The Canary Islands (also known as “The Canaries”) are an archipelago of 8 islands and one of Spain autonomous communities, located in the Atlantic Ocean. Thanks to their beaches, the subtropical climate and several natural attractions, the Canaries are a major tourist destination with over 12 million visitors per year, being Gran Canaria among the first places. 

The canarian archipelago is the eighth most populous Spanish autonomous community with more than 2 million of inhabitants (2011), including the long-tenured residents, many mainland Spanish immigrants and an even growing number of foreigners.

Gran Canaria is the second most populous and the third largest island of the archipelago. The island is called the “Miniature Continent” due to the different climates and variety of landscapes present, where long beaches alternate to dunes of sand, contrasting with green ravines and picturesque villages. Moreover, a large part of the island is under the UNESCO protection as a Biosphere Reserve.

The capital city of the island is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, one of the biggest harbour, commercial and tourist centre of the Canaries. Las Palmas has a tropical climate (“the best climate in the world” according to the climatology department of the Syracuse University in the U.S.), with an average annual temperature of 21–28 °C during the day and 18 °C at night. 

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is a big multicultural city, with an offer for everyone: bars, cafeterias, nightclubs, discos and shopping centers are in abundance. Also on a cultural and artistic side Las Palmas offers a wide variety of theaters, cinema, opera, concerts, visual arts and dance performances, as well as an active nightlife. Do not to forget the Carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, known worldwide and representing one of the main attractions for tourists. The city center of Las Palmas, specifically the Vegueta and Triana neighbourhoods, is included in the List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is among the main tourist destinations in Gran Canaria, with its four main beaches (Las Canteras, Las Alcaravaneras, La Laja and El Confital), several parks and squares and many sights in the suburbs.