The island of Gran Canaria is often referred as a mini continent, due to its size, being the second biggest of the Canary Islands after Tenerife and also because of the diversity in landscapes and lands that include mountains, volcanic grounds and of course, the long coastlines and beaches that surround the island and that make it quite known and recognized worldwide. 

With such diversity in landscapes, Gran Canaria is an island that offers plenty of things and activities to do, so visitors can have the best vacations and experiences ever. Here are some of the recommended activities to do on the island, either for water sport lovers or land adventurers. Gran Canaria has it all when it comes to destinations for fun and activities to do, natural or man-made. 

Playa del Inglés 

At Dunas de Maspalomas, more specifically to the east of this region and covering from Puntamaspalomas to Playa de San Agustin is the beach Playa del Inglés, which is considered the entertainment center and nightlife’s core of Gran Canaria.
 

On the beach there are plenty of bars, pubs and many more for those looking to have fun and enjoy beautiful sunset and warm water, while drinking a cocktail with friends. Sand in Playa del Inglés is golden and soft, with calm water that makes it perfect to enjoy with the children and family in general. 

This beach receives visitors the entire year, due to very comfortable weather and its surroundings that include hotels, chalets, resorts and vocational residences for tourists. 

In the same way, the region has a high rate of urbanization thanks to residents that come to this place to live and obtain income for tourism, as well as interest of the government in having the beach and area urbanized to celebrate festivities like the Carnival of Maspalomas. 

The beach covers 3 kilometers in length and is 100 meters wide, so there is plenty of room for hundreds of visitors and families that come every day. Playa del Inglés is known in the world for being one of the favorite destinations for the gay community. 

Roque Nublo 

If there is a place to visit and where to enjoy different cultural and adventurous activities at the same time in Gran Canaria, Roque Nublo is almost a mandatory destination to go to. 

You see, this place is filled with cultural references and characteristics, being actually the one that can be seen in lots of photos and souvenirs of the island, selling articles inspired in Gran Canaria’s millennial culture.  

The place is inside the Nublo Rural Park and can be instantly recognized, since it is an 80-meters tall volcanic mountain and actually a natural monument in the island that is recognized as such by UNESCO. 

Due to its characteristics, Roque Nublo is a very visited place not only by visitors interested in culture and as a destination, but also for hiking lovers that look for to climb and travel the rock and see all of Tejeda from above, which is the municipality where Roque Nublo actually is, 1.5 kilometers away from the city center, with the hiking point started at Degollada de la Goleta with a signposted road.

Casa de Colón (House of Columbus)

Due to the location of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, transatlantic ships visited the region centuries back to refill and get supplies. One of the most famous characters that made such a stop in Gran Canaria and also La Gomera was Christopher Columbus. And as proof, visitors in general and those interested in historical events and culture may visit the Casa de Colón in Gran Canaria. 

In detail, the house of course is designed like a building from 500 hundreds years ago, with colonial style. Since it has been standing for so long, the structure has been fixed and maintained, working as a museum at present time. 

For example, inside the house can be seen objects that belong to Christopher Columbus, the actual bed where he slept, as well as models of the three ships in which he came to America and made the historical discovery: La Niña, La Pinta and La Santa María.