Cycling Holiday Guide:
Gran Canaria
Contents
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Gran Canaria has quietly become one of the most complete cycling destinations in Europe. It is an absolutely stunning place to ride a bike.
Much more than a winter sun escape, the island feels traditional, well-kept and is full of breathtaking vistas.
You can start rides at sea level, climb to nearly 2,000 metres, and be back for a late lunch without needing a car or a long transfer.
If you’d rather take the hassle out of arranging it yourself, we plan and book cycling holidays in Gran Canaria — from flights and hotels to routes and bike hire.
Practical Info
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Fly into Las Palmas Airport (LPA)
Flight time is around 4 hours from the UK
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Transfers from the airport to resorts take 20–40 minutes
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Maspalomas / Meloneras
Stay for 7–10 nights (you lose a day either side for travel)
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Best time to go is winter in the Northern Hemisphere (Oct-Mar)
Bring climbing gears (52/36 and an 11-30+ cassette at least) as the climbs are long and can get steep in places
Bring kit for varied weather, it can be very changeable especially in winter
When to Go
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The best time for a Gran Canaria cycling holiday is October to March. Temperatures average 19–24°C on the coast, cooler at altitude. The winds can be strong across the Canaries, but the Autumn should see calm days and plenty of sun.
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The beauty of the Canary Islands is that they tend to be a ‘year round’ destination.
The islands can be windy however, and summer this tends to peak.
And like all high mountain resorts, weather can change very quickly so prepare for all eventualities.
Where to Stay
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For cyclists, the south of the island works best. Areas like Maspalomas and Meloneras (our particular favourite and often where we base clients) offer warm, dry conditions, quick access to climbs, and a good range of accommodation. Staying here keeps logistics simple and maximises riding time.
Be aware that there are some long term road closures on the island, the GC-500 for example has been closed between Taurito and Playa de Mogán at the time of writing for quite some time, you can get the ferry with your bike from Puerto Rico.
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There are some fantastic options in Gran Canaria, particularly in Meloneras which is a quiet resort next to the larger Maspalomas and has a very upmarket feel to it.
There’s plenty to choose from to suit all budgets, from self-catered apartments to 5* luxury.
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Bike hire in Gran Canaria is very good, and you’ll see lots of cyclists out on hired road bikes including plenty of electric bikes.
If you’re bringing your own make sure you have compact gearing, and a climbing-friendly setup as the climbs are long and in some places pretty steep.
Also recommended are shallower wheels due to the high winds that whip across the island. Up to about 45mm depth you should be comfortable, but any deeper and you might find your bike starts to get very twitchy.
Where to Ride
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There is so much good climbing to choose from. But in contrast to it’s larger, more brutal neighbour Tenerife, Gran Canaria does at least give you some flat(ish) valley roads to warm up on.
The rolling coast road from Maspalomas to Puerto Rico is lovely, and the interior is incredible to ride in.
Road surface is what you’d expect from good Spanish tarmac, with some exceptions that have been neglected - this section after Soria in particular.
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Must Dos:
The incredibly scenic Serenity climb
Full day adventure to Valley of the Tears
The mountain towns of San Bartolomé de Tirajana and Tejeda.
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Sea level from Maspalomas to Pico de Las Nieves
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Like Tenerife, there’s no easy rest day ride as you’ll still rack up a fair bit of climbing.
Meloneras to Peurto Rico coast road
Maspalomas valley road loop to Ayagaures
Off the Bike
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Puerto de Mogan
Puerto de Mogan is a beautifully well-kept, charming harbour town on the south coast. Hire a car and park up on market day, or get the ferry from Puerto Rico.We recommend Restaurant Bolero for a spot of lunch and to watch the world go by.
Visit Tejeda
Winding mountain roads take you into the very heart of the island, and Tejeda is surrounded by stunning vistas and winding streets.
Burro Safari (Donkey Safari)
Hands down our favourite thing we did when we visited. It’s a family owned restaurant, where you sit down to a warm welcome from the owners on long wooden tables and food starts arriving course by course. It’s not expensive, at all. Just make sure you bring cash!
Summary
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– Sun-chasing climbers
– Long days out
– Pro-Spotting in the Winter -
– Easy spins
– Summer escapes
– Mixed-ability groups
About
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I’m Chris and I started Altus Collective to plan and book better cycling holidays for my clients.
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From solo trips to large groups, we handle all the details so you get a better trip without the hassle.
We are powered by Travel Counsellors, and have state of the art tools to bring you a better travel experience. Ask us about our handy travel app myTC.
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Passion is in everything we do. We love cycling, we love travel, and we especially love hearing about your trip when you return.
I’d love to have a chat about your next cycling holiday. You can reach me by hitting the button below.
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