Gran Canaria is a top pick for a summer holiday and it’s easy to see why.
The island enjoys a year-round temperate climate that’s ideal for both summer breaks and winter sun. Its diverse landscape includes a dry, desert-like south complete with undulating sand dunes, a lush green north and a cool centre with coniferous forests.
Popular resorts such as Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas in the South are reinventing themselves as luxury destinations, while the capital city Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in the Northeast is a vibrant, modern metropolis with a thriving gastronomic scene and two spectacular city beaches.
We recommend heading to Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria; a holiday resort situated on the south-west coast.
Holidays here serve up more hours of sunshine than anywhere else on Gran Canaria. Once the sun’s gone down, this town gets dressed up for a lively nightlife.
Puerto Rico is a fun-loving town with a modern feel to it. Packed into the steep slopes of a volcanic valley are tall white hotels and large shopping complexes that offer duty-free shopping, international cuisine and 5-star entertainment.
Puerto Rico has two standout beaches to its name. To the north is horseshoe-shaped Amadores Beach, a Blue Flag-winning, 800-metre sweep of golden sand and a hotspot for water sports. In the town centre is Puerto Rico Beach, a crescent of family-friendly sand backed by a promenade with bars, tropical gardens and public swimming pools.
Adjacent to Puerto Rico Beach is a marina backed by the Pasarella Shopping Centre, home to a number of upmarket shops and bars.
A 10-minute walk along Carretera General from here is the two-floor Puerto Rico Shopping Centre, the heart of Puerto Rico’s nightlife and shopping scene, over one hundred stores and dozens of lively pubs and clubs.
It’s easy to see why families keep coming back, year after year. Puerto Rico boosts a couple of mini-golf courses, tennis courts and amusement arcades. Lago Taurito waterpark, which has corkscrews, kamikazes and an activity pool for toddlers, is just 10 minutes away by car. And a little further afield is Sioux City – a theme park built on the site of a Wild West movie set!
So, as you can see, Gran Canaria ticks a lot of boxes. Whether you’re looking for extreme water sports and challenging terrain, epic vistas and diverse hiking trails, family resorts with a plethora of activity, a romantic getaway or you simply want good food and wine and plenty of sunshine, this island has you covered!
We Recommend:
Cala Nova – Puerto Rico, Canary Islands
Offering spacious apartments with impressive views of the Puerto Rico valley, the Cala Nova apartments are a fantastic choice for a simple and good value for money holiday. Welcoming both families and friends, these apartments are conveniently located near to the shopping centre with plenty of shops, bars and restaurants and the beautiful beach at the base of the valley. You’ll find plenty to keep you entertained here, with regular entertainment on hand to keep the fun going into the evening.

Cala Nova – Puerto Rico, Canary Islands
Board: Self-Catering
Flying From: London Stansted
7 Nights: Tue 25 Jul 2023
Passengers: 2 Adults, 2 Children, 1 Room
Baggage: 22Kg Allowance
Per Person From £477 (Was £527)
Flight Information
Going Out: London Stansted Las Palmas
Coming Back: Las Palmas London Stansted