Mini Travel Guides

Madrid, the Spanish capital is full of impressive museums, and I picked the 10 I’d love to see most. These museums offer works of fine art, applied art, decorative arts, information about the lives of some of the most famous Spanish artists, writers and more.

 Reina Sofia Museum (Queen Sofia Museum)

Photo from Andy Roberts via Creative Commons

Opened to public in 1992, Reina Sofia Museum mostly contains 20th century Spanish artists such Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali. While museum also includes works of other established Spanish and international artists, the most famous piece of the Reina Sofia Museum is Guernica, painted by Picasso to reflect the effects of war. You can read about Guernica’s story in Jeremy’s post.

The museum is closed Tuesdays and the admission is 6,00€.

 Casa Museo Lope de Vega

Photo from Zaqarbal via Creative Commons

Dedicated to the most famous (and productive – he wrote about 2000 plays!) Spanish playwright Félix Lope de Vega y Carpio (1562-1635), Casa Museo Lope de Vega is where the writer lived for the last 25 years of his life. You can join the tour (in English) and learn about the writer. Entrance is free. The museum is closed on Sundays, Mondays and public holidays. It is also closed during August.

Museo de la Fundación Lázaro Galdiano

Photo Credit – Museo de la Fundación Lázaro Galdiano

As a writer who is a business major, it is hard for me to resist visiting the house of the Spanish journalist/entrepreneur José Lázaro Galdiano (1862-1947), so one of my first museum visits would be to Museo de la Fundación Lázaro Galdiano. This house-turned-museum not only enables you to find about the man himself, but it also offers the experience of seeing the works prominent artists such as El Greco, Velazquez, Guardi, Turner, Reynolds, Bosch, Goya and more.  The house also has a massive library.  The museum is open from 10am to 4:30pm Mondays to Fridays (closed on Tuesdays and public holidays. The admission costs 4€.

Museo del Romanticismo

Photo Credit – Museo del Romanticismo

Dedicated to the romantic period of the 19th century and its Spanish artists, Museo del Romanticismo will show you everything about life in the 19th century including arts, decoration, furniture and more. It is open every day, apart from Mondays and several public holidays.

 Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativos

Photo from  sftrajan via Creative Commons

If you like ceramics, pottery, ornaments, glass works and other forms of decorative art, you might want to make sure you have time for 5 floors of exhibits in the Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativos. This museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday (from 9:40am to 3pm), and on Sundays and public holidays (from 10am to 3pm). You can call 91 532 64 99 to learn about the museum’s closed dates. Entry costs 2.40€.

 Museo de la Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando

Photo from  nilzamadri via Creative Commons

Spain’s Fine Arts Museum Museo de la Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando showcases  artwork from Ribera, Velazquez, Zurbaran, Murillo, Van Dyck, Rubens, Raphael, Goya and more. The museum is closed on Sundays, Mondays and public holidays and the visiting hours change on Saturdays, as well as in the months of July and August). Entrance fee is 3€.

Museo Naval de Madrid

Madrid’s Naval Museum can satisfy all curiosity about the Spanish Navy and its history. It offers exhibits going back centuries and you can also find flags, weapons, naval charts, paintings of famous sailors and naval battles, figureheads, scale models of ships and more. The museum welcomes visitors from Tuesday to Sunday (from 10am to 2pm.), and it is free to enter. It is closed on Mondays.

Museo Sorolla

Photo from  j.labrado via Creative Commons

Museo Sorolla is another graceful example of a house-transformed-into-museum. Spanish painter Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (1863 – 1923)’s works, including the ultimate painting he was working on before his death, can be found in the museum. The entrance fee is 3€, and it is open from Tuesday to Saturday between 9:30am and 8pm. It is also open on Sundays and public holidays from 10 am to 3pm. However you might want to call the museum at 91 3101584 for for the days it is closed.

 Museo de América

Photo from  Hunter333 via Creative Commons

Previously housed as a part of the National Archaeological Museum, Museo de América has been receiving visitors in its building in Avenida Reyes Católicos since 1962. It has a rich collection of thousands of South and Central American artifacts. This is the perfect choice if you are interested in the Pre-Columbian artworks.

You can visit Museo de América (Museum of the Americas) from Tuesday to Saturday, (9:30am to 3pm) and on Sundays & holidays from 10am to 3pm. The admission fee is 3€, and it is free to enter on the 18^th of May, 12th of October and 6th of December.

