Gran Canaria is famous for its diverse microclimates, stunning coastline with spectacular beaches and sand dunes, inland forests, mountains, volcanic craters, exotic fauna and flora and picturesque towns and villages.

Continue reading... Top 7 resorts in Gran Canaria

1. Celebrate the Carnival. The dates vary from year to year, but it's usually in February or March. The most impressive fancy dress parades and processions of elaborately decorated floats can be found in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Continue reading... Top 25 Things to do in the Canaries

Growling engines, screeching tyres, fumes of burning rubber, cheering pit girls, the hot sun on the tarmac and a refreshing breeze that smells of the sea... From 15th - 17th of March 2012, Gran Canaria will be the ultimate pit stop for motorsports fans from all over the world as the island will host the 36th edition of the Canary Islands Rally.

Continue reading... Full throttle holiday

There is only one great classical music festival during winter in Europe: The Canary Islands Music Festival. With the start of 2012, the 28th edition of this festival took off. Unsurprisingly, this festival is a reason for music lovers from around the world to book flights to Tenerife, Gran Canaria and the other islands.

Continue reading... Bach on the Beach

Although almost half of Gran Canaria is under protection from the Red Canaria de Espacios Naturales Protegidos, there are plenty of places on the other half of the island where tourists can pore over the local flora. If you've booked flights to Gran Canaria to admire the pine forests, extensive palm tree groves and laurel woods, we've got a list of our favourite botanic hotspots for you.

Continue reading... The unique flora of Gran Canaria

The Canary Islands are to botany what the Galapagos islands are to zoology, because approximately 600 plant species that became extinct in the rest of the word during the ice age are still flourishing on these islands. OVer 100 species can only be found on Gran Canaria, which is why flights to Gran Canaria are very popular among biologists from all over the world. Almost half of the island's territory is under protection from the Canary Islands Network for Naturally Protected Areas (Red Canaria de Espacios Naturales Protegidos). The 33 protected sites (667 km2 in total) are divided in six categories:

Continue reading... The unique flora of Gran Canaria

What is your favourite comic book? And what would you wear if you were to dress up as one of the characters? All travellers who have booked flights to Gran Canaria between 3 - 21 February 2012 will have to ask themselves these questions before packing their suitcases. Why? Because between these dates, the entire island will be celebrating Carnival and the official theme of the Carnival is Comic Heroes! If you want to experience this festival to the full, we recommend donning a fancy dress costume. Don't worry if you don't fancy making a public appearance your Spiderman pyjamas or shiny Superman leggings. When it comes to outfits, pretty much anything goes, but for those need some inspiration, we have listed our top 10 comic characters. We'd also love to hear your ideas for Carnival costumes!

Continue reading... Top 10 Cartoon Characters - what to wear to GC Carnival 2012

Comics will be the central theme of Gran Canaria's famous Carnival in 2012. If you want to see Spiderman, Cat Woman, The Joker and other superheroes in real life, hurry up and book your flights to Gran Canaria soon, as the carnival will take place from the 3rd to the 21st of February this year. In order to make the events more intense, the organisation has decided to host the festival for only 3 weeks rather than the usual 4. If you enjoy a good street party, you especially don't want to miss the Gran Cabalgata parades in Las Palmas. During the final weekend of the Carnival (18 and 19 February 2012), more than 200,000 Canarians in comic book costumes will dance to Latin music in the streets, covering a route of 7 kilometres from north to south.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria Carnival Calendar 2012

Travelling and reading have more in common than you'd think: they are the most popular activities on planes, trains, boats and at airports, and both can make you relax, bite your nails and laugh. To kindle the flames of laughter, we're running a cheerful travel story competition among bloggers in the UK! Write a blog post about your most funny, exciting, surprising or embarrassing experience abroad; post it on your blog; link to this competition to let your readers know about it and leave a comment with the URL of your post below to submit your entry. The writer of the story that made us laugh most will win the new Amazon Kindle so that you don't have to pack heavy books while travelling!

Continue reading... Write and Win a Kindle

For many couples looking to tie the knot, the expense and unpredictable weather can make the idea of getting married in England unappealing. Increasingly, people are going abroad for their nuptials. Whilst the Caribbean might be financially out of reach for many, Gran Canaria can provide a wonderful alternative. Not only are flights to Gran Canaria much more affordable, they only take four and a half hours, which makes it much easier for friends and family of all ages to attend the big day.

Continue reading... Getting Married in Gran Canaria

For all those budding photographers who want their sunshine holiday to offer more than just beautiful beaches to look at, the Spanish islands are ideal destinations. Flights to Gran Canaria take just over 4 hours and transport you to the most wonderful sights to train your camera on and indulge your passion for taking pictures.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria's top 5 photogenic sites

Scarily, Christmas is already just around the corner. If you're wondering whether you can afford to escape to some winter sun, you'd do well to consider going to Gran Canaria, where the temperatures are in their mid-20s. Flights to Gran Canaria only take about four hours, making it a really manageable winter destination.

