Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria is often referred to as the 'small continent', because of its extremely varied landscapes that resemble European, African and American regions. At the center of the island is a 2000 m high mountain range that is cut by bizarre canyons.
There are few other places on earth, where you can find so many different landscapes and climatic zones in such a compact area. Gran Canaria includes mountain massifs, desert land, tropical forests and sandy beaches. Most beaches are wide and have good facilities. On Gran Canaria you can bake on the beach while looking at the snow-covered mountain peaks of the island's interior.
The island's capital is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Other interesting towns include Agaete, Arinaga, Arucas, Gáldar, Guía, Malpais, Mogán, San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Tejeda, Telde and Teror.
Gran Canaria offers countless marvelous
beaches. The most important ones include:
- Maspalomas - Maybe the most beautiful among the fantastic beaches of this island. It has fine white sand and it measures 6 kilometers. At some places, the beach of Maspalomas has a width of up to 1 kilometer. The sea has intensely blue waters. Maspalomas features modern hotel-complexes and sports installations, most of them concentrated on Faro de Maspalomas, where you can also find Pasitoblanco, the most important sports harbor on Gran Canaria. Along the beach of Maspalomas are several oases with palms and a fresh-water lake.
- Playa del Ingés - Next to Maspalomas is Playa del Inglés, which is probably the most famous beach in the Canary Islands. Playa del Inglés measures 2700 meters and offers a wide variety of modern hotels and tourist facilities.
- San Agustín - San Augustín is less-known than the two foregoing beaches. As a result it is also quieter and more relaxing. It is an ideal place to recover from the stress of everyday life.
- Playa de Patalavaca - Playa de Patalavaca is another great beach with fine, gold-colored sand. It has excellent sport-fishing possibilities.
- Puerto Rico - Puerto Rico is a modern urbanization with hotels, apartments and a nice harbor. The great sports installations are one of its main attractions.
- Costa de Bañaderos - Beautiful landscape with romantic small bays.
- Gáldar - Gáldar has a bizarre high coast.
- Sardina del Mar - Sardina del Mar is a picturesque fishing-village with nice beaches.
- Playa de las Canteras - This is a wide beach of sand, with a length of 2.6 kilometers. It is located in the capital of Las Palmas.
- Playa de las Nieves - Nieve means 'snow' in Spanish language and the name of this beach comes from the high mountains, with their snowy peaks, directly behind it.
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