 Biblioteca Nacional & Museo Arqueológico Nacional

Opened in 1892, the building Palacio de Bibliotecas y Museos in Calle Serrano contains both the Biblioteca Nacional & Museo Arqueológico Nacional (National Library and The Archelogical museum). Both the library and the museum offer immense collections. Archeology enthusiasts can find reproductions of some of the ancient European cave paintings, Greek ceramics, Roman mosaics, Egyptian mummies and more.

The library part offers maps, millions of books, newspapers, cartographic works, postcards, video recordings, music-related documents and more. Currently the library is closed because of renovation, and it is free to visit the museum while the renovation is going on. The museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday (09:30am to 8pm), and on Sundays and public holidays from 09:30am to 3pm. The museums are closed on Mondays, as well as on January 1 and 6, May 1, September 9 and 24^, 25 and 31 of December.

Most Madrid museums and attractions are free to enter when you own a Madrid card, which costs 32€ for 24 hours and 42€ for 48 hours.

More European Museums

Find out about more museums in Europe.

 More Madrid Tips

We’ve more tips for things to do in Madrid.

Click here for the lowest prices on Madrid hotels

10 Marvelous Madrid Museums

Tips on what to see in Europe. Copyrighted content published on Europe a la Carte.

The car hire for our 7 day holiday in Gran Canaria in February 2011 was arranged by holidayautos.co.uk, on a complimentary basis. As we stayed at three different hotels in Gran Canaria, it was really useful to have a car for our transfers to and from the airport and between our hotels.  We picked up a Skoda Fabia (a supermini) at Las Palmas Airport. The pick up of the car was quick, as there was no queue at the Avis desk.  The car’s fuel tank was full and the arrangement was to return to car with a full tank. This is a much better arrangement than the ‘pay an inflated price for a full tank of fuel and return empty policy’ that many car hire companies seem to be adopting. It was easy to find the car in the multi storey car park just across from the airport.

Our holidayautos hire car in the mountains of Gran Canaria

Our hire car was covered by Total Damage Excess Waiver, meaning that in the case of accident or theft, we could reclaim any insurance excesses charged by the rental company from holidayautos, in accordance with their terms and conditions. If you want to have extras, such as an additional driver, you have to pay this when you collect the car.  Personally, I prefer to pay for everything at the time of booking, so I know the final cost from the outset. As many extras have to be paid for in local currency when you pick up the hire car, they are liable to currency fluctuations and overseas payment card fees.

There’s a good motorway, the CG1, which stretches from the north to the south on the eastern side of the island. However once you head into the mountains, the roads are full of hairpin bends and are quite narrow if you meet a lorry or bus.

The hire car drop off at Las Palmas Airport was so effortless, as there were several spaces outside the car park designated for Avis drop off.  An Avis employee appeared as soon as we parked and took the key, then it was over the zebra crossing straight into the terminal building.

You can phone 087 1472 5229 or go to the holidayautos site to arrange your Gran Canaria car hire.

Holidayautos.co.uk Car Hire in Gran Canaria

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Here are my tips for things to do in Las Palmas, the capital of the island of Gran Canaria.

Hit the Beach

Playa de las Canteras is a fab beach in the west of the city.

Visit the Museo de Canario

The Museo de Canario focuses on the archaeology and history of the Canary Islands.  It’s free to get in if you visit on a Monday.

Mummy at Museo de Canario, Las Palmas

Go Up the Cathedral Tower

It costs around 2 Euro to take the lift up to the top of the south tower of Santa Ana Cathedral to get some great views of the city and the Atlantic Ocean.

Santa Ana Cathedral, Las Palmas

Pat the Dogs near the Cathedral

Just opposite the cathedral there are several dog sculptures. Legend tells that the dogs have been appearing of the roofs of buildings in the city since 1506.

Have a drink at a characterful cafe

There are loads of cafes in Las Palmas. I liked the one in the photo below, which is located in the Plaza Santa Ana near the cathedral.

Cafe in Plaza Santa Ana, Las Palmas

Buy fruit at the market

There’s an amazing choice of fruit a reasonable prices in the Market Hall.

Las Palmas Market

Cool off by the Toad Fountain

I thought that two toad fountain was very quirky. There are benches in the shade were you can observe how far each toad can spray. There are free toilets in the library just around the corner.

