Gran Canaria is the third largest of the Canary Islands and a popular year round holiday destination with the resorts along the south coast particularly well known.�Hiring a car in Gran Canaria allows you to explore much more of the island and enjoy some of the other attractions on offer.
Maspalomas offers 17 km of wonderful coastline with immense sand dunes and wide, sandy beaches. The dunes themselves are protected, only accessible by foot or by camel and are home to a number of rare plants as well as small lizards and rabbits. Close by is the Faro de Maspalomas – a striking lighthouse built in 1886 to guide ships around the coastline.
Man-made attractions are plentiful from the impressive Aquasur water park to Sioux City – a Wild West theme park with Native American Indians, gunfighters, sheriffs and can-can girls dancing in the saloon.
The town of Arucas lies in the north of the island and boasts many buildings of historical interest, perhaps most notably the Church of San Juan Bautista. This impressive church has the highest church tower on the island, taking almost 70 years to complete. The public gardens in the centre of town, El Jardin de Hesperides, provides a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life where you can relax in the shade of a tropical tree. The town is also famous for its rum factory and there is a small museum where you can learn about the industry’s history and the production process.
The Jardin Botánico, in the north east, is a fascinating excursion. Laid out along the steep slopes of a ravine (Barranco de Guiniguada) the gardens were established in 1952 and are dedicated to the plants native to this part of the world, encompassing the Canary Islands, the Azores and Madeira. Covering over 27 hectares, this is one of the largest conservation gardens in Spain.
The Pozo de las Nieves in the centre of the island, is the highest point on Gran Canaria and, although it can often be misty at the peak, a clear day will reward visitors with spectacular views. Follow the main road towards the village of Tejeda for more stunning landscapes of the rural interior. You will also pass one of the island’s most famous landmarks, the imposing Roque Nublo – a tall monolith of volcanic origin, which towers above the surrounding countryside.
The town of Agüimes in the east of the island has become a popular excursion in more recent times due to the careful renovation of its old town and visitors can spend a pleasant morning wandering the narrow streets amongst local sculptures and statues. The surrounding area is also known for its unique cave houses, some still occupied to this day.
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