Gran Canaria in 5 Days: everything you need to know

Organising the perfect travel itinerary can be complex if you don't know where to start, especially with so many things to see and do in Gran Canaria.

Between mountains and beaches, Gran Canaria is a destination that invites adventure and long days of fun in nature, but what should you prioritise, what shouldn't you miss, what can you put off for a future visit? This guide will give you a rough idea.

Most tourists who visit Gran Canaria stay in the southern part of the island and don't visit the capital. This is a mistake! It is the largest city on the island, so I recommend spending the first day of your arrival exploring its streets and monuments.

Morning: Admire the architecture and history of Vegueta.

On the morning of your first day, wake up early to explore the beautiful streets of Las Palmas and watch the city wake up. The old part of the Canarian city is called the Barrio de Vegueta.

Some attractions not to be missed on your tour include the following:

• The Casa Colón Museum: One of the city's must-see sights, the museum of the famous navigator is housed in a former Canarian palace and is worth a visit just to see the interiors of typical Canarian architecture.
• Catedral de Santa Ana: The imposing tower of the Cathedral is visible from afar; on arrival at the Cathedral you will find the largest religious temple on the island built in 1497. The construction took some 400 years to complete and the end result is a mixture of different styles ranging from Gothic to Renaissance to Neoclassicism.
• Plaza de Santa Ana: Just outside the Cathedral is the square and a series of surrounding buildings with beautiful and imposing façades: the seat of the Regent, the Court of Justice, the Provincial Historical Archive, and the Town Hall.

Afternoon: Enjoy the Barrio de La Triana.

La Triana is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in the city, so you will find numerous buildings of traditional architecture that have been successfully restored in recent decades.

Spend the afternoon wandering around its streets and, if you're an architecture enthusiast, take pictures of the beautiful façades of its modernist-style buildings.

Your stroll will take you sooner rather than later to Calle Mayor de Triana, the capital's most important shopping street; the city's most important tapas and shopping area.

If you want to shop, have a snack or eat something more substantial, this is the place to be! The shops here range from artisanal products from small local producers to big fashion brands.

End your day in Las Palmas at the Muelle Deportivo.

The nightlife in Las Palmas is characterised by a lively atmosphere and a certain cosmopolitan vibe. Although you will find a lively nightlife scene in the city, especially in and around Barrio Vegueta, for those friends who want to experience something different I recommend going to Muelle Deportivo

In this area of the island you will find a very lively atmosphere, led by venues such as the popular Discoteca Tao, an open-air discotheque with an atmosphere that lends itself to dancing and having a few drinks.

The best part is the crowd that attends the place, an atmosphere suitable for any age.

The beautiful city of Las Palmas is located in the extreme northwest of the island, so in order to make the most of your holiday time, I recommend that you spend the second day exploring the villages in the north of the Canary Islands.

The villages in the north of the Canary Islands are the most beautiful on the island, in this area you will also find many places where you can enjoy a refreshing swim and mountainous landscapes that delight the eye.

From your location in Las Palmas take the opportunity to explore Gran Canarias. The furthest town is a 40-minute drive away and the whole of the North Coast can be covered in a day or less. Here is an itinerary with the highlights you shouldn't miss.

Get to know Teror in Gran Canaria.

Just 25 minutes from the centre of Las Palmas in the direction of the city centre is Teror, a charming town famous among tourists and locals for its delicious chorizo de Terror, and many devotees travel there to admire the beautiful Virgen de Nuestra Señora del Pino (Our Lady of the Pine).

The streets around the basilica are the most beautiful in the village, full of houses that represent the most traditional Canarian architecture and whose level of preservation is admirable.

Take a stroll around Arucas.

From Teror, the small town of Arucas is only 25 minutes away by car. Like other parts of the Canary Islands, it has a beautiful and well-preserved old town but the most impressive feature is the imposing church of San Juan Bautista.

Built in an impressive neo-gothic style in 1977, the architecture contrasts with its surroundings and is a joy to behold.

In Arucas I highly recommend going up to the viewpoint of the Arucas Mountains, a high point from which you can see the whole town and which offers fabulous views of the small old town.

Take your camera, your list and take lots of pictures!

Enjoy Las Salinas de Agaete.

Taking the Costa Norte road, the village of Agaete is 30 minutes away. The journey is breathtaking, as on one side you enjoy the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean and on the other side the mountainous landscapes.

In Agaete head to Las Salinas, a protected natural pool in the open sea very close to Puerto de la Nieves. Enjoy an afternoon of fun in the sea before heading back to your accommodation.

You can't leave the beautiful island without first taking a tour of Gran Canaria to see one of its main attractions: Roque Rublo. Spend the third day of your holiday exploring the heart of the Canary Islands mountains and enjoy nature at its best.

A little background on Roque Rublo.

The Roque Rublo Natural Monument is a rock formation of volcanic origin that holds deep significance for the locals, as it was an important place of worship for the early inhabitants of the island.

The large rock rises 1813 metres above sea level and was classified as one of the largest natural crags in the world. Additionally, it is one of the highest places on the island, so the views from the top are breathtaking.

Excursions to Roque Rublo.

From the city of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria you will find local companies that organise day trips to Roque Nublo and other surrounding highlights.

While the itinerary may vary from company to company, some of them include the Bandama Volcanic Caldera and the island's largest volcanic mountains such as Roque Nublo and Bentayga.

The experience is organised in small groups and includes the accompaniment of an expert guide. If you are making a short trip, it is advisable to book in advance so that you can ensure availability on the day of your choice.

• Price: Around €50 per participant.
• Duration: Tours usually take 7-8 hours to complete; they leave from the Palmas area early in the morning and include a significant number.