Toad Fountain, Las Palmas

Lowest Prices on Las Palmas Hotels

Although many visitors stay in the resort towns on the south east of Gran Canaria, I think that Las Palmas would make a good base. You can find the best prices of hotels in Las Palmas using the sunshine.co.uk search box below.

Your Tips for Things to Do in Las Palmas

If you have any suggestions please leave a comment.

Seven Things to do in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria

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Gran Canaria, one of the Spanish Canary Islands, has many beautiful beaches (playas in Spanish). Below are the six beaches we visited, working from the north east of island in the capital, Las Palmas in a clockwise direction to Puerto de Mogan in the south west.

Playa de las Canteras, Las Palmas

The five kilometre Las Canteras beach lies on the west coast of Las Palmas. The beach is sheltered by a rocky lagoon, known locally as “The Bar”, a few hundred metres from the shoreline. It’s said to be one of the best city beaches in Spain. There’s a prom along which you can walk if you don’t want to go down on the sand. This beach is very popular with locals of all ages. There’s a sports area at one end of the beach.

Playa de San Agustin

Our first hotel, the IFA Beach, was on San Agustin Beach. It was pretty wavy when we were there due to the wind. We enjoyed walking along the prom there.  It’s fairly quiet with a few cafes and restaurants along the prom.

Playa de San Agustin

Playa de Ingles

Playa de Ingles could be reached from the ground floor exit of our second hotel, the IFA Dunamar. This is a big beach which gets pretty busy, with lots of bars, cafes and restaurants.

Playa de Maspalomas

It’s quite spectacular at Maspalomas Beach, as there’s the lighthouse at one end and the sand dunes at the other. There’s also a small lake (Charca) which is separated from the sea by a strip of sand. We stayed at the Lopesan Baobab Resort, a ten minute walk from the beach.

Playa de Maspalomas with the Charca on the left

Playa de Puerto Rico

The beach is in the popular town of Puerto Rico. The sea was very calm during our visit and the beach was hotching with quite a few people in swimming.

Playa de Puerto Rico

Playa de Mogan

This narrow strip of sheltered beach is in the pretty village of Puerto de Mogan which has some canals and a working harbour.

Playa de Mogan

Do you have a favourite Gran Canaria beach?

Search for accommodation in Gran Canaria using the sunshine.co.uk search box below, they offer a lowest price guarantee and free supplier failure insurance.

Six Beautiful Gran Canaria Beaches

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We stayed at the 5 star Lopesan Baobab Resort in Maspalomas in Gran Canaria for three nights in February 2011 on half board. Our stay was arranged by sunshine.co.uk on a complimentary basis.  You couldn’t help but be wowed as soon as you entered the resort by waterfalls down the rock as you walked across the bridge to reception. The resort has an African theme and the baobab is a tree which grows in savannah regions in Africa.

We were allocated a double deluxe room on the third floor. The room had plenty of space and the beds (two twin beds pushed together) and sofa were very comfortable. There was a separate toilet cubicle and a wet room with a shower and big bath. The wash basin was located between the toilet cubicle and wet room. You can request that your room is cleaned within a specific time slot.

Our room at the Lopesan Baobab

We had an enormous balcony with a view of the resort grounds, the sea and the dunes. We were only able to sit in the balcony in the morning when it was sunny there but you could enjoy the views sitting on the sofa.

Wifi costs 15 Euro per day for single days, or 10 Euro per day if you pay for 4+ days.  The signal in our room was variable, at its weakest during the day.

There are lots of animal sculptures around the grounds and eight different pools. The two kids pools are very warm and there’s some fun features such as monkey, chutes and a see-saw. I loved the swimming pools as they were large enough for a decent swim and weren’t too busy.  There are plenty of sun loungers around all the pools and some areas have coarse sand so you do feel like you are at the beach.  Guests are given thick pool towels which can be changed daily at specific locations.

The flamingoes at the Lopesan Baobab Resort

The baobab tree sculptures are magical when illuminated in the evening, especially with the reflections in the pool.

The illuminated baobab trees

In the morning you could have breakfast in the beautiful terrace. There’s a fantastic choice of food at the breakfast and evening buffets but it does get busy on occasion. This coupled with the fact that the tables are so close together, does slightly mar the 5 star dining experience.  You can see photos of the Lopesan Baobab dinner buffet on Flickr.

