Are you going to spend a few days in one of our hotels in the south of the Island and would like to plan something different? In our section called "Gran Canaria" you will see many suggestions, enchanting landmarks, beaches and museums on the island, but we'd also like to recommend you a day "en route".
Wouldn't you like to drive around Gran Canaria for a day? To do this, you'll obviously need a car; if you haven't hired one before your arrival you are more than welcome to come to our reception desk where our colleagues will be more than happy to give you all the information you need.
The first thing to decide will be where to begin the route. While staying in our hotels in Maspalomas, our suggestion will be that you start westwards, so you can drive through the most difficult stretch of the road in the morning and then have an easy and relaxing drive on your way back to the hotel. Shall we start?
Routes to drive around the island
The route around the island of Gran Canaria begins accessing from your hotel to the GC-1 motorway towards Mogán. If you are an early bird, you can take the GC-500 road up to Arguineguín and drive along the coast enjoying the scenery and beaches such as Patalavaca or Amadores before arriving to Puerto de Mogán; but if you have amused yourselves with breakfast, it will be better to drive straight the GC-1 to Mogán.
You can take a stroll around Puerto de Mogán, and see its typical houses and canals. From Puerto de Mogán, you must access the GC-200 road, going up the Barranco de Mogán you will cross the namesake town where you can stop to buy some tropical fruits grown in the area. If you're lucky enough to be on the co-pilot's seat do not miss the views of the cliffs. Going along this same road and with a doses of mountain pass patience, you will get to La Aldea de San Nicolás de Tolentino, the most remote village in Gran Canaria. Here we recommend you to drive all the way down to the beach and have a swim in its wonderful waters.
With renewed strength, you ought to follow the GC-200 towards Agaete, a small town of which we talk about on our section "Places of interest": Agaete and the Branch Festivity. Since this stretch of the road is not a simple one, we recommend you maximize precautions and that you always check the weather forecast before starting the route. However, the views you'll enjoy are spectacular. It will definitely be a must to take a short break at El Mirador del Balcón to appreciate in all its glory the "dragon's tail": a winding cliff that flows into the Atlantic Ocean's deepest blue waters.
We recommend you take advantage of the visit to Agaete to eat in one of its seaside restaurants and if you need a little nap after lunch, you can always take advantage of its beaches.
The round trip to the island of Gran Canaria continues along the north coast by the GC-2: Depending on the time you have taken in the previous stops, and if you still feel like stopping somewhere before reaching Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the capital of the island, you could visit Gáldar or El Puertillo. Otherwise, you could take a walk through some of the Capital's most popular places, like the old town of Vegueta or Playa de las Canteras. Take into account that from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to the hotel it will take you between 30 and 45 minutes. So, if you still feel like it you could always have dinner in the city before finishing your route round the island.
From Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to Maspalomas, just follow the GC-1 to the hotel.
