13 Best Things To Do in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria

While the name Puerto Rico might at first make you think of the Caribbean Sea and distant places, you must know that the Spanish resort with the same name has equally beautiful beaches and an exotic feel, perfect for a holiday in the sun.

Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria is a popular resort on the island of Gran Canaria, due to the year-round warm climate, which makes it the perfect destination for sunny winter breaks in Europe.

Since it is located in the southwest part of the island, Puerto Rico is a great place to stay in Gran Canaria if you want to explore the coast (it's easy to go to either Maspalomas, Playa del Ingles or Puerto de Mogan), as well as the interior of the island, where you can go on hiking trips or simply drive and enjoy the beauty of the mountain roads. 

What to do in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria - the best attractions and places to visit 

Puerto Rico is a lively resort with many activities and options to spend your time, so you definitely won't be bored if you decide to base yourself here.

1. Puerto Rico Beach