Gran Canaria
Covers 18 European islands, from Crete and the Cyclades to Sicily, Sardinia, Mallorca, the Canaries, Madeira and the Azores, with euro prices converted to dollars on a dated rate.
UpdatedThis page carries dated prices, schedules or seasonal facts checked on the date above, and that window has now passed. Re-check the sources at the foot of the page before you book.
Gran Canaria is the Canary Island with a real city attached. Las Palmas, the capital, has an old quarter, museums and Las Canteras, a city beach locals actually use. The south coast has the resort towns of Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas, where a field of sand dunes runs down to a long beach. Between them rise the mountains, part of which UNESCO inscribed in 2019 as the Risco Caído and Sacred Mountains cultural landscape.
It is busy: 4.86 million tourists stayed on the island in 2025, according to the Canary Islands statistics office (ISTAC). For Americans it has the same two catches as its neighbors. There is no nonstop flight from the US, and the Atlantic stays cool in winter. Hotels on the south coast were a little dearer than Tenerife's on our search: $161 for a January night and $139 in July, taxes included.
At a glance
- Best for
- Families who want a long sand beach, and solo travelers who want a real city with bars, buses and a beach
- Skip it if
- You want the lowest winter hotel price in the Canaries or warm sea swimming in January
- Getting there
- Gran Canaria Airport (LPA) by one connection in Europe; no US nonstop
- Hotel, mid-January
- $161 a night, taxes in, Playa del Inglés (Kayak, Wednesday, January 13, 2027)
- Hotel, mid-July
- $139 a night, taxes in, Playa del Inglés (Kayak, Wednesday, July 14, 2027)
- Island size
- 602 sq mi (1,560 km²), round and mountainous
In this guide
How Gran Canaria scores
Six factors, scored 0 to 10 the same way for all 64 islands. How we score
- WeatherData · 20%8.4
- Beaches & seaEditors · 25%7.0
- Things to doEditors · 25%8.0
- Getting there from the USData · 10%4.7
- ValueData · 10%6.4
- Room to breatheData · 10%4.2
Weather month by month
Best months by our weather score: July, August, September. Daytime highs, rain and sunshine are 2016–2025 averages at Gran Canaria Airport (Open-Meteo historical weather archive); sea temperatures are 2022–2025 averages for the nearest sea area (Open-Meteo marine archive).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 69 | 70 | 71 | 73 | 75 | 78 | 82 | 84 | 80 | 79 | 75 | 71 |
| Sea °F | 69 | 68 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 72 | 73 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 73 | 71 |
| Rain (in) | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.4 |
| Weather score | 5.8 | 5.9 | 6.2 | 6.7 | 7.4 | 8.3 | 9.1 | 9.3 | 9.3 | 8.8 | 7.6 | 6.4 |
The numbers behind the score
- Gateway airport
- Gran Canaria Airport (LPA)
- US nonstops
- None. No US nonstop. Connect via Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon or another European hub. From Canada, Air Transat lists seasonal Montreal (from December 13, 2026) and Toronto (from December 14, 2026) flights.
- Distance
- 5,836 mi from Los Angeles, 3,384 mi from New York
- Passport
- Needed for US citizens
- Hotel, one night
- $161 on Jan 13, 2027 · $139 on Jul 14, 2027 (Playa del Inglés (Maspalomas, south coast))
- Visitors a year
- 4,856,483 overnight visitors (2025)
- Bringing a dog
- Easy: Standard EU pet entry, no quarantine: ISO microchip, rabies vaccine at least 21 days before travel (after the chip), and an EU health certificate from a USDA-accredited vet endorsed by USDA APHIS within 10 days of arrival.
Hotel prices: Cheapest 3-star-or-better hotel located in Playa del Inglés per Kayak's location label (Jan: Servatur Playa Bonita, 4 stars; Jul: Servatur Waikiki, 4 stars), 1 night, 2 adults, Kayak 'Stay total - including all taxes + fees', Kayak Maspalomas search with Class 3+ filter sorted by price, checked 2026-10-20. A cheaper 4-star at Tarajalillo ($112 Jan) was outside the named area.. Visitor figures: ISTAC FRONTUR via Turismo de Islas Canarias, December 2025 report (full year).
