List of Must-See Places in Gran Canaria: Map, Prices, Description of Mega Cool Locations. I’ll tell you how to get there, give you visiting tips, and, most importantly, all the attractions of Gran Canaria will be rated personally, helping you make decisions and plan your perfect route around Gran Canaria.
Must-See Places in Gran Canaria: General Information
Gran Canaria is one of the two main islands of the Canary Archipelago. Along with Tenerife, these are the most popular islands, attracting the most tourists. Every year, Gran Canaria is visited by 8-10 million tourists, and here are some features you should know:
- There are a lot of tourists all year round, especially in high season.
- Parking at resorts and popular attractions can be a real issue.
- Where the best resort for tourists is and where to find accommodation, you can read in the article: Vacation in Gran Canaria.
- Despite the fairly good bus network on the island, most of the attractions of Gran Canaria from this list cannot be reached by bus. The Canary Islands are made for traveling by car. The process of renting a car on the islands is cheap and easy, and rental companies are much more lenient than in mainland Europe. All the intricacies of renting a car in Gran Canaria, personal experience, and pitfalls.
Top Attractions in Gran Canaria: Map
Gran Canaria is a great island for a family vacation, with cool beaches, mountains, many natural wonders, hundreds of viewpoints, and a long list of attractions to suit every taste.
Interesting to know:
The map below marks only the most famous and popular attractions in Gran Canaria. Many people don’t know, but there are about 20-30 lava pools on the island. What are they, how do they look, where are they located, read in the article: Best beaches in Gran Canaria.
The Gran Canaria attractions map is dynamic, you can click, zoom in, and explore in more detail.
List of Gran Canaria Attractions: Top 15
Each Gran Canaria attraction will have my personal rating. It’s subjective, but it will help you decide whether to visit a particular location or skip it.
Often in various lists of “must-see places” on the internet, only enthusiastic reviews are written about each attraction, but that’s not always the case. Not all attractions always evoke admiration, so I’ll write it as it is, and you decide whether to go or not.
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
This is a case where a major city and the capital of the island is also a cool beach resort for tourists. Las Palmas is the most infrastructurally developed city on the island, with a huge number of attractions and one of the best beaches in all of the Canaries. You can confidently consider Las Palmas for your vacation and book accommodation here.
In Las Palmas, it’s not just about cool beaches and beach vacations; this city remembers Columbus, who set off on his first voyage across the Atlantic Ocean through the Canaries and Las Palmas. Fans of beautiful architecture and historical attractions will enjoy it here. Below are the main locations in Las Palmas and the most interesting for tourists:
- Central Market of Las Palmas: 28.13353, -15.43266. Here you can find cafes with traditional Canarian food.
- Columbus House: 28.10158, -15.41404. The best museum in the islands dedicated to Columbus and his voyages. Ticket price 4 euros, free for under 18s, on some Sundays (check dates on the website) free for everyone. Official website: http://www.casadecolon.com
- Santa Ana Cathedral and the square in front of the cathedral: 28.10065, -15.415. A very beautiful cathedral dedicated to the patron saint of the city – Saint Anne. By the way, the cathedral was laid at the end of the 15th century, and construction is still not completed. Entrance fee – 6 euros. In front of the cathedral in the square, you will see small bronze sculptures of dogs, which are on the coat of arms of the islands, and in honor of which the Canaries are named. If you’re curious, you can read more about the history of the Canaries, what these dogs are, and where such a name came from, follow the link.
- Calle Triana – main pedestrian and shopping street of Las Palmas: 28.10597, -15.41633. Here you can find shops of all world brands.
- From dozens of museums in the capital, I want to highlight the Elder Museum of Science and Technology: 28.14115, -15.42969. A very cool, interactive museum with a 1:1 scale model of a space station, fighter jet, and many other cool exhibits. Ticket price 8 euros. Museum website: https://www.museoelder.es. Kids will love it, adults will too.
