Are you thinking of travelling to Gran Canaria with your pet and want to plan an unforgettable vacation? You’ve come to the right section.

We have put together a series of plans so that you can squeeze every last drop of enjoyment out of your trip. Excursions in the countryside, culinary experiences, outdoor shopping or theme parks are just some of the activities awaiting you on this island.

We want Gran Canaria to become a favourite destination for travel with pets, a Pets Welcome destination.

If you love shopping, in Gran Canaria you’ll find several open-air shopping areas, shopping centres and outdoor leisure spots where you can hit the shops with your best pal.

Shopping centres

Centro Comercial El Tablero
Address: Avenida Francisco Vega Monrroy 21 ; 35109; El Tablero- San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Phone: 928143870
Web: www.cceltablero.com

Atlantico Vecindario Shopping Centre
Address: C/ Ardargoma, S/N., 35110 - Vecindario (Santa Lucía de Tirajana), Phone: 928 791541
Website: https://www.ccatlantico.com/

Los Alisios Shopping Centre
Address: Calle Hermanos Domínguez Santana GC-308 S/N, Carr. Nueva De San Lorenzo, 15, 35018. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Website: http://vivealisios.com/
*NB: Pets should remain in a carry case.

Las Terrazas Shopping centre
Address: GC-1, 5, 35220. Telde.
Website: https://www.lasterrazasoutlet.com/es
*NB: Pets should be on a leash. Shops reserve the right to refuse entry.

Boulevard El Faro Maspalomas
Address: Calle Mar Mediterráneo, 35100. Boulevard El Faro, Meloneras.
Website: http://www.boulevardelfaro.com/

Centro comercial Mogan Mall
Address: Avda. Tomás Roca Bosch 9, 35130. Mogán. Phone: (+34) 928 26 55 39
Website: www.moganmall.com 

Open-air shopping areas

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has several open-air shopping areas that you can stroll through with your pet on a fun shopping trip.

Triana shopping areas
The historic Calle Triana and its surrounding area are one of the main open-air shopping streets in the heart of the capital.

From exclusive fashion names to major commercial brands. From accessory shops to jewellers, Canary Island crafts, sportswear or gifts... many of them pet friendly.

Triana connects up with the Vegueta neighbourhood, a historic area with pedestrian streets where you can round off an afternoon’s shopping with a stroll through its old town.

Triana also has an interesting collection of bars and terraces around the Plaza de las Ranas, Plazoleta Cairasco or Boulevard Monopol, ideal to grab a drink and some tapas after a peaceful stroll.

Mesa y López Shopping Area

The Mesa y López shopping area, at the other end of the city, is another quintessential open-air shopping area in Las Palmas, home to big department stores and a whole host of boutiques.

This includes the mythical Plaza de España (also known as Plaza de la Victoria), the perfect spot to take a break with your pet at one of its many open-air cafés.

Luis Morote Shopping Area

The Luis Morote pedestrian street, alongside the Port, is another popular open-air shopping area in Las Palmas, right in the heart of the city.

Connecting up directly with the Santa Catalina Park, it is the ideal spot to take a walk in the fresh air while you pop into some of its many shops.

Of course, you can take your pet into many of its shops. What’s more, terrace bars line the street should you need to take a break, rest or have a drink before visiting more shops.

Because we all like to be pampered from time to time, here is a range of beauty salons in Gran Canaria to enjoy a haircut, manicure or pedicure, and your pet can come too.

Enjoy a relaxing beauty day with your pooch.

A day out in Sioux City

The Sioux City Park, located in the Águila ravine, in the south of Gran Canaria, is a theme park that will spirit you off to the legendary Wild West of 1857, with cinematic recreations that go into fine detail so that you really feel like you’re in an old city in the middle of the American plains.

This spectacular theme park, where some of the most famous westerns have been filmed, now recreates many of their scenes with real actors. And best of all, your pet can come too.

Come and experience the Wild West!

Cactualdea Park is one of the largest cactus parks in Europe, home to over 1000 different species of Cactus and plants from all over the world, in addition to a large variety of endemic Canary flora such as palm trees, dragon trees, Canary Island spurge, balsam spurge, aloes, etc.