Continue reading... December in Gran Canaria

The sophisticated, cosmopolitan bar and club scene of Gran Canaria's principal city defies, and exceeds, most holiday makers expectations. It is easy to avoid sticky floored mega-clubs, lad filled boozers and extortionate, poolside cocktail bars in Las Palmas. As in Madrid, the urbane islanders of Las Palmas like to start their evening with a laid-back supper, grazing and socializing until midnight, in relaxed bar come restaurants such as the family-run Samoa bar (Valencia 46 E - 35006, Tel. 928241471), before moving on to livelier venues open till the early hours.

Continue reading... Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - Nightlife

While in the UK we may occasionally hang out a St George flag on April 23rd, that's about as far as our Saint celebrations go in this country. However, in Spain the Saints' days are a chance for Spanish people, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, to celebrate in style with a fiesta, festival or street party. The 8th December is one of the most important of these feast days - the Day of the Immaculate Conception. Jet off for a winter break with flights to Gran Canaria around this time of year and you can become part of one of Spain's most important festivals.

Continue reading... Day of the Immaculate Conception in Spain

Worrying about money can really ruin a great holiday. Whether you're cash-strapped students or a family on a budget, the last thing you want is to overspend while you're abroad. And with so many great value flights to Gran Canaria available, there's no reason to run the risk. So be sure to follow these five travel industry top tips to keep your trip cheap and cheeful.

Continue reading... How to manage your travel budget without worrying

There are a lot of events that take place throughout the year on the island of Gran Canaria and these events are popular with a wide range of people. Most of the villages and towns on the island have their own celebrations that they use to reflect the culture and heritage of the area. Most of the events on the island take place on an annual basis and this includes the festival that is known as Las Palmas Opera. This festival is popular with people from all over the world and they have a tendency to make use of the flights to Gran Canaria.

Continue reading... Las Palmas Opera Festival in Gran Canaria

There are a lot of different festivities that take place on the island of Gran Canaria and these take place all over the island. It is true to say that there is no village or town on the island that does not celebrate at least one event. Due to the vast amount of festivals and events that take place on this island no one is left out, as there is a suitable event for everyone. During the festivals the friendliness and hospitality of the island shines through. A lot of tourists make use of the cheap flights to Gran Canaria in order to join in the celebrations of some of these events.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria Carnival

There are a lot of different festivals that take place on the island of Gran Canaria. These festivals take place at various times throughout the year and they all have their own trademark. These festivals are all designed to cater for a wide range of ages therefore there is something for everyone. These festivals allow the local people on the island of Gran Canaria to show their friendliness and hospitality. The regular flights to Gran Canaria enables tourists to take part in the various different festivals as they make the island easy to get to, from all across the world.

Continue reading... Las Palmas International Film Festival in Gran Canaria

The Aqua Water Park is located in Gran Canaria and it is one of the biggest water parks on the island. A lot of people that enjoy spending time at this water park make the most of the regular flights to Gran Canaria. This water park covers an area of six thousand three hundred and forty square feet. This water park is home to a thirteen different water attractions and thirty three water slides.

Continue reading... Aqua Water Park in Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is a fantastic place for people that want to enjoy the great outdoors as there is a range of activities that people can take part in. The various activities that are on offer within Gran Canaria include water sports, beaches and also walking. There is a vast amount of different walks that people can enjoy in Gran Canaria. There is a lot of tourists from all across the world that make the most of the regular flights to Gran Canaria in order to enjoy the various walks within this area.

Continue reading... Walking in Gran Canaria

The climate within Gran Canaria is very mild and this is the case all year round therefore it is the ideal location for people that enjoy water sports. This location is popular with tourists that use the frequent flights to Gran Canaria in order to make the most of the various water sports, which are on offer. In Gran Canaria the sea temperature rarely falls below eighteen degrees in centigrade. The average water temperature within Gran Canaria is about twenty-three degrees centigrade.

Continue reading... Water Sports in Gran Canaria

Crocodile Park is a very popular attraction, which is located in Gran Canaria. The Balser family initially started this park when they were asked to look after a couple of crocodiles. Nowadays this park is home to a very large collection of crocodiles and it is the biggest collection of its type in Europe. Over the years the Balser family has been responsible for looking after a number of different animals, which have been placed in their care by SEPRONA who are the environmental protection police within Gran Canaria. This park is a very popular attraction with both locals and tourists who come to enjoy the collection of animals that are located in the park. A lot of the tourists that enjoy visiting this park also enjoy making the most of the frequent flights to Gran Canaria.

