Canary Islands

Where is Gran Canaria located?

Wher is Gran Canaria?
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Gran Canaria is an island in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the archipelago of the Canary Islands. It lies between Tenerife and Fuerteventura, at a distance of 62 and 83 kilometers respectively. The capital of the island is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and it is here that the main airport of Gran Canaria is located. The easiest way to get to Gran Canaria is by plane.

Is Gran Canaria located in Spain?

Geographically, the island of Gran Canaria is part of the region called Macaronesia, which also includes Cape Verde, Madeira and the Azores, among others. Administratively, it is part of Spanish territory, although the nearest European port, Cadiz, is as far away as 1,250 kilometers. In comparison, the coast of Africa is only about 210 km from Gran Canaria.

The Canary Islands archipelago is far from mainland Spain, but remains part of the European Union. There is no tourist tax in Gran Canaria, and local laws take into account the peculiarities of the region.Spanish remains the official language on all the Canary Islands, and the currency is the euro. Prices in Gran Canaria are comparable to those on the mainland.

Gran Canaria was conquered by the Spaniards in the 15th century, as the first overseas territory at the time of the great conquests, even before the discovery of the Americas.It was from here that many of the ships of the Spanish colonizers sailed, making it possible to gain colonies in the Americas, Asia and Africa.For several centuries the islanders fought for independence, but to this day the entire archipelago remains Spanish.Despite its remoteness, the Canary Islands are one of Spain’s most important regions, and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is the country’s ninth largest city.

How far is it from Gran Canaria to Africa?

The country with the closest proximity to the Canary Islands is Morocco, which, along with Mauritania and Equatorial Guinea, were among the Spanish colonies in Africa.Looking on the map of Gran Canaria, it is worth starting just by locating Morocco, which is located in the northwestern part of the continent – looking even further west, you can see the Canary Islands.

The closest to the African coast is Fuerteventura. Gran Canaria and Tenerife, the main islands, are exactly in the middle of the archipelago. Gran Canaria lies at the same latitude as, for example, India, Iran and Mexico.

What does Gran Canaria look like?

Gran Canaria is an island of volcanic origin, which is why its landscape is so diverse. Its area is about 1560 square kilometers. The coastline is 236 km long and there are mainly sandy beaches such as Las Canteras or Playa del Cabron. The center of the island is more mountainous, and the highest peak in Gran Canaria is Pico de las Nieves, with an altitude of 1949 m. The second highest peak is El Roque Nublo. There are numerous caves and gorges on the island, ranked among the main tourist attractions in the Canary Islands. In the southern part of the island, near Maspalomas, are the famous dunes – Dunas de Maspalomas. The volcanic past is also evidenced by the Caldera de Bandama, a large crater almost 1 kilometer in diameter and 200 meters deep.

Dunes in Maspalomas

Due to its location, even winter in Gran Canaria is mild, although there is usually more precipitation during this time, so when planning what to take to Gran Canaria, it is essential to take into account the possibility of worsening weather. Autumn and spring are the best times to visit Gran Canaria if your goal is mainly to explore the island, while summer is the period of highest temperatures and warmest ocean water.

What sights in Gran Canaria are worth seeing?In addition to the capital, places such as Telde, Santa Lucia, Puerto Rico de la Gran Canaria, Puerto de Las Nieves, Valle de Agaete, Cruz de Tejeda, Puerto de la Cruz are worth a visit. The Las Palmas Carnival and the various local festivals held on the island throughout the year are also a big attraction.

Simon Machniewski

Simon Machniewski

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Traveler and owner of a small marketing agency.

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