For those in the know, Gran Canaria has always harboured a quiet kind of luxury beneath its sun-drenched surface. Sure, the island has long been celebrated for sun, sea, sangría and a certain hedonistic la alegría de vivir (or even a hint of la vida loca), but the latest generation of hoteliers, chefs, designers and experience makers is reshaping its story, revealing the island’s subtler, more sophisticated pleasures. And through it all, Gran Canaria’s inclusive spirit – especially for those from the LGBTQ+ community – endures effortlessly: a place where open arms and open hearts are part of the landscape, as natural as its volcanic peaks and golden shores.
Gran Canaria is not emerging as something entirely new, but as much more aware of its elevated self. World-class spas, design-conscious resorts, intuitive service and a culinary scene rooted in its volcanic soil yet open to global influences signal a more discerning chapter for the island. With year-round sunshine, dramatically diverse landscapes, and an ever-inclusive spirit – especially for LGBTQ+ travellers – Gran Canaria offers a rare ability to pair hedonism with heritage, and indulgence with authenticity.
We uncover the island’s layers, from vibrant cities to tranquil villages, to help you mix and match your perfect Gran Canaria experience.
For the Hedonist
Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas need little introduction to OutThere travellers. From the rolling Saharan-like dunes that shimmer like golden waves, to the chic beach clubs and quirky seaside boutiques, it’s a sun-drenched playground where indulgence and escapism meet. By day, bronzed bodies stretch languidly across the sand or stroll the dunes’ sculpted peaks; by night, the tempo quickens as queer nightlife pulses from the legendary Yumbo Centre. It’s a place where the island’s natural drama collides with a mischievous dash of glamour – a heady blend of freedom, flirtation and that signature Gran Canarian hedonism.
For the Sophisticate
Meloneras is Gran Canaria’s elegant playground, where palm-lined promenades meet five-star resorts, designer boutiques and sun-drenched ocean views. A haven for OutThere jet-setters seeking proximity to Playa del Inglés but craving a distinctly refined vibe, it strikes a balance between sophistication and ease. Beachside cafés, luxury spas, and alfresco terraces invite lingering, while designer shops and gourmet restaurants promise indulgence at every turn. Here, understated luxury meets effortless leisure, and every sunset over the Atlantic feels like an invitation to pause, explore and soak in the island’s most polished pleasures.
For the Escapist
Further west on the coast, Puerto Mogán is Gran Canaria’s picture-perfect escape, where sunlit canals and a shimmering marina earn it the nickname ‘Little Venice.’ Yet beyond the picture-postcard façades lies a quieter, more intimate charm: whitewashed houses tumble down gentle hillsides, bougainvillaea blooms in vivid cascades, and artisan markets offer a taste of authentic island life. Cafés spill onto cobbled streets, and seaside promenades invite long strolls. At the same time, the surrounding hills hint at hiking trails, hidden beaches and a serene, timeless pace that feels worlds away from the everyday.
For the Adventurer
Up in the hills, a drive through Gran Canaria’s volcanic interior reveals a rugged, romantic wilderness dotted with whitewashed villages that seem untouched by time. Boutique fincas and rural villas offer fireplaces instead of infinity pools and star-studded skies instead of neon nightlife. Tejeda, the island’s quiet heart, clings to steep streets amid almond-scented air, drawing hikers, food lovers and seekers of contemplative calm. Nearby, Roque Nublo rises like a volcanic cathedral, its windswept trails revealing panoramic vistas of mountains and rolling valleys.
For the Insider
Teror is famed for its beautifully preserved colonial-era architecture, cobbled streets, and ornate wooden balconies spilling with vibrant flowers. A spiritual and cultural hub, it is home to the Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Pino, drawing pilgrims, history enthusiasts, and travellers seeking an authentic taste of island life. The town’s charming cafés, artisan shops and lively Sunday market offer local flavours and crafts, all set against a backdrop of verdant hills. In Teror, tradition, beauty, and community converge to create a timeless, quietly magical atmosphere.
For the Culturalist
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in the north, is the island’s vibrant capital, alive with contrasts, and where Atlantic energy meets cosmopolitan flair. In the cobbled streets of Vegueta, history whispers from sun-bleached façades, ornate wooden balconies and shaded plazas, while colonial architecture sits cheek by jowl with contemporary galleries, boutique shops and bustling cafés. Beyond the old town, Playa de Las Canteras beckons surfers and sun-seekers, while an eclectic food scene, lively nightlife and cultural venues make the city a sophisticated playground.
