Gran Canaria is known for its beaches, beautiful weather and gastronomy, elements that definitely stand out and come to be some of the most important features on the island. However, Gran Canaria is more than that and its culture, festivities and holidays is real proof for that interest that Canarians have about keeping their traditions and customs alive. 

Every year, plenty of celebrations and festivities are carried out in Gran Canaria and while some of them are more important and relevant than others, as a set these cultural parties show how Canarians perceive their traditions that have different natures; religious, native, cultural, for entertainment, expressions and more. 

Here are a few of the most important festivities carried out in Gran Canaria every year, with the religious elements seen quite clearly but also with other celebrations that are more cultural and for amusement.

Carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 

The Carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is the most important festivity in the island of Gran Canaria, including historical and cultural characteristics and also being of the most ancient, since it has been present and carried out in the Gran Canaria´s capital for at least five centuries in a row. In 2017, this carnival celebration obtains the title of National Interest Tourist Party in Spain. 

Celebrated between January, February or March depending on the year, this carnival is a costume party with other cultural elements, such as the Gala de Elección de la Reina or Queen´s Election, incorporating as well musical presentations, murgas, comparsas, dances and the famous batucada. Parque de Santa Catalina is the main scenario of the celebration.

Among the events carried out in this carnival, there are: the Pregón or opening gala of the celebration, Queen´s gala and election, Drag Queen gala, murga contests, comparsas, costume contests and body painting events, canine carnival, cabalgatas, pasacalles, traditional carnival, fashion week, themed nights and many more. 

In terms of history, in short the Carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria started in 1521, very close to the date of the city's foundation and after the conquest of the islands. When Castilians and people from other European countries arrived on the island, it was the idea of some Genoese men that came with the idea of starting the “Carnaval primero” or First Carnival with Italian inspiration. 

Festivity of Nuestra Señora de Pino 

In Teror, every eighth of September is celebrated the religious festivity of Nuestra Señora de Pino, since the 16th century when the Virgin of Pino appeared and the region became the place of peregrination in the entire island. 

The festivity includes memorial and quite recognized acts in Spain and the Canary Islands, such as the Descent of the Virgin off of its traditional spot to a processional throne. The day before the eighth of September, on September 7th is carried out the traditional Romería ofrenda or Romeria-Offering where every municipality of Gran Canaria and the Canary Island are represented. 

Exaltation of the Holy Cross 

The Exaltación de la Santa Cruz or Exaltation of the Holy Cross is another religious festivity that takes place in Gran Canaria, specifically on September 14th. In details, when this date arrives the Cristo del Telde is put down and the Descent of Cristo de Telde takes place and 8 days later is returned to his niche.  

During the festivities, two thrones where the Christ is put are utilized to make a peregrination all over the island, with faithful throwing different religious objects and prayers. This is the way Canarians show their devotion to their Christian faith. 

Rama de Agaete 

Rama de Agaete is one of the most popular celebrations in Gran Canaria. Every fourth of August takes place the Bajada de la Rama or Descent of the Rama as most relevant act of the festivity, in which thousands of assistants dance to the rhythm of music that resembles old Canarian natives and their culture, and while agitating wooden sticks they get to the Virgen de las Nieves Sanctuary, at the island´s port. 

Important people in town organizing the festivity dress as what they called “cabezudos” or “papahuevos” with costumes that make them look with big heads, representing popular people that lived on the island in the past.

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.