October holidays in Gran Canaria are the perfect time to learn about the island's fascinating past. Vegueta is the original settlement of Las Palmas, Gran Canaria's capital city, and features many beautiful colonial buildings, some of which date back to the 16th c. Highlights include Catedral de Canarias, Museo Canario, Casa de Colon, and San Antonio Abad hermitage.
Located in the south of Gran Canaria, Maspalomas Beach is popular with visitors due to its beautiful blue water, soft sand, and stunning natural setting. Apart from swimming and sunbathing, the beach is also a great spot for jet-skiing, surfing, and stand-up paddleboarding. Many visitors also enjoy camel rides in the nearby sandhills.
The largest zoo in the Canary Islands, Palmitos Park houses a collection of animals that includes gibbons, aardvarks, meerkats, and wallabies. There is also an extensive reptile section, where visitors can observe fearsome predators such as komodo dragons and spectacled caiman as well as an aviary and aquarium. Other highlights are the park's exquisite botanical gardens and wildlife shows.
Discover the unspoilt natural beauty of Gran Canaria at the Tamarlaba Natural Park, which encompasses 7,500 hectares of mountains, valleys, and pine forests in the island's west. Popular hiking trails include the 5km Roque Faneque trail and 10km Alta Vista Trail.