Where to rest your (perfectly tanned) head
Whether you crave grandeur or intimacy, Gran Canaria delivers. And the island’s new crop of luxury resorts blends Afro-Atlantic aesthetics with minimalist architecture. Its spas draw from the island’s natural bounty – volcanic stones, sea salt, aloe vera and sunshine. Each offers a different flavour of indulgence, but both share the same secret ingredient: a sense of place.
There are contemporary and cosmopolitan oceanfront resorts in Maspalomas and Playa del Ingles, like the Seaside Grand Hotel Residencia (part of the Leading Hotels of the World family) and Seaside Palm Beach, a member of Design Hotels. Both offer world-class gastronomy and exceptional spa experiences. In Playa del Ingles, there’s another Design Hotels member, Bohemia Suites & Spa – effortlessly stylish, adults-only and proudly LGBTQ+ friendly. Make sure to enjoy a cocktail or five in the Atelier Cocktail Bar and dine at their 360º Restaurant. Similarly, in Meloneras, there’s the Lopesan Villa del Conde, Resort & Thalasso – where the architecture is bold, the service seamless and the spa sublime. Or tuck yourself away in a boutique retreat in the hills, like the Parador Cruz de Tejeda – a former finca turned private sanctuary, set at one of the highest points on the island with infinity pools and dramatic views of the caldera. Here, the loudest sound is the distant call of a church bell. For the ultimate luxury, there’s the Santa Catalina, A Royal Hideaway Hotel by Barceló in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, first opened in 1890, complete with a Michelin Star, and its famed wellness centre.
A gastronomic awakening
Chefs across the island are rewriting the menu with a reverence for local produce and a splash of global flair. At Los Guayres at the Hotel Cordial in Mogán, Omar Páez’s Michelin-starred ode to modern Canarian cooking, each plate arrives rooted in the island’s volcanic soil and Atlantic bounty.
Just off the golden stretch of Las Canteras beach in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Tabaiba is where Gran Canaria’s soul hits your taste buds. Chef Abraham Ortega elevates local ingredients – fresh fish, gofio, almonds – into a theatrical tasting menu that’s inventive and heartfelt. Intimate, unpretentious, and utterly precise, Tabaiba unlocks the island’s essence, course by unforgettable course.
Tucked in Agaete Valley’s lush hinterland, Casa Romántica is rustic luxe at its most deliciously simple. Here, the kitchen does the talking: rabbit croquettes with almond‑mojo, tuna tataki kissed by native herbs, and every dish drawn from the restaurant’s own farm. Here, the real indulgence is in the food itself, each bite a celebration of place, season and a special kind of slow, sun-soaked pleasure.
Luxury rooted in land, sea and sky
Gran Canaria is an island of surprising layers, where luxury isn’t just about five-star resorts – it’s about the experiences that feel uniquely of place.
For those with a taste for agrotourism, the island offers visits to many subtropical fruit plantations and the only coffee plantations in Europe in Agaete. There’s also the lively Arehucas Rum Factory and the quirky Banana Museum. Foodies can savour award-winning three-milk cheeses and olives, or follow the island’s winery route – the only one in the Canaries certified by ACEVIN. Bodegas Bentayga, situated high in the mountains, offers dramatic views and wines reflecting altitude and volcanic soil. Bodegas Las Tirajanas is a cooperative collective with vineyards spanning various microclimates, and their guided tastings are highly recommended. Bodegas Los Berrazales in the lush Agaete valley, combines orange, coffee and vine cultivation – ripe for a scenic, sensory wine adventure.
Nature beckons at every turn. The island is a certified Starlight Destination, perfect for contemplative evenings under infinite skies. The best vantage points include high‑altitude spots, such as the viewing sites at Pico de las Nieves, where a cloud‑layer phenomenon known locally as the “donkey’s belly” helps shield against light pollution. Joining a guided tour by astroGC offers hotel pick-ups, a scenic drive into the mountains and powerful telescopes and storytelling sessions into the night.
By day, Gran Canaria’s mountains tempt adventurers with trails that wind through fragrant pine forests, carpets of endemic flowers, and skies alive with birdsong. Roque Nublo dominates the horizon, a volcanic sentinel offering jaw-dropping panoramas. Along the way, villages like Vega de San Mateo perch on ridges like secret gems, where boutique fincas and cosy inns invite a slow pause.
