on the island, and, if you read my “Interesting Facts” at the top of this article, you’d discover what’s special about this restaurant with its curious history on this island. Besides this, the sushi & fish plates were actually great!
La Marinera, on the coast!
Los 5 sentidos, it’s a local tapas chain
♥ Day 6: Maspalomas & Puetro de Mogán
Get my full Google Maps road trip route for Day 6 here.
(Note: This article is based on a night stay in Agaete, if you are staying somewhere else, no worries! You can anyway click & use these routes and change your starting point to your location!).
If you wish to find my map pins and easily follow them during your trip, follow me on mapstr!
✿ Relax in Playa Maspalomas (with the Dunes of Maspalomas) & Playa del Inglés
Visit Playa de Maspalomas in the same “beach” of Playa del Inglés, so you can see them both in the same gosa and walk over the Dunes as well!
✿ Meloneras & lunch in Dunna (Restaurante Escaleritas)
I think this restaurant is a great alternative to “El Senador Beach Club Restaurant”. El Senador is very expensive for what it offers, and feels way more touristic, even if most tourist guides would recommend it. But (and if you read all my other articles you know by now) I always cherish local unique restaurants and bars and stay away from tourist places!
✿ Enjoy a drink at Meet Beach Bar
Super cute beach bar with a bar counter directly on the sand, serving drinks & having an underground club to dance! Super local and super targeted at younger people :), especially surfers!
✎ Do some shopping at the Mogán Mall
I am not a fan of malls, but this one has great architecture and deserves a visit if you are looking to shop for something!
✿ Have dinner in Puerto de Mogán
I went to La Fragata, but I honestly did not like it.. so I do not have a place to suggest to you here. What’s best, as usual, is to get there and ask the locals!
What can I say more? I came to Gran Canaria after visiting Tenerife, Fuerteventura & Lanzarote first. I had low expectations as I always thought the other islands to be better… but I was so wrong! If you go there, or even just read my articles, you’ll see for yourself how many things Gran Canaria can offer. Especially for nature lovers like me or my readers, this island is a special gem!
On another note: this island is the perfect place to live in (probably when you grow adult and wish to live a more peaceful life)! Perfect climate all year long, good connections from the capital, happy people living here, and a mix of innovation (especially in the capital) and authenticity (in the villages), amazing nature, good health care system… take it into consideration! <3
Many retired people moved here, there must be a reason… and now we know it and experienced it!
Goodbye, Gran Canaria…actually more a “see you soon!”, as I have so many more gems I wish to see here, I will definitely come back.