Gran Canaria is the most visited of the Canary Islands, with Las Palmas being the biggest city in the Canaries. Las Palmas offers a great beach and vibrant atmosphere, from the modern shops of the city centre to the Spanish quarter of Barrio Vengueta.
Puerto de Mogán is based around a quiet fishing port, with all other resorts accessible by ferry. Puerto Rico, on the other hand is busier, and a great spot to learn sailing, diving and wind-surfing. It is also the sunniest spot in all of Spain. Playa del Inglés is the place to be for nightlife, with plentiful restaurants and clubs. West of this resort, Palmitos Park is home to exotic birds kept in subtropical gardens and Sioux City is a western-style theme park which is fun for the kids. The northern side of the island is greener, with banana plantations taking up much of the coast. Agaete is a small resort tucked away here, the town still celebrates the ancient rain-making festival Fiesta de la Rama, in which villages beat the sea water with green branches to summon the rain. The Caldera de la Bandama is a vast volcanic crater, best viewed from above, and the inhabited caves in the Barranco de Guayadeque are a unique colony, dug into the red volcanic rock.
