Blog Oficial de Turismo de Gran Canaria

Huerto de las Flores is a botanical garden in Agaete, in Gran Canaria, with over a hundred different plant species from around the world

1. Travelling plants that have spread their roots in Agaete. A passion for travelling and botany were the seeds that led to Huerto de las Flores coming into being, a most beautiful and delicate botanical garden in Agaete (Gran Canaria). Its roots date back to the end of the 19th century, when its creators, members of the De Armas family, would bring tree seeds and cuttings back with them from their trips abroad. Many of these species came from America, as well as many other latitudes. These plants came to the island and adapted well to it, although be it said it is not hard to settle in a place like Agaete.

Sculptor Manolo González, the author of the statue of the Unamuno Balcony in Artenara, in Gran Canaria, talks about the work.

“The truth is, the landscape is the protagonist”, states sculptor Manolo González, the author of the statue of the Unamuno Balcony in Artenara, where Gran Canaria holds hands with the sky. The writer came to the island in the summer of 1910 having accepted an inivitation to preside a poetry contest, and had to opportunity to go up to the summit. The statue looks out over the place where the novelist actually stood, bewitched by another work of art, in this case carved out by nature.

Roque Nublo, the geological wonder and emblem of Gran Canaria, invites you to join it in reaching up to the sky.

Your climb up had provided you with your first glimpses in your mind. But now you are actually here, and you are breathing in the pure mountain air carrying the aroma of pine trees, and local flora including alhelíes, tajinastes, chestnut trees and broom. You look up and there it is. You feel compelled to walk on as far as its base and touch the sky alongside it. It’s the Roque Nublo, the proud son of the volcano and one of the most awe-inspiring stone monoliths in the world. And today you are visiting it in its lair at over 1,800 metres altitude.

The natural greenery of Gran Canaria shines through in the most wonderful and surprising ways.

There exists a magical kingdom with laurel trees, wild olive trees, willows, arbutus, yews, plus the indigenous viñátigos, paloblancos, tilos and mocanes, and it’s all here in Gran Canaria. This list of exotic words, which might seem to be taken from a book of fairytales, goblins and wizards, actually describes the trees that provide the body and soul to the mysterious, primitive laurel tree forest that hugs tightly onto the island and emits the clear, thumping beat of its green heart.

Unesco declares Gran Canaria a Starlight Destination in recognition of the high quality of its skies for star gazing.

Gran Canaria has graduated with honours at the school of amazing night skies.  Unesco has declared the island a Starlight Destination, which certifies it as a privileged location for anyone who wishes to contemplate the stars and feel they can nearly touch them. Gran Canaria now joins a select club that includes Chile, New Zealand and Hawaii.

The Canarian palm tree forms part of the landscape and identity of Gran Canaria, and will linger in your mind following your stay

They have always been around, rustling in the breeze, providing shade, breaking up blue skies with their slim shadows. A group of them even led to the name of the island’s capital city, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, over five centuries ago now. Poet Bartolomé Cairasco de Figueroa (1583-1610) used to say that they were “so, so tall, much taller than the Pyramids in Egypt”, while the chronicals of the Conquest referred to the island “being just like a garden, covered with palm trees”.

The humble potato, one of the jewels of Gran Canaria’s cuisine, has a passionate tale to tell.

Let us tell you the story of an incredible journey which is not yet over. Our hero in this story is not that big, but has become world famous, has received countless awards, and has inspired poems and songs, has fed whole generations, and has become one of the greatest symbols of Gran Canaria’s gastronomy.

Gran Canaria harvests chestnuts until midway through December, and visitors can savour their autumnal flavours on the way back from the beach.

They are shaped like littIe hearts. It is no surprise then that they are considered the real spirit of autumn, with a very special nuance in the case of Gran Canaria. At other latitudes, the chestnut heralds the arrival of the cold, with stories of families sat around the burning logfire while the world outside is freezing and the wolves are howling. Don’t worry, there are no wolves in Gran Canaria. Besides, right here you can savour their autumnal flavour on your way back from the beach if you come across a stall where they cleverly roast them for you on a camp stove.

A number of municipal swimming pools in Gran Canaria’s interior offer some refreshing summer bathing in unique spots.

You’re lying flat on your back while the sun is slowly burning up every last drop of the water on your skin following your latest dip in the water. You just turn your head a little to take in the wonderful view over the stunning Roque Bentayga from the Tejeda municipal swimming pool. Indeed, Gran Canaria hides some fine secluded surprises in its interior. The doors to these facilities are open to you for a very reasonable price, and include great bathing and superb views.

The pleasant Gran Canaria summer is an invitation to enjoy life to the full with endless days in which to do anything you like.

The sun towers high over the summer skies in Gran Canaria and will not budge an inch. If you think about it, you can see why. Under its blazing glory, the days run happily on for ever. In this the summer season the days have a ritual-like feel to them, reflecting a serene beauty under an ever present bright light.

Gran Canaria is an exceptional viewpoint for astronomical observation. Photographs taken of the Milky Way are a fine example of this.

This tale has several protagonists, and two settings that are situated huge distances  from one another. And it develops at very different times. But finally, the pieces slot in together almost magically in a quick flash. The elements link up in the internal mechanism of a single tale which highlights the positioning of Gran Canaria as a window to the Universe, thanks to its excellent conditions for star gazing.

Breathe in the mountain air and go on a ramble to see the blue tajinaste plant, one of Gran Canaria’s natural emblems.

The seeds that the blue tajinaste plants sprout from are of a discreet earthy colour. They do, however, produce bushes endemic to Gran Canaria that grow into natural towers reaching up to four metres in height, topped off by gorgeous bunches of bluey flowers. This species is indeed one of the island’s natural symbols, and it is precisely in the month of April when they are in full bloom.