The 6 best beaches of Gran Canaria

There is no doubt that the “Fortunate Islands” are one of the best places to enjoy sun and beach tourism all year round. There are beaches to suit all tastes, so we are going to show you the 6 best beaches in Gran Canaria so that you can choose one or the other.

From the most touristy to the most hidden, some of them difficult to access and others with an interesting local atmosphere.

Most of these beaches have all kinds of services for leisure and recreation, but there are also others that are practically deserted where you can enjoy incredible tranquillity.

These beaches stand out for their cleanliness and the purity of the water, as well as their unspoilt landscapes and impressive cliffs. Once we have talked about the beaches, the best options are the following:

Dunes and beaches of Maspalomas

These dunes and beaches are some of the most beautiful and special on the island, located in the south of Gran Canaria, in the middle of one of the most visited stretches of coastline in Europe. Maspalomas, apart from being known for its dunes and beaches, is also known for its old lighthouse. This lighthouse has seen the arrival of the first tourists and the conversion of the area into a holiday resort.

Speaking of the dunes, it is difficult to understand the magnitude of this dune system until you see it in front of you. We are inside a 400-hectare nature reserve made up of a dune field, a palm forest, a lagoon and a kilometre-long beach. A beach of approximately 3 kilometres of uninterrupted fine golden sand, bathed by a calm sea. The beach begins next to the Maspalomas lighthouse and joins up with the Playa del Inglés beach.

Dunas de Maspalomas

How can we get there and what to do on the beaches of Maspalomas?

You can access from both points, or from the Maspalomas Dunes Information Centre, next to the Hotel Riu Palace. On these beaches you have all kinds of activities to do with your family, such as jet ski hire, airsoft, buggy excursions, camel rides…

Las Canteras Beach, in the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

This beach is located in the capital of the island, in the nerve centre of the city. It is ideal for enjoying a pleasant climate and very calm waters all year round. It has more than two kilometres of golden sand.

It also has a special peculiarity called ‘La barra’. A long rock formation that spreads out not far from the sand and protects a large part of the beach from the tides. If you feel like walking, we recommend the long promenade that winds along the sand, passing restaurants, cafés and ice-cream parlours.

How can we get there and what can we do on Las Canteras beach?

The best way to get there is by bus. You can also reach it by car or on foot with easy access. Las Canteras beach offers an endless number of activities for its visitors. Among others, you can go scuba diving, surfing and even go kayaking.

Playa de las Canteras

Beach of Puerto de Las Nieves, in the north of the island

This beach is one of the most emblematic in Gran Canaria. With a wonderful black volcanic background, it is located in an area of cliffs, in Puerto de las Nieves. In its waters there used to be a curious elongated rock called ‘El Dedo de Dios’, which disappeared in 2005 due to a great tropical storm.

The chromatic contrast between the colour of the sea and the cliffs and pebbles is spectacular. Following the promenade you will find Las Salinas de Agaete, one of the most impressive natural pools in Gran Canaria.

How can we get there and what to do in Puerto de Las Nieves Beach?

To get to this beach we have to take the motorway route towards GC-2, in the direction of Puerto de las Nieves, Agaete. Once there, you can enjoy the tranquillity of this village and the local gastronomy in any of its terraces.

Güi Güi Beach

Located in the west of Gran Canaria, this beach belongs to the municipality of La Aldea de San Nicolás and is one of the most inaccessible on the island.

Once you have finished this tough walk to Güi Güi beach, it’s time to enjoy it. It is actually divided into two long beaches, Güi Güi grande and Güi Güi chico, joined together at high tide and surrounded by cliffs.

Its crystal clear waters and beautiful sunset will make you forget the long road you have travelled to get there.

How can we get there and what to do at Güi Güi beach?

As we mentioned, this beach is one of the most inaccessible on the island. To reach it we must follow a path that starts in the tiny village of Tasartíco. The walk is quite tiring but very easy (about two and a half hours). You can also take a water taxi or a boat trip with free time on the beach and the possibility of whale watching.

Amadores Beach

This popular beach is located in the southwest of Gran Canaria, between the towns of Puerto Rico and Puerto Mogán. It is the most touristic and most exploited area of the island. This beach has the reputation of looking like a swimming pool, calm turquoise waters and its 500 metres of white sand are irresistible to anyone.

Playa de los Amadores

Another important characteristic of this beach is that it has no waves as it is protected by two breakwaters. Surrounded by a wide range of hotels and flats, Amadores beach has been certified with the blue flag since 2004 for the quality of its services.

How can we get there and what to do on Amadores beach?

Playa de Amadores can be reached by car from the GC-500. If you are coming from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria first take the GC-1 motorway to the Playa de Amadores exit. You can also get there by bus, it leaves you right on the beach. As for things to do, in Amadores you’ll find a water park with inflatable mattresses, ideal for families.

Tufia Beach

This curious beach is located in the east of Gran Canaria in the municipality of Telde, in a perfectly manicured environment with crystal clear waters. This area has houses built in places that would be unthinkable nowadays due to their proximity to the sea. Its cove is small, barely 40 metres long. The seabed of Tufia is very interesting for scuba diving.

On this black sand beach, you should be aware that as soon as the tide comes in you run out of space for towels, but next to the houses there is a kind of pavement where you can sit and/or lie down and wait for the tide to go out. Note that this area lacks any shops or places to buy something to eat or drink.

How can we get there and what to do on Tufia beach?

To access this beach you have to take the El Goro exit Nº13 and once inside look for a brown sign with the name Tufia.

The sign is small and not very visible so you’ll have to keep an eye out for it. There is little to do on this small beach, but it is no less interesting for that. You can visit the town’s viewpoint, perfect for admiring the magic of the Atlantic, strolling and enjoying yourself. It doesn’t get much nicer and simpler than this.

Playa de Tufia

We hope that you get to know the 6 best beaches of Gran Canaria and decide to turn the island into your place of residence or paradisiacal space where you can invest in a second home. In Gilmar Off Plan we are the leading real estate company with more than 37 years in the market. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact one of our agents, we listen to you!

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