Gran Canaria is one of the Canary Islands. It belongs to Spain, but lies in the Atlantic near the north-west coast of Africa. With kids, you can spend your holiday by the sea, walk among the dunes and head inland to mountain villages. So while the kids are packing their buckets and spades, we adults are quietly looking up places to go. Just a little outing, perhaps. We know what we’re like.
When to go
Gran Canaria’s mild weather makes it tempting all year round. In winter, you can spend time outdoors, but a sunny day doesn’t mean a warm ocean. At the coldest time of year, the water is around 18 °C, so that long swim you had in mind might turn into a determined paddle. Ankle-deep.
Spring is a good time for exploring, while summer and early autumn are more likely to suit anyone hoping to spend longer in the water. Even then, the weather doesn’t take requests.
By the sea, not just looking at it
Amadores beach, in the south-west of the island, is an option for a family swim. Two breakwaters shelter the sandy bay, making it less exposed to waves than the open coast. That doesn’t mean the water is equally calm every day, though.
There are restaurants and a promenade behind the beach, so lunch doesn’t mean packing everything back into the car. If you want to stay nearby and walk down, the route to the beach matters too. “Five minutes from the beach” sounds lovely until you realise whoever timed it wasn’t walking with a little one carrying an inflatable ring.
Is all of that sand?
At Maspalomas, the dunes appear with the ocean beyond them. You won’t need to spend long explaining to the kids what to look at here. You might all be too busy wondering where quite so much sand came from.
You can see the dunes from the viewpoint by the Riu Palace Maspalomas hotel. If you go further, marked routes lead through the reserve. It’s a protected area, so you can’t run up every sandy hill, however tempting some of them look. And not just to the kids.
Into the mountains. Possibly via a cake shop
Inland, Tejeda has little streets to explore, views of the surrounding mountains and Roque Bentayga, and local almond sweets to try. You can simply wander around the village and stop for something nice.
The road up from the coast winds around plenty of bends, so journey time tells you more than distance. Those of us with delicate stomachs might appreciate the views rather more once we’ve parked.
And which bit will the kids enjoy most? Before you go, you can have a look together through Cestoteka’s illustrated Gran Canaria guide. They might choose something completely different from you. At least you’ll have something to negotiate on the way.