Going out »

Nightlife:

If you are looking for tranquillity, fine dining, romance and peace and quiet… try Sitges, which has all 3 in abundance.  Gran Canaria is loud, brash, camp, rip roaring fun, and they are not about to apologise for any of it.

While you can still have quiet nights in and stroll along the beaches and sand dunes, Playa del Ingles and the YUMBO centre come alive in the evening with Bars, Cabaret bars, clubs revving up for a night of outrageous fun.

Universally acclaimed is Ricky’s Cabaret Bar. A whole team of very professional cabaret acts topped off with some great drag acts bringing pantomime dame campness to many a night out.

See a full list of bars at the Yumbo Centre website
http://cc-yumbo.com/ccyumbo/en/shops/index.php?td=21&trade=01

Restaurants

Being a volcanic island the selection of food can be limited. As with all our guides we say AVOID pictures on the menu, and places where waiters on the street hustle you in. Smaller places off the beaten track are hard to find, but concentrate on fresh fish, salads and pasta and you won’t go far wrong.

Espetada, Playa del Ingles  Gran Canaria's best kept secret. Atmospheric, family-run restaurant with beautiful decor & amazing food
http://www.espetadagrancanaria.com

Restaurant La Paloma
Quality restaurant near the beach of Puerto Rico. Excellent food and service, for a night to remember.
http://www.lapaloma.cc

La Toja Restaurant, Playa del Ingles
Gourmet restaurant offering an extensive collection of Canarian and International dishes.
http://www.latojagrancanaria.com

Spices Indian Restaurant
Spices Indian Restaurant on the ground floor of the Yumbo Shopping Centre, Playa del Ingles. Food to take away.
http://www.tipsandinfo.com/spices/index.htm

Crazy Harry’s Bar, Playa del Ingles
Good prices.
http://www.crazyharrysbar.com
 
Baccara
Restaurant Baccara, good Dutch/Belgian food in shopping centre CITA in Playa del Inglés.
http://www.baccara-grancanaria.com

Culture

Casa de Colon:

Christopher Columbus is believed to have stayed for different periods in the Casa de Colon in the historical quarter of Vegueta in Las Palmas on his way to the Americas. The house now serves as a museum displaying relics of early transatlantic voyages and pre-Columbian cultures, as well as acting as a cultural centre for the study of the Canaries’ relationship with the Americas.

Phone: 928 312 373 Email: casacolon@granca.step.es Opening Time: Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm, weekends 9am to 3pm

Museo Canario:

The main museum in Las Palmas is well worth a visit, boasting the world’s largest collection of Cro-Magnon skulls and a few mummies. The museum also gives a comprehensive overview of the life and times of Gran Canaria’s original inhabitants, the fair-haired light-skinned Guanche people, who were conquered by the Spanish in the 15th century.
Phone: 928 336 800 Email: info@elmuseocanario.com Website: www.elmuseocanario.com Opening Time: Monday to Friday 10am to 8pm, weekends 10am to 2pm. Guided tours are available

Waterparks:

There are three water parks on Gran Canaria: Aqua Park in Puerto Rico and Ocean Park and the smaller Aqua Sur in Maspalomas. All offer enough attractions to keep children and adults amused all day, including dozens of slides and swimming pools. Aqua Sur also has a wave machine and a ‘lazy river’ where visitors can float around the complex on an inflatable tyre.

Opening Time: All parks 10am to 5pm Admission: Aqua Sur: €15 (adults), €7.50 (children). Aqua Park: €8.75 (adults), €4.25 (children) ; sunbed €1.50 extra. Ocean Park: €10 (adults), €5 (children)

PALMITOS PARQUE

Address: Barranco de Los Palmitos
Phone: 928 140276
Directions: Take bus nr 45 from San Agustin, Playa del Ingles and Maspalomas, or nr 70 from Puerto Rico and Faro. If you drive just follow the signs from Maspalomas.
Website: www.aspro-ocio.es/palmitos/index.php

LAS PALMAS - the capitol

Enjoy the history and architecture of the old buildings in Vegueta, go shopping in the street of Triana or the shoppingcenters around the town, the prices here are much better than in the south. Visit the parks or the many museums in this city. For example Museo Canario where you can see how the guanches lived before the spanish came to the island. Or 'Casa de Colón', the house Colombus lived in when he was preparing the travel to the new world. The museum is dedicated to his travels and explorations. Both of these museums lies in Vegueta, in the south of the city, not far from the bus station.

SIOUX CITY

This place was originally built for an American western in the 1970's and has later been developed as a Wild West theme park. Every Friday there is a special barbecue evening, and if you want to visit the park it's good to go on a Friday to catch the barbecue as well. Every day there are plenty of different shows featuring great stunts, all from bank robberies and shootings, to can-can dancing, 'knife throwing' and Indian rain dances. There is also a small zoo with some animals. The park is open from 10.00 to 17.00, except Mondays. The park has longer opening hours on Fridays when there is the barbecue evening.

Address: Cañón del Aguila, San Agustín
Phone: 928 762 573
Directions: Follow the signs from Maspalomas, or take bus nr 29 from the Maspalomas-area.

Shops:

The most important thing you need to know about shops in Gran Canaria is that they shut for siesta!  Plan your shopping in the morning or after 5pm if you want the majority of places to be open.
The common types of shops are:

• Duty Free Perfumeries - all appear to have exactly the same prices.
• Supermarkets - the best place to buy still water (sin gas) or carbonated (con gas).
• Name Brand Clothing - Timberland, Diesel etc. A few locals have warned us that these can be counterfeits, so be careful.
• Gift Shops - Spanish pottery, t-shirts and jewellery.
• Internet Cafes - Usually one per shopping centre, and typically cost 2 euros (£1.30) for half an hour.

return to top |return to guide contents