Author’s Rating:
10 out of 10. Las Palmas is a very cool city and a top attraction of Gran Canaria. This is one of those cases where one day is not enough. Even if you plan to stay at other resorts, plan at least a day in Las Palmas, that’s if you skip the museums and the very cool aquarium, which is below. And if you want to visit both the science museum, the aquarium, one of the best urban beaches in the world, and the historical center, you definitely won’t be able to do it all in a day.
Poema del Mar Aquarium
This Las Palmas attraction is specifically highlighted separately. It’s an excellent world-class aquarium with hundreds of tanks, and, as expected from top-notch aquariums, it features a huge panoramic tank with a tunnel inside.
- Coordinates: 28.144828864134098, -15.428215868214323
- Official website: https://ticket.poema-del-mar.com/
- Ticket price: 27 euros for adults, 18.5 euros for children.
- Opening hours: from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm
- I recommend planning at least 2 hours, but preferably 3-4. I saw somewhere on the internet that you can go through it in an hour. If you rush, you might manage, as the aquarium is large, and you won’t see everything in an hour.
Author’s Rating:
9 out of 10. I’ve been to the aquariums in Lisbon and Dubai, and Poema del Mar impressed me. If you’ve never been to world-class aquariums, you should definitely go. And one fact: Poema del Mar is owned by the same family that owns one of the world’s best zoos, Loro Parque, and the best water park in the world, Siam Park (Siam Park has been recognized as the best water park in the world 9 times in a row). This family knows how to manage such projects. You can read about Loro Parque and Siam Park, which are located in Tenerife, in the article Top Attractions in Tenerife.
Gran Canaria Botanical Garden
The main botanical garden of the island is located 8 km from Las Palmas. It covers a large area with several thematic zones, including a large area with cacti from all over the world (remember, there will be a reference to it below when we talk about the Cactus Park). The park’s territory is situated on the slope of a mountain, with trails offering excellent views of the surroundings. Moreover, the botanical garden is home to many Canarian endemic species, and there is a whole alley of dragon trees (also known as Canarian dracaena).
- Parking coordinates: 28.06404040846157, -15.463722304854137
- It’s easy to get there by bus from Las Palmas: No. 302 or No. 303, a 20-minute ride.
- Opening hours: daily from 10 am to 6 pm
- The Botanical Garden is completely free for everyone.
- In the article Flora and Fauna in the Canaries, you will learn more about the archipelago’s endemics and what you can see here.
Author’s Rating:
7 out of 10. The attraction is quite ordinary. The park is well maintained, there are information signs everywhere, if you like this type of attraction, be sure to come here.
Mirador de Cruz de Tejeda
Mirador, in Spanish, means a viewpoint. I’ll tell you straight away, there are hundreds of them in Gran Canaria. When you go to the center of the island, to its mountainous part, you’ll find viewpoints every 500 meters. The first ten will amaze you, then you’ll be less amazed and won’t stop at each one. Beautiful views quickly become routine when there are so many, and there are plenty on the island.
Mirador de Cruz de Tejeda is one of the popular viewpoints in the center of Gran Canaria. And one of the most tourist-friendly, with a restaurant, places to walk, toilets, and beautiful views. You can stop here for a coffee. There is also a hotel with a panoramic pool.
- Coordinates: 28.006025240935028, -15.599564467924113
- All viewpoints in Gran Canaria are free.
Author’s Rating:
6 out of 10. A standard location with views that are everywhere here. I would like to stay at the Parador hotel for a day and take a couple of photos from the pool, but alas, I can’t. But you can:
Mirador del Balcón
This iconic viewpoint is located in a very remote part of Gran Canaria, so you need to drive here intentionally; you won’t stumble upon it accidentally. The view from here overlooks the ocean and cliffs. Some people find these cliffs reminiscent of Egyptian pyramids, while others see the tail of a mythical dragon.
- Coordinates: 28.019512618803596, -15.785443153793583
- There is no public transport here; you can only reach it by car.
- The viewpoint itself takes about 10-15 minutes to explore, but it’s quite a distance to travel, so combine it with attractions in this part of the island or a visit to wild beaches.
