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Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is one of the Canary Islands' most rewarding and versatile winter sun destinations, offering UK travellers a richly varied holiday experience that goes considerably beyond the archetypal beach resort. Known as a continent in miniature, Gran Canaria packs an extraordinary diversity of landscapes, climates, and experiences into a relatively compact island, from the sweeping golden dunes of Maspalomas in the sun-drenched south to the lush pine forests and dramatic ravines of the mountainous interior. Johnson Holidays offers a carefully selected range of Gran Canaria winter sun packages for UK travellers seeking warm weather, outstanding beaches, and a destination...
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Featured Hotels in Gran Canaria

Playa del Inglés, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands
Tripadvisor Reviews

Any London

3 Nights

Bed & Breakfast


£ 175 pp
Low Deposit
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Maspalomas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands
Tripadvisor Reviews

Any London

3 Nights

Bed & Breakfast


£ 213 pp
Low Deposit
View Holiday

Frequently Asked Questions

Gran Canaria's southern resorts enjoy genuinely warm and sunny conditions throughout the British winter season. Daytime temperatures between November and February consistently range from 20 to 23 degrees Celsius in Maspalomas, Playa del Inglés, and Puerto Rico, with an average of seven to eight hours of sunshine per day even in January and February. Rainfall in the south is minimal throughout the winter, and the absence of strong trade winds creates a sheltered and comfortable resort environment. Sea temperatures remain around 19 to 20 degrees Celsius during the winter months, making swimming and watersports accessible and enjoyable throughout the season.
The southern coast offers the most reliable winter sunshine and the broadest range of resort facilities. Maspalomas is the island's most iconic resort area, anchored by its extraordinary natural dune system and long, wide beach, and offers an excellent range of hotels from family-friendly all inclusive complexes to boutique adults-only properties. Playa del Inglés sits adjacent to Maspalomas and provides a livelier, more entertainment-focused resort atmosphere with a wide variety of accommodation options at competitive prices. Puerto Rico is particularly popular with families, offering a sheltered, calm bay with exceptionally safe swimming conditions and a compact, walkable resort centre. Meloneras is the most upmarket of the southern resorts, with a beautiful promenade, high-quality hotels, and a refined atmosphere well suited to couples and those seeking a quieter, more elegant winter retreat.
Flights from UK airports to Gran Canaria Airport (LPA) take approximately four hours and fifteen minutes to four hours and forty minutes, depending on your UK departure point. Direct flights operate from a wide range of UK airports including London Gatwick, London Stansted, London Luton, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bristol, Newcastle, and Leeds Bradford, among others. Johnson Holidays offers departure options from airports across the UK, ensuring convenient access to Gran Canaria for winter sun travellers from all parts of the country.
Gran Canaria's defining advantage over other Canary Islands is its remarkable variety. The island's dramatic interior — characterised by deep ravines, ancient Canarian pine forests, and the extraordinary Roque Nublo volcanic monolith — offers a landscape that feels genuinely wild and remote, just a short drive from the southern beach resorts. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the island's capital and one of the largest cities in Spain, adds a vibrant urban dimension with world-class dining, a beautiful old town quarter in Vegueta, and the stunning Las Canteras city beach. For travellers who want more than a beach holiday, Gran Canaria consistently delivers a depth of experience that few comparable winter sun destinations can match.
Gran Canaria is an exceptional choice for families during the winter months, with a well-developed resort infrastructure, calm beach conditions, and a strong selection of family-focused attractions. Puerto Rico's sheltered bay is one of the safest and most family-friendly beach environments in the Canary Islands, ideal for young children. Aqualand Maspalomas water park, Palmitos Park wildlife and botanical gardens, and Holiday World Maspalomas amusement park are among the island's most popular family attractions. The majority of Gran Canaria's larger all inclusive hotels offer dedicated children's pools, kids' clubs, and entertainment programmes that keep younger visitors fully engaged throughout the holiday.
Gran Canaria offers one of the widest activity portfolios of any Canary Island. Watersports including surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, jet skiing, and sailing are all widely available along the southern coast, with Puerto Rico and Playa del Águila particularly well regarded for water-based activities. Cycling is enormously popular, with challenging road routes through the island's mountainous interior attracting enthusiasts from across Europe throughout the winter season. Hiking trails through the Tejeda and Roque Nublo areas reward those who venture inland with extraordinary views and a genuine sense of wilderness. Whale and dolphin watching boat excursions off the southern coast operate year-round and are consistently popular with visitors of all ages.