It’s impossible to talk about Gran Canaria without at least one ode to its most iconic sight: the Maspalomas Dunes. Stretching between the desert and the sea, these golden waves of sand have been the backdrop to more selfies than one dares imagine. Walk them at dawn, when the light turns everything the colour of honey, or at dusk, when the wind cools and the ocean hums below. It’s romantic, cinematic, and – should you wander far enough – delightfully risqué.
Heritage and history enthusiasts can explore Gran Canaria’s extraordinary collection of pre-Hispanic archaeological sites – the largest in the Canary Islands – where ancient stones whisper of cultures long vanished. At Cenobio de Valerón, labyrinthine granaries carved into volcanic rock hint at ingenious communal living, while Cueva Pintada in Gáldar reveals painted walls alive with geometric stories. And the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Risco Caído, sacred caves atop rugged peaks, offer a glimpse into past celestial rituals and spiritual life.
And for those chasing indulgent rejuvenation alongside their exploring, Gran Canaria delivers wellness with flair. Luxury spas here go beyond massages, offering hydrotherapy circuits, thermal pools, and treatments infused with local botanicals. The Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Gran Canaria spa includes a hydromassage pool, a Finnish sauna, a steam bath and full body & facial treatments, while the Salobre Hotel Resort & Serenity’s ‘Be Aloe Wellness Centre’ is a mountain‑adjacent resort spa with a ‘spa and food’ circuit: full‑day access plus gourmet lunch. Sign us up!
A place where you belong
Of course, we cannot speak of Gran Canaria without mentioning its LGBTQ+ soul. Few destinations wear inclusivity with such ease. Long before the rainbow was co-opted by corporate cool, Gran Canaria’s LGBTQ+ community had built a haven here: visible, vibrant, and vital.
In Maspalomas, the Yumbo Centre might be the world’s most flamboyant town square — by day, a laid-back retail hub; by night, a carnival of sequins, cocktails and camaraderie. Pride celebrations here don’t just draw crowds; they pull in pilgrims. Two of them, in fact: the annual May Pride and its sun-drenched sibling, Winter Pride. Both are a joyous mash-up of parade, performance and pure, unfiltered happiness.
But what makes Gran Canaria truly OutThere isn’t just its parties. It’s the way luxury and inclusivity coexist effortlessly. “LGBTQ+ friendly” is an ultimate reality, driven by its geography, queer history and the power of tourism.
Here, belonging is instinctive. And really, what could be more luxurious than feeling completely, utterly, unapologetically you?
Meet the OutThere locals
Mauro & Carmello >
Restauranters
Just steps from the marina in Puerto de Mogán, Mi Vida pulses with the warmth and charisma of its founders, Mauro and Carmelo. Before opening the restaurant, the pair – one Milanese, the other a proud Canarian – imagined building something meaningful together. A few years on, that vision has become a joyful reality. Mi Vida is their shared canvas: a place where playful energy meets thoughtful cooking, where dishes come seasoned not only with skill but with the easy, infectious camaraderie of two people doing exactly what they love.
Eva Lopez >
Restaurant manager
Eva’s story begins in Portugal, and her childhood was spent in Germany. At eighteen, craving something bold and new, she arrived on the island with little more than an oversized suitcase and an appetite for opportunity. What was meant to be a brief winter stint slowly stretched into fourteen years, each one rooting her more deeply in the island’s rhythm. Today, she oversees two bustling Yumbo Centre venues – Gio and the Ritz – all while holding fast to the simple joy that first captivated her: watching the dawn break over the beach.
Fernando Ilarduya >
Pride organiser
A decade ago, Fernando swapped the cool streets of Pamplona in mainland Spain for Gran Canaria’s perpetual sunshine, drawn less by the climate than by the sense of ease he felt from the very moment he arrived. Together with his husband, he went on to establish Freedom LGTB — the force behind both the exuberant Freedom Festival and the iconic Maspalomas Pride, now one of Europe’s most celebrated queer gatherings. For Fernando, the island isn’t just home; it’s the place where life changed and opened up.
Photography courtesy of Turismo de Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria
Discover and uncover Gran Canaria’s countless facets – its character, its secrets, its many ways of being enjoyed. Whether by land, water or air, wherever and whomever you are, it’s time to plan your next trip to this fairytale island.
www.grancanaria.com