Author’s Rating:
8 out of 10. It’s a fantastic viewpoint, quite different from others on the island, and the view is breathtaking. Unlike others located inside the island with views of mountains and forests. The only downside is the long drive for just 10 minutes. But there’s not much else to do here.
San Juan Bautista de Arucas Church
A Gran Canaria attraction for lovers of medieval architecture and an example of how even in small towns on the island, you can find real architectural masterpieces. The Gothic-style church in the town of Arucas is a must-visit. The town is small, and there’s a big hill nearby offering excellent views of the entire area and this church. In fact, the photo below is taken from this hill.
- Coordinates: 28.118732515809594, -15.52316921392199
- Free
- If time allows, you can stroll through the narrow streets of Arucas and walk up to the hill. It will take about 1.5-2 hours for the whole activity.
Author’s Rating:
7 out of 10. I highly recommend it for enthusiasts of religious themes. There are no other cathedrals like this on the island. Both its size and architecture are impressive. Even the main cathedral in Las Palmas (the photo was above) looks modest in comparison, and entry there is paid unlike San Juan Bautista de Arucas Church.
Pico de las Nieves
The highest peak on the island of Gran Canaria. Its height is 1956 meters. You won’t reach the actual peak, but nearby, there’s a magnificent viewpoint, which is considered the summit, and you can drive there directly by car. Additionally, there’s an astrophysical observatory here, where serious scientific work is still conducted today.
- Coordinates for the highest viewpoint on the island: 27.961915444677427, -15.571755798119503. From here, you can see the Roque Nublo.
- Free
Author’s Rating:
9 out of 10 and the best viewpoint on the island. Personally, I prefer it more than Mirador de Cruz de Tejeda. Also, since it’s the highest peak on the island, clouds are often below, so if you’re lucky, you can take photos above the clouds.
Roque Nublo
Roque Nublo is a vertical rock towering 70 meters high, it’s the third-highest peak on the island. The Guanches, the native inhabitants, considered this place sacred and performed rituals here for the sun god. Scientists say that sacrifices were even made here.
You can’t drive to Roque Nublo by car. It’s not just a cool location with great views; it’s also an easy hike. It’s only 1500 meters from the parking lot to the rock, with an elevation gain of 180 meters. You’ll easily walk the distance in 30-40 minutes one way.
- Parking lot: 27.965636565198928, -15.601512253393839
- Roque Nublo: 27.970393987884602, -15.612713256201312
- In about an hour, maybe an hour and a half, you can easily walk from the parking lot to the rock and back. The views along the way are amazing.
- Moreover, there are several hiking trails for a full day here. If you’re interested, download the Organic Maps app on your phone; it has all these trails.
Author’s Rating:
10 out of 10. It’s not just a viewpoint where you drive, take photos, and leave. It’s also a hiking trail almost at the top of the island of Gran Canaria with stunning views along the route. This location is a must for everyone.
Museum and Archaeological Park
In the article about the population of the Canaries, you’ll learn about the Guanches and how they differed from the Canarians. People lived here long before the Europeans arrived. Today, only Gran Canaria has three archaeological museums where you can learn about the Guanche tribes, their culture, and way of life. The largest museum and archaeological park are located in the town of Galdar. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that ancient Guanche settlements were excavated right here, and you can see them with your own eyes.
- Museum coordinates: 28.144154004322825, -15.655171439666383
- Opening hours: 11:00 to 18:00, closed on Mondays.
- Official website: http://www.cuevapintada.com/
- Ticket price: 6 euros.
- Time to plan: 30-60 minutes.
Author’s Rating:
5 out of 10. Many people highly praise this place, but I left without excitement. It’s a small museum, at most an hour long, with items from Guanche daily life. The focal point of the museum: the excavation of a large 12th-century Guanche settlement, their caves where they lived, and even wall paintings have been preserved. Archaeology enthusiasts will definitely enjoy it, but I’m not sure about others.