Make your way to the most touristic and most visited area: the south of Gran Canaria. Here you'll find a place full of fun activities and stunning natural scenery. My advice? Spend at least two full days in the south so you can get a taste of all the best the Canary Islands has to offer.

Take a leisurely stroll to Puerto de Mogán.

Start your day of exploration in the southwest of Gran Canaria by strolling through the streets of the seaside neighbourhood known as Puerto de Mogán. In fact the whole area of the municipality of Mogán is an attraction in itself with many activities to do and enjoy.

This small fishing village is highly touristic, with beautiful streets lined with whitewashed buildings and balconies full of colourful flowers. Having a nice breakfast in a local restaurant and taking some nice pictures is the best way to recharge your batteries for the day and one of the best activities in Gran Canaria.

Enjoy water sports and visit the Caves of Mogán.

To make your experience truly memorable you must know how to enjoy the water activities that the Mogán area has to offer. You can find local companies offering kayaking tours, snorkelling, surfing lessons or a combination of several experiences.

You can for example book a kayaking and snorkelling tour to the Mogán Caves, a very popular type of tour that takes the group of travellers to the iconic volcanic caves of Mogán aboard a kayak. If you are a traveller who enjoys extreme experiences you can substitute this activity for the canyoning experience in Gran Canaria.

The rest of the experience may vary slightly depending on the company you hire, although most of them include spending time in popular places like Playa de Mogán or snorkelling along the beautiful cliffs of Mogán.

• Duration: The kayaking and snorkelling experience usually takes around 3 hours minimum to complete.
• Price: Around €85 per participant. This price includes the rental of all the equipment needed for the snorkelling or kayaking experience.

Go to Maspalomas and wait for the sunset.

Every travel guide to Gran Canaria includes a photo of the Maspalomas Dunes Nature Reserve and I certainly don't blame them! Here you will find an impossible natural landscape of organic sand dunes that will remind you of beautiful Morocco.

In the reserve you will find the lagoon of La Charca and a beautiful palm grove, followed by miles of beaches and to get to the viewpoint and visitor centre of Maspalomas, you will have to go to the Hotel Riu Palace de Gran Canaria.

Sunset is the best time to admire the beauty of the dunes, the last rays of sunlight stain the sand with a slightly reddish hue and the play of light and shadow is also very beautiful.

Do you want to live the full experience? Take a camel ride along the dune trail. The route takes only 30 minutes to complete and the camels are extremely docile.

For your last day in Gran Canaria, I recommend that you continue to enjoy the southern part of the island, as you will have realised, there are so many things to do that one day is not enough.

This day's itinerary will take you to the most famous mountain viewpoint of the island, but also offshore to see dolphins and whales in their natural habitat.

In the morning: take the route to the Fataga ravine.

The Fragata ravine, the viewpoint and its offshoots are located within a protected area known as the Pilancones Natural Park, which in turn is located in the southern part of Gran Canaria. The easiest way to get to know it is while staying in the southern part.

From here numerous companies organise excursions that take travellers on hiking, biking and buggy tours.

The buggy experience is one of the most fun and least physically demanding; it offers additional advantages such as the possibility of covering large tracts of land in a short time. The park area is really big and covers approximately 3000 hectares of land.

Although certain details of the experience may vary depending on the company you hire, many include a climb to the Ayagaures viewpoint on the tarmac road and venturing onto the dirt tracks of the Fataga Park.

• Price: Around €65 per traveller on average.
• Duration: Approximately 3 hours should be booked for this experience.

Afternoon: Go on a dolphin exploration tour.

To make the most of the afternoon hours with a slightly more relaxed plan, I recommend you to go on a dolphin watching tour in Gran Canaria. The archipelago is famous all over the world for being home to different species of cetaceans that prefer warm waters with plenty of food. Make the most of it!

In the south of the Canary Islands you will find numerous local companies that organise boat trips along the coast to observe dolphins and whales up close in their natural habitat. Some even offer a guarantee that you will see a dolphin or whale or get a free ticket to another excursion.

As you will soon see, boat cruises are very popular in Gran Canaria and a variety of different formats are offered, aiming to offer different types of experiences. If you are coming to the island for a longer holiday, 7 days or so in Gran Canaria, consider joining more than one such adventure.

• Price: Around €50 per traveller on average.
• Duration: Depending on the company you hire you will need to book 3 to 4 hours for the experience.

Enjoy the nightlife of Playa del Inglés.

In Playa del Inglés you will find everything you need for a night of fun as only the Canary Islands can offer. As well as beautiful beaches, this southern area is famous for its variety of bars and nightclubs, with nightlife for all ages and tastes.

Some options of plans to enjoy the nightlife in Playa del Inglés are the following:

• Stroll along the Paseo Marítimo: On the busy promenade you will find numerous bars and pubs, where you can enjoy anything from an elaborate cocktail to a delicious cappuccino. You'll find many venues with DJs and themed parties ranging from retro music to reggaeton.
• Walk around the Plaza and Kasbah area: Here you will find a large shopping centre and numerous bars, karaokes, restaurants and pubs. During the night there is also a curious handicraft market.

Like other major cities in Europe and the world, the capital of Gran Canaria has its own Hop On Hop Off bus designed to cover short distances. It has a single route with 11 stops and covers the most attractive tourist sites in the capital.

It is ideal for travellers going to Gran Canaria for the first time, you can purchase a 24 hour ticket that will allow you to hop on and off as many times as you like at the destinations you choose.

The bus also has an audio guide that provides the participant with information to learn about the history and culture of the city. The guide is available in several languages including English, Spanish and French.

Tours start at 10am, the entire non-stop route can be completed in just 30 minutes. The last tour ends at 17h.