The coast of Gran Canaria
The most spectacular beaches of Gran Canaria
With its 256 kilometres of coastline, and the warmth of its climate, Gran Canaria offers an enormous variety of beaches where you can enjoy a relaxing day lying in the sun, or pratice different water sports. You can choose between sandy beaches, natural pools or rocky areas. In all of them you will enjoy a fantastic day out.
Here are some of the most popular, but there are many more to discover as you explore the island.
8 of the most spectacular beaches in Gran Canaria
Maspalomas beach
8 kilometres of coastline and 400 hectares of dunes: Maspalomas beach undoubtedly offers one of the most iconic images of Gran Canaria. It is a must-see in the south of the island. This beach surprises for the golden colour of the sand and its extremely clean blue waters. It has different areas where you can enjoy a quiet day with the family, surf or feel free and relaxed in the nudist area.
- Advantages: Maspalomas beach is so big that you won’t feel the crowds of other crowded beaches. It is a perfect beach for long walks by the sea.
- Disadvantages: The wind, especially in summer in the middle of the day, can be very annoying. It is advisable to use a windbreaker.
Las Canteras beach
Considered one of the best urban beaches in the world, Las Canteras beach and its promenade are the nerve centre of life in the capital: everything happens in Las Canteras, it is 3 kilometres long and its natural bar protects it from the currents of the north.
- Advantages: It is a beach full of life and activity where you can discover the local life. Its promenade is full of bars, restaurants and shops where you can relax and enjoy the views.
- Disadvantages: Parking in the area can be a nightmare. So you will have to leave your car in a car park.
Agaete natural pools
Contrary to what you might think, the northwest coast of Gran Canaria enjoys a mild climate and a large number of sunny days. The coast of Agaete -and in particular its natural pools- are an ideal place to spend a different kind of day at the beach and enjoy one of the most beautiful sunsets on the island.
- Advantages: if you are a lover of natural pools and rocky beaches, this is undoubtedly the place for you. You can also enjoy a stroll through Puerto de las Nieves, a typical fishing village full of life.
- Disadvantages: the dissemination of images on social networks has meant that more and more people are visiting this place, so it is currently quite crowded.
Pozo Izquierdo
Windsurfing, kitesurfing and wind lovers, welcome to the southeast coast of Gran Canaria! One of the best places to practice this kind of water sports. World championships are held here and it is home to some of the best windsurfers and kitesurfers in the world.
- Advantages: it is an ideal area for this type of sport, it has a large car park and you can rent the necessary equipment in the surrounding area. You are sure to end the day making good friends.
- Disadvantages: It is an extremely windy beach. Therefore it is not the right place to spend a relaxing day.
Pictures of some of the most spectacular beaches in Gran Canaria
Amadores beach
It is one of the favourite beaches of tourists visiting Gran Canaria. Amadores is artificial beach built in the 90s in the municipality of Mogán. It has numerous services: sunbeds and umbrellas, restaurants, beach clubs, children’s attractions, etc. It is protected from the wind and currents and is a perfect place for sunbathing.
- Advantages: It is a perfect beach for families and for people who go to the beach to “do nothing”. You will only need to bring your towel and sun cream, because you can buy the rest of the services on the beach.
- Disadvantages: Due to the construction of this beach, the currents do not completely renew the water, which tends to be quite warm.
Remember to always wear adequate sun protection: high SPF creams, sunglasses, hats, etc.
Melenara Beach
On the east coast of the island, in one of the most populated areas, we find this beach, which is very popular with locals. It is a large sandy beach equipped with many services and where you can find the monument to Neptune in the middle of the water. It also has a picnic area with tables and benches for those who prefer to bring their own food.
- Advantages: It is a very quiet and well maintained beach, with easy parking and located very close to Gran Canaria airport.
- Disadvantages: in this area it is usually colder than in the south of the island, and it is not uncommon to find cloudy days.
La Aldea beach
The west coast of Gran Canaria, one of the most difficult places to access, has a sandy and quiet beach. It is very famous for the celebration of the “fiesta del charco” in September.
- Advantages: it is the best place to forget about the tourist crowds.
- Disadvantages: in this area the ocean can be very dangerous, so bathing must be done with great caution.
Guguy (or Güigüi)
Gran Canaria’s last wild beach?. Actually, there are countless hidden coves on our island where you can enjoy peace and quiet, but this is undoubtedly the most popular. It is the ideal place for hiking lovers; and accessing this beach is an adventure in itself.
- Advantages: ideal for hiking, but be aware that it is a difficult trail (especially on the way back) and that it is essential to bring water and appropriate clothing.
- Disadvantages: it is a very difficult place to get to. Although it can be reached by boat, sometimes the sea conditions make this route very difficult, and it is not suitable for people in poor physical shape.
How to enjoy the most spectacular beaches of Gran Canaria?
- We recommend that you take liquids to hydrate yourself. Although on many of these beaches you will find bars and beach bars where you can refresh yourself.
- Protect yourself well from the sun. The UV radiation index in the Canary Islands is quite high even in winter, so use sun creams with a very high SPF.
- And don’t forget your towel 🙂 !
In conclusion:
Whatever type of beach you are looking for, in Gran Canaria you can enjoy the most spectacular beaches; where you can spend a wonderful day on holiday. Don’t forget your towel and sun cream!
And if you don’t like the beach, no problem! Gran Canaria offers such a huge diversity of landscapes, activities, culture, cities, gastronomy and much more, that you will undoubtedly enjoy during your stay on our beautiful island.
Do you want to discover some of these beaches and enjoy an unforgettable experience in Gran Canaria? Book one of our private excursions!
