In all likelihood, the island of Gran Canaria has been inhabited for 2,500 years or so. Its first inhabitants came from northern Africa and share some common ancestry with the Berber tribe that lives in Morocco and other parts of northern Africa today. These days, visitors bound for the island are generally more tourist than tribal, en route to beaches, theme parks and impressive accommodation.
There’s no doubt that the island of Gran Canaria is one of Spain’s premier holiday spots. The beach is the number-one draw here, but there’s more than just surf and sun. Theme parks, casinos and a thriving array of spectator sports keep visitors busy at all hours. Venture away from the trendier areas and you’ll discover a wealth of natural beauty that earned this volcanic island World Heritage status with UNESCO.
With so many options for tourists, you’re sure to find a nightspot to suit your needs. Las Palmas is the capital of the island, so most of the plushest hotels and best clubs are found here. The cities of Maspalomas and Puerto Rico are a couple other touristy towns with plenty of bars, restaurants and hotels. Seafood of course is the dish du jour, and local cuisine exhibits Mediterranean, African and Latin American influence.
Highlights
Aquasur: is Gran Canaria’s biggest water park with wave pools, water slides and all kinds of rides designed to keep you soaking wet and cool.
Holiday World: is a comprehensive amusement park with all kinds of rides, video arcades, bowling alleys and restaurants to keep you and the little ones going.
Palmitos Park: is a popular family-oriented amusement park offering an impressive collection of birds, botanical gardens, aquariums an islet of gibbons.
Cocodrilo Park: not only does it boast Europe’s largest croc collection, this park is also home to lots of other animals like parrots and monkeys.
Ocean Park: is a small water park with 13 slides, a few rides and some concessions. Complimentary shuttle buses run to several different places on the island.** **
Sioux City: is a classy recreation of America’s Wild West complete with bank robberies, gunfights, salty saloons and several staged performances.
Museums: for those burnt-out on amusement parks, there are several museums cataloguing the arts and history of the island and all are found, for the most part, in Las Palmas.