The climate in the idillic island of Gran Canaria has been described as perfect by locals and tourists alike . The all year round temperatures ranging from 22°C in October to 26°C in August make Gran Canaria an ideal destination for Winter escapes as well as Summer Holidays. Gran Canaria is the second most populated island of the Canary Islands after Tenerife with a population of about 830 thousand people.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

The island’s capital, Las Palmas , dates back to the 15th century and with a population of just under half a million people it is the largest city in the Canary Islands. It’s unquestionably the hub of the island and a place where many tourists like to spend a lot of their time. There isnt much that you could want that isn’t available here. Las Palmas is also known for its annual carnival between the months of January and February people come from all around to witness this spectacular event. It is also not a city lacking in historical heritage it was the first stop of Christopher Columbus’ expedition on his way back from the Americas and has many museums and exhibitions to visit.

Shopping

Triana is a neighboring area of Las Palmas, there is a diverse assortment of boutique style shops just waiting for you to explore, ranging from international franchise outlets, food establishments, old fashioned tobacconists to tiny fabric stores . Another area worth visiting is Las Areanas shopping centre which is full of famous brand names shops in a shopping centre setting a lot like British shopping centres. Another place which should be near the top of every shoppers places to go list is Avenida Mesa y Lopez in the Santa Catalina district  where you will find Spain’s leading department store El Corte Ingles, along with some familiar UK stores.

Bars and Clubs

Gran Canaria’s nightlife has something for everyone . There are selections of restaurants and family bars as well as large nightclubs which are open all night . Las Palmas presents all kinds of shows including live music, theatre, comedy and dance . The area around Parque Santa Catalina comes alive with music and street artists from early evening right through to the early hours . Playa del Ingles is without doubt Gran Canaria’s party capital with all manner of bars and nightclubs. The island’s capital, Las Palmas is also a popular evening destination, considered to be the most more sophisticated and cosmopolitan area in the Canary Islands

Carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

One of the highlights of the year in Gran Canaria is the Carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria which takes place around January and Febuary every year. The carnival starts with lots of street parties, known as verbenas del mogollon, in which thousands of people in fancy dress take to the streets and dance to salsa and merengue music late into the night. There are three main contests during the carnival; the first for the election of the carnival queen and the children’s queen. Secondly is the spectacular Drag Queen contest. Each year, the contestants seek to best the previous year’s performances leading to more outrageous displays and themes. The carnival attracts many thousands of visitors year after year to its spectacular displays and vibrant atmosphere.

Water sports

Just one look at the golden beaches and all thoughts of going anywhere else may vanish into the either . A natural by-product of having such wonderful coastlines is the abundant opportunities for water sports. Sailing is a particular favourite past time on the island; however there is also the opportunity to wind surf, kite surf, water ski and more.