Where Gran Canaria ranks
Who Gran Canaria is for, and who should skip it
Gran Canaria suits families who want one long, sandy beach with space to walk, and solo travelers who want more than a resort. Las Palmas gives you a working city: cafés, a cathedral quarter, nightlife and a beach promenade, all without a car. The south coast has big hotels, and Playa del Inglés is known for its LGBTQ nightlife.
Skip it if you are chasing the cheapest January rate in the islands; Tenerife and Fuerteventura came in lower on our dates. Skip it too if you want quiet. The south is a mass-market resort coast, and Gran Canaria shares the islands' housing debate: it holds 22.6% of the 47,117 vacation homes ISTAC counted in December 2025, and the protest movement Canarias tiene un límite has marched here as on the other islands.
Compare it with Tenerife for variety and Fuerteventura for emptier beaches.
Where to stay, with the prices we found
- Playa del Inglés (south). The main resort town, with the most rooms. On Kayak, the cheapest 3-star-or-better hotel here was $161 for Wednesday, January 13, 2027 (Servatur Playa Bonita) and $139 for Wednesday, July 14, 2027 (Servatur Waikiki), for 2 adults with taxes and fees included. A cheaper 4-star at Tarajalillo, up the coast, came up first but is outside the resort.
- Maspalomas and Meloneras (south). Beside the dunes and the lighthouse, with more upscale resorts. Expect higher rates than Playa del Inglés.
- Puerto de Mogán (southwest). A small harbor town of white houses and canals, quieter and sunnier, with a sheltered beach.
- Las Palmas (northeast). Stay near Las Canteras for a city break with a beach. It is cloudier than the south in summer.
Beaches: long sand in the south, a city beach in the north
- Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas: one long run of golden sand backed by the dunes. Wide and good for walking. The water can have waves and a breeze, so keep small children close.
- Las Canteras in Las Palmas: a long city beach. A natural rock bar offshore, La Barra, calms much of the water, which makes it a good beach for families and for snorkeling at low tide.
- Amadores and Anfi del Mar in the southwest: built, sheltered coves with calm water. The easiest swims for young kids.
- Puerto de Mogán: a small, calm harbor beach.
- Güigüí on the west coast: remote, reached on foot or by boat. Beautiful, with no services and real surf.
We score Gran Canaria's beaches a 7: genuinely sandy and varied, with the caveats of wind on the south coast and a sea that is cool in winter.
Things to do
- Roque Nublo and the central summits: a short, popular hike to a rock pinnacle with views over the island. Go early, since parking fills up.
- Tejeda and Artenara, mountain villages inside the Risco Caído and Sacred Mountains landscape. UNESCO's listing covers cave dwellings and sites used by the island's pre-Hispanic people.
- Vegueta, the old quarter of Las Palmas, with the cathedral and the Casa de Colón museum.
- Teror for its balconied main street and Sunday market, and Agaete on the northwest coast for natural rock pools.
- Boat trips from Puerto Rico and Puerto de Mogán for dolphin watching.
We could not confirm official 2026 prices for the main paid attractions, so we have left them out rather than guess. The mix earns Gran Canaria an 8 for things to do: several good days beyond the beach, but less than Tenerife's volcano and parks.
When to go
Gran Canaria is a year-round island. The south is drier and sunnier, while Las Palmas and the north catch more cloud from the trade winds. The rainiest months are late autumn and winter, and even then the southern resorts see little rain. Winter is high season, driven by Northern European visitors. The sea is coolest in late winter and warmest from August to October; the climate table on this page has the numbers.
The islands are outside the usual hurricane tracks. The one recent exception came in September 2022, when the remnants of Hermine brought record rainfall and flooding, according to the National Hurricane Center. See our storm-season guide for how we weigh that risk.
Getting there from the US, and entry rules
You fly into Gran Canaria Airport (LPA) on the east coast, between Las Palmas and the southern resorts. There is no nonstop flight from the US. Plan one connection through Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon or another European hub. From Canada, Air Transat lists seasonal flights from Montreal starting December 13, 2026 and from Toronto starting December 14, 2026.
Gran Canaria is in Spain and the Schengen area. A US citizen needs a passport valid for at least 3 months beyond departure; no visa is needed for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The EU Entry/Exit System, fully running since April 10, 2026, takes your fingerprints and photo at the border. ETIAS is not yet in operation, and its fee will be $22 (€20) when it starts. Our passport rules guide has the details.
