Food, Drink and Shopping
Food and drink
Gran Canaria has a great variety of local dishes that visitors are well advised to try. As well as tapas (small portions of food, a selection makes a great meal to share) you should give fresh dorada (a local white fish and potatoes) and vieja ropas (meat and vegetable stew) a try; just don't be put off by the translation as vieja ropa means "old clothes"! As with many of Spain's islands, fish is a popular local delicacy and Gran Canaria's offerings are excellent; fresh and cooked to perfection, often with a herb sauce. Stone bass or sea bream, called Sancocho, is one of the most popular dishes on the island.
Rabbit is another local speciality and is often served with papas arrugada (wrinkled potatoes). Platanos fritos (fried bananas) are a tasty desert and bienmesabe, a honey, almond cream, eggs and rum-based pud is delicious.
When is comes to drinks, the one thing you really shouldn't leave without trying is the island's rum. Thanks to the island's sugar plantations, Gran Canaria has a flourishing rum-making industry. Sample it straight, in one of the cocktails popular with locals, or even in confectionary. A word of warning however: the alcohol content can range from 40 to 80 per cent, so best to check before you try!
Shopping
For your fix of retail therapy then head to the YUMBO Centre, easily accessible from Playa del Ingles and Maspalomas . Here you'll find over 200 shops, supermarkets, boutiques, bazaars and stands. It's also a great place to eat with lots of restaurants, pubs and bars.
Beaches
Gran Canaria offers a good selection of beaches - 60 kilometres' worth in total - to suit all tastes, whether you prefer rocky coves or sandy beaches. Maspalomas beach is a particular favourite with sun-worshipers as you can soak up the rays next to the Maspalomas sand dunes, which stretch a mile inland, cover some 250 hectares. Some areas are popular with naturists so just look out for the signs if you want to avoid these sections.
Playa del Ingles also has a long stretch of sand that is popular with families. Playa Amadores has a man-made beach and situated along a promenade and lined with palm trees. Again, it's a favourite with holiday-makers. Watersports can be found at the beaches of all the main resorts, with the seafront in Puerto Rico a particularly popular choice.
Travel to the north of the island and you'll find rocky inlets and secluded coves, offering a bit more privacy than the southern beaches. Las Canteras and Las Alcaravaneras are recommended if you're looking for some sand in the north.
Nightlife
The resort of Playa del Ingles has the biggest choice of clubs and bars, many located in the Kabash centre or Plaza commercial centre. The Europa Centre in Puerto Rico also has a selection of late-night bars, and casinos can be found in San Agustin and Playa Meloneras. In other parts of the island, entertainment is usually centred around the hotels.
YUMBO Centrum shopping centre has a good selection of bars, restaurants and pubs, as well as shows and evening entertainment. Located near Playa del Ingles and Maspalomas , it's also host to a thriving gay scene with a good selection of clubs and discos.
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