Located in the Gran Canaria Biosphere Reserve and surrounded by many unique, protected natural species, Cactualdea is the ideal place to spend a day out with your pet, enjoying its flora and fauna plus the facilities such as the representation of an aboriginal cave, the winery, the amphitheatre and its arena, the many mosaics, etc. and of course, exploring the many paths that run through the Cactus garden where you’ll discover different forms, varieties and sizes of cacti and plants.

An 80,000 m2 cactus garden in the open air and of course, 100% pet friendly.

Hiking with dogs

Gran Canaria is the ideal place for fans of hiking and mountain sports.

No one can doubt the island’s natural resources, teeming with ancient paths, tracks, ravines and pine forests.

Landscapes with singular beauty that are just perfect to enjoy with your best friend. A vast network of tracks, all well signposted, all different and yet equally beautiful for visitors.

Remember that no one is more aware of your dog's physical fitness than you. Bear this in mind when picking the difficulty of the route or if you prefer, get in touch with some of our recommended active tourism companiesand they will help you pick the right one for you.

Here’s some interesting information on the different hiking routes all over Gran Canaria to explore with your dog.

The Barranco de los Cernícalos route is located in the Los Marteles Special Nature Reserve in Valsequillo, very close to the town of Telde. It is the only route where we can find water 365 days a year and several waterfalls of different sizes can be found in this trail.

It is a perfect route to be accompanied by our four-legged family, since the trail level is easy and almost the entire path is flat and quite shady. The temperature is perfect to visit at any time of the year. It has a distance of approximately 7 km, the route is linear, so the round trip is done along the same path. The approximate duration is 2 hours and a half.

There are also companies like Globe Trekqueen, which can guide you along the route, explaining all the flora found there. There is an immense variety: Canarian incense, vinegar, white and yellow broom, bitter taibaba and countless more. We can also find cochineal, a parasite found in some cacti which has been used as a natural dye for centuries.

To get to this route, it is recommended to put in the GPS Merendero Barranco de los Cernícalos. From Las Palmas de Gran Canaria it takes around 55 minutes by car. There, you can park easily and the start of the trail is very close. If your dog is crazy about cats, it is recommended to take him/her on a leash when walking from the car park to the beginning of the route, since there are quite a few in the area.

This route begins and ends at the Llanos de la Pez picnic area. It is a fully signposted route where you only have to follow the indications. There are several routes, so it is important to read the signs well and there will be no loss.

The route is quite simple, since the terrain is quite flat and has small climbs, most of them in the shade except the last one before reaching the Ventana del Nublo, which is completely in the sun.

The trail starts on a wide dirt track until it reaches the Díaz Bertrana refuge, it runs under a pine forest, the paths are easy to follow with our furry family, it is not usually very crowded, so it is perfect to be able to take them loose and for everyone to enjoy the smells of the area. We will cover a small trail of the Camino de Santiago, as it goes through this area of the island when crossing from South to North.

Weather permitting, arriving at the Ventana del Nublo window will leave you speechless, since from here you can see the Teide peak, Roque Nublo and the southern slope of the island. The stop at this point is perfect to regain strength and return to the starting point, where you can organize a picnic or a barbecue in the picnic area, or go to Tejeda to eat.

This area is full of hiking trails and Rock Natour organizes different activities to enjoy the island. Pablo (the guide), accompanied by Patu, the best dog guide you can have, will tell you different stories about the creation of these landscapes. He also offers night routes to see the stars.

If you feel like doing a simple route along the coast and ending up on one of the best pet-friendly beaches on the island, this is your route. It starts at the Arinaga lighthouse and you have to walk north until you reach the 3 Peos beach. During the route, you will go through by some old lime kilns located under the volcanic cone of the Arinaga mountain.

You can shorten the route by driving to El Cabrón beach or start the route from the lighthouse itself. The path is really easy as you only have to go along the coast until you reach the beach. The route is linear, sunny but very windy, so it becomes pleasant and has several descents to areas with water so that our four-legged companions can cool off until arrival. The duration of the route is approximately 50 minutes.

Access to the beach is easy, but it is recommended to wear shoes that support the foot well to avoid accidents.

The RockNatour company organizes this excursion: to spend a day at the beach with your best friend including goggles and snorkel as it is an area with the best seabed to explore, water for our furry ones and some snacks.

One of the best experiences you can live on the island, and best of all, you no longer have to do it alone as your four-legged family can come with you!

This route begins at the Santa Lucía de Tirajana fortress, one of the most important archaeological sites on the island and the last place where the ancient aborigines lived.