Among the island’s archaeological museums, I liked the Canary Islands Museum the most, located in the capital in Las Palmas, just 100 meters from Columbus House. If you’re interested in the history of the Canaries, visit this museum.
Agaete
A small town where all the houses are painted white is located at the edge of the earth, or at least that’s how it’s considered. It’s always windy here. Just 10 years ago, it was a forgotten fishing village. Today, there’s a promenade with dozens of restaurants (all specializing in seafood), an old port and marina, pedestrian streets, and beautiful views of the cliffs. And in Agaete, there’s a very cool lava pool.
- Coordinates of the fishing village center – Puerto de las Nieves, where all the restaurants are: 28.101005582733457, -15.71061062231093
- Coordinates of the lava pool: 28.10675165935523, -15.711231271264099
- You can come here for half a day and plan to have lunch at one of the ocean-view restaurants.
- Formerly, not far from the beach, there used to be a beautiful and unique rock formation that was a local attraction. But a couple of years ago, it collapsed during a storm.
Author’s Rating:
8 out of 10. One of the few places where there aren’t as many tourists as at other attractions on the island. Agaete is a classic fishing village in a Mediterranean white-and-blue style. Plan for lunch at a restaurant, a 30-minute walk around the town, and a dip in the lava pool. A place for true introverts, but not exactly. With each passing year, the flow of tourists here grows.
Cactualdea Cactus Park
Cactualdea calls itself the largest cactus park in the world. In addition to hundreds of cacti, there’s a small petting zoo, ducks, geese, roosters roam the grounds, there are even peacocks. Everything is clean, beautiful, and designed for tourists. The cactus park isn’t the most unique attraction; there’s a similar park on the island of Lanzarote, which, in my opinion, is even cooler. Check out the attractions of Lanzarote.
- Coordinates: 27.95890040307194, -15.781079528195878
- There are over 1000 species of cacti here.
- There’s a restaurant/café.
- Official website: https://cactualdea.es/
- Ticket price: 8.5 euros.
- Plan for a maximum of 1 hour.
Author’s Rating:
5 out of 10. I was disappointed here. But before this, I visited the free botanical garden of Gran Canaria, mentioned earlier. The cactus area there is no worse, and I’ve been to a cactus park in Lanzarote, which I found even more impressive. Perhaps if you only visit Cactualdea, the experience will be more vivid. In my opinion, it’s a bit pricey, as cacti grow everywhere here, and the park is located in a remote location. If you have a car, it’s better to go to the botanical garden, it’s larger and more interesting, and you can skip this park.
Palmitos Park
Very Cool Zoo/Dolphinarium/Orchid Park/Butterfly Park and Aviary. We didn’t expect anything special from Palmitos Park, but it exceeded our expectations. There are many shows throughout the day, so as soon as you buy a ticket, check the schedule to catch them all. Bring some change, coins of 1-2 euros, as you can buy food right in the park and feed the birds, some animals, and fish.
- Parking lot: 27.83156567163621, -15.617811278686506
- Official website: https://palmitospark.es/
- Opening hours: 10:00 to 18:00.
- Plan a minimum of 5 hours for the park. At first, it may not seem that big, but everything here is organized to the highest standard, with many interesting locations and shows. In 5 hours, you might not even be able to see everything.
- Ticket price: from 37 euros (always check for updates on the website). This same company owns an aquapark in the south of Gran Canaria in Maspalomas; you can buy a combined ticket with a discount for both the zoo and the aquapark.
Author’s Rating:
8 out of 10. It’s a really cool zoo. If you’re on vacation with kids, you must visit here. Organization is top-notch. Additionally, Palmitos Park is located in a gorge in a very beautiful place, especially with great views from the dolphinarium.
People often ask which is better: Loro Parque in Tenerife or Palmitos Park in Gran Canaria. Loro Parque is undoubtedly better, but it’s not fair to compare it with Loro Parque; there aren’t many zoos in the world that are better than Loro Parque. Overall, I highly recommend Palmitos Park to everyone.
