Gran Canaria is often called a "continent in miniature", and nowhere is that truer than on a day trip inland. Within an hour of the sunny southern resorts you can climb into a dramatic mountain heartland of sacred rocks and pine forest, wander a buzzing capital city, potter around a postcard-pretty marina, explore a cave-dwelling valley, or discover the lush, green, distinctly un-touristy north. Here are the day trips worth making from your beach base, and how to tackle each one.
Roque Nublo and the central peaks
The island's mountainous core is its greatest surprise. At its heart stands Roque Nublo, a monumental basalt monolith sacred to the ancient islanders, reached by a short, rewarding walk with staggering views — on clear days as far as Mount Teide on neighbouring Tenerife. The drive up from the coast winds through ravines, reservoirs and pine woods to the charming mountain village of Tejeda, one of Spain's prettiest, where you can lunch on hearty highland cooking and buy almond sweets. It's a full day, and a wonderful antidote to the beach. Go with a car or an organised mountain tour, and bring a layer — it's cooler up top.
Mornings are usually clearest in the mountains before cloud builds over the peaks. Set off early for the best chance of those long views from Roque Nublo, and take water and sturdy shoes for the walk to the base of the rock.
Photo: H. Zell · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · scaled
Las Palmas, the capital
In the north-east, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is a proper city — the largest in the Canaries — and a great contrast to resort life. Spend a day strolling the atmospheric old quarter of Vegueta, with its cathedral, cobbled streets and the Casa de Colón museum, then relax on the magnificent city beach of Las Canteras, a golden urban strand lined with cafés and superb seafood restaurants. Add the shops, museums and buzzing food scene and you have an easy, rewarding city day. The motorway makes it a quick drive, and frequent buses run up the east coast too.
Puerto de Mogán
On the sunny south-west coast, Puerto de Mogán — nicknamed "Little Venice" for its flower-draped canals and bridges — is the prettiest spot on the island and an easy, gentle day out. Wander the whitewashed lanes and marina, browse the famous Friday market, eat fresh fish by the harbour and swim off the sheltered beach. It's a short hop from the southern resorts by car, bus or, delightfully, by the little "yellow submarine" ferry that shuttles along the coast. Relaxed and photogenic, it suits a slower day.
Barranco de Guayadeque
For something more offbeat, the Barranco de Guayadeque ravine, in the island's east, is a deep, green gorge where people still live in cave houses carved into the rock — as they have since the time of the aboriginal Canarians. Drive up the valley past terraced smallholdings and cave dwellings to the famous cave restaurants near the top, where you can eat a hearty Canarian lunch inside the mountain itself. It's a fascinating, low-key half-day that pairs well with the historic town of Agüimes nearby.
The green north
Most visitors never leave the sunny south, which means the lush, misty north stays refreshingly authentic. A day exploring it might take in the pilgrimage town of Teror, with its wooden-balconied houses and famous basilica and Sunday market; the market-garden greenery around Firgas and Moya; and the ancient grain stores at the Cenobio de Valerón. The scenery is greener, the towns more Canarian and the pace slower — a completely different island from the beach resorts. A car is the best way to link it all up.
Other easy outings
- Maspalomas Dunes — you may be staying beside them, but the vast rolling dunes and their lighthouse deserve a proper morning's wander at sunrise or sunset.
- Caldera de Bandama — a huge, walkable volcanic crater near the capital with a viewpoint over its green floor.
- Aqualand and family parks — a full day for younger travellers at Aqualand, Palmitos Park or the western theme parks.
How to get around
A hire car is the key to Gran Canaria's variety — it's the only realistic way to reach Roque Nublo, Guayadeque and the green north at your own pace, and the mountain roads, though winding, are a joy. For the capital, Puerto de Mogán and coastal spots, the island's cheap and extensive bus network (the guagua) works well, and organised coach tours cover the headline mountain and northern circuits without any driving. Weigh the options in our guide to getting around the Canary Islands.
Mix it up: use the buses or the coastal ferry for easy days to Las Palmas or Puerto de Mogán, and save a hire car for one or two days of mountain and northern exploring, where having your own wheels transforms the trip.
Balance a few of these excursions with your beach and pool time and Gran Canaria proves itself far richer than its resorts suggest. For the full picture — where to stay, beaches and the island's highlights — see our main guide to Gran Canaria.