  GAY COMMUNITY IN GRAN CANARIA
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The island of Gran Canaria is one of the world's best-known gay holiday destinations, and every year thousands of gay men and women visit here to take advantage of its wonderful climate, beaches and wild nightlife.
To help you get the best from your stay, we'll tell you all that you need to know about the island and its gay life - from swimming and lazing on the gay beach to walking in the mountains, or from smart restaurants to leather bars, there's plenty for every taste and interest. Whether it's your first holiday away from home, or you're a mature traveller (Gran Canaria offers plenty to entertain gay men of all ages) we've got the information you're looking for.
More and more gay men and women are choosing to move to Gran Canaria and make it their home, so we've put together lots of useful information to help make settling in here that bit easier. Whether you're looking to work or retire here, we can tell you what you need to know.
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GRAN CANARIA CARNIVAL |
Carnaval is one of the most exciting times of the year on Gran Canaria - a party that starts in February, and which goes on for around six weeks across the island.
The Las Palmas Carnaval is one of the world's biggest, rivalling Rio in its scale and colour. Each year a huge outdoor stage is built in the Parque Santa Catalina, and this is the setting for a series of contests to choose the Carnaval Queens and the best dance troupes for the cabalgatas or processions. |
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These are huge events, with international stars taking part in the galas (Holly Valance, Baccara and Village People are some recent performers, as well as Spanish and Latino stars). And the fancy-dress street parties which follow are legendary.
Carnaval ends with a procession to burn and bury a large papier mache sardine. It's accompanied by "widows" in black drag....
If you've never been to Gran Canaria for Carnaval, we guarantee you'll be amazed by the scale of the events and sheer exuberance of it all! |
GRAN CANARIA GAY NIGHTLIFE AND EATING |
Most of the gay nightlife is centred in the south of the island in Playa del Ingles, concentrated in two shopping centres - the Yumbo and the Cita - though the Avenida de Tirajana has seen new venues open in the past couple of years. The gay scene in Gran Canaria has something to offer for all age groups and interests. Most of the people you will meet in the bars and clubs there will be tourists - though at the weekends, more spanish locals visit Playa del Ingles for a night out.
Many bars don't really come alive until around midnight, and the clubs get going even later. Drinks prices vary considerably from bar to bar, but all have one thing in common - measures of spirits are normally large, and it's easy to end up drinking more than you realise. |
BARS, CLUBS AND MORE |
Playa del Ingles |
ADDRESS : Avda. de Tirajana |
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ADDRESS : Centro comercial Yumbo |
Fiction, Milord, Bar Ibiza, The Block, Zaza, Lux, Adonis, Junior, Pub Nestor, Gran Café Latino, Loby´s, Bar Edén, Buddies, Hollywood, Dolly´s, Diamonds, Hummel Hummel, Barenhohle, Spartacus, Na Und, Wunderbar, Cellar mens, bar, Construction, Ricky´s |
EATING OUT |
Arinaga |
Nelson |
Las Palmas |
Casa Julio, El Gallo Feliz |
Playa del Ingles |
Léspetada, Saku´s Galley, The Greek Village, Chip-Chipi, El Churrasco Argentino, Merlin, Mundo, Peñafiel, |
GRAN CANARIA HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION |
ACCOMMODATION IN GRAN CANARIA |
The Villas Blancas complex at Campo International (Maspalomas) is a small, gay exclusive complex that's opened it's pool and poolbar area to non-residents who fancy a day away from the beach and in a friendly and lively atmosphere. For something more private and a little closer to Playa del Ingles the same company have "Club Villas Blancas". Club Tucanes have two resorts, "Beach Boys" in Maspalomas or "Playa" in Playa del Ingles. In San Agustin (quieter resort but closer to Playa del Ingles and the Yumbo than Maspalomas is) there's Pasion Tropical which is practically on the beach. Several other hotels and apartment complexes are very gay-friendly with plenty of gay clientelle, mainly due to their location close to the Yumbo and include Carmen Apartments, Tenesor Apartments, Barbados Apartments, the Neptuno Hotel & Iguazu Apartments.
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