Gran Canaria Atoll, the sights of which we will consider in our article, according to its population, is a continent in miniature. And indeed it is. After all, here are some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, high mountains, desert landscapes and tropical forests. This small island is part of the archipelago of the Canary Islands and is its pearl. The atoll is of volcanic origin, and its highest point is Pico de las Nieves, which erupted more than 3,5 thousand years ago.
Some information about the island
Gran Canaria (attractions are described below) is a kind of nature reserve, since almost half of the island is protected by different organizations. The symbol of the area is Mount Roque Nublo. Its height reaches 1813 meters. A long time ago, the top of the mountain was a place of worship for the natives. Today, it has become the most favorite place for travelers, as it offers a magnificent panorama of the surrounding islands, as well as a volcano called Teide.
Gran Canaria(the sights of the island are listed in the review) is an excellent place for those who love beach holidays, rural tourism, golf, water sports and cycling. Almost all the historical sights of the atoll were built after the island was conquered by the Spaniards. But there are also pre-Hispanic sites, such as the archaeological park called Cenobio de Valeron and the Cueva Pintada cave.
The largest airport in Spain and Gran Canaria
The first thing a person will see upon arrival on the island is Gran Canaria Airport. This is an international airport terminal, which is located in the east of the atoll. It is located almost twenty kilometers from the main city of Gran Canaria - Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Every year the airport receives about ten million people. Often referred to as Gando in the sky.
Gran Canaria Airport is one of the largest airports in Spain in terms of passenger traffic. It is also the largest in the Canary Islands. In 2014, a new terminal was equipped on the territory of the air terminal, where passengers can use the full range of necessary services. The terminal area is divided into several compartments: flights from the European Union depart from zone C, flights outside the EU are carried out from zone D, and separate zones are provided for the Canary Islands.
Resort province of the Canary Islands and the Spanish kingdom
Las Palmas is an island province of Spain and one of the main attractions of the GranCanaries. The administrative center and the main settlement of the periphery is the old town already mentioned above. This is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The province is made up of several inhabited and uninhabited islands, as well as the rocks of Roque del Este and Roque del Oeste. In 2005, the population of this territory barely exceeded one thousand people.
Among the natural attractions of Las Palmas, the following objects can be distinguished: the huge Viera y Clavijo Botanical Garden and the huge Doromas Park. Thousands of species of valuable plants grow in the garden, and the park can please visitors with a large number of cafes and fountains.
Casa de Colon
In the capital of the Canary Islands, there is an attraction of extraordinary interest to travelers of all ages. This is the home of Columbus, or Casa de Colon. The navigator who discovered the United States of America stayed at this house a long time ago. The building is an incredibly beautiful architectural structure dating back several hundred years. A great navigator lived here for some time.
In the early 1950s, the Casa de Colon was converted into a colonial-style museum. It has 13 rooms that house expositions and libraries. The institution has a huge number of compasses, maps and a globe. All this once belonged to the discoverer. The uniqueness of the globe lies in the fact that there is no mainland on it, which is called America. The institution also has a large collectionpainting. It will be interesting for adults and children to look at the model ships.
Here there are many documents about the relationship with the US states, a collection of books and exhibits on the marine theme.
Most Popular Attraction
The most popular object in Gran Canaria is Palmitos Park, which is home to over 200 species of different birds. Among them are small hummingbirds, hornbills, macaws, toucans, pink flamingos and many others. Also in the park is the Cactus and Aloe Garden, the Butterfly House, which is the largest in Europe, and the Orchid Pavilion, where hundreds of flowers grow in a wide variety of colors and shapes. The underwater world of Palmitos Park has thousands of species of fish.
Here you can have lunch and see several different shows. But for this you have to spend half a day in the park. Not so long ago, a large dolphinarium was opened on the territory of the attraction. In addition, you can see beautiful performances, the main participants of which are parrots and eagles. The birds perform unique tricks such as cycling.
The main attraction of the city
The main attraction of Gran Canaria is the Canaries Cathedral, which is located in the ancient quarter of Vegeta. This temple houses the chair of the Bishop of the Canary Islands. Despite the fact that the decision to build the church was made in 1487, it was only ten years later that it began to be built. But the work was suspended for a while, soas there was not enough money to complete them. The construction of the cathedral was resumed in 1781, and it was completely completed only in our time.
The interior of the temple is dominated by the late Gothic style. And the facades of the building are created in the neoclassical style. The arches, piers and vaults of the church are made of hewn blue stone brought from the quarries of San Lorenzo.
Some other attractions
Gran Canaria, whose sights we are considering, can be proud of its other objects. For example, the dunes of Maspalomas. This is a park of national importance. Its full name is Dunas de Maspalomas and it covers 403 hectares on the coast. The park has a s alt water lake and a variety of Canarian fauna and flora.
Another attraction of the island that deserves everyone's attention is the Cueva Pintada cave. The cave is a small museum with geometric patterns of the ancient Guanches. Previously, Cueva Pintada was the residence of the Guanche kings. The modern museum has several halls.
The resort of Puerto Rico is another world-famous attraction of the island of Gran Caniria. At first, the resort was just a fishing village, but today it is replete with luxury hotels and expensive apartments.
