Gran Canaria

This unique landscape of the Maspalomas Sand Dunes stretches over 5.3 miles (8.5 km) to an over 100-year-old... lighthouse. The sight of the endless, gold-yellow glistening mountains of sand give the viewer the impression that s/he is standing in the desert of Africa. The picture is completed by camels on whom tourists ride through the area. The sand of the more than 32-ft (10 m) high dunes was not blown over from the Sahara - as often presumed – but has maritime origins; it is made of finely grind lime shells of mussels. The area became a protected area due to its unusual vegetation. The stringent regulation in conjunction with it came just in time for the nearby lagoon lake Lagunensee (La Charca de Maspalomas) – it nearly fell victim to the building boom. Numerous migratory birds use the oasis of palms around the lake as their resting place. The nature conservatory, which today includes the dunes, lagoon lake and palm grove is unique on the the Canary Islands. more

Situated in the fertile mouth of the Barranco de Mogán, Puerto de Mogán is markedly different from... other places on the east coast. While innumerable apartment complexes and hotel high rises are crawling up the rocks in the neighboring tourist centers, Puerto de Mogán shows some detail and style with its narrow alleys, little houses, wrought-iron balconies and lushly planted courtyards. While only a few fishermen and their families lived here at the beginning of the 1980s, in the meantime the town has developed into a gem of the tourism industry. In front of the old village, which was built on a slope, a new vacation town including a yacht harbor was constructed, fondly called “little Venice” due to its canals, waterways and bridges. Today Puerto de Mogán is the destination for innumerable day-trippers who wander through alleys with nostalgic street lamps, drink coffee in one of the bars in the main plaza and enjoy the atmosphere, which is unique in Grand Canary. more

A classicistic pilgrim church from 1760 to 1767, whose façade was altered by famous Gran Canarian artist... Luján Pérez, Nuestra Señora del Pino stands on a wide terrace. It is dedicated to the miraculous “Our Lady of the Pine”, who is also the patron saint of the entire diocese of the Canary Islands. The small late 15th-century sculpture is merely 1.05 m high, but is richly decorated and stands in a tabernacle of pure silver behind the high altar. Behind it, there is a room for the countless votive offerings and the precious robes of the Madonna, who wears them in turns. On September 7th and 8th, all of Teror is turned upside down, when the big pilgrimage takes place. Because on the 8th of September 1481, when most settlements on the island had been conquered by the Spanish and had been christianized, the citizens of Teror were supposed to be baptized. They resisted vehemently until a Madonna with child appeared before them under a pine tree, whereupon they went to Las Palmas in order to be collectively baptized. more