The restaurant terrace at Lopesan Baobab

There are plenty of shops, restaurants and cafes within a five minute walk of the hotel. It takes around ten minutes to walk down to the prom at Maspalomas, where you’ll find the lighthouse. You can walk along the Maspalomas Dunes and swim at the beach.

Maspalomas Lighthouse and fountain sculpture

You can see all my Lopesan Baobab photos and videos on Flickr.

In summary, the Lopesan Baobab Resort is a unique, enchanting resort in a great location. The grounds are fantastic. I really liked our room for its spaciousness, comfort and views. The food is excellent. If the hotel could re-arrange the tables to give diners more space and offer free wifi, I think this would improve the guest experience.

Click here to check availability and price at the Lopesan Baobab.

Review of Lopesan Baobab Resort, Maspalomas, Gran Canaria

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We stayed for 2 nights at the 4 star IFA Dunamar Hotel in Playa del Ingles in February 2011 on half board, on a complimentary basis, arranged by sunshine.co.uk. It was quite hard to find the hotel’s main entrance, partly due to the one way system. On entering the lobby the first thing that struck me was the wonderful view down to the beach.

We were allocated a room which had a beautiful terrace a few metres from one of the hotel’s swimming pools which had a jacuzzi in the centre. The bar at at that pool was closed as it was low season, so it was quiet around the pool. We had the pool to ourselves both times we went for a swim.

Our terrace at the IFA Dunamar

The room was a good size with very generous wardrobe space. It had the two single beds sitting side by side.

Our room at the IFA Dunamar

The bathroom was a good size. The bath was slippery and I didn’t see a bath mat to use while taking a shower. The shower screen was  inadequate and there was water on the floor after taking a shower.

There was free wifi with a reasonable signal in the room. I really appreciated the free wifi but I’m not sure for how long that will be available, as the reception said it was free “for the moment”. I’d advise the hotel to maintain this policy, as free wifi can be a deciding factor when guests are selecting a hotel.

The food was excellent with an extensive choice at the breakfast and dinner buffets.  The meat was very high quality and tender. In my opinion, breakfast should be served until 11am, a thirty minute extension to the current 10.30am, to give guests more flexibility.  The layout of tables somewhat detracted from the dining experience, as many of the tables were in long rows, pretty close to each other. See more photos of the IFA Dunamar dinner buffet.

Joint at the IFA Dunamar dinner buffet

You can access the elevated section of the prom from the front entrance of the IFA Dunamar.

View over Playa del Ingles beach from the prom

If you exit at the beach level gate of the IFA Dunamar, you’ll find plenty of cafes, bars and restaurants, many with live music in the evenings.

You can see all my photos and videos of the IFA Dunamar on Flickr.

In summary, I really liked our room for its spaciousness, the terrace and the proximity to the pool. However the bathroom could do with a larger screen shower and a non slip mat.  Free wifi was a real boon. The food was delicious but the seating arrangements didn’t offer the best setting in which to enjoy it.

Check availability and prices for the IFA Dunamar Hotel here.

Review of IFA Dunamar Hotel, Playa del Ingles, Gran Canaria

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The Black Madonna has been a figure of mystery for centuries. Some say she’s simply a statue of the Virgin Mary carved from black wood, or perhaps has soot on her skin from the smoke of thousands of candles.  But speculation goes much deeper than that.

Throughout Europe, especially in France, about 500 Black Madonnas, painted or carved in wood or stone, stand in Catholic churches, with a few in museums. Most date from the 11^th to the 15^th centuries. These medieval images of the Virgin holding the Christ Child gaze benignly on their devotees, who come as pilgrims and associate them with miracles and healing.

Many scholars say that the Black Madonna is a link to religions that existed long before Christianity. Her shrines are often in locations that were once pagan shrines to Diana, Artemis of Ephesus, Cybele and other goddesses. Some Black Madonna figures look just like the Egyptian goddess Isis with her infant son Horus, showing the influence of old ways on changing faiths. Even further back than that, she may represent the archetypal Earth Mother, the ancient, eternal power of the feminine force.

She’s a fascinating figure. Whenever I travel in Europe, I seek her out, finding her in immense cathedrals and hidden crypts. Sometimes she and her son both wear golden crowns and are encased in elaborate brocade robes, with only their faces showing. Sometimes she’s a simple, dark figure, the color of fertile earth, wearing a plain gown and an expression of mercy. Always she conveys a sense of depth and mystery.

