Gran Canaria: A European Winter Escape
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| Playa Anfi del Mar |
Winter blues are very real in the northern hemisphere. From my past experiences, January and February are always the toughest months. The lights and festive energy of Christmas are long gone, and we are deep back into routine - grey skies, cold mornings, and very little to look forward to.
After the smashing success of our Mallorca trip, we decided to visit the next popular winter destination: the Canary Islands.
We had heard of Gran Canaria from neighbours and colleagues who travelled there to get some sun and escape the bitter cold in Germany. It is the third-largest of Spain’s Canary Islands - a European tourist hotspot welcoming over 14 million annual visitors across the archipelago. When it is 0°C in Germany, it is a pleasant 20+°C in Gran Canaria. Geographically, it lies less than 100 km from the African coast and about 1,363 km from mainland Spain.
So why is it a Spanish island, you may ask? Here’s a small historical nugget.
The island’s colonisation began in 1478, when the Crown of Castile launched a brutal five-year military campaign, finally overcoming fierce indigenous resistance in 1483. Through violent conflict, slavery, forced conversion, and foreign diseases, the indigenous population was largely eliminated. Survivors were later assimilated into the Spanish colonial population, leading to the loss of their original language and cultural autonomy.
Following this conquest, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria became a crucial maritime hub for Spanish voyages to the Americas, including stopovers by Christopher Columbus. Today, it is a bustling, cosmopolitan island of over 860,000 residents, powered by tourism, agriculture, and its strategic maritime position.
First Impressions: South of the Island
It was a four-and-a-half-hour flight from Cologne. We rented a car at the airport and began our 30-minute drive to the hotel.
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| Broken tile mosaics |
It was hard not to compare the scenery to other islands we have visited - Madeira and Mallorca in particular. But Gran Canaria felt different. The southern side of the island is strikingly arid and barren. As we drove closer, we could see hotels and accommodations climbing up the mountainsides with layers of white buildings stacked against brown, rocky terrain. Apart from tourism infrastructure, there was very little else visible.
We covered the island over five days, exploring it anti-clockwise, starting from the southernmost point.
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| Saved places in Google Maps = hours of planning |
Maspalomas & The Golden Dunes
Then came the Maspalomas Dunes - a vast golden landscape that feels like the Sahara meeting the sea. We visited the Mirador de las Dunas to admire the view. We were slightly disappointed that we couldn’t walk freely into the dunes as they were cordoned off. The barricade was only a rope, and although many people crossed it for photos, we chose not to. A quick Google search later confirmed that access is restricted to protect a fragile ecosystem from degradation.
Standing there watching endless waves of sand shift under the wind was magical.
Ravines & Viewpoints
At Mirador Astronómico de la Degollada de las Yeguas, we stopped briefly to admire sweeping canyon views - dramatic and expansive.
Barranco de Las Vacas was particularly striking. It is a small ravine known for smooth, wave-like volcanic rock formations. However, reaching it felt chaotic. There is no proper parking; visitors leave cars along the road and walk dangerously close to passing traffic. There are no proper signboards either. Given its popularity, I was surprised it hasn’t been better developed for tourism.
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| A beautiful surprise 💛 near the ravine |
Vegueta
In Vegueta, the historic district, some houses have preserved their old architectural charm. We wanted to visit the Catedral de Canarias, but it was closed due to limited Saturday hours.
Island Interiors
Next, we drove into the island’s interior, where homes, shops, and restaurants are built directly into the mountains. While the setting was undeniably scenic, parts of it felt slightly commercialised.
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| Bienmesabe dessert with a view of the mountains |
We stopped for lunch at Bar-Restaurante Tagoror, where we tried Bienmesabe - a traditional Canarian dessert made with ground almonds. Thick and grainy in texture, it was served with ice cream. Sweet, rich, and surprisingly satisfying.
A short walk led us to Casa Cueva Canaria, a souvenir shop inside a cave, and further along, a platform offering a 180-degree mountain view.
