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Do you dream of fine sands and swaying palms, warm seas and a deep blue sky? Lapped by the Atlantic ocean just 100 kms from the Moroccan coast, Gran Canaria has it all, a wild sun-baked island round as a moon, lying at the heart of the Canaries archipelago.

You’ll be in good company. Christopher Columbus stopped here on his fourth voyage and in the capital Las Palmas, the elegant house where he stayed displays, among other exhibits, models of his sailing ships. Step inside the nearby chapel of San Antonio Abad and you almost hear the prayers he whispered, as he prepared to set sail for the New World. In this ‘city of palms’, the old district of Vegueta claims a World Heritage Site dominated by the stark twin towers of Santa Ana’s cathedral. On the square below, bronze ‘canes’, the giant dogs who gave their name to the islands, stare at the passers-by, unperturbed by the chiming bells.

The old town is a quiet maze meandering in shades of lemon and cream, the new city is a bustling hive, all boutiques and gold shops and here and there a pastel-coloured façade topped with turrets and domes like an iced cake. A broad promenade leads to the marina and commercial port, cool shaded parks nestle under a thousand palms and the lovely village setting of Pueblo Canario is a popular venue for traditional craft and dancing. Don’t miss the memorial to the brave Guanche chiefs who jumped off the cliffs rather than surrender to Spanish invaders in 1483. The Canaries remain part of Spain but were granted a degree of autonomy in 1983.

On the western side of the isthmus jutting north from Las Palmas is one great sweep of golden sands fringed by clear waters and sheltered by a reef. On the leisurely Playa de las Canteras, you wouldn’t know you are on the edge of the city. Days are for swimming, nights for dining al fresco or strolling along the shore, listening to the sound of waves or the occasional strumming of a romantic guitar.

Swept by the humid trade winds so favourable to Columbus, the north is lush and green but south of the central mountains, barren cliffs and sun-drenched beaches teeter on the edge of a desert land. In Maspalomas, you can even ride camels across the dunes and imagine the Sahara just over the water. Fortunately, even in summer, cool ocean currents pleasantly temper the heat.

From San Agustin to Puerto de Mogan, the southern coast is a cosmopolitan holiday haven catering for every taste. San Agustin beckons with a seawater spa and pretty villas draped in bougainvillea, Maspalomas is for frolicking in the dunes and watching the sunset, Playa del Ingles for living it up with the crowds, come day or night. The beach is vast and rows of orange and blue parasols cast pools of shade on the sand while surfers and banana boats ride the waves. Men in African robes sell sunglasses and Mexican hats, toy camels and duty-free cameras.

You can book a round the island cruise, a turtle or dolphin safari according to season or just sail along the coast, enjoying the scenery and the ocean breeze ruffling your hair. Then when evening comes, it’s time to linger over a seafood paella, red snapper or grilled sardines, aïoli bread and the famous Canarian potatoes served with a tangy dressing, Mojo Picon. Finish with a glass or two of Sangria and the night will be sweet.

Beyond the southern tip of the island heading west, the scenery grows truly dramatic. Drive if you must along the vertiginous cliff top road but the best views are from the sea and you will find the ferry rides from Arguineguin to Puerto de Mogan as enchanting as a cruise. Here huge sculptured rocks balance on the edge of the cliffs, canyons plunge right down to the sea and in this arid land, coves and bays have been turned into holiday dreams. There are white sands brought all the way from Panama, flame trees and giant cacti sprouting out of nowhere and white balconies smothered in bloom climbing through every gap in the cliffs. The ocean shimmers emerald and blue and you are spoilt for choice. Where will you go today? Will it be the idyllic bay of Anfi del Mar, Amadores, Puerto Rico with its sheltered waters and gentle buzz? Or perhaps Puerto de Mogan, the ‘Little Venice’ at the end of the coastal road, its pretty waterways and bridges, its lanes ablaze with flamboyant trees and its quaint fishing harbour? Now and then wind chimes tinkle on the waterfront and sometimes a galleon appears on the horizon, its copper-coloured sails billowing in the breeze.

What the south coast lacks in native culture, it attempts to recreate in the theme park of Mundo Aborigen where life-size models depict the daily life of the Guanches. They were farmers and craftsmen, probably from Africa, and the island’s only inhabitants until the end of the 14th century. Today little remains of their culture, save perhaps the local dialect, so different from Spanish, and the widespread earthenware tradition where objects are shaped by hand, without using a wheel.

Children love the park but there’s plenty more to entertain them within easy driving distance from the coast. Try the Aqua Sur Waterpark, the ‘Far West’ film set of Sioux City where you might meet a stunt man or two rehearsing for the next scene or the oasis of Palmitos Park tucked at the bottom of a dramatic gorge. It’s well worth a visit for desert scenery and the displays of orchids and cacti, birds and butterflies. There is shade along the paths and cool fountains and waterfalls.

Sun, sand and sea, the coast is bliss but inland you will find a stunning world of breathtaking vistas and authentic character. From its wide circular base, Gran Canaria rises to nearly 2000 metres, like a giant cone where deep ravines and extinct craters radiate from the centre down to the sea. At the end of the long winding road, Pico de las Nieves, the highest point, looks across peaks and ridges bristling with strangely-shaped rocks and the ocean glistening like silver in the distance. On a clear day, you might even see Mount Teide on Tenerife. The ancient Guanches worshipped these rugged lands but now only ramblers haunt the trails, dwarfed by the great needles of rock which can vanish in seconds in a veil of clouds. All around swathes of golden gorse clamber up the slopes and sometimes a rare sea eagle or sparrow hawk circles above the crest.

Far below you see forests of luminous pines, meadows spinkled with poppies and white villages gathering their flock around the church. Here’s Telde, once the Guanche capital, there Artenara with its panoramic restaurant hewn out of the rock, Arucas and its blue-black stone cathedral rising among banana groves or the little town of Teror which draws pilgrims from afar. Teror is home to the Virgin of the Pine, the patron saint of the island whose 15th century bejewelled effigy has pride of place in the basilica.

The Madonna couldn’t have chosen a better spot to appear in the pines for Teror is sheer delight, all wooden balconies, carved Canarian style, and glowing red roofs peeping over the immaculate streets. On Sunday morning a colourful market spreads its wares on the square, anything from religious items to goat’s cheese and spicy chorizo sausage, almonds, oranges, cakes and biscuits made by the local monks and mountains of freshly-baked bread which tickle your taste buds a mile away. Then light a lucky candle in the church or pop into the craft shop for pottery or lace, a carved pine box or maybe a geometrical pendant in Aborigen style.

Meanwhile on the coast, a soothing breeze ruffles the palm fronds and in our villa festooned in hibiscus and oleander, we gaze out to sea and wonder how Columbus could ever leave this Island of Eternal Spring.

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