The south of Gran Canaria can be summarised in three words: sun, beaches and leisure. The tourist attraction of the Dunes of Maspalomas, the kilometres of golden sandy beaches, the practice of a great number of nautical sports and a mild and stable climate the whole year round have favoured Gran Canaria to be the chosen place of thousands of tourists yearly for their rest whilst taking the sun.
However, the South-Western route of Gran Canaria also awaits the visitor with a tour of the interior of the island, where a more traditional flavour and rural tourism become the relevent character of the visit.
The southern route of Gran Canaria takes us from the municipality of Santa Lucía to the Aldea de San Nicolás, previously passing through the municipalities of San Bartolomé de Tirajana and Mogán.
Duration of the route: 1 day
What you must not miss:
If you travel through San Bartolomé de Tirajana and Mogán we recommend you visit the Tourist Information Offices located in the tourist centres of San Agustín, Playa del Inglés, Maspalomas and Puerto Rico. If you wish to discover Santa Lucía, we recommend you visit the Tourist Offices of the municipality which you will find in Vecindario. The tourist consultants of Gran Canaria will make the visit easier.
In Santa Lucía:
- Surroundings of great natural and landscape beauty: The Ingenio (sugar cane mill) of Santa Lucía, the Sorrueda Dam, the Great Fortress of Ansite, the Gully and the Crater of Las Tirajanas.
- The Church of Santa Lucía in the village centre
- The International Windsurfing Centre in Pozo Izquierdo Beach.
- The shopping area of Vecindario and the streetmarket, Wednesdays
In San Bartolomé de Tirajana:
- The old village centre of Tunte (24.2 kms from the Dunes of Maspalomas) with its Church of San Bartolomé
- The Dunes, Palm Tree Area and the Lagoon of Maspalomas Special Natural Reserve
- The Playa del Inglés (the English Beach) and the Maspalomas Beach
- The seaside beachwalks of Meloneras and San Agustín
- The Maspalomas Lighthouse
- The Chira Dam Natural Surroundings
In Mogán:
- The Village Centre of Mogán: The Church of San Antonio de Padua, the Nicolás Quesada Park, the Burnt Mill
- The beaches of Anfi del Mar, Puerto Rico, Amadores, Taurito and Port of Mogán
- The Port of Mogán's Sports Marina ( 8 kms from the village of Mogán)
- The natural surrounding of the Soria Dam (17.8 kms from the village of Mogán)
In La Aldea de San Nicolás:
- La Aldea Beach
- Popular canarian architecture: The mud and stone houses and the balcony houses of the XVII and XVIII centuries.
- La Aldea Live Museum
- Wind and water flour mills
Gastronomy of the route:
Wine, cheese, fresh fish, fried octopus with green canarian mojo sauce, “sancocho canario” (salted fish with “mojo” sauce and “gofio”), fish broth and shortbread.
Pocket Recommendations:
Celebrations of the World Windsurfing Championships in Pozo Izquierdo, Santa Lucía, July.
Festivity of Santa Lucía with the coronation of Lucía and the “romería del día del Labrador” (the farmer's day traditional street festivity), in December.
Festivities of Santiago Apóstol in July and the festivities of San Bartolomé, in August.
The Maspalomas International Carnival, San Bartolomé de Tirajana, March.
The dolphin and cetacean sightings, Puerto Rico in Mogán.
Festivities of San Antonio el Chico in June and festivities of San Antonio el Grande in August in Mogán.
Festivity of El Charco, La Aldea de San Nicolás, September.
Links of interest:
Global (buses): www.globalsu.net
Santa Lucía: www.santaluciagc.com
San Bartolomé de Tirajana: http://turismo.maspalomas.com
Mogán: http://turismo.mogan.es
La Aldea de San Nicolás: www.la-aldea.com
