Three weeks in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands: Everything you need to know
Continuing our trend of leaving the UK for a month when winter arrives, in November 2022 we decided to escape to Gran Canaria for three weeks.
Our priority for these trips is to go somewhere with good weather, a similar time zone to the UK, and enough to do… but not so much that we will wish we weren’t working. Having been to Lanzarote and The Azores so far, the Canary Islands have ticked all these boxes. And it’s easy to see why they’re a favourite with digital nomads.
So, why go to the Canary Islands? What are the best things to do in Gran Canaria? What is Gran Canaria like for holidays? And is Gran Canaria a good holiday destination in winter? Read on to find out.
What you need to know about Gran Canaria
How do you get to Gran Canaria?
We flew directly to Gran Canaria from Gatwick Airport, London. You can also fly from Luton or Stansted (or most other major UK airports). This often works out cheaper but Gatwick was the most convenient option for us.
When is the best time to travel to Gran Canaria?
Typically, Gran Canaria is a summer holiday destination. However, it has warm temperatures pretty much all year round. In November and early December, we were still enjoying weather in the high 20ºCs most days.
How much time do you need in Gran Canaria?
We were in Gran Canaria for three weeks, with about 1.5 of those weeks spent working. We were able to see a number of the sights and spent a lot of time at the beach.
If you were on a dedicated holiday trip with no time needed for working, you could easily explore the best bits of Gran Canaria in one week. Or in two weeks if, like us, you prioritise a day at the beach over almost anything else!
Is it expensive to stay in Gran Canaria?
You could spend as much or as little as you like on a holiday in Gran Canaria. There are a range of hotels, Airbnbs, and other accommodations that cover most budgets. We went for an Airbnb with a pool that cost around £80 per night, for both of our homes in Gran Canaria. However, there are plenty of flats and hotels on offer – including all-inclusive offerings – for much less.
Even in November, we were short on options. We found that most Airbnbs matching our requirements were already booked up a few months in advance. So it’s worth finding and booking your accommodation as soon as you’ve decided you’re going to Gran Canaria to avoid disappointment.
Is it expensive to see the sights in Gran Canaria?
Most of the sights in Gran Canaria are free to experience. We mostly visited viewpoints, hiking trails, and historic towns. Even the main botanical garden was free to wander around. However, if you’re visiting some of the more family-focused tourist spots – like water parks and zoos – you will likely be required to pay an entry fee.
We also drove to the beach, which sometimes meant having to pay for parking depending on which beach we were visiting.
Is Gran Canaria good for beaches?
Gran Canaria has some beautiful beaches which could easily be the main destination for your holiday. In Maspalomas, there are beautiful dunes stretching back behind the beaches. However, there are also smaller beaches along the coast including small beach-front towns and beaches in front of resort hotels.
Want to know the best beaches in Gran Canaria? Read our blog.
Is Gran Canaria good for food?
Food in Gran Canaria, particularly the Maspalomas area where we stayed, isn’t the best. But it’s not what you go there for.
We had some of our favourite meals at Wapa Tapa and El Cacho in the Yumbo Centre. Allende 22º and LoLa in Maspalomas had a slightly more upmarket vibe with great fresh food.
Ibericos J Cruz and 11:11 Bistro on the edge of San Fernando were great local finds close to our second Airbnb.
We also had brilliant food in Tafira on the outskirts of Las Palmas at Enoteca El Zarcillo. We wanted to eat at the botanical garden restaurant but weren’t able to, and this was a great find instead.
Is Gran Canaria good for nightlife?
Gran Canaria has a busy nightlife scene – particularly for LGBTQIA+ nights and drag or cabaret shows. Maspalomas and Playa del Ingles are known for this. However we didn’t venture into Las Palmas at night so we didn’t experience the vibe there.
But with clubs open until 6am on some nights, you’ll have no trouble finding a great night out in Gran Canaria. Just be sure to read their door policies and dress code requirements before you show up.
Is Gran Canaria good for family holidays?
Gran Canaria is definitely a family holiday destination. It has plenty of resort hotels, package deals, and tourist attractions aimed at all ages.
Do you need a car in Gran Canaria?
Though there is good public transport and easily accessible taxis in Gran Canaria, we benefited from having a car. As it meant we were able to do almost anything we wanted, at any time. We stayed slightly out of the town so having a car made it easier to get to the beach. Although it was very easy to find taxis for going out at night. For hiking and other day trips, there are coaches for tourists which can be booked online.
We hired our car through Autoreisen at the airport, which cost us about £150 for three weeks. The service was easy and the car was great. We would definitely use Autoreisen again.
Is it easy to travel around Gran Canaria?
The island of Gran Canaria is not big, but there are limited roads that take you around the island. Up the east coast there is a motorway, and through the middle there are winding mountain roads with amazing views.
However, you cannot drive the entire length of the west coast of the island. This means if you’re visiting the south or north west, you need to travel around or through the middle of the island which can take a bit longer.
Despite this, the longest journey we took was only about 1 hour 20 minutes. This was just to the north of the centre of the island for the Pico De Los Nieves hike.
What is the main thing for tourists to do in Gran Canaria?
Beaches, hikes, historic towns, scenic views, and shopping are some of the main attractions for tourists in Gran Canaria. For families with children, there are plenty of theme parks and other attractions including an aquarium and safari park.
What do I need to pack for a holiday in Gran Canaria?
Gran Canaria has good weather all year round, so you will be safe packing what you would for any beach holiday. We went on a lot of hikes, which meant sports clothing and sturdy shoes like running trainers were a must. And even in November, the afternoon sun got very hot so don’t forget your cover-ups. A light layer might be useful if you’re going out at night.
For a full list of what I packed for a month in Gran Canaria in November, read my blog: What to pack for a holiday in Gran Canaria.
Why travel to Gran Canaria?
We chose Gran Canaria for the same reasons as Lanzarote two years earlier. Because it’s hot in November, it’s in the same time zone as the UK, and it’s not too expensive.
The weather
Since the point of leaving the UK for a month over November and December was to escape the cold, finding a country with a climate more like the UK in summer is essential for us. West of Africa and much closer to the equator than the UK, the Canary Islands have good weather almost all year round.
It does get windy, and there is some rain in the winter months. But we had great luck with the weather in Gran Canaria, with mid- to high-twenties every day and no rain at all. In fact, it only began to rain on the day we left!
The time zone
Since we were planning to work for some of our time away, we needed to ensure that our time zones weren’t too different to the UK to help keep our schedules aligned. Gran Canaria is in the same time zone as the UK, which made this easy.
The cost
Gran Canaria was more expensive than Lanzarote. But we did eat and drink out more due to our location in the town and more places being open post-Covid. However, overall it’s still a fairly cheap place to holiday compared to some of the other holiday destinations on our list.
The activities
Though we were working for some of our time in Gran Canaria, we still wanted a location with plenty to do. From beaches and bars that we could visit after work, to hikes and towns to visit on the weekends, Gran Canaria has no shortage of things to do and see. You could go on every hike and visit every beach if you had more time. But we were happy to fit in the main attractions around our schedules.
Want to know the best hikes in Gran Canaria? Read our blog.
Where to stay in Gran Canaria
We stayed in Sonnenland and Maspalomas and spent a few days wandering the dunes and sunbathing on the long beach that runs from Meloneras to Playa Del Ingles. Maspalomas and Playa del Ingles are resort towns that attract a lot of tourists. So they’re not the best place to get a true taste of life in the Canary Islands. But they’re well connected with plenty to do during the day and night. And if you don’t speak any Spanish, you’ll easily get by with English in these areas as many ex-pats live here.
Location
We chose Maspalomas due to the beaches, bars and restaurants, and the ease of access to other areas of the island. If you’re just looking for a week or so at the beach, you might not need to worry about finding a location that offers easy access to the rest of the island. But Maspalomas has it all as a town that you could easily spend your entire holiday in. And if you want to travel further afield, it is well connected to the rest of the island.
Amenities
Our villas were both set back from the town, about a 30 minute walk down to the sea and a short drive to some of the best beaches in the area. Maspalomas and Meloneras were just 5 minutes away. While other great beaches were only 15-20 minutes away.
We used the local bus and taxis to get around at night from Sonnenland, and were easily able to walk around from our villa in San Fernando. Picking an area with easy access to supermarkets was also important for us due to the length of our stay.