Continue reading... Crocodile Park in Gran Canaria

One of the biggest attractions for most of the tourists come to Gran Canaria is the fabulous range of beaches that are on offer. A lot of the tourists that come to this area make the most of the flights to Gran Canaria

Continue reading... Beaches in Gran Canaria

Holiday World is a theme park that is popular with both tourists and locals alike. This theme park allows people to enjoy an array of different amusements in the open air. Holiday World theme park is the biggest funfair within the Canary Islands and it is home to a number of different amusements that are breathtaking. The popular rides within this park includes a roller coaster, shooting stalls, dodgems and also a Ferris wheel that is twenty seven meters in height. This park also offers parrot shows and seal shows which are very popular with children. This park is very popular with tourists that make the most of the frequent flights to Gran Canaria.

Continue reading... Holiday World in Gran Canaria

The Coast of Silence is also known as Costa del Silencio and this is a very popular tourist resort. There are a lot of tourists that visit this and they make use of the regular flights to Tenerife. This resort is located within the southern part of Tenerife. The Costa de Silencio translates as the Coast of Silence. This coast was once silent however this is no longer the case as it is a very popular tourist area and there are regular flights to this area.

Continue reading... Coast of Silence in Tenerife

The Casa de Colon is very popular tourist attraction, which is located within Gran Canaria. This attraction is very popular with a vast array of people and a lot of these tourists make the most of the regular flights to Gran Canaria.

Continue reading... Casa de Colon in Gran Canaria

There is a vast array of things that people can enjoy within the Gran Canaria however one of the most popular activities is the vast array of water sports. There is a vast array of people that enjoy the regular flights to Gran Canaria in order to enjoy all of the water sports that are on offer within this area. Gran Canaria is the perfect location for water sports due to the mild weather, which it is able to enjoy all year round. This area is very popular with tourists that want to explore the water sports that are on offer. The temperature within the sea very rarely falls below eighteen degrees during the winter months and during the rest of the time the average temperature it twenty-three degrees.

Continue reading... Water Sports in Gran Canaria

This area is very popular with tourists that make the most of the regular cheap flights to Gran Canaria. This is one of the most popular days out for tourists when they are in Gran Canaria. This attraction was originally built as a film set during 1972, however after its originally use it was transformed into a theme park. This theme park was complete with Indians, cowboys, a sheriff and Mexicans.

Continue reading... Sioux City in Gran Canaria

Palmintos Park is located in Gran Canaria and this is a very popular attraction with tourist from all across the world who enjoy regular cheap flights to Gran Canaria. There are a number of different displays within this park and this includes the bird of prey exhibition, parrot exhibition and also the exotic bird exhibition.

Continue reading... Palmintos Park in Gran Canaria

The Canaries are located just off the coast of north-western Africa and this area is good for sun, sand and sea. Another good thing about the Canaries is that it has some spectacular scenery. The nightlife within the canaries is varied therefore there is something available to suit all tastes. There are a lot of people that enjoy cheap regular flights to Canaries every year in order to enjoy the beaches and nightlife.

Continue reading... Nightlife in The Canaries

The water park known as Aquasur is located in Gran Canaria. Aquasur is the largest water park on this island. This water park is popular with tourists and there are a lot of people that enjoy the cheap regular flights to Gran Canaria in order to enjoy the water parks. This water park covers an area of one hundred and thirty thousand meters squared. There are ten different attractions within this park and thirty-three slides and also thirteen other fun attractions. The pools within this park cover an area of five thousand three hundred meters squared.

Continue reading... Aquasur Water Park - Gran Canaria

There is a lot on offer within the Canaries for people that love relaxing on the beach and these beaches are within a number of diverse destinations. The islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are home to golden sandy beaches. The islands of Gran Canaria and Tenerife are home to some beaches that are classed as being blue flag. The area of La Palma is home to plunging cliffs, which are dramatic and there is also some quite coves. All of these beaches are very popular with people from all across the world and they enjoy the cheap flights to Canaries.

Continue reading... Beaches in the Canaries

With Valentines Day just around the corner, it's time to do something special for your loved one. Instead of just a card and a bunch of flowers or some aftershave or perfume this year, why not whisk them away for a romantic Valentine's break in the sun? Gran Canaria is only four and a half hours flying time away from the UK and offers sun, sea and romantic sunsets on the beach all year round. Flights to Gran Canaria are easy to catch from most airports.

Continue reading... Flying off to a romantic paradise

There are a lot of tourists that enjoy doing a bit of fishing whilst within the resort of Gran Canaria. One of the most popular types of fishing within this area is carp fishing. There are organized fishing trips that are offered within this area and these are offered all year round. The organized fishing trip is offered as a day, even a night trip or even an extended fishing holiday within lakeside accommodation. A lot of the tourists that enjoy fishing within this area make the most of the cheap flights to Gran Canaria. It is possible to hire top quality equipment within the area therefore everything is taken care of.

Continue reading... Fishing In Gran Canaria

The popular attraction that is known as Ocean Water Park is one of the smallest water parks within Gran Canaria. This water park is located about three hundred meters from the amusement park that is known as Holiday World that is located on the south of the island. The water park is very popular with tourist from all over the world who enjoys the regular flights to Gran Canaria.

