GRAN CANARIA
Why has Gran Canaria become one of the most popular holiday destinations for gay tourism in Europe? Perhaps because it offers everything a holidaymaker could wish for, and much more: “Live and let live” is the motto of the open-minded, cordial inhabitants of Gran Canaria. The Maspalomas dunes, on the southern tip of the island, are undoubtedly one of Gran Canaria’s most famous landmarks and attract thousands of visitors every year. Especially LGBTQ+ travellers like the Spanish island and this has its reason…
The island has a whole ocean of beaches. And apart from the beauties of nature, the weather is so good all year round that the beach season never ends. The most famous beaches, Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés, are located in the south and are completely unique with their huge protected dune areas. Also the night life pulsates all year round in the holiday areas of Playa del Inglés and the island capital Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. There are an incredible number of pubs and discos with excellent music and a cheerful atmosphere. The Yumbo shopping centre in Playa del Inglés, a top location for European gay nights, is by no means only popular with gays. And during the day, the Yumbo is a popular shopping centre where you can shop and browse LGBT community shops. When dusk falls, it becomes the main artery of the pink nightlife of Playa del Inglés. But for this to happen, you have to recharge your batteries. The beautiful weather invites you to dine outside on one of the terraces at any time of the year in a colourful mix of holidaymakers from all over the world. In the island capital Las Palmas de Gran Canaria beats the heart of the nightlife around the Santa Catalina Park, in the shopping street of Triana and in the colonial old city quarter Vegueta, where the many bars and terraces invite to eat tapas and drink a glass of wine. The cultural programme is also seasonal all year round. Festivals and events, opera and classical music, dance and theatre up to open-air concerts are available all year round. But the most important event for the international LGBTQ+ community is undoubtedly the Pride, which is famous throughout Europe. In Playa del Inglés, the largest gay pride parade in the Canary Islands takes place every year, a festival that must already have a fixed place or, better, two fixed places in its calendar. Because unique is that the Pride takes place there meanwhile in summer and winter.
The YUMBO is one of the largest and best-known shopping and leisure centres in Gran Canaria. More than 200 shops, pubs and bars, service companies and the many small stands of the “flying dealers” offer visitors an international ambience. Especially the bars & pubs in the YUMBO are well known far beyond the borders of Gran Canaria. Many bars are lovingly furnished by their mostly gay operators and each bar is something special in its own way. Some bars open in the early afternoon, others in the early evening hours. On the terraces of the bars you can enjoy a Spanish beer, sangria or a tasty cocktail and especially watch the hustle and bustle on the “catwalk”. Who cannot tolerate however all too much alcohol, that should pay attention with his order. Because differently than usual in Germany, the 2cl alcohol per Longdrink is surpassed rather generously. At a later hour you change to the different establishments, which offer a colourful range of parody, singing, slapstick, karaoke, travesty or drag show. But gays will also find leather and fetish bars or darkrooms in the Yumo Center. Some bars are reserved for men or women only.
The Dunes of Maspalomas – One of the largest and most extensive cruising areas and at the same time a natural spectacle to be discovered.
At the sandy beach between Playa del Ingles and Maspalomas, the beach at the kiosk with the number 7 belongs to the most famous beach sections, because this is the GAY BEACH on Gran Canaria. There the international gay community gathers from morning till evening to lie together in the sun and of course to make new acquaintances…
