Sports in Gran Canaria is one of the main attractions and this is evident in the project that started in 2017, Gran Canaria European Sports Island. If you are a sports lover, you cannot stop visiting this wonderful destination and put into practice the best sports options in this place.
What sports can be practiced in Gran Canaria?
As part of Gran Canaria Tourism, the sport has a prominent place. Water sports or hiking are some of the most representative activities that can be practiced in these majestic islands, although the options are very numerous and are adapted to the sporting tastes of all types of travellers.
Sports in Gran Canaria can be practiced at any time of the year, on your vacation summer, Easter or any occasion you decide to visit this island. We can highlight some sports practices that take place in Gran Canaria. Here we have:
1. Paddle Surf
It is a perfect sport for the days that the sea is in a calm state. Basically, it is a practice in which people use oars to move on a surfboard and move through the water as if they were skating. It seems very simple but it has its technique. Would you dare to try it?
2. Hiking
Gran Canaria is a place that lends itself to venture into its trails and sections. It will make you enjoy unforgettable views of the most spectacular landscapes and topographic diversities of these spaces.
Either through the Dunes Maspalomas, which offer a desert landscape to see the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets, or the paths that lead to the summits, hidden beaches or natural pools, there are various options to avoid excuses and practice this popular sport in Gran Canaria.
Also, through the trails of this island, you can contemplate wonderful palm groves, pine forests and laurel forests. The practitioners of this sport will have the opportunity to visit various trails in Gran Canaria that cover different municipalities such as Santa Lucia, Agaete, Mogán, Firgas, the Village of Saint Nicholas, Moya, Santa María de Guía, Valleseco, Teror, Valsequillo, among others.
3. Cycling
In Gran Canaria there are also special places for cyclists, who will be able to cover various sections and trails and enjoy nature, putting cycling into practice.
Whether practicing mountain biking or traveling long distances, these Athletes have before them an island that is usually considered a “miniature continent”, since it has 8 nature reserves, 100 species of native plants and 32 protected natural areas that are perfect for practicing this well-known sport in Gran Canaria.
To practice this sport in Gran Canaria is very common, and even, due to the high altitude of the island, 1949 meters, it is the destination chosen by many elite cyclists to train for the great world championships.
4. Sportfishing
Among some of the most important characteristics of the beaches of Gran Canaria, it should be noted that, in these, there is an incredible diversity of marine species that you can fish, among which we must highlight the Needlefish, the Blue Marlin, the Atlantic Tuna, Albacore, and Barracuda.
In this sense, for those who like sport fishing, these waters open an infinite range of possibilities to relax and fish in the boats that can be rented in the South of Gran Canaria.
If you are one of those who enjoy fishing offshore, these boats will allow you to spend some wonderful days in the company of crews with experts in this sport, in spaces such as San Agustín, Meloneras or Playa del Inglés.
5. Surfing
Surfers also have great possibilities to enjoy this sport to the fullest on the island, since both novices, with the help of instructors, and the most expert will be able to put their skills into practice on the different beaches.
Gran Canaria has a wide variety of beaches for surfing, among them, there are some that, because they are remote and solitary places, offer these athletes the possibility of surfing with greater comfort than if they do it in those located in the areas. Tourists, which compared to these, have a higher number of visitors.
This is a tourist destination where the good weather, the trade winds, and the ocean are perfectly combined. All these elements will allow you to enjoy an incredible sport in Gran Canaria such as surfing.
6. Climbing
The peculiar volcanic orography of Gran Canaria with its unexpected slopes of rock and the great climate of this place, form a perfect combination to practice climbing in its rocky spaces.
Thus, this sport in Gran Canaria has had a great boom in recent times because new avenues have been opened that have greater difficulties, which they have come to represent a real challenge among climbers.
What are the traditional sports of Gran Canaria?
Gran Canaria, like the rest of the islands of the archipelago, also has several traditional sports, among which you can highlight the following:
1. Canary Wrestling
It is the sport of Gran Canaria and the rest of the archipelago. It is probably the most popular. The ancient Canarian aborigines practiced a type of fighting that was later adopted and modified by the Spanish upon arrival in the archipelago, giving rise to today’s Canarian fighting.
It can be presumed that it is a practice very similar to the Greco-Roman struggle and Sumo, Sekitori strugglers, but their differences are notable, among which it should be noted that in this fight the keys are not allowed nor do they fight on the ground.
2. Salto del Pastor
It is an exercise that originally was traditional and practical. On this sport was used an animal horn on the inside tip of a long pole, which allowed the shepherds to lean on the surface when they jumped over the ravines, or other slopes while accompanying the cattle through the spaces of the archipelago.
3. Game of stick
This is a sport from Gran Canaria that has some similarities with fencing, but it differs in the fact that players do not wear suits or protection elements, just an elongated stick.
Like Canarian wrestling, its origin is pre-Hispanic, but using techniques that have made it a very complex sport that has three modalities that are based on the size of the stick, classified as a small stick, medium stick and large stick (or club).
4. Latin sailing
It is a Canarian sport that came to these islands with the European expansion that occurred after its colonization. Sailing is done in a sailing boat, in pairs or in larger groups. The Latin Candle has been declared as a “cultural asset” of the Canary Islands.
Where to stay in Gran Canaria?
If you have decided to come and practice sports in Gran Canaria, but you still do not have a place to stay on your visit to this island, you can do so in one of the extraordinary hotels of the Lopesan Group, which are located in the best areas of this island such as San Agustín, Meloneras, Playa del Inglés, and Maspalomas.
To learn more about our excellent hospitality services, contact us and we will be happy to assist you.
