The island of Gran Canaria has a long tradition among sailors crossing the Atlantic as a stop-off point on their way to the Caribbean. This tradition began over 500 years ago when Christopher Columbus was the first to stop here before he crossed the ocean.
Nowadays many boats find that Gran Canaria is the best port for repairs or to stock up before heading out across the Atlantic. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria houses the majority of these boats as it has the largest Marina in the Canary Islands. The city’s marina offers crew a wide variety of facilities and services: ship-makers, spare parts shops, fuel, chemists, bars, restaurants, shops, everything sporting sailors require.
They can also find dock and crew services in Pasito Blanco, Puerto de Mogán, Puerto Rico, Anfi del Mar or Arguineguín. These five ports are spread along the island’s coastline, closest to the strictly tourist areas.
But the island’s marinas do not only attract stop-off boats. Every year we see a growing number of yachts sailing out to Gran Canaria to see out the winter months in the island’s warm climate. Many boats from the North of Europe have made themselves a winter base in the ports of Gran Canaria. The island also holds numerous international events, including the annual departure of the ARC regatta, which has become one of the great sporting and tourist events in the capital Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
