Because Las Palmas is not full of tourists, like Puerto Rico or Playa del Ingles, it can be hard finding somebody who speaks English if you do happen to get lost.

Photo by Barto Garcia

Saying that, if you do fancy having a day trip to Las Palmas, you can catch a bus in the south and be there within the hour. Take a map with you because Las Palmas is quite big. You might like to stroll around or you might want to visit a museum or gallery while you are there.

If you want to go to El Corte Inglés for some shopping, the best way is to take a taxi from the bus station. I haven’t been there for a while but I remember it’s only about 4 euros for a cab.

Eating Out in Las Palmas

You won’t find multilingual menus in Las Palmas eateries, like in the resorts in the south of the island, so a good idea is to visit a tapas bar. These have the tapas in a cabinet on the counter so you can just point at whatever looks appealing. Ask for “una ración” if you want a plateful or “una tapa” for half a plateful.

Boquerones (white pickled anchovies), albóndigas (meatballs), papas arrugadas (potatoes in mojo sauce) and jamon serrano (cured ham) are some good ones to try, if you like Canarian cooking and eating like the locals do. Order a “copa de vino tinto” (glass of red wine) to go with it if you like.

Photo by Jlastras

Organised City Tours

In order to ensure you see as much as possible you might like to book a day trip to Las Palmas. You will be picked up from your hotel and taken to the city, then you can visit some of the best places including Christopher Columbus’s house, an art museum, the Santa Catalina Parque and Las Canteras beach.

You will also have a guide who speaks English, which is definitely handy! Take your camera with you because there will be plenty to take pictures of.

You will find Las Palmas to be very different from the resorts in the south and it’s a great place to spend a day if you are in Gran Canaria and if you want to see how the locals live and visit some of the most interesting parts of the island.

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This is the list of all the ones I can find:

Nudist beaches in Gran Canaria are clearly signposted if they are main beaches and out of the way if not. The main ones are around Maspalomas and you can either begin at the Playa del Ingles end or the Maspalomas end. Walk along the beach and you will see the nudism area signposted (as well as lots of naked people!) Don’t sunbathe nude unless you are between the nudism signs. The nudism area extends from the dunes to the sea.

There are a few very small beaches which are also OK for nudism and Veneguera is one of these. It is a pebble beach just past Mogan and you will need a hire care to get there.

Nudist Hotels and Accommodation in Gran Canaria

There is a naturist complex called Magnolias Natura in Maspalomas and there are twenty eight self catering bungalows around a swimming pool. There is a restaurant and pool bar there and there is also a courtesy bus to and from the nudist dunes area in Maspalomas every day.

The Gloria Palace Hotel in San Agustín has a naturist rooftop and they also operate a courtesy bus to the dunes. The Palm Beach Hotel in Maspalomas and the Sandy Beach Hotel in Playa del Ingles also have naturist areas. If you are a naturist, it might be a nice idea to check out one of these hotels or to base yourself near one of the nudist beaches in the list, then you can go home with an all-over tan

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Of course shopping in Gran Canaria is possible and there is a wide range of shops but you do tend to get sick of Zara, Springfield, Punta Roma, Stradivarius and Pimkie if you live in the Canaries. I miss River Island, Dorothy Perkins, Primark and Top Shop!

We’ve had some new shops opening recently though, which is great news. El Corte Inglés might be a Spanish chain but we had to go to Las Palmas for it before. Now there is a Corte Inglés coming to Telde in June. There is also a new Ikea being built nearby which is going to replace the current small one.

Lidl has also finally reached Gran Canaria after 10 long years of negotiations! There is one in Aguimes and another in Telde. There are also Lidls coming to Ingenio and Vecindario. This is, of course, good news for the residents of the island who like the extra choice.

So all we need now is a River Island and perhaps a Primark!!

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Puerto Rico harbour last week

There is a chance of rain today. It looks overcast and there are high winds forecast too. It’s not all doom and gloom though. Some weather websites for Gran Canaria don’t think there will be another storm or even rain. Who knows?

By the way it was 28ºC in the south yesterday and 30ºC in the north so at least it’s warm, even if there is going to be some rain

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Tenerife was without power for almost ten hours yesterday too, because of the weather. While this isn’t going to last forever, it’s been one of the rainiest weeks I can remember. It’s also wet in the south of Spain, if that makes you feel better!

The boat trips from Puerto Rico and Mogan are cancelled because of high waves and rough seas. The bars are open, of course, but when the weather is like this, there isn’t really that much to do apart from visit an indoor shopping centre or find a nice bar! I’ll keep you posted on the weather. Hopefully the sun will be back soon

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Photo by Kirti Poddar

However much you like to drink and whatever your preferred poison might be, here are some tips about drinking and bars in Gran Canaria and how to get your money’s worth:

1. A lot of bars in Gran Canaria have touts outside who lure you in with the promise of “a free drink”. Now the phrase “a free drink” is usually very attractive but surely you know there is no such thing as a free lunch (or a free drink). When you go in the bar the waiter will ask you what you want, then bring your drinks with a free shot (probably peach schnapps which is 70 cents a bottle from the Cash & Carry). You pay for the drinks but the bar generously gives you 5 cents worth of peach schnapps “for free”. It’s false advertising but a lot of bars do it. Don’t go into a bar because of the “free drink” offer – pick a bar you like the look of instead. Good tip: the good bars don’t need touts outside to drag people in.
2. There are brand name spirits in Gran Canaria (like Smirnoff) and the infamous “local spirits” (like Stolichoff). Smirnoff and Stolichoff are worlds apart. Another one is gin. There is brand name Gin (Gordons) and local gin (Larios). You might not mind trying the local spirits since they are 2-for-1 (so for 3 euros you can have one Smirnoff and coke or 2 Stolichoff and cokes) but bear in mind most bars use Larios to wipe down the bars at the end of the night because it dissolves anything and it’s cheaper than Windolene. You could probably also use it to thin paint or remove nail polish. The local spirits give me a severe headache and taste vile. Be warned!
3. If you want cocktails, go to a cocktail bar! In other bars you pay 5 euros for a “cocktail” made from local spirits and “magic cocktail mix” which is a revolting sugary mixture coloured to resemble whichever cocktail you have ordered. Sex on the Beach is supposed to be a mixture of vodka, cranberry juice, peach schnapps and orange juice. If you want this, go to a cocktail bar. If you want “magic Sex on the Beach cocktail mix”, orange juice and local peach schnapps (and a headache), go to a cheap bar. You can order vodka and orange juice for half the price of a magic cocktail mix recipe and all that’s missing is 5 cents worth of local peach schnapps and the cranberry juice (which hardly any bars stock anyway).

Now, rather than trying to spread doom and gloom, I am trying to save you a few euros. The above might be common rip offs in tourist resorts but you don’t have to go into the first bar that offers you a “free drink”.

Also, watch your drinks being poured. I’ve ordered (and paid for) Gordon’s gin and been given Larios (the difference is really obvious). You might like to try some local Canarian wines to accompany your Canarian cooking. You can get these in Spar or Hiperdino (or Netto if you don’t mind paying more for the same thing).

And yes maybe I am a tight-wad but I don’t like getting ripped off!! I’ve worked in bars here and I know all the tricks

Bottoms up!!!

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Guayadeque Cave Restaurant "Tagoror"

In Guayadeque there are cave houses and a restaurant in a cave. There is a church as well and you can see the most amazing sunsets from there. Guayadeque is in Aguimes and it isn’t far from the resorts in the south. The Guayadeque region is a big canyon, stetching from the middle of the island to the Aguimes coast. It takes about half an hour to drive there from Arguineguin, as far as I remember.

Guayadeque was the most populated area on the island in prehistoric times and there are historic burial chambers there. The Guanches later used the caves for fertility rituals and to store their food.

In the 1800s a lot of the caves were plundered and later on the area because a nature reserve. The “lagarto canarión” is the biggest species of lizard in the world and these live around this area. If you are interested in walking and hiking in Gran Canaria, this is a very pleasant region in which to do it.

There are trips you can do if you want the Guayadeque experience including a meal at the famous Tagogor Restaurant, where you can hear local live music and sample Canarian cooking and local wines. If you are interested in the trip, you can find more information and book here. Booking is recommended in the summer when the trips get full.

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When and How to Book

You usually have to book 24 hours in advance and sometimes, like in July, August or over the Christmas period when it’s busy, even more in advance. I haven’t done this tour but I’ve heard some really great reports about it. You get to see the cities, towns, mountains, farms and lots more and this perspective of the island is one that most people never get to see.

You can find more information about Gran Canaria helicopter tours here and book online.

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Cleo Sunbathing

Compared to the rest of Europe the UK is very fussy. You can NOT take a cat or dog into the UK from the Canary Islands (or Spain for that matter) without a pet passport or without a rabies vaccination. That might sound easy but you have to wait for 6 months after the rabies vaccination to bring your pet into the UK. This is because it can take 6 months for rabies to show up on the blood test. The UK is rabies free and this is perhaps why!

The other option is to keep your pet in quarantine if you can’t wait 6 months. This can be hard on the pet (and on your wallet!) but for some people it’s the only option. If you want to move your pet around in Europe you only need an up to date rabies shot (this lasts for a year) and a pet passport but ask your vet before you travel.

Flying from the Canaries to Spain with Pets

I’ve flown from Gran Canaria to Spain with Cleo before and it’s 30 euros flat fee with Spanair with a soft pet tote bag (fits underneath the seat in front) or 60 euros flat fee with a hard crate (no point in paying double so I didn’t do that!) If we ever move to the UK (it’s doubtful we will) she will need to wait 6 months. But Cleo is a Canarian cat through and through. I might be a sun worshipper but she lies about an inch from the heater in the winter (when the weather in Gran Canaria dares to drop below 20ºC) and she would freeze! I couldn’t inflict that on her so it looks like we’re staying put!!

Talking of weather, by the way, the rain has finally stopped and the days are in the mid 20ºs which is good new if you are wondering about the weather in Gran Canaria in February and planning a trip!

Any more questions about bringing cats or dogs from the (or Europe) UK to Gran Canaria or from Gran Canaria to the UK, just ask.

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Another option is to use one of the property agencies in Gran Canaria but then you will have to pay the equivalent of half a month or a whole month’s rent in fees. Of course if you find the perfect house or apartment in Gran Canaria it can be worth doing that if you are planning to stay a long time (or if your Spanish isn’t up to par!)

The best way to find somewhere to live is to come over with a package holiday then at least you have somewhere for a couple of weeks while you look. In Gran Canaria property to rent tends to be widely available and you can find a very small 1 bedroom apartment for 400 euros (absolute cheapest) or something a bit bigger. You normally have to pay 1 month’s rent and 1 month’s deposit to move in, although this does vary.

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