Here’s where you’ll find a few of the better-known Black Madonnas, or Vierges Noires:

France: Chartres, Rocamadour, Puy-en-Velay

In the great cathedral in Chartres, 50 miles southwest of Paris, there are two Black Madonnas. Notre Dame de Pilar, a 16^th-century copy of a figure from the 13^th century, stands in her gown of gold in a side chapel of the cathedral. She perches regally atop a high pillar, surrounded by candles.  Notre Dame de Sous-Terre (“Our Lady of the Underground”) is tucked away in a crypt near a holy well that dates from pre-Christian days. During the French Revolution, the sculpture in the crypt was destroyed, and in 1856 a replica was sculpted.

Rocamadour is a town 100 miles north of Toulouse, set against a high cliff with spectacular views of the countryside. A long staircase rises from town to the church (there is also an elevator). Pilgrims sometimes crawl up the 216 stairs on their knees to reach the Chapelle de Notre Dame, a separate chapel devoted to a lovely, carved Black Madonna. This shrine has been a sacred place of renown for centuries, credited with numerous miracles.

Le Puy-en-Velay, 274 miles south of Paris, is a charming town set on hills. Climbing one of those hills takes you to the Romanesque Cathédrale Notre Dame. The small Black Madonna is in the cathedral against a curtain backdrop, resplendent in her full golden robe, with only her face and the Christ Child’s showing. On August 15, the Assumption of Mary is celebrated by carrying the Black Madonna statue in a procession through town.

Switzerland: Einsiedeln

The Black Madonna of Einsiedeln is a Gothic wood carving that dates probably from the 15^th century. Wearing a brocade robe and gold crown, she’s in a black marble chapel in the basilica of a Benedictine monastery. This Madonna has long been considered a shrine of healing; hundreds of thousands of pilgrims visit every year. The elaborate, baroque abbey church is 20 miles southeast of Zurich. Every day, the Mass and Liturgy of the Hours are sung by the Benedictine monks in Gregorian chant. Near the abbey a nativity scene said to be the world’s largest holds some 500 wooden figures.

Spain: Montserrat

La Moreneta is a statue said to have been carved by St. Luke. It was brought to Spain, hidden, and discovered in the 9^th century and now stands in a basilica next to a monastery. This small Black Madonna is seated with the child on her lap. If you get to the basilica at 1 pm you may hear one of Europe’s oldest and best-known boys’ choirs in their daily singing of the Montserrat hymn. A funicular and walking path lead up to the Holy Grotto, considered to be the site where La Moreneta was discovered.

Poland: Czestochowa

The “Queen of Poland” is hugely influential to Poles and a steady stream of visiting pilgrims. This is another icon traced to St. Luke, who is said to have painted it on a cypress table top (No wonder Luke is the patron saint of artists.)  It came to Poland in the 14^th century. This Black Madonna, with a mournful face, wears a robe with a design of lilies; Jesus is in a gold-trimmed red robe. Both have crowns. The national shrine is in a chapel attached to a baroque basilica on a hilltop in south-central Poland. A large Pauline monastery is a part of the sanctuary, run by the Pauline fathers who celebrated their 700^th anniversary in 2010.

Written by Marilyn McFarlane for EuropeUpClose.com

Related posts:

1. Amazing Amasya in the Turkish Black Sea Region
2. Le Puy-en-Velay: Stepping Back in Time

We stayed at the 3 star IFA Beach Hotel in San Agustin, Gran Canaria for 2 nights on half board, arranged by sunshine.co.uk on a complimentary basis.  San Agustin is a fairly quiet resort with several cafes and restaurants on the prom as you walk towards Playa del Ingles. There are two casinos in the resort.

View from our room over IFA Beach hotel pool and San Agustin beach

The hotel has direct access to the beach and a lovely pool area. There’s a small supermarket in the complex.

IFA Beach hotel pool

We were allocated a twin room on the 6th floor, just along from the nudist terrace.

Sign to our room and nudist terrace

Our room had with a side sea view. The room was a little dated decor-wise but was perfectly functional. The beds were a little on the narrow side but fairly comfortable.

We only had sun in our balcony in the morning, so with the breeze it was too cool to sit there at any other time.  You are only provided with soap at the hotel, so you’ll need to take or buy some shampoo/shower gel etc. There was plenty of wardrobe space with loads of clothes hangers (some hotels give about 5).

Our room at the IFA Beach Hotel

It was good to have a seating area in front of the doors out to the balcony, so you could admire the view when it was too cool to sit outside.

