Gran Canaria – an island of striking contrasts!

Gran Canaria, a member of Spain’s Canary Islands and part of Las Palmas province, sits in the North Atlantic looking rather like a carefully drawn circle that someone’s gently crumpled! Widely regarded as the most fertile of the archipelago, it’s etched with deep ravines that tumble from the island’s mountainous interior towards the sea. At the centre rises Los Pechos, a spectacular summit reaching 6,400 feet and overlooking a landscape of striking contrasts.

On the northern slopes, an almost alpine atmosphere exists, bringing cooler air and greener landscapes, while the south basks in far drier surroundings more suited to hardy shrubs – and sun-seekers! Rainfall follows a curious pattern, increasing in a concentric fashion from the centre of the island outward. Large swathes of countryside are covered in native pine, providing both shade and fragrance to the area.

Agriculture remains the island’s principal occupation, with bananas, tomatoes and tobacco among the chief crops. Traditional crafts, consistently popular with tourists, include the manufacture of embroidery, pottery and woven baskets. Tourism itself, meanwhile, enjoys a dependable boost from the sandy stretches of Las Canteras and Las Alcaravaneras, flanking the bustling port city of Las Palmas. Since the 1990s the population has grown markedly, thanks to a robust birth rate, steady immigration – and the permanent, fail-safe appeal of sunshine! Mineral springs add a final flourish.

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Nora Johnson’s 14 critically acclaimed psychological suspense crime thrillers, including the latest ‘The House of Secrets’ (www.nora-johnson.net), all available online at Amazon etc. Profits to Cudeca cancer charity.