Blog Oficial de Turismo de Gran Canaria

The Canarian palm tree forms part of the landscape and identity of Gran Canaria, and will linger in your mind following your stay

They have always been around, rustling in the breeze, providing shade, breaking up blue skies with their slim shadows. A group of them even led to the name of the island’s capital city, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, over five centuries ago now. Poet Bartolomé Cairasco de Figueroa (1583-1610) used to say that they were “so, so tall, much taller than the Pyramids in Egypt”, while the chronicals of the Conquest referred to the island “being just like a garden, covered with palm trees”.

The humble potato, one of the jewels of Gran Canaria’s cuisine, has a passionate tale to tell.

Let us tell you the story of an incredible journey which is not yet over. Our hero in this story is not that big, but has become world famous, has received countless awards, and has inspired poems and songs, has fed whole generations, and has become one of the greatest symbols of Gran Canaria’s gastronomy.

Gran Canaria harvests chestnuts until midway through December, and visitors can savour their autumnal flavours on the way back from the beach.

They are shaped like littIe hearts. It is no surprise then that they are considered the real spirit of autumn, with a very special nuance in the case of Gran Canaria. At other latitudes, the chestnut heralds the arrival of the cold, with stories of families sat around the burning logfire while the world outside is freezing and the wolves are howling. Don’t worry, there are no wolves in Gran Canaria. Besides, right here you can savour their autumnal flavour on your way back from the beach if you come across a stall where they cleverly roast them for you on a camp stove.

A number of municipal swimming pools in Gran Canaria’s interior offer some refreshing summer bathing in unique spots.

You’re lying flat on your back while the sun is slowly burning up every last drop of the water on your skin following your latest dip in the water. You just turn your head a little to take in the wonderful view over the stunning Roque Bentayga from the Tejeda municipal swimming pool. Indeed, Gran Canaria hides some fine secluded surprises in its interior. The doors to these facilities are open to you for a very reasonable price, and include great bathing and superb views.

The pleasant Gran Canaria summer is an invitation to enjoy life to the full with endless days in which to do anything you like.

The sun towers high over the summer skies in Gran Canaria and will not budge an inch. If you think about it, you can see why. Under its blazing glory, the days run happily on for ever. In this the summer season the days have a ritual-like feel to them, reflecting a serene beauty under an ever present bright light.

Gran Canaria is an exceptional viewpoint for astronomical observation. Photographs taken of the Milky Way are a fine example of this.

This tale has several protagonists, and two settings that are situated huge distances  from one another. And it develops at very different times. But finally, the pieces slot in together almost magically in a quick flash. The elements link up in the internal mechanism of a single tale which highlights the positioning of Gran Canaria as a window to the Universe, thanks to its excellent conditions for star gazing.