The Gran Canaria Atoll, the sights of which we will consider in our article, according to its population, is a continent in miniature. And indeed it is. After all, here are some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, tall mountains, desert landscapes and rainforests. This small island is part of the Canary Islands archipelago and is its pearl. The atoll is of volcanic origin, and its peak is considered to be the volcano Pico de las Nieves, which erupted more than 3.5 thousand years ago.
A bit of information about the island
Gran Canaria (attractions are described below) is a kind of reserve, since almost half of the island is protected by various organizations. The symbol of the area is Mount Roque Nublo. Its height reaches 1813 meters. Once upon a time, the top of the mountain was a place of worship for Aboriginal people. Today, it has become the most favorite place for travelers, because it offers a magnificent panorama of the surrounding islands, as well as a volcano called Teide.
Gran Canaria (the sights of the island are listed in the overview) is an excellent place for those who love beach vacations, rural tourism, golf, water sports and cycling. Almost all the historical attractions of the atoll were built after the island was conquered by the Spaniards. But there are also pre-Hispanic objects, for example, an archaeological park called Senobio de Valeron and the Cave of Pintada.
The largest airport in Spain and Gran Canaria
The first thing a person sees upon arrival on the island is Gran Canaria Airport. This is the international airport terminal, which is located in the east of the atoll. It is located almost twenty kilometers from the main city of Gran Canaria - Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Each year, the airport receives approximately ten million people. Often this heavenly pier is called Gando.
Gran Canaria Airport is one of the largest air hubs in Spain for passenger traffic. It is also the largest in the Canary Islands. In 2014, a new terminal was equipped at the air terminal, where passengers can take advantage of the full range of necessary services. The terminal territory is divided into several compartments: flights of the European Union depart from zone C, flights outside the European Union are carried out from zone D, and separate zones are provided for the Canary Islands.
Canary Islands and the Kingdom of Spain
Las Palmas is an island province of Spain and one of the main attractions of Gran Canaria. The administrative center and the main settlement of the periphery is the old town mentioned above. This is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The province consists of several inhabited and uninhabited islands, as well as the cliffs of Roque del Este and Roque del Oeste. In 2005, the population of this territory barely exceeded one thousand people.
Among the natural attractions of Las Palmas, the following objects can be distinguished: the huge botanical garden of Viera y Clavijo and the huge park of Doromas. Thousands of species of valuable plants grow in the garden, and the park can please visitors with a large number of cafes and fountains.
Casa de Colon
In the capital of the Canary Islands, there is a landmark that is of unusual interest to travelers of all ages. This is the house of Columbus, or the Casa de Colon. The navigator who discovered the United States of America, long ago stayed in this house. The building is an incredibly beautiful architectural structure dating back several hundred years. Here, for some time, the great navigator lived.
In the early 50s of the last century, the Casa de Colon was converted into a colonial-style museum . It has 13 rooms, in which exhibits and libraries are located. The institution has a huge number of compasses, maps and a globe. All this once belonged to the discoverer. The uniqueness of the globe lies in the fact that it lacks the mainland, which is called America. Also in the institution a large collection of paintings is presented. It will be interesting for adults and children to look at the models of ships.
There are many documents describing relations with the US states, a collection of books and exhibits on the marine theme.
The most popular attraction
The most popular site on the territory of Gran Canaria is Palmitos Park, which is home to over 200 species of various birds. Among them are small hummingbirds, rhinoceros birds, macaw parrots, toucans, pink flamingos and many others. Also in the park is the Cactus and Aloe Garden, the Butterfly House, which is the largest in Europe, and the orchid pavilion, where hundreds of flowers of various shades and shapes grow. The underwater world of Palmitos Park has thousands of species of fish.
Here you can dine and see several different shows. But for this you have to spend half a day in the park. Not so long ago, a large dolphinarium was opened on the territory of the attraction. In addition, you can see beautiful performances, the main participants of which are parrots and eagles. Birds show unique tricks, such as cycling.
The main attraction of the city
The main attraction of Gran Canaria is the Canary Cathedral, which is located in the ancient quarter of Vegeta. This temple houses the Department of the Bishop of the Canary Islands. Despite the fact that the decision to build the church was made in 1487, it began to be built only ten years later. But the work was suspended for some time, as there was not enough money to complete it. The construction of the cathedral resumed in 1781, and it was completely completed only in our time.
The interior of the temple is dominated by the late Gothic style. And the facades of the building are created in the neoclassical style. The arches, pillars and vaults of the church are made of hewn blue stone brought from the quarries of San Lorenzo.
A number of other attractions
Gran Canaria, the sights of which we are considering, can be proud of its other objects. For example, the dunes of Maspalomas. This is a park of national importance. Its full name is Dunas de Maspalomas, and it occupies 403 hectares on the coast. The park has a saltwater lake, a diverse Canarian fauna and flora.
Another attraction of the island that deserves everyone's attention is the Cueva Pintada Cave. The cave is a small museum with geometric patterns of ancient guanches. Cueva Pintada used to be the residence of the kings of Guanche. The modern museum has several rooms.
The resort of Puerto Rico is another world-famous landmark on the island of Gran Canaria. For the first time, the resort was only a fishing village, and today it is replete with luxury hotels and expensive apartments.