Continue reading... Ocean Water Park in Gran Canaria

One of the main attractions within Tenerife is camel riding. It's true to say that not everyone can say that they have ridden one of the worlds favorite humped animals. One of the best places to enjoy a camel ride is at Camel Park and this park is located about ten minutes from the resort of Playa de las Americas and Los Cristianos. This popular park is located within rural surroundings and you can enjoy a camel ride as well has enjoy spending time with farm animals such as donkeys, ducks, hens, dogs and gray parrots to name a few. A lot of the visitors that enjoy camel riding also make use of the frequent flights to Tenerife.

Continue reading... Camel Riding in Tenerife

The resort of Chayofa that is located in Tenerife is actually a very quite resort and it is located near Los Cristianos. Although this resort is very popular with tourists it is actually not that close to the sea, as it is located on a hill overlooking the area of Los Cristianos. A lot of the tourists that come to this area make the most of the regular flights to Tenerife.

Continue reading... Chayofa in Tenerife

The island of Gran Canaria is home to over two hundred and thirty kilometers of coastline and it is also home to some of the most spectacular of beaches within Europe. There is a collection of different beaches on the island and this includes small beaches, large beaches, rocky beaches and also sandy beaches. The beaches are all different shapes and sizes but they all provide an ideal setting for a sun packed holiday. There is a suitable beach on this island regardless of whether you like to sit and relax quietly or prefer something that is a lot livelier. All of these beaches are very popular with tourists from all across the world and they enjoy the frequent flights to Gran Canaria.

Continue reading... Beaches in Gran Canaria

Parque Las Aguilas is commonly referred to the jungle park. This jungle park is very popular with tourists and a lot of these tourists make the most of the flights to Tenerife. This park is home to a beautiful botanical garden and zoological park and it covers seventy five thousand square meters of jungle style ground. This park is home to over five hundred different animals and there is an array of suspension bridges, walking paths with tunnels, caves, lagoons and waterfalls. The park also offers visitors that chance to enjoy exotic birds, which includes birds of prey.

Continue reading... Parque Las Aguilas in Tenerife

The region of Adeje within Tenerife is a very popular resort within the southwestern part of Tenerife. This popular tourist resort is home to some luxurious beaches and there is a vast array of different bars and restaurants. In this tourist resort you will be able to find almost anything that you are looking for when having a holiday in Tenerife. A lot of the tourists that visit this area make the most of the frequent flights to Tenerife.

Continue reading... Adeje in Tenerife

Its not too late to think about your Christmas vacation and if you are keen on spending it somewhere in Spain then Gran Canaria would be a great choice. It would be a good option not just because there are frequent flights to the Gran Canaria but also because of the variety of places to visit and festivities to enjoy especially from December to January. When Christmas is just around the corner, you should better book your tickets in advance.

Continue reading... Christmas in Gran Canaria

From the brighter and sunnier south to the laid back and cooler north, Gran Canaria is an ideal tourist destination that offers variety of places to visit. It also boasts of great diversity of flora, fauna and the climate which has given it the title of The Miniature Continent. This is one of the topmost tourist destinations in the world and you should plan your visit to Gran Canaria for your next vacation here. It is accessible by air and flights to Gran Canaria are quite regular.

Continue reading... Santa Catalina in Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is known a lot for its sandy beaches but the southern part of the island is popular too for its delights such as Puerto de Mogan. The village is also known as Little Venice. Other attractive destinations include Playa del Ingles, Puerto Rico, Maspalomas, San Agustin and Meloneras. You can reach Gran Canaria by air as there are daily flights to Gran Canaria from numerous foreign locations. The northern as well as the western coasts are also picturesque and really should not be missed. Plan your holiday visit for at least 10 days to enjoy the whole place. The island boasts of a pleasantly warm weather almost throughout the year.

Continue reading... Santa Lucia in Gran Canaria

Tenerife is a bustling city with some amazing tourist spots to explore. You can take flights to Tenerife and plan a stay of about 8 to 10 days to fully enjoy the warmth and attraction of the city. It is full of monuments, museums, pubs, beaches and many other things. Las Aguilas Jungle Park is a unique animal shelter in form of a naturally maintained jungle that will not fail to attract you no matter what your age.

Continue reading... Las Aguilas Jungle Park in Teneriffe

The initial settlements at this location, called Real de Las Palmas, explored the area around a ravine here. They then moved ahead into the towns named Triana and Vegueta on the right side and Barranco de Guiniguada on the left. Initially the Castillian Army encampment was located on the hillside close to the Barranco de Guiniguada where you will find the chapel called San Antonio Abad chapel. The elaborate highway of Las Palmas called Calle Juan de Quesada today extends beyond the Barranco de Guiniguada and assists people out of the town into the central part of the island. The highway is the landmark that divides the two historic sides of Las Palmas.

