Gran Canaria was one of the very first destinations to welcome British tourists, way back in the 19th century. The appeal then was the warm climate and healing waters and that is still the case today. Boom time came in the late 60s and 70s when the resorts along the beautiful beaches in the south west of the island could not grow fast enough.
Those resorts are still the magnet for most visitors and yet there is so much more to see...
I took a tour to discover another side to Gran Canaria with local guide Armando...
We've literally driven about 10 minutes from Playa del Ingles and, Oh my God
and in 10 minutes that what we see, in 10 minute you have a Grand Canyon. This the the Grand Canyon of Gran Canaria its called the Valley of the 1000 palm trees. The island of Gran Canaria came out from the sea about 14.5 million years ago and there was a process of eruptions and it was a layer of lava and another layer and another layer that formed the island and this part is about 9.5 million years old.
The interior is volcanic by by no means barren...
We stopped to take a closer look - I'm not sure I would have noticed them all without a guide but here we found avocado trees, pomegranates, figs and more...
here you see the prickly pears and you see those white spots, that's the cochineal, its still used a s colourant for lipsticks, campari for colouring medicines. and it is this bug, its like a bug and look at what happens (squeezes bug) this intense red and that is what is used for making the colour.
Next stop was Fataga, one of the many small villages dotted throughout the interior.
The interior is perfect cycling and walking territory -
there are endless well marked trails and many rural hotels to stay in or have lunch, most with spectacular views.
The unique scenery in the centre of the island is the area named “The Petrified Storm” by the philosopher Miguel de Unamuno in reference to its violent and spectacular shapes.
So here we see the petrified storm. Look at the rock and the forms they have. All a product of the eruptions they had millions of years ago. This is all called the Caldera of Tejada, sacred mountain of the former inhabitants that is the mount Bentayga over there the big one is the Roque Nublo and the other one is the monk. this is the valley facing west of Gran Canaria, on the other side is La Aldeia.
This has to be one of the most impressive sights on the island isn't it. Yes, yes, I should say.
Heading further north the landscape changes yet again, as you travel through the fertile Vallesecco.
This is the part of the island facing north. So the north it gets much more humidity. Even in summer, look at the landscape.
And we've gone for the drama of the the arid dry volcanic landscape to this amazing lush fertile land. And from the petrified storm thats rather dry too.
My exploration of the island ended in Las Palmas in the north of the island. More flora and fauna in the Botanical Gardens, the third largest in Spain. Las Palmas is the most populated city in the whole of the Canaries and is steeped in history - as the last port of call for Spanish colonisers heading out to the new world, their legacy remains as do the deep and fascinating connections with today's Spanish speaking world.
History is really all around you here especially in La Vegueta and Triana - linger over lunch in a courtyard restaurant...explore the colourful markets where the island's exotic produce is proudly displayed...take in some shopping in the Triana and maybe when you are done with walking, chill out on the city's Canteras beach.
They call Gran Canaria a miniature continent - as I found out there is so much more to see beyond the beaches. The contrasts of landscape, lifestyles and character within such a small island is truly staggering.