What a trip costs
Our cheapest south-coast hotel nights were $161 in January and $139 in July, taxes included. That is more than we found on Tenerife ($124 and $92) but still well below Caribbean winter prices. We found no regional tourist tax in force in the Canaries as of October 20, 2026. A dog from the US needs the standard EU paperwork: microchip, rabies vaccine at least 21 days before travel and a USDA-endorsed health certificate.
See how it compares on our Canary Islands ranking and the best Canary Island for winter sun.
Tickets and tours you can book
Gran Canaria: Off-Road Buggy Adventure in the Canyons
Guide, goggles and insurance are included; pickup covers listed areas only, and photos and bandanas are sold extra.
Rating as shown on GetYourGuide
The Red Canyon Tour - Small Group Trip with Local Food Tasting
Guide, transport, lunch tasting and photos are included; pickup from Las Palmas or the south. A long day (7-10 hours) run by Climbo.
Rating as shown on Viator
Gran Canaria: Shared Yacht Excursion with Drinks, Lunch, and Snorkeling
Pickup in the south, beer, sangria, soft drinks, snacks and snorkel gear are included; towels and water sports cost extra.
Rating as shown on GetYourGuide
Booking through these links supports this site at no cost to you. Prices move by date, so we do not print them here; the official prices we checked are in the page above.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gran Canaria or Tenerife better?
Tenerife has more to do, including Mount Teide and big family parks, and its south-coast hotels were cheaper on our dates. Gran Canaria has the better sand beaches at Maspalomas and a livelier capital in Las Palmas. Families wanting variety pick Tenerife; beach walkers and city lovers pick Gran Canaria.
Can you fly direct from the US to Gran Canaria?
No. As of October 2026 no airline flies nonstop from the US to Gran Canaria. You connect in Europe, or in Canada on Air Transat's seasonal winter flights from Montreal and Toronto.
Is the sea warm enough to swim in Gran Canaria in winter?
It is swimmable for many people but cool, close to its lowest of the year in late winter. Sheltered beaches like Amadores and Las Canteras are the most comfortable. The warmest sea is from August to October.
Do you need a car in Gran Canaria?
Not if you stay in Las Palmas or one southern resort. You will want one, or a tour, for the mountain villages, Roque Nublo and the west coast.
Where is the best beach in Gran Canaria?
For length and sand, Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés. For calm water with children, Amadores or Anfi del Mar. For a city beach with sheltered water, Las Canteras in Las Palmas.
Further reading
Official sources
- ISTAC / Turismo de Islas Canarias, FRONTUR December 2025 – Gran Canaria 4,856,483 tourists in 2025 (principal plus secondary island); checked October 20, 2026
- ISTAC, vacation homes, December 2025 – 47,117 vacation homes in the Canaries, 22.6% on Gran Canaria; checked October 20, 2026
- Kayak hotel search, Maspalomas – Cheapest 3-star-plus hotel in Playa del Inglés: $161 (Jan 13, 2027, Servatur Playa Bonita) and $139 (Jul 14, 2027, Servatur Waikiki), stay total incl. taxes; checked October 20, 2026
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Risco Caído and the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria – Inscribed 2019; checked October 20, 2026
- FlightConnections, flights to Gran Canaria – No direct services from the United States, page updated October 16, 2026; checked October 20, 2026
- Wikipedia, Gran Canaria Airport – Air Transat seasonal Montreal from December 13, 2026 and Toronto from December 14, 2026; no US routes; checked October 20, 2026
- US State Department, Spain country information – Passport valid 3 months beyond departure, no visa under 90 days; checked October 20, 2026
- European Commission, ETIAS and Entry/Exit System pages – ETIAS not in operation, fee $22 (€20) at the ECB rate of October 19, 2026; EES fully operational April 10, 2026; checked October 20, 2026
- USDA APHIS, pet travel from the US to Spain – Microchip, rabies vaccine, USDA-endorsed EU health certificate; checked October 20, 2026
- NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hermine (2022) – Record rainfall and flooding on the Canary Islands from Hermine's remnants; checked October 20, 2026