My main issue with the IFA Beach Hotel was all the additional charges e.g. for the fridge, safe, beach towels, parking and wifi. I did fork out 5 Euro for 24 hours of wifi but the signal was very weak, even in the lobby. I’ve had excellent free wifi in the lobby of some very cheap Spanish hotels, so it’s not acceptable to charge for a poor service. I don’t expect free internet in my room in a 3 star hotel but I think they should at least provide free wifi in the IFA Beach lobby. We found free on-street parking for our hire car just along from the hotel but I’m not sure if you’d be able to find a space there in high season. I also thought that reception should have more than one member of staff on duty, I only saw two receptionists on one occasion during checkout. There was often a queue at reception, with the receptionist being run off their feet.

Twin beds in our room at the IFA Beach Hotel

The food at the IFA Beach was very good for a 3 star hotel with plenty of choice at the breakfast and dinner buffets. You can see more photos of the dinner buffet on Flickr.

Dinner buffet at IFA Beach Hotel

In summary if you want a value for money option with very good food, in a quiet location, right on the beach, the IFA Beach Hotel is a great choice, as long as you don’t end up spending more than you think by the time you tot up all the extra charges.

All my IFA Beach Hotel photos and videos can be found on Flickr.

Click here to check availability and price at the IFA Beach Hotel in San Agustin.

Review of IFA Beach Hotel, San Agustin, Gran Canaria

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We stopped for a picnic lunch in the beautiful village of Santa Lucia during our drive through the mountains of Gran Canaria.

The fountain in the Santa Lucia park

There’s a lovely park in the village with a picturesque fountain as its centrepiece. The park also has a sports court, kids play area and public toilets.

Santa Lucia Park

We sat on a bench in the shade by the fountain to eat our picnic. We weren’t the only ones having a stop for lunch as a group of cyclists were tucking into their sandwiches too.

Looking down on Santa Lucia park

There’s space for several cars in front of the park.

There was a painting on tiles just at the top of the steps up to the church with villagers in traditional costumes.

Tile painting in Santa Lucia

The imposing church was built in the 1890s.

Santa Lucia church

There were some very curious cacti where we parked the car which reminded me of meerkats.

Cacti in Santa Lucia Park

Santa Lucia in Gran Canaria feels like an oasis in the mountains and is well worth a visit.

Check for availability and prices of accommodation in Gran Canaria in the sunshine.co.uk search box below.

Photo Tour of Santa Lucia, Gran Canaria

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When Karen and I were on holiday in Gran Canaria, I took a morning walk along the Maspalomas dunes, also taking in the Charca de Maspalomas Nature Reserve and having a swim in the Atlantic. The walk lasted just over 2 hours and it was medium-strenuous, but could have lasted anything from 1-4 hours and made easy to strenuous, depending on the number of dunes climbed and distance walked.

Maspalomas Faro

I started the walk from the Maspalomas Faro (lighthouse) which is right on a rocky beach at the end of Maspalomas and a pretty evident landmark, then headed north towards the dunes keeping the Atlantic on my right.

Looking towards the dunes and Atlantic from Charca de Maspalomas nature reserve’s seaside end

After some restaurants right on the beach, the walk continues on a thin strip of sand about 50m wide and 300m long, running between the Atlantic and the nature reserve, before getting to the first dune. The nature reserve contains various types of wildfowl and many huge mullet, up to 5kg in weight, swimming leisurely and picking at mosquito larvae. There are also many types of local plant species.

Looking back to lighthouse and nature reserve from 1st dune

Once at the dunes, you can make an easy decision, to either head inland climbing on, or to the side of the dunes, or continue straight towards the naturist beach.

Maspalomas dunes with views towards the Gran Canaria mountains

I decided to head for the dunes and climbed on the first 6 or 7, which gave me both great views and sliding opportunities.

One of the highest dunes with sand blowing off the ridge. Great for sliding down the steep side (about 30m in height)

Once I had enough exercise, I changed into my swimming trunks and on my return journey I walked back along Maspalomas Beach. I had a lovely refreshing swim at the nudist section of the beach, where swimmers in various states of (un)dress mingled. Showers were available at the position where the nature reserve met the start of the dune path walk (near bicycles at 2nd photo).

You can search for great deals on accommodation in Maspalomas using the sunshine.co.uk search box below.

Walking Through The Maspalomas Dunes in Gran Canaria

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