Gran Canaria for everyone
Leisure
How has Gran Canaria become one of the world’s top gay destinations? Maybe because we offer everything holidaymakers normally look for and something more; a “live and let live” attitude which makes the people of Gran Canaria broad minded and warm-hearted.
Are you looking for active holidays? Or do you want to be able to relax by your bungalow’s pool after an intense night out or hang out in the most fashionable part of the beach? Here you can do it all. Gran Canaria’s numerous beaches are one of the Island’s main tourist attractions because in addition to their natural charm it is possible to enjoy them all year round thanks to the excellent climate. The best-known beaches, Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés, are in the south of the island and boast a unique Natural Dune reserve.
Maspalomas also has peaceful areas for nudism and more lively areas around ‘beach bars’. You can choose whether you want to take a stroll or simply sunbathe and relax. You can swim in the sea in both summer and winter. What’s more, the night life buzzes all year round in the Playa del Inglés tourist area, as well as in the island’s capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. In Gran Canaria, there are an infinite number of pubs and discos where it is possible to enjoy good music, let yourself go and find the atmosphere you like best.
The Yumbo Shopping Centre in Playa del Inglés is not an exclusively gay world, although it is considered to be one of Europe’s prime spots for gay nightlife, and it really has it all. We will simply call it a must-see place. During the day, this shopping centre is a popular place to go bargain hunting and browse shops which are popular among the LGBT community. At night it becomes the main thoroughfare of the Playa del Inglés gay nightlife.
But first we need to get build up our energy. Good weather means you can always eat outdoors, sitting on one of many terraces, alongside happy families and tourists from all over the world.
In the capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, nightlife revolves around Santa Catalina park, the Triana shopping street and the colonial district of Vegueta. All these places offer the pleasure of having a drink and a ‘tapa’ in a bar or sitting on an open air terrace, during any month of the year.
The cultural activities which are organised on the island are continuous and varied. There are all types of International Festivals held throughout the year, offering classical music, opera, Zarzuela theatre and dance, theatre or open air concerts.
But if there is one outstanding event on the island, this must be the Carnival, which is held between the months of February and March in all the island towns and villages. The Las Palmas Carnival and the Maspalomas Carnival are famous throughout Europe. The Drag Queen Galas are, year in year out, the central event of the Carnival and should not be missed by fun-seekers.
And that’s not all! The streets of Playa del Inglés also host the biggest Gay Pride in the Canary Islands, a celebration which is already famous on the European calendar and another must-see event which will keep bringing you back to visit Gran Canaria.
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