Continue reading... Pueblo Canario in Las Palmas

Gran Canaria is a multi faceted island where you can spend your holidays. You can book your flights to Gran Canaria through any of the major airlines including Thomas Cook and enjoy the beauty of the island throughout your stay. The island has some great sandy beaches, water parks, picturesque small towns and villages. You can visit the caves at Galdar village or beautiful landscapes at Telde. The original inhabitants of the island are known as Guanches. Canarian Museums presents itself with a number of findings that the Guanches left for the people of Canary Islands.

Continue reading... Aquasur Waterpark in Gran Canaria

Every zone of Gran Canaria is worth visiting, north, east, west or south. You need to plan a longer trip if you want to enjoy the place thoroughly. There are several flights to Gran Canaria that will take you to the place safely.

Continue reading... Casa de Colonand Gran Canaria Las Palmas

ARC is the abbreviation used for the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers which is a regular rally held on an international level and is much to do with sailing. The sailing calendar features the cruise every year without fail. Sailing enthusiasts look forward to the cruise and take part to experience the excitement during the event. It is a transatlantic rally that commences from Las Palmas in Gran Canaria on its journey to the Rodney Bay Marina in St Lucia which is a Caribbean island. St.Lucia is a beautiful Island in the Caribbean that has some picturesque views to enjoy. As the cruisers reach the Island they are blinded by the clean blue waters and diverse flora and fauna all over the Island.

Continue reading... Atlantic Rally for Cruisers

If you are a resident of Spain you sure may be looking forward to the Carnival of Las Palmas, but if you are a visitor or going to visit Las Palmas, be ready to get shocked and enjoy it too. Gran Canarias party also called the carnival is a grand event of the year. It extends to 3 weeks at a stretch and starts before Lent. You can plan your vacation in Las Palmas in a way that you are able to attend the main events such as the popular Drag Queen Day held in January. Flights to Las Palmas are available from all the major cities of Europe.

Continue reading... Carnival in Las Palmas

The Canary Islands are located in Spain and are known for their year round festivities. Gran Canaria as the name suggests, is one of the largest islands within the set and it lives up to the name by offering a calendar of events that makes the island worth visiting any time of the year. The vents are often kept in and around the area of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria which is also the capital of the island. Many of the big festivals took place earlier in the year, but there are still many more to come. You may have missed the Music festival in January; the Opera festival in February or even the Jazz Festival in July, but they will be here again next year and there are still many of the good ones that you can still experience this year.

Continue reading... Festivity Non stop on the Gran Canaria Island

The Virgen del Pino festival, also known as the 'Feast day of the Virgin of the Pine', will be taking place on the 8th of September in Terror, a beautiful village in Gran Canaria. During the time of this festival, a lot of flights to Gran Canaria bring thousands of pilgrims to this annual religious festival. If you really want to know more about the culture and history of the Island, then this is an ideal destination for your holiday.

Continue reading... Virgen del Pino Festival in Gran Canaria

In a few weeks time, Gran Canaria celebrates one of its oldest traditions. Book your flights to Gran Canaria now if you're up for an authentic experience of the aboriginal past of the Canary islands.

Continue reading... Fiesta del Charco in Gran Canaria

Fuerteventura, like every other Canary island, is famous for its love for parties and all year round festivals. Every year, from the 9th until the 18th of July, the Canary Islands host a major world-class jazz festival sponsored by Heineken. This year will be the 18th time the festival is held since inception, with a total of about thirty-eight concerts held across the islands during the event. The festival began in Gran Canaria Island in 1992 before it spread across to the islands. Fuerteventura is one of the major venues where many of the massive concerts will take place.

Continue reading... Fuerteventura International Jazz Festival

Jazz lovers will feel right at home in the Canaries this month, because the Heineken Jazz Festival (also known as Festival Canarias Jazz and Mas Heineken) will be hosted on Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, Tenerife and Gran Canaria from 9th to 18th July 2010.

Continue reading... Canary Jazz

Gran Canaria is the best place to be this summer, given its ideal location in the Atlantic Ocean and off the west coast of Africa which gives it a fantastic tropical climate all year round. The average temperature in the summer is around 26-30C/79-86 and 10-20C/50-68F in the winter. This island is one of the most popular islands of the Canary Island. Flights to Gran Canaria are very frequent due to the number of tourist it attracts every year.

Continue reading... A real Sahara experience in Gran Canaria?

Gran Canaria is great for picking up bargains both in the resort areas many shops as well as more traditional markets.

Continue reading... Wildlife and Wild Nights in Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is an island famed for its beautiful beaches and crystal clear waters. However, there is a hidden world of exotic festivities and colourful celebrations that most tourists remain unaware of. If you can drag yourself away from the idyllic coastline and head inland for a day or two then you can get in touch with a vibrant local culture that has stayed intact for hundreds of years.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria Fiestas

In May 2009, it was announced that the island of Fuerteventura became one of 22 new sites in UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR).