We cross the Big Fortress through a tunnel before starting the descent. At this time, it is important to keep our dogs on a leash as there is a big fall at the end of the tunnel. In this place there are many caves where the aborigines stored food, used them as a place of burial, worship... The difficulty of the path to the point where the solstice will be seen is medium, the path being quite narrow and its sides quite steep.

Along the way, you pass through a palm grove that rises up out of nowhere. The path is linear and is done at sunset to be able to see the solstice. There are countless trekking paths in the area, both linear and circular.

Artenara is the town with the highest altitude on the island,and hence the reason viewpoints can be found at every step. The orography is very steep but it has incredible views. From Unamuno's balcony, located in the same town, you can see Roque Bentayga and Roque Nublo, two symbols of the island, which light up in a straight line on full moon days, one of the incredible things of nature.

In the center of Artenara we can visit the Church of San Matías, a building that stands out for its two quadrangular towers built in red stone, its interior paintings and the sculpture of San Matías the apostle, carved in wood. Leaving the church and walking in the direction of the balcony of Unamuno and continuing a little further forward, we find the Casas Cuevas Ethnographic Museum.

In the museum you can visit three old houses of the pre-Hispanic population. The caves are rehabilitated with furniture of those times. In the museum they offer a guided tour where they tell you the history and explain the construction of the houses. It is a very well thought out construction. The temperature inside the caves is perfect. From the patio that connects the three houses you can enjoy the views of the great ravine with the sound of birds in the background.

After visiting the cave houses, you can stop for lunch at Arte-Gaia, a restaurant with local food where dogs are welcome.

In the town itself you can find more viewpoints and trails within the Pinar de Tamadaba Natural Park.

A visit not to be missed is Puerto de Mogán, just an hour and a quarter from the capital. A small coastal town in the south of the island where its white houses with colored frames and the small canals connecting the fishing and sports ports have a special charm.

Despite being a very tourist place, you can enjoy a quiet walk through its streets and see the contrasts of the colors of the houses with the bougainvillea. Have an ice cream on one of its terraces and enjoy the craft market with local products that takes place every Friday.

In this area, water activities stand out and with Rock Nature you can enjoy a kayak route along the coast and visit the caves in the area.

The town of Mogán is also visited for its botanical interest and for the different forms of the terrain, there are many ravines found in the area and that is why the route from the sea is also interesting as you will have the vision from another perspective.

A plan not to be missed if you visit Gran Canaria is to watch the sunset at the viewpoint of the Maspalomas Sand dunes, feeling as if you were in the desert in this unique spot.

From the viewpoint you can walk towards the lighthouse. This construction has seen the area evolve over the years. Throughout the walk we can find different bars and restaurants. The K1 Lounge has a huge terrace and a very cozy decoration, plus the food is very good.

During the walk along the coast, we can see various sculptures made in the sand and enjoy one of the most touristic spots all over Europe.

Maspalomas is known for its good climate, which is why you can enjoy the walk during the day or at night.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is a lively, cosmopolitan city, a city with traditions, that welcomes visitors with a friendly smile and a climate that is the envy of the entire continent.

The city is teeming with historical and cultural spots, pedestrian streets, broad avenues and parks where you can take it easy with your best friend.

It’s a real gem that you’ll keep coming back to during your holidays.

Calle Triana and the Vegueta neighbourhood

The emblematic Calle Triana, just a hop, skip and a jump from the historical district of Vegueta, is one of the city’s architectural gems and a firm favourite among travellers.

Boasting Neoclassical architecture and dotted with modernist houses rebuilt in the early 20th century, emblematic buildings and beautiful squares... nowadays Calle Triana is an open-air shopping area and one of the city’s prettiest streets, packed with boutiques and open-air stores where you can stroll freely with your pet.

You can also stop for an aperitif in one of its many squares, such as Plaza Hurtado Mendoza, Plaza Cairasco, behind the Santa Ana Cathedral, la calle Mendizabal and its surrounding area, perfect places to relax and enjoy incredible views from a terrace bar, many of which are pet friendly.

Carry on walking towards the Vegueta neighbourhood and you’ll discover a treasure that has been kept practically intact since the city was founded in the 15th century. Strolling through its cobbled lanes is like taking a trip back in time, and you’ll love its singular streets and buildings.