Gran Canaria: attractions. Holidays in the Canary Islands

Atoll Gran Canaria, whose sights we will consider in our article, according to its population, is a continent in miniature. And indeed it is. After all, there are some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, high mountains, desert landscapes and tropical forests. This small island is part of the archipelago of the Canary Islands and is its pearl. The atoll has a volcanic origin, and its highest point is the volcano Pico de las Nieves, which erupted more than 3.5 thousand years ago.

Some information about the island

Gran Canaria (the attractions are described below) is a kind of reserve, as nearly half the island is protected by various organizations. The symbol of the locality is Mount Roque Nublo. Its height reaches 1813 meters. Long ago, the peak of the mountain was a place of worship of the natives. Today it has become the most favorite place for travelers, since it offers a magnificent panorama to the surrounding islands, as well as a volcano called Teide.

Gran Canaria (the island's attractions are listed in the review) is a great place for those who like beach holidays, rural tourism, golfing, water sports and cycling. Almost all the historical attractions of the atoll were built after the island was conquered by the Spaniards. But there are also pre-Hispanic sites, such as the archaeological park called Saintobio de Valerone and the cave of Cueva Pintada.

The largest airport in Spain and Gran Canaria

The first thing that a person will see upon arrival on the island is the airport of Gran Canaria. This is an international airport terminal, which is located in the east of the atoll. It is located almost twenty kilometers from the main city of Gran Canaria - Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Each year the airport receives about ten million people. Quite often this heavenly wharf is called Gando.

Airport Gran Canaria is one of the largest aero-nodes in Spain by passenger traffic. It is also the largest in the Canary Islands. In 2014, a new terminal was built on the territory of the air station, where passengers can use the full range of necessary services. The territory of the terminal is divided into several compartments: flights of the European Union depart from zone C, flights from the European Union are carried out from zone D, and for the Canary Islands separate zones are provided.

The resort province of the Canary Islands and the Spanish Kingdom

Las Palmas is the island province of Spain and one of the main attractions of Gran Canaria. The administrative center and main populated area of the periphery is the already mentioned ancient town. This is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The province consists of several inhabited and uninhabited islands, as well as the rocks of Roque del Este and Roque del Oeste. In 2005, the population of this territory hardly exceeded one thousand people.

Among the natural attractions of Las Palmas can be identified the following objects: the huge size of the botanical garden of Viera and Clavijo and the huge park Duromas. In the garden thousands of valuable plants grow, and the park can please visitors with a large number of cafes and fountains.

Casa de Colón

In the capital of the Canary Islands there is a landmark that provokes an unusual interest among travelers of all ages. This is the house of Columbus, or the Casa de Colón. The navigator, who opened the United States of America, had long stayed in this house. The building is an incredibly beautiful architectural design, numbering several hundred years. Here, for some time, lived a great navigator.

In the early 50-ies of the last century, the Casa de Colón was converted to a museum in a colonial style. It has 13 rooms, in which there are expositions and libraries. The institution has a huge number of compasses, maps and globes. All this once belonged to the discoverer. The uniqueness of the globe lies in the fact that it lacks a continent, which is called America. Also in the institution is a large collection of paintings. It will be interesting for adults and children to look at the model of vessels.

There are many documents that tell about the relationship with the US states, a collection of books and exhibits on the naval theme.

Most popular attraction

The most popular facility in the territory of Gran Canaria is Palmitos Park, which is home to over 200 species of different birds. Among them there are small hummingbirds, rhino birds, parrots of macaw, toucans, pink flamingos and many others. Also in the park is the Garden of Cacti and Aloe, the House of Butterflies, which is the largest in Europe, and the pavilion of orchids, where hundreds of colors of various shades and shapes grow. Underwater world Palmitos Park has thousands of species of fish.

Here you can dine and see several different shows. But for this we have to spend half a day in the park. Not long ago, a large dolphinarium was opened on the territory of the site. In addition, you can see beautiful performances, the main participants of which are parrots and eagles. Birds show unique tricks, such as cycling.

The main attraction of the city

The main attraction of Gran Canaria is the Canary Cathedral, which is located in the ancient quarter of Vegeta. In this temple there is a chair of the bishop of the Canary Islands. Despite the fact that the decision to build the church was made in 1487, it began to erect only in ten years. But the work was suspended for a while, as there was not enough money for their completion. The construction of the cathedral was resumed in 1781, but it was completed only in our time.

The interior of the church is dominated by late Gothic style. And the facades of the building are created in a neoclassical style. Arches, pillars and vaults of the church are made of ashlar blue stone, brought from the quarries of San Lorenzo.

A number of other attractions

Gran Canaria, whose sights we are considering, can be proud of other its objects. For example, the dunes of Maspalomas. This is a park of national importance. Its full name is Dunas de Maspalomas, and it occupies 403 acres on the coast. In the park there is a lake with salt water, a diverse Canarian fauna and flora.

Another attraction of the island, which deserves everyone's attention, is the cave of Cueva Pintada. The cave is a small museum with geometric patterns of ancient guanches. Previously, Cueva Pintada was the residence of the kings of Guanches. The modern museum has several halls.

The resort of Puerto Rico is another famous landmark in Gran Canaria. In the first time of its existence the resort was only a fishing village, and today it abounds with luxury hotels and expensive apartments.