Continue reading... Fuerteventura new Biosphere Reserve

In Spanish areas, there's always something festive happening and the Canarian Islands are no exception. One of the most popular events on the Canarian island Fuerteventura is the Feria de Artesania, a festival that annually takes place in May. For three days, locals gather in Antigua to display things they have made by hand, from furniture, weaving, clothes and musical instruments to local cheese, sweets and dried fish.

Continue reading... Find new Furniture in Fuerteventura

Visitors to Gran Canaria during May and June will have the opportunity to see some of the world's best known operas performed on the island as part of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria's 43rd Festival of Opera.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria Operas

Visitors from the UK taking a holiday on the island of Gran Canaria will sometimes feel that this island, situated out in the Atlantic Ocean, is not too different from the UK in some respects. There are now plenty of ex-pats who have made their home here, so hearing English spoken is not unusual. Also the reach of globalisation has touched Gran Canaria now and after a Lidl store opening this year, the island now also has a brand new Starbucks to satisfy the thirst for coffee that many Brits seem to be acquiring.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria Calima

Many of the larger carnivals like the famous one in Rio de Janeiro and the carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife were held on the official carnival weekend of 13th and 14th February. Santa Cruz claims to host one of the biggest carnivals after Rio and this year the capital city of Tenerife had four live stages, an 84,000 Watt sound system and lighting rigs totaling almost 140,000 of power.

Continue reading... Maspalomas Carnival Details

Many holiday resorts around Europe will be putting the finishing touches to their summer event plans, with several places set to hold music festivals. These multi-act events usually last several days and can attract huge audiences, especially if the mix of artists caters for a wide range of tastes.

Continue reading... Tenerife Announces April Pop Concert

One of the biggest carnivals on Gran Canaria has the green light to go ahead having been given assurances by its local mayor that proper finances would be available.

Continue reading... Maspalomas Carnival Get Go Ahead

The carnival season is an important time of the year in Gran Canaria and because the resort of Maspalomas and the capital Las Palmas are the two biggest towns on the island, it is not surprising that the most spectacular carnivals are held there. We will cover those events in more detail as they approach, but there are also other towns on the island that host their own programmes.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria Celebrations

For an alternative winter sun getaway why not consider Funchal on the island of Madeira. The typical winter sun locations like Malta, Egypt or the Canary Islands like Tenerife, Gran Canaria or Lanzarote are all popular destinations for those seeking to spend a week or two escaping from the UK winter weather, but the island of Madeira is also a great option.

Continue reading... Funchal For February

Gran Canaria's 11th International Film Festival is held between the 12th and 20th March 2010. The event which has graced the island since the year 2000 claims not to be seeking to duplicate its more famous counterparts in places like Cannes. The organisers are aiming a whole different segment of the cinema market and are looking to support the creative sector of the independent film industry. Don't expect to find any of the mainstream films that grace the cinemas up and down the country every week, the productions on show at this festival will be more leftfield, more unusual, more boundary-breaking than normal. They even describe some of the entries as bizarre and marginal.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria Film festival

The Spanish music style of Flamenco is the kind of music played during traditional dances with performers dressed in stylish costume. The ladies wear long flowing skirts while the men dress in outfits that symbolise the attire normally associated with bullfighting. But in Spain, Flamenco is better known as a form of music rather than a dance. The castanets, or palillos as they are known locally, are small-hand held percussion instruments usually played in pairs.

Continue reading... Shake Out Your Castanets in The Canaries

There may have been a big freeze across northern Europe at the beginning of January but the attractions for tourists soaking up the sun in Gran Canaria were added to on 8th January when the Canary Islands Music Festival started in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Continue reading... Canary Islands Music Festival Schedule

If you go to the Canary Islands for a winter break, don't be surprised to find the locals with a healthy appetite for watching football. The islands currently have several successful teams, one that competes in the top Spanish League and others that play more locally.

Continue reading... Canaries Football Spotlight

Tree blossom brings a welcome boost of colour to UK trees in spring, but for Mediterranean islands like Mallorca and Menorca, as well as the islands of the Canaries, spring blossom arrives a little earlier in February thanks to the almond trees.

Continue reading... Almond Blossom In February

Tourists on Gran Canaria during December may have been lucky enough to witness one of the more unusual events on the island.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria Winter Solstice

As well as many tourists from Britain, the Canary Islands are also popular with Scandinavian visitors, who probably also value the region's mild winter weather as means of escape from their naturally cold climate at home. Take the Swedish for example who have a shorter working week than anywhere else in Europe and, according to a 2008 study, take an average 33 days annual leave each year, much higher than the European average of 25.2 days. The Danes and Germans are both calculated to have 30 days annual leave, while in the UK, workers have to make do with a meagre 24.7 days, ranking them only 13th in Europe. Estonia and Cyprus come bottom with only 20 days per year.

