Introduction : Gran Canaria

Overview

The island of Gran Canaria , part of the Canaries archipelago, is situated in the Atlantic Ocean, some 115 km off the African coast. It has a landmass of 1,532 square kilometres with an outstanding variety of scenery and landscape. Over the years it has been shaped by the forces of nature (originally a volcanic island) and the intervention of man and has resulted in a rich natural diversity with several different ecosystems, abrupt mountains, deep ravines and high cliffs.

Rural Tourism

Gran Canaria is ideal for off-the-beaten-track tourism:
- great all year round weather with a warm, spring-like climate
- lots of different sports on offer. For example there are more than 300km of footpaths. Until the 19th century there weren’t any roads on Gran Canaria so everything was connected with a series of paths and tracks. This network, known as "caminos reales" (royal tracks), has been preserved and developed for walkers to enjoy the natural beauty of Gran Canaria.
- high quality rural accommodation. There has been a major move in recent years to restore and update houses in rural locations. This work has been carried out in keeping with local island architectural styles. House-caves are an example of this kind of architecture. These properties are often surprising because of their stable, pleasant temperatures - both in winter and summer.

- plentiful cultural activities. The island offers a wide variety of museums and craft centres for those tourists interested in learning more about the island’s heritage. Many towns and villages hold local, century-old festivals which help link the island’s inhabitants of today with their ancestors. Monuments, gastronomy and tradition are to be found in abundance all over the island.