Pico de las Nieves
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| At Pico de las Nieves |
Further inland stands Pico de las Nieves, the highest peak on the island. We drove through dense white clouds along winding mountain roads before reaching panoramic views overlooking the island.
The North: Cooler, Livelier, Greener
Las Canteras Beach in the north felt lively and energetic - buzzing cafes, beach volleyball games in full swing.
At Hacienda La ReKompensa, we joined a guided banana plantation tour. We always like to add an educational element to our trips - cultural insights, history, or something local.
Growing up in India, I had seen banana plants before, but I had never really thought about their lifecycle. In many parts of India, banana leaves are used as plates for serving food. The plant bears fruit only once in its lifetime and is cut down after the bananas are harvested. A small shoot then grows at the base of the “mother” plant, continuing the cycle. Learning this made the traditional use of banana leaves feel both practical and beautifully sustainable.
We saw different varieties - blue banana, pink banana, apple banana and learned about the global journey of bananas. The north, slightly cooler than the south, provides ideal growing conditions.
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| Got to taste jams made with banana, cactus & aloe vera |
A small travel tip: if you’re visiting for sunshine, stay in the south. We clearly felt the temperature drop as we drove north.
Wild Coastlines & Natural Pools
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| View from the north western point on the island |
Faro de Punta Sardina is a red-and-white lighthouse at the northwestern tip. It was windy and rainy when we visited. It felt remote and untouched - no shops, no restaurants.
Agaete Piscina Natural fascinated us. It is a calm saltwater pool separated from the crashing Atlantic by natural rock walls. It was cold and empty, but beautiful. These pools are highly popular during summer.
Mirador del Balcón
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| A balcony over the ocean |
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Mogan: A Charming Neighbourhood
Mogan completely charmed us. We reached the rocky beach just after sunset and were rewarded with beautiful colours in the sky. Many couples and families were sitting along the cliff above the rocky beach, watching the sunset.
It had everything I love - sunset views over the ocean, colourful houses with flowers, a marina, shops, restaurants, and a small area known as “Little Venice.”
There’s even Mogan Mall. And outside it stands Taj Palace, serving Indian cuisine. It was stunning to see it lit up in the evening. The food and service matched the ambience.
A small side note: Throughout the island, we noticed Indian cuisine labelled as “Cocina Hindu,” which we found interesting.
Beach Day
Playa de Amadores was our chosen beach day spot. We relaxed on sun loungers and soaked in the warmth.
Interestingly, many of the island’s white or golden beaches are artificially created with sand imported from Africa. Naturally occurring beaches here tend to have black volcanic sand.
Places We Skipped
There were a few places we didn’t manage to visit - not for lack of interest, but simply due to limited time and energy.
Santa Lucía de Tirajana: A charming hilltop village known for its picturesque church and traditional architecture.
Roque Nublo: This massive volcanic rock formation sits high above the island and requires a moderate hike to reach.
Cenobio de Valerón: A fascinating archaeological site consisting of ancient caves that once served as communal granaries for the island’s indigenous population until the 15th century.
Until next time, island life 🌴✨
We began this trip with some reservations. The barren south felt stark at first. But slowly, Gran Canaria revealed itself - a beautiful mix of landscapes, microclimates, history, and culture.
We met a Dutch couple at our hotel who were visiting for the fifth time. From what we’ve heard from friends and colleagues, returning to the same destination year after year is quite common. It certainly makes planning easier - you already know the place, the hotel, the restaurants and you can simply arrive, switch off, and relax without the mental load of preparation.
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| Pool with a view |
But for now, we feel there is still so much of the world left for us to explore geographically and culturally that repeating destinations does not feel right just yet.
That said, we do have our annual trips to India. Although they are never truly “vacations” in the traditional sense, they are our one consistent, repeat destination that is familiar & meaningful.
So now, as winter slowly fades, I already find myself looking forward to choosing next year’s winter escape.
Wow, very insightful! Well written 👏
ReplyDeleteThank you! 😊
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