Nickys Homepage

The island's capital has got 450.000 inhabitants and therefore is the biggest city of the Canaries. A wonderful picture creates the beach "Las Canteras" with it's long promenade where cafés and bars can be found. From "Maspalomas" we took the bus to be able to reach the big bus station in "Las Palmas". This is a good start for a sight seeing tour. At the very beginning of our tour we visit the museum of science and technology "Museo Elder". It's situated directly next to the bus station. We can really recommend it!

Comparable to a wedge of a giant the most popular symbol of the island is rising against the sky. I'm talking of the "Roque Nublo". The "Rock of clouds". It is situated on a mountain of 80 meters of height and has 1.813 meters of heights itself. From two platforms it is possible to took a wide part of the island up to Teneriffa. On this day we joined an organised walk through big woods of pines with an Austrian guide. We got to know the island's flora and at the end of the walk we got the possibility to taste traditional food like "tapas" at a cabin.

Fascinated by the magnificent beaches in the south, the steady weather and the beautiful landscape be brought our best impression from two weeks time home.

The flight from Munich to Las Palmas took 4 ½ hours with "Thomas Cook".

During these two weeks we explored the whole island. We took part in a safari with camels to the end of the canyon of "Fataga" that was organised in a big group, we took a "Quad-tour" with a small group of 7 people through the Gran Canyon of Gran Canaria, drove with a rented car around the whole island and, on the second day, to the interior of the island. We took part in a sight seeing tour through the capital "Las Palmas" and enjoyed the sun, the endless sandy beaches and the cool water of the Atlantic ocean.

The beaches and the landscape are too wonderful, the weather too steady and the place between the azure sea and the mountains are too ideal to be true. Not for nothing, the biggest of the Canarian islands is hot tip for fans of the nature and wanderers. There subtropical valleys, green hills, steep canyons, dam up lakes, pure nature and breathtaking views... The meagreness of the island's south also shows what it is like to be unprotected against the burning sun 350 days a year.

The "Dunas de Maspalomas" are one of the greatest natural phenomenon of Gran Canaria. There are 418 ha sand with a unique flora, an impression of the "Sahara" with it's wavy and endless hills of sand directly next to the sea. Starting at our residence "Maspalomas" we took a wonderful walk of two hours on the beach. We went along the dunes to the "Playa de Inglés", which is the most famous but also the most crowded holiday residence of Gran Canaria.

We had great fun with the unhurried animals of the desert! With their staggering walk we passed palm oases and canyons up to the end of the canyon of "Fataga". For lunch we took a break and traditionally made peppermint tea was served. After that we returned to "Fataga".

Who is found of a special adventure should take part in a "Quad-tour". In small groups it goes up hill and down dale, through trails of cactuses and dry rivers ... off-road. We were a small group of seven people and our guide took these photo of us and burned them onto a CD afterwards.

Around the island
At this weekend we rented a car for good conditions. On the first day we drove around the whole island beginning in "Maspalomas". First, went to the capital "Las Palmas". Then we passed "Cenobio de Valerón", "Agaete", "Dedo de Dios" and along the wonderful north west coast "Puerto de Mogán". Finally we returned to "Maspalomas".

Driving the "Barranco de Agaete" was wonderful, not only because there the tiniest and loneliest valley of the island is opening. Rich colours can be seen everywhere and on the opposite hill there are small villages. We had the time to go for a walk, but also driving to "Los Berrazales" to the hotel "Princesa Guayarmina" and back was enjoyable. We can really recommend this!

Back in "Agaete" we drove south. Behind a bridge a small alley led us to "Puerto de las Nieves". We stopped and took a walk through the small fishing village. We passed the "El Dorado de Dios" and a small restaurant with a unique view to the "Finger of God", a needle dragged by the weather which is rising horizontally from the sea. We continued west along the northern coast. The view if magnificent.

Back on the road that leads south, the wildest passage of Gran Canaria's coast can be seen. Mountains can be found directly next to the ocean and are falling down almost horizontally to the depth of the water. It was hard work to fix the serpentines on the rock. There are no villages. We were driving for an hour between heaven and earth. Every now and then the island Teneriffa, which is situated next to Gran Canaria could be seen in the west. From the platform of "Mirador de Balcón, we had a magnificent view to the mountains that are falling down to the sea.

The clouds of the "passat" are sailing towards the "Cumbre", stay there and are unable to move further. This is the reason, why the flora in the north is rich and not drying out. The north is green, but beaches are hardly to be found. The sea is hitting powerful to against the stony shores. Driving along the steep coast was wonderful.

The coastal road leading to the south goes through "San Nicolás de Tolentino". This is a small city without any tourist attractions. There, we had reached the point the most in the west of the island that was reachable with the car.

Our return started with a first slowly but finally becoming more and more steep rise to the mountains. We were fascinated by furrowed walls of rock that were more than a few hundred meters high. On top of the "Degollada de la Aldea" there is a pass of 700 metres of heights. From there a small road on the right side is leading down the mountain to "Tasartico". From there it is possible to walk along the beaches "Güigüi Grande" and "Güigüi Chico".

Afterwards we came to "Mogán" and the "Barranco" with the same name. On the coast there is "Puerto de Mogán", which is an architectural succeeded village for tourists. A walk through the alleys along the harbour was very nice. In "Puerto de Mogán" we watched the sun go down, took a walk on the small beach and enjoyed the twilight before returning to "Maspalomas".

On the coastal road our way led us to "Puerto Rico", which is attracting lots of tourists from "Playa de Inglés", because of it's protected beach. Next there was "Arguineguín", which is a small fishing village. There are always some boats that are restored by hand. From there we went back in the direction of "Maspalomas" across the coastal road that made us pass a big plantation of bananas and the village "El Pajar".

On the second day we crossed "Cumbre" to reach the interior of the land. Along narrow serpentines we came to "Santa Lucia", continuing to the symbol of "Roque Nublo" and finally to the "Caldera de Bandama"/"Rico de Bandama". From the 574 meters high "Rico de Bandama", we had a fantastic view around the north east of Gran Canaria and "Las Palmas". It is situated directly on the border to "Caldera de Bandama", which are gigantic explosion craters of a volcano. With it's diameter of 1.000 meters from side to side, it is biggest of the island. On it's ground which is 200 meters downstairs a small farm is situated. In the evening we returned to "Maspalomas".