The island of Gran Canaria could be considered a large theme park where centuries of history combine with landscapes of great beauty and a diversity of opportunities to enjoy leisure activities and your own free time.

If you visit the twenty-one towns and cities of the island you will be able to delight in the many different types of scenery, cultural traditions and microclimates that each place on Gran Canaria offers the visitors. Just click on the name of the place you want to see.

Being of volcanic origin, Gran Canaria´s 1,560 square kilometres of surface area and 236 kilometres of coastline encompass a great many of the varied landscapes that are found in the archipelago. It is this characteristic, as well as its diverse climatic conditions, which have earned the island its epithet of "miniature continent". The most unique geographical characteristic of the island is its round shape. The only irregularity in the roundness of the island is a small peninsula in the North-East (known as La Isleta), which is approximately 12 square kilometres in extent and which is joined to the island by a sandy isthmus. The highest point of the island is the peak of Pozo de Las Nieves (1,949 metres above sea level), which is situated right in the centre of the island. The entire island is gouged by deep ravines that radiate from the highest point in the centre right down to the coast line, these ravines being host to a completely different landscape.

Being accustomed to the continuous passage of people and cultures that has occurred as a result of the island´s strategic position between three continents, the people of Gran Canaria are known for their hospitality to visitors and their peaceful and kind natures. The island´s famed spring weather throughout the year and its natural resources provide the inhabitants of Gran Canaria with a very high quality of life.

Gran Canaria has the biggest population of the islands in the Canarian archipelago (741,161 inhabitants in the year 2000), while also boasting the most important city in terms of population size and economic activity, namely Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This is also the most cosmopolitan of the islands (especially the capital, being home to almost half of the population), which is what lends so many special traits to the island, finding expression in its open nature and cultural diversity.