Thursday, 05 March 2015 12:32

The Sunniest Places In Gran Canaria

South west Gran Canaria gets almost permanent sunshine South west Gran Canaria gets almost permanent sunshine

Gran Canaria gets an average of 320 sunny days every year but it's a high island with lots of microclimates so the weather varies quite a bit. Here's our guide to picking the sunniest spots.

The good news for most visitors to Gran Canaria is that the south of the island, where all the resorts are, gets almost permanent sunshine. This is because the trade winds and their clouds blow from north to south and get diverted around the island by the central highlands. The south, in the shadow of the island, exists under a bubble of blue sky that only disappears when the winds change.

Maspalomas & Playa del Inglés

The sand dunes do their bit to keep Maspalomas beach and resort sunny. Even when most of the island is cloudy the dunes seem to burn off the cloud and create their own blue patch. Maspalomas is sunny for over 300 days per years and often goes for months without a cloudy day.

Arguineguin & Puerto Rico

Right in the shadow of the highlands these two south-west Gran Canaria spots get 320 days per year of blue sky. The beaches at Puerto Rico, Patalavaca, Amadores and Arguineguín are your best bet for sunshine even if the rest of Gran Canaria is cloudy (which isn't very often). 

Puerto de Mogán

Puerto de Mogán is as sunny as it gets in Gran Canaria and the Canary Islands. With its little beach and marina perfect for strolling, it's an idyllic spot to enjoy the sunshine. It gets over 320 days of blue skies every year.

The Agaete Valley

The sunshine bubble over south Gran Canaria often extends all the way up the west coast to the Agaete Valley and Puerto de las Nieves beach. Even if Las Palmas and the whole of the north are in the clouds, Agaete is often sunny. It's why the valley is the only place in Europe where coffee grows. If you're staying in north Gran Canaria and want sunshine without too many other visitors, head to Agaete. 

Other areas

So the south is almost always sunny, except for the odd patch when the trade wind fades away or the wind blows from the south. What about the rest of Gran Canaria?

 Well, the west coast is almost always in sunshine but unless you stay at La Aldea it's not that easy to enjoy. 

The East coast of Gran Canaria is normally sunny south of the airport but is often completely blue. 

The highlands or cumbres can be sunny, cloudy, hot and cold within a day. If the coast is cloudy and you have a car, head up into the mountains. there's a good chance you'll find sunshine above the clouds. 

Even in the "cloudy" north you get some sunshine most days. Las Palmas has the world's most pleasant climate even if the odd week is cloudy.  

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Tip of the day

  • How To Choose A Legal Gran Canaria Airport Transfer
    How To Choose A Legal Gran Canaria Airport Transfer

    Gran Canaria's hotels have to be licensed and offer a quality level of service as well as having insurance and complying with fire regulations. The same goes for the boats that take people out to watch dolphins, the companies offering jeep safaris, and even the holiday let apartments. 

    However, not everybody in Gran Canaria follows the rules. For example, there is a significant industry running illegal and uninsured transfers between Gran Canaria airport and the island's resorts. These cars, driven by locals and foreign-residents, are just private vehicles and the drivers are unregulated and uninsured. They don't pay tax and there is no way to hold them responsible if something goes wrong. 

     At Gran Canaria Info we believe that all people and all companies offering services to tourists should legal and above board.

    So, how do you know that your airport transfer service is legal and registered with the Gran Canaria authorities?

     Using legal Gran Canaria airport transfers

    It is quite easy to know if your airport transfer service is operating in a legal way because all registered transfers have the following...

     A blue license plate: Taxis and other public service vehicles in Gran Canaria all have blue plates.

    A VTC sticker in the window: This stands for Vehículo de Transporte con Conductor, the official designation for licensed transfer drivers ans chauffeurs.

    An SP sticker on the car: This indicates that the car offer a Servicio Publico or public service and is therefore allowed to pick up and transfer members of the public. 

    Parked in the transport zone: Official airport transfer vehicles don't park in the public car park of the airport. Instead they have their own parking zone right by the arrivals gates at the airport (next to the taxis and package tour buses). Your transfer driver therefore should not have to pay a parking fee before leaving the aiport. 

    How to spot an unlicensed transfer service

    Unlicensed drivers get away with offerring their service because they claim that they are just members of the public picking up a friend. They are allowed to stand at arrivals with a sign (just like any member of the public can).

    However, they also have to park their car in the public car park and will walk you there with your luggage, stopping to pay the parking fee at the meter. A licensed transfer driver does not need to do this because they have their own parking zone right by arrivals.

    Some unlicensed drivers don't even wait at the arrival gate because the official drivers recognise them and get annoyed. Instead they have to stand further away (often by the Spar supermarket or the car rental desks). 

    When an unlicensed driver drops you at the airport they will not want to be paid in a public area because this proves that they are charging rather than "transporting a friend" for free. 

    An unlicensed car will not have a blue license plate, or a SP or VTC sticker, and will often look like a private car (because it is a private car). 

    What's the problem with unlicensed airport transfers?

    Some people use unlicensed cars because they are the cheapest option and don't realise that they are unlicensed. 

    There are several problems with unlicensed services. The most obvious is that they are uninsured so if something goes wrong or there is an accident, you are not protected. The price that unlicensed drivers offer is only low because they cut corners (hopefully not literally). You have no way of even knowing if your unlicensed driver has a Spanish driving license, insurance and a good driving record. Licensed drivers are vetted regularly and must be fully insured and licensed to work.

    Another problem is that unlicensed transfers undermine the legitimate transfer drivers and businesses in Gran Canaria. Local drivers make a living from transfers and offer a legal, regulated service with minimum standards. Every time an unlicensed service undercuts them, it is effectively stealing from local people and the island economy.

    We believe that everybody in Gran Canaria deserves better!

    Gran Canaria Airport Transfer Services

    To find out more about the Gran Canaria airport transfer, see our Gran Canaria airport transfer article which explains the three different models; man/woman from pub with car, online transfer websites, and local transfer services.

    Or you can book a legitimate Gran Canaria airport transfer at a great price right here. Our service uses local drivers and supprts the island economy because all the money you spend stays in Gran Canaria.

    Alex Says: Using our service also helps the Gran Canaria Info team to keep providing quality local information here and in our Facebook Group

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