Maspalomas Dunes
The most famous attraction of Gran Canaria and often the most disappointing. To put it very briefly, there is a desert in the south of the island, a thousand sand dunes on a volcanic island. Not everyone knows where they come from. This is sand from the Sahara Desert, which the wind has brought as calima over millions of years. That’s the main version.
- Coordinates: 27.740347648398334, -15.575054509267481
- Access to the dunes is completely free. Wooden paths are laid out. It is recommended to walk on them.
- Here are also the two longest beaches on the island and a popular beach resort.
- Important: it’s just a desert; you can walk on the dunes, take a million photos at sunset, but don’t expect anything from the desert except a sunstroke. There is no shade here, so be careful. And there are also many nudists here.
Author’s Rating:
5 out of 10. A desert is a desert; don’t expect anything supernatural. The most beautiful dunes (where there is no grass and shrubs) are on the Playa del Ingles beach side. The best time for stunning photos is sunrise and sunset. From the Maspalomas beach side, there are many bushes, and the dunes are not as impressive. The link to the Gran Canaria beaches review was at the beginning of the article.
Cocodrilo Park Zoo
Another cool zoo in Gran Canaria. There are not many animals, and the emphasis is on crocodiles. The park has a cool crocodile show. The Cocodrilo Park Zoo is much smaller than Palmitos, but it’s also cheaper, and there are no dolphins here. If you’re with kids, you can save money and come to this park; kids will enjoy it everywhere.
- Coordinates: 27.887176156404742, -15.467790503141156
- Plan about 3 hours for the park.
- Official website: https://www.cocodriloparkzoo.com
- Ticket price: 9.9 euros for adults, 6.9 euros for children.
Author’s Rating:
7 out of 10. Despite the smaller area of Cocodrilo Park compared to Palmitos, fewer animals, there are several advantages here. You can see animals up close, and there’s a cool crocodile show. Moreover, the price is very democratic; for a family of four, you will pay about 130-140 euros for entry to Palmitos Park, while in Cocodrilo Park, it’s only 35 euros. The savings are colossal.
Sioux City Park San AUGUSTIN
A themed Wild West village where cowboy shows on horses take place daily. You can boldly shoot Westerns in this village. There’s a bank, a saloon, the main street, and you can walk everywhere. The shows are included in the ticket price.
- Coordinates: 27.7864163326505, -15.534927559280186
- Official website: https://parquetematicosiouxcitypark.com
- Ticket price: 25 euros for adults.
- Two shows daily: a bank raid and dances in the saloon. Personally, I liked the bank raid better.
Author’s Rating:
6 out of 10. On the one hand, there doesn’t seem to be much to do here; you just walk along the street (it’s the only one here) and enter a couple of buildings. On the other hand, there’s a great Wild West atmosphere and cool shows. The staff’s attitude and how they interact with visitors are beyond praise. If you’re vacationing with kids, you must come here; they will definitely be thrilled.
In conclusion: I hope you now know about must see places in Gran Canaria. The island has a huge number of natural attractions, hiking trails, and viewpoints for active tourists. But there are also family-friendly activities: zoos, aquariums, theme parks, and very cool museums. These attractions of Gran Canaria will be enough for a week of active exploration of the island.
And remember, Gran Canaria is a family-friendly resort island. If you’re an active tourist who loves hiking, wild beaches, mountains, wine tastings, pay attention to the islands of La Palma and La Gomera; it might be more interesting for active tourists without children there.
Useful links to help you plan your dream trip to Canary Islands:
- Car Rental: LocalRent or DiscoverCars – the most popular car rental platforms.
- Accommodation:
- Trip.com – the largest accommodation booking platform.
- or TripAdvisor – to compare prices among other platforms and choose the best one.
- Budget-friendly vacation packages to Spain and Canary Islands: CheapOair.
- Tours and activities: GetYourGuide or Viator – hundreds of offers, whales and dolphins, entrance tickets with discounts.
- eSIM and internet: Airalo.
- Flights: WayAway compares prices among dozens of companies.
- Travel Insurance: EKTA.