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Gran Canaria
Columbus stopped here in 1492 to repair the Pinta's rudder before crossing the Atlantic.
The first Atlantic crossing paused on Gran Canaria: the Pinta's rudder had failed, and the fleet spent several weeks at Las Palmas having it fixed before sailing on. The house where Columbus is said to have stayed is now the Casa de Colón museum in the old quarter of Vegueta, which is the oldest part of the city.
The island packs an unusual amount of terrain into fifty kilometres. Roque Nublo, a volcanic plug at 1,813 metres, stands in the cool centre; the Maspalomas dunes at the southern tip cover about 400 hectares of shifting sand, protected since 1987 and separated from a busy resort strip by nothing more than the edge of the reserve.
Quick facts
Currency
EUR
Euro
Language
Spanish
+ English
Power
—
Driving
Right
US-style
Airport
LPA
Gran Canaria
Emergency
—
Police · Fire
When to go
Monthly breakdown
Storm risk: NoneJan
Best
Feb
Best
Mar
Best
Apr
Best
May
Best
Jun
Best
Jul
Best
Aug
Best
Sep
Best
Oct
Best
Nov
Best
Dec
Best
Major events
Carnaval de Las Palmas
Three weeks of drag galas, murgas and a closing Sardine Burial that mock-mourns the end of the party through the streets of Vegueta.
Bajada de la Rama
In Agaete, thousands carry pine branches down from the mountains to the sea and beat the water with them, a rain-making rite that predates the Spanish conquest.
Fiestas del Pino
Teror fills for the island's patron saint, with an overnight walk from Las Palmas that many locals make on foot the night before.
Hidden gems
Barranco de Guayadeque
A ravine where people still live in caves cut into the rock, including a church and two restaurants dug into the hillside.
Playa de Guigui
Reached only by a three-hour walk over the mountain or by boat, which is why it stays empty in August.
Roque Nublo
An 80-metre volcanic plug on the central plateau, a short walk from the road and the island silhouette on every postcard.
Local food
Ropa vieja canaria
Chickpeas and shredded beef or chicken cooked down together; the name means old clothes, for the shredded texture.
Sancocho canario
Salt fish, usually cherne, soaked overnight then boiled with potatoes and sweet potato and served with a gofio paste called pella.
Bienmesabe
dietary_tags.vegetarianA thick almond, egg-yolk and honey cream from Tejeda in the mountains, eaten by the spoonful or over ice cream.
Safety tips
Water-Safety
Rip currents along the south coast beaches are strongest when the swell is running from the southwest. If you are pulled out, swim parallel to the shore before turning back in.
Health
The Maspalomas dunes have no shade and no water, and the surface temperature is far above the air temperature. Cross them early or late and wear something on your feet.
Transport
The mountain roads to Roque Nublo and Artenara are a series of blind hairpins with drops and no barrier in places. Fog rolls in above 1,200 metres with very little warning.
Sustainability
Eco rating
Reef: reef_status.not_applicableMaspalomas dunes protected since 1987
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