LPA · Spain
Golden dunes, mountain villages and a lively capital on one island.
Gran Canaria is often called a continent in miniature, with sand dunes in the south, pine forests and gorges in the centre and green valleys in the north. The Maspalomas dunes, a protected nature reserve, run down to the sea beside the resorts of Playa del Inglés and Meloneras.
Las Palmas, the capital, is the largest city in the Canary Islands, with the long city beach of Las Canteras and the old quarter of Vegueta, where Columbus stopped on his first voyage to the Americas.
Inland, the rock pinnacle of Roque Nublo is a popular walk, and the harbour town of Puerto de Mogán is known for its canals and flowers.
