Car Hire Gran Canaria Airport

Like the rest of the islands in the archipelago, the nice weather can be enjoyed practically all year round, in that sense, any time is good to visit Gran Canaria.

Certainly, during spring and autumn, the climate is quite fresh and pleasant; and because it is the low season, these are ideal dates to visit the island and find good offers for car rental and accommodation.

The capital of the island is Las Palmas, a vibrant city with a cosmopolitan and global air. And although it was founded in 1478 and its history is present everywhere, it has large shopping areas, wide avenues and avant-garde architecture.

Old town:

The old town and its labyrinth of streets tell the history of the island, colourful houses, elegant balconies and imposing doors; they are the keystone of the area.

A good starting point is the Plaza de Santa Ana, where you can find the Cathedral of Santa Ana, built in the 15th century, one of the most important buildings in the archipelago. Just behind it is the Casa de Colón, the Admiral’s lodging place, during his stopover before continuing his journey to America.

Triana neighbourhood, Canarian village and Santa Catalina park:

The Triana neighbourhood and the Pueblo Canario are two stops you should make to get to know the culture of the islanders and take one or two souvenirs with you. While in the Santa Catalina park you can have a perfect afternoon on land.

Castillo de la Luz:

The biggest monument in the city is precisely the Castillo de la Luz, located in the Puerto de la Luz and built in the 16th century as a fortress. Today it houses the museum of the foundation of the Canarian sculptor, Martin Chirino.

Car routes Gran Canaria north

Arucas

18 km from Las Palmas is the city located at the foot of the Arucas mountain, it has one of the last cathedrals that were built in the world (1909-1970). When crossing the town, a signposted route leads to the viewpoint at the top of the mountain; the view of the city and the valley extends beyond the ocean, and you can even see Tenerife and the summit of Teide, which is covered in snow all year round.

Gáldar and Punta de la Sardina

28 km northeast of Las Palmas. Located in a beautiful landscape at the foot of a volcano, it was the aboriginal capital and still preserves some important remains, such as the Cueva Pintada, decorated with red, white and black motifs.

When leaving Gáldar towards Sardina, the road enters through a passage of banana trees that leads to a beautiful fishing port with sandy coves. A little further on, the Punta de la Sardina invites you to swim, and diving enthusiasts will be delighted.

Port of Las Nieves

Located in the Agaete Valley, 37 km west of Las Palmas. This seaside resort, surrounded by impressive cliffs ending in the Tamadaba massif, is remarkable for its tropical vegetation. It is home to mangoes, avocados, papayas and coffee plantations.

A curiosity of the place is the monolith known as the finger of God, very popular in the region. On the other hand, the Nuestra Señora de las Nieves chapel houses a magnificent 15th century Flemish triptych.

Routes by car Gran Canaria centrak

The Pozo de las Nieves Park 

Back on the main road, a few kilometres away we enter the Pozo de las Nieves Park, a natural reserve in the middle of which stands the peak of Las Nieves at 1,949 metres. The forest has chestnut and pine trees, and is full of hares, which usually delight visitors and hunters.

The Caldera of Tejeda

36 km from Las Palmas. Sometimes the arrival at the caldera in the fog may seem a little unreal. The stone cross of Tejeda is located at the top (1,450m) and stands out against the Parador Nacional. On the left is the famous Nublo rock, an imposing basalt monolith, the tallest in the world. Some donkeys dressed up, as is the custom of the place, will be waiting for you to have your photo taken as a souvenir.

Artenara

10 km from the Tejeda boiler. Shortly before reaching the village, there are some caves on each side of the road. This is a place where prehistoric men lived, located in Artenara, the highest village on the island, between peaks and volcanic cliffs.

Telde

13 km south of Las Palmas. In pre-Hispanic times, it was the aboriginal centre, of which there are still remains, such as the vestiges of the caves of the Cuatro Puertas, which testify to the importance of the place. The oldest neighbourhoods are San Julián and San Francisco (with white houses and wooden balconies), which still boast houses worthy of admiration. The church of San Juan (1539) and the convent of San Francisco are worth visiting.

Car routes Gran Canaria south

Playa del Inglés

60 km south of Las Palmas. It is interesting to pass through the various shopping centres. The shops, usually run by Indians, sell all kinds of perfumes, cameras and glasses at prices that defy all competition. Negotiate prices and watch out for counterfeits.

Maspalomas

3 km west of Playa del Inglés. At the southern end is the oasis of Maspalomas, where the abundant palm trees are a green corner in front of the golden sand dunes, similar to those of Fuerteventura, and which you have to cross to reach the beach, where the landscape is made happy by a display of red and orange parasols.

There is another oasis in the desert, and that is the Maspalomas golf course, a place full of trees and flowers that grow everywhere. For the fans of this sport, we recommend to make your reservation when you go out.

Puerto Rico

20 kilometres from Maspalomas. The architectural ensemble of this complex is impressive. The houses and villas painted in white and yellow, “look like a banana and vanilla ice cream melting at the top of the mountain” (Sarah Simon).

For coastal fishing enthusiasts, there are offshore departures from this port, as well as from the Santa Catalina and Las Palmas docks.

Puerto de Mogán

38 km west of Playa del Inglés. If there was only one place to visit in the south, it would be Puerto Mogán. They are the most beautiful port and town in this region, a very frequent stopover for transatlantic sailors. When you arrive, a branch of the sea enters the land, where small iron bridges forge one bank to the other; on the right there is a beautiful market of souvenirs and objects of local crafts.

Mogán

9 km north of Puerto de Mogán. The arrival at the village of Mogán is quite surprising; next to the road there is a sculpture representing a plate, an ear of wheat and a coffee maker.  These are due to the local festival, held on the first Saturday in June, and according to which each village has a float with a theme. Once the festivities are over, they are left in the wild until they deteriorate.

The region of Mogán has beautiful landscapes with large canyons covered with cactus.

Fataga

16 km north of Maspalomas. Here nature is green, the land is fertile and the climate is subtropical. It is a splendid palm grove, the low white houses of the village dot the hillside.

If you want to make the most of your visit and experience all that the island has to offer, at your own pace and without limits; then hiring a car in Gran Canaria is not only necessary, but worth it.