After a delicious buffet breakfast, we explore Puerto Mogán, a short ride down the coast. This pretty town, which is affectionately called Little Venice by the locals, is home to several aboriginal sites and one of the prettiest ports on the island.
La Cañada de los Gatos in Mogán is an important archaeological site that reveals how the island’s ancient Indigenous people, the Guanches, once lived. Set near the beach and sheltered by rocky slopes, the area preserves stone structures, burial sites, and remnants of daily life dating back more than a thousand years. Walking through the complex, you can see how the community used natural materials to build homes and terraces, offering a fascinating glimpse into Gran Canaria’s earliest history in a beautiful coastal setting.
After lunch, a coffee, and perhaps a little souvenir shopping, we return to Maspalomas to explore the dunes, arriving back to our hotel with enough time to relax and enjoy some quiet time by the pool or the beach!
The Dunas de Maspalomas form one of Gran Canaria’s most remarkable natural environments, a vast sea of fine, golden sand sculpted by the Atlantic winds. This protected reserve spans dunes, a lagoon (La Charca), and a palm oasis that together create a rare and delicate ecosystem home to migratory birds and native plants. Walking across the dunes feels like entering a miniature desert, with soft ridges, sweeping curves, and ever-changing patterns shaped by light and shadow. The dunes cover roughly 404 hectares (about 4 km²), with individual dunes rising up to about 10 meters. The result is a desert-like landscape contrasting dramatically with the nearby Atlantic Ocean, creating one of Europe’s most unique coastal dune reserves.
