When it comes to Gran Canaria, many people associate characteristics about the island that are actually quite logical to think of: beautiful beaches, amazing weather, great landscapes and a gastronomy that is quite exotic and influenced by many cultures. 

Now, there is more to this region in the Spanish archipelago of the Canary Islands than just what everybody seems to know at first instance, with highly valuable elements in terms of culture, social customs, natural places and festivities that are definitely worth recognizing. 

These cultural features of the island can be noticed in venues like museums and parks, squares, architecture and structures, food, holidays and other types of patrimony that is very interesting from many points of views and therefore they deserve to be taken into account respecting visits made to the island. Let's address the cultural destinations of Gran Canaria in detail. 

Roque Bentayga 

Roque Bentayga is the magic door that gives access to the aboriginal world of Gran Canaria, becoming one of the main natural and cultural destinations on the island by far. The rock formation is next to three structures that build a sanctuary from which Canarian ancestors looked at the sky in the best way possible. 

Despite the exotic and mysterious characteristic of Roque Bentayga, it is possible for visitors and tourists to go there and explore more than 300 doors that give access to distinct pathways. 

For this to happen, new people arriving count on the Centro de Interpretacion or Interpretation Center that will help them explore the place and enjoy this magical experience, where rites, cults and ceremonies will be explained with state-of-the-art technologies. 

Cueva Pintada 

Cueva Pintada is an archeological museum and park located in Gran Canaria, specifically in the municipality of Galdar in Las Palmas and capital of the island. This place is the result of more than 20 years of archeological and historic research, with the intention of showing the prehispanic findings in the region with a lot of historical and cultural potential.

For example, after different excavations and digging many pieces of ancient Canarian cultures were encountered, being in the same place where the museum and archeological park was built in the first place. These aboriginal Canarian cultures left many elements that are incredible from the anthropological point of view, and visitors can see them in detail. 

From paintings and hieroglyphs to actual caves where these Canarian ancestors lived, there is a lot to see at Cueva Pintada as a place that is the most important respecting cultural and scientific purpose in the island. 

Maipés de Agaete 

Maipés de Agaete is a destination that is part of the Parque Arqueológico del Maipés. This is considered a sacred place as an ancient cemetery with more than 600 graves, now mixed with rests of volcanic rock and accumulation of stones that can reach up to three meters high. 

This place is considered of the most valuable locations in Gran Canaria in terms of patrimonial and archeological resources, as a memory of the first Canarians that lived in the archipelago, at least 1300 years ago. 

Since 1974 and to this day, Maipes de Agaete can be visited and explored by tourists and anyone with a cultural and archeological interest, receiving hundreds of them and especially scientists and anthropologists from all over the world. 

Cultural patrimony of the island of Gran Canaria 

Of course, the cultural benefits of Gran Canary are not only related to ancient findings, previous civilizations and Canarian ancestors, but the culture that has been passing from generation to generation and from town to town in the form of social expressions and customs that remain to this day. 

In every little town and in the big cities as Las Palmas and others there can be seen and perceived a historical and rich past from at least 5 generations. 

Clear examples are places like Vegueta as a town that was built in the 15th century, the many constructions and buildings that show how the architecture in the island developed to this day, as well as the monuments, churches and so many more, without mentioning the impact immigration, location and tourism have had on the island as well over the years of history, which is not small by any means.  

If we talk about gastronomy in the Canary Islands and more specifically about Gran Canaria as the second most important region in of the Canary Islands after Tenerife, there are three elements that must be taken into account: historical and cultural roots, foreign influence and a combination of elements and exotic cuisines from other places due to migration and tourism, giving place to a very rich gastronomy in Gran Canaria in a relative short period of time. 

This reality mentioned previously brought as a result a food culture that really stands out, regarding very tasty dishes and preparations where origins, influences from other places and combinations of distinctive gastronomies can be noticed right away. 

The experience of eating in Gran Canaria is something unforgettable, so let's talk about the best places and restaurants to visit, elements and ingredients mostly used in every preparation and a little bit of history and foreign impact other cuisines have had in Gran Canaria, especially the one from Africa, Europe and Latin America. 

Origins, foreign impact and combination in Gran Canarian Cuisine 

The origin of the gastronomic culture in Gran Canaria started with the native Canarian or also called Guanches, who centuries ago and from generation to generation passed elements and general culture, and of course ingredients used in the kitchen and preparations. This native influence can be noticed in simple but very tasty dishes the traditional Canarian food is based on. 

Fish, fruit, plantain, sausages, vegetables and preparations based on these like stewed meat and sancochos are very characteristic of the island. Preparations such as the potaje, gofio, wrinkled potatoes or papas arrugadas and fruit-based desserts are also from the islands, with very native roots as dishes that Canarian people still enjoy on their table to this very day. 

However, gastronomy in Gran Canaria cannot be separated from other cultural and historical events that have taken place there. For example, the Canary Islands have always been a territory of immigration, where mostly Europeans, Africans and Latin Americans, especially from Venezuela, came to these territories and settled, bringing at the same time their own culture, taste and gastronomic culture. 

With this new population that appeared over the years, new elements and preparations were added to the local cuisine of Gran Canaria. A high demand for cheese and wine started, steaks and more were brought and conquered the Canarians' taste and got there to stay. 

So, native influence in general and roots combined with elements brought by immigrants, also including the impact the tourist industry caused on the island and the population leaves as a result a very exotic and outstanding gastronomy culture, which is known all over the world and is a topic of discussion and a big reason to come to the Canary Islands and Gran Canaria.  

Emblematic dishes of Gran Canaria 

With such features and description, the gastronomy of Gran Canaria is very extensive, rich and includes all types of preparations where the influence of other cultures can be noticed, but at the same time keeping its roots. 

To begin with, there are many different types of starters that are very important in Spain and of course Gran Canaria, with the famous tapas that are eaten before the actual main dish is brought. 

In fact, in Gran Canaria the starters have their own name and are called “Enyesques”: Pejines, Gueldes (small fish), different types of sausages and cheese, gofio and others are frequent starters served in Gran Canaria, usually combining spicy, salty and sweet flavors in one place that could result quite challenging for tourists but also an experience.
 

Most main dishes in Gran Canaria are meat or fish-based preparations: carne fiesta, carajacas, vieja sancochada, atun con adobo are clear examples of plates that are very tasty and are almost a must when it comes to enjoy Gran Canarias gastronomy culture. Now, if Canarian most traditional food is the main interest, visiting a Guachinche is the place to go. 

And lastly, when it comes to desserts the Gran Canaria cuisine is definitely one to highlight, being the Canarians dessert lovers themselves, so a sweet treat can never be missed from a table. Examples are: bienmesabe, the famous bollos, huevos moles, leche asada and the mazapanes.