Continue reading... St Lucia Day on Gran Canaria

Ask anyone to name the islands in the Canaries and most would, without much trouble, come up with the main four islands of Tenerife , Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. After all that's where most of the holiday companies and airline operators provide services for. However there are actually 8 main islands, the others being La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa, the smallest of the inhabited islands of the Chinijo Archipelago off Lanzarote.

Continue reading... La Gomera In The Canaries

One of the best ways to experience the true Gran Canaria is to take part in the annual carnival that started this year on the 26th January 2010.

Continue reading... Las Palmas Carnival

While much of Britain still experienced cold, snowy weather and temperatures in Scotland plummeted to as low as minus sixteen, we thought a round up of the weather in our key winter sun destinations would warm you up a little.

Continue reading... Festive Weather Round Up

The Gran Canaria International Marathon took place on the 24th January 2010. Local council and tourism authorities saw the potential of hosting an international marathon race after witnessing what they called the "magnetic" effect of similar races in other Spanish cities. They quoted the success of cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Saragossa and Palma de Mallorca as some of those that have put on marathon races and attracted huge crowds in addition to the runners themselves. For Gran Canaria the obvious choice was to make the most of the island's mild winter weather and entice runners to take part in one of the only European marathons to be held during January.

Continue reading... Countdown to Gran Canaria Marathon

During January Tenerife hosts the Festival de Musica de Canarias, a celebration of classical music that first started in 1985.

Continue reading... Music Festival in Tenerife

Once again Gran Canaria briefly became home to over 200 yachts as the fleet for the annual ARC trans-atlantic yacht race assembled in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria ahead of the event.

Continue reading... Transatlantic Yachts in Gran Canaria

The small island of La Gomera, one of the less well known of the Canaries that lies just off the west coast of Tenerife, is the start point for a rowing challenge that calls itself the 'World's Toughest Rowing Race'.

Continue reading... Rowers depart Canaries on Marathon Journey

Sunny weather and a fresh breeze treated competitors and spectators to a spectacular start of the 2009 ARC Sailing event in Gran Canaria.

Continue reading... Fleet Departs Gran Canaria on Atlantic Voyage

The normally quiet town of La Oratova on Tenerife opened its doors to the La Semana de Juventud y Cultura or Youth and Culture Week that concluded on 23rd October.

Continue reading... Tenerife Youth Culture Week

The Canaries version of the WOMAD Festival took place from 12th to 15th November in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Continue reading... WOMAD Festival in Gran Canaria

Tourists heading for Gran Canaria early in 2010 will be interested to know about some of the important dates on the events calendar for the island.

Continue reading... Planning for 2010 in Gran Canaria

Does the name Meadowlark ring any bells with you? Maybe not, but if you were a watcher of children's TV back in the 1970's the name may start to awaken some fond memories of your carefree childhood days. Meadowlark was one of the happy-go-lucky characters in the children's Hanna-Barbera cartoon representation of the famous Harlem Globetrotters basketball team. That team became a worldwide phenomenon at the time and the current members of the team are still pleasing audiences around the world today. Their recent international tour included visits to the islands of Gran Canaria and Tenerife. The team made one of their final appearances of the current tour when they performed in Monastir , Tunisia on the 16th October at the Pavillion Salle Couverter.

Continue reading... Harlem Globetrotters on Tour

Mention International Film Festivals and places like Cannes, Berlin, Edinburgh and Moscow spring to mind. But there are many other festivals celebrating the work of filmmakers and the island of Madeira hosts its own event which has slowly been growing in stature since it first started four years ago.

Continue reading... Funchal International Cinema Festival

In Europe the Autumn period seems to be the time when many areas host festivals celebrating local produce and cuisine. A little research has revealed that food fairs are now held in many popular tourist areas at the end of the summer season and serve to provide visitors with a taste of local cuisine and traditions.

Continue reading... Food Fairs in Autumn

Once again Gran Canaria briefly becomes home to over 200 yachts as the fleet for the annual ARC trans-atlantic yacht race assembles in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria ahead of the event.

Continue reading... Transatlantic Yachts in Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria in October is much the same as Gran Canaria in September and November. The usual warm Autumn weather, lots of tourists arriving on the island for a late summer break and plenty of things going on. However the first weekend of October this year did seem to have an unusual combination of events on the calendar.

Continue reading... Cheese, Rock and Art Celebrations

The Canary Islands International Jazz Festival was in full swing this year kicking off with a series of great performances where the beach at Telde on Gran Canaria and Puerto de la Cruz on the north coast of Tenerife both played host for opening night concerts.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria and Tenerife Open Jazz Festival

The smaller island of Gomera, off the coast of Tenerife hosted its first Gomera Rock festival in August this year.

Continue reading... Tenerife Gomera Rock festival

The main holiday season may be starting to wind down in some mainland European resorts, but the Canary Islands have a year-round season to enjoy.

Continue reading... Events in Lanzarote during August and September

Popular tourist destination Gran Canaria was selected to host the World Cheese Awards in 2009.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria gets the Cheese

Reputed to have the world's best climate, Gran Canaria is a tourist destination with so much to offer, entertainment and marvellous beaches, antiquities and culture, outdoor sports and nature. More than just an island paradise, GranCanaria is an experience to savor.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria Much MoreThan Paradise

Puerto Mogan,Gran Canaria became known as "Little Venice" when the water channels running beneath buildings between the marina, harbour and beach were highlighted in an advertising campaign. The marina area of the resort was built on reclaimed land during the 1980's and was developed on a principal of low level, low density housing in order to maintain the original charm of this once small fishing village. The beach area of the town, Playa de Mogan, has also seen numerous improvements including the importation of clean white sand from the Sahara and new pedestrian areas behind the beach.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria Resort Reports Record Figures

Visitors to the island of Lanzarote next weekend will have the opportunity to sample the Festival of Arrecife, a series of musical events taking place at different venues around the city on Friday and Saturday.

Continue reading... Lanzarote Festival in Arrecife

Starting on the 3rd of July 2009, the 18th Canaries Jazz Festival kicks off with performances on Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. Acts from all over the world are playing during the week long festival and on the second day concerts are taking place on 4 different islands in the group.

Continue reading... Canaries Jazz Festival

FlyThomasCook will add a new Tuesday flight to its Manchester - Arrecife route that, together with the existing Thursday and Sunday flights, will bring more choice and additional flexibility for people flying to the island of Lanzarote. The additional flight will operate from 4th August until 27th October 2009 inclusively.

Continue reading... Extra Flights to Lanzarote

The first United Nations World Environment Day (WED) happened in 1972 and over the following 37 years the initiative has been gaining traction as a vehicle to generate awareness of environmental issues. Thomas Cook was one company that supported the initiative with action events all over Europe and in Egypt. A sustainable tourism fashion show fashion show was held in Italy and a coastal walk was organised on the Coast del Sol to raise money for a local charity. In Paphos on Cyprus, Gran Canaria and Zakynthos Thomas Cook staff took part in beach clean up initiatives. The company sees WED as a good opportunity to educate both staff and guests about the environmental impact of travel and the means of making leisure travel a sustainable option.

Continue reading... Zante Clean Up on World Environment Day

There are many things that are different about the Egyptian holiday resort of Sharm el Sheikh and traditional fashion culture is one of them. Egypt is a country steeped in history, culture and customs. The native population conforms to many religious and cultural traditions as far as dress is concerned, but those rules seem to be quietly forgotten in the cosmopolitan resorts of Sharm el Sheikh on the Red Sea. However a new campaign, being promoted by travel magazine Wanderlust, aims to make tourists more aware of local expectations in terms of what to wear and hopes it will encourage people to take more care to be respectful of local traditions when it comes to choosing appropriate clothing.

Continue reading... Sharm an Egyptian Fashion Enigma

Of course the Canary Islands are not that far from the West African coast and the Sahara Desert but you wouldn't expect to find a desert in Gran Canaria. Amazingly there is one - well sort of. In the south of the island of Gran Canaria are the Dunas de Maspalomas or the Maspalomas Dunes. This is a protected area of land over 300 hectares in size that resembles the deserts of Africa. The fine sand is formed from ground shells and the shifting dunes themselves reach heights of 10m.

Continue reading... Desert in Gran Canaria

The islands are no strangers to motorsport events as the larger Rally Islas Canarias takes place earlier in the year and usually attracts large crowds. As a nation the Spanish are great fans of all motor sports. Fernando Alonso is their top Formula One driver while Jorge Lorenzo, who was born in Palma de Mallorca, is a top Moto GP rider.

Continue reading... Fast Cars in Gran Canaria

Theatre productions, film showings, conferences, even a tea dance; these are just some of the events that form part of a special Agatha Christie week in Tenerife starting on 5th June 2009.

Continue reading... Agatha Christie Week in Tenerife

Keen to showcase the natural and raw beauty of the their islands, the Canary Islands Tourist Board has sponsored a garden at this year's Chelsea Flower Show. The tourist board responsible for promoting the Canary Island Archipelago is working hard to maintain the strong ties between the island group and visitors from the UK. Tourists from the UK have always formed the majority of visitors to the seven Spanish islands located off the North African coast which include Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.

Continue reading... Canaries come to Chelsea

A varied mix of over forty events are planned across the seven islands, featuring cultural performances of music, film and theatre, sporting competitions and traditional celebrations.

Continue reading... Plans Announced for Canaries Celebration Day

The streets and squares of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria are preparing to welcome the world's best freestyle skaters as the first round of the 2009 World Cup Series for the sport comes to the island in the middle of May.

Continue reading... Street Skating comes to Gran Canaria