Winter is the big season in the Canary Islands. From October until well into April, to escape the cold weather, thousands of tourists, mostly from Northern Europe, arrive in search of mild weather, more hours of sunshine and activities to do. However, January in Gran Canaria is a unique experience that you should experience at least once in your life. If you don’t know what to do in January on the Canary Islands, keep reading!
With the end of the Christmas holidays and the beginning of the New Year, activity on the island, although it may not seem like it, doesn’t slow down and continues to offer us all its enchantment and endless possibilities to enjoy it and have a great time.
Gran Canaria is an island where you can enjoy a great winter. The mild temperatures, together with long hours of sunshine that allow any type of outdoor activities, make it a favourite destination for both mainlanders and Europeans.
With today’s post, we want to highlight an island that in winter becomes the main epicentre of tourism in the Canary Islands, with a variety of plans that very few places in Europe can offer.
5 plans to enjoy Gran Canaria in January
If you’ve already decided to come to Gran Canaria on holiday in January, you should know that you’ve chosen one of the best destinations, being an island that’s full of enjoyment and plans all year round.
And January isn’t going to be any different. You’ll be able to enjoy a unique environment, with warm waters, sun, beach, leisure, culture and unique landscapes. There’s a reason why the Romans called the Canary Islands the Fortunate Islands.
If you don’t know what to do in January in Gran Canaria, here are 5 plans to enjoy the island during the first month of the year, so that you can start the new year and your holidays in the best possible way.
Take the first dip of the year
Take a dip in the middle of January? Yes, you read that right. Since the island is one of the places in the world with the most hours of sunshine per day, you can do so perfectly well in Gran Canaria.
The temperature ranges between 17 and 24 degrees Celsius, so it’s not crazy to take the traditional first swim of the year on the 1st of January at Las Canteras Beach.
You can also take the opportunity to visit the main beaches in the south of the island, such as Playa del Inglés, San Agustín or Meloneras.
Cultural events
The city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in particular, and the island of Gran Canaria in general, offer great opportunities for cultural leisure in January.
To whet your appetite, you can enjoy one of the island’s main festivals, the International Music Festival of the Canary Islands, which kicks off the annual cycle of festivals in Europe.
The concert is held in January in Gran Canaria, in the emblematic Alfredo Kraus Auditorium, making it an excellent opportunity to get to know one of the island’s main venues.
The cultural offer in January is extended with visits to the different museums, such as the Museo Canario (traditional canarian museum), the Casa de Colón (dedicated to Christopher Columbus), the Cueva Pintada (painted caves by the aborigines) and the Fortaleza de Ansite (fortress), all wonderful places that convey the history of the island and which you’re sure to fall head over heels for.
Get to know the island on foot
What better way to get to know an island than on foot? Gran Canaria is the best option, since it has numerous paths that cross the island from north to south, revealing hidden secrets and places that would otherwise be imperceptible.
You should know that January is a magnificent month to go hiking, as with the cooler weather and the rain, the green landscape comes to the surface, as well as the hidden wonders of the island.
We’re sure you’ll fall in love with the island after a hike along its trails. Will you miss this adventure?
Enjoy your leisure time
Leisure and entertainment may be one of the most important things of a holiday. When we visit another place in a month like January, we always want to enjoy a moment of relaxation, have a few drinks, taste the local gastronomy or take part in leisure activities.
In this sense, Gran Canaria has one of the most significant amusement parks in the Canary Islands: Holidayworld Maspalomas. It’s the ideal place to end a day of active tourism, enjoying activities such as karaoke, its large bowling alley or having a great time in a group with its escape room.
Visit its street markets
To finish our particular ranking, we’re going to do sot with an activity that’s a tradition and custom among the people of Gran Canaria: the visit to the different street markets.
It’s one of the best ways to get to know the island’s customs. Every weekend, in the most valuable villages of the island, there are numerous stalls selling handicrafts and typical Canarian products.
A good way to get to know them all is to take a car and visit each of the most important ones, such as Teror, San Mateo or Firgas, villages that are relatively close and not too difficult to access.
Gran Canaria in January: a cold and snow-free paradise
As you’ve seen in this article, Gran Canaria is the best destination to escape from coats, scarves, the cold and the snow that reigns in a large part of the European continent.
Here, you’ll be able to do all kinds of outdoor activities thanks to the temperature in Gran Canaria in January, so you won’t have to worry about the weather. In the middle of winter, you’ll be able to wear short sleeves, shorts and take a dip in the ocean, which is unthinkable in Europe.
Where the island makes the difference is in the variety of plans it offers its visitors: you can enjoy nature, the beach, culture and history in the same day and still have time to have a game of bowling and eat some typical “papas arrugadas” with mojo sauce.
In short, if you’ve chosen to spend your holidays in January in Gran Canaria, you’ve made the right choice, and we’re sure that you’ll repeat the experience next year! Read about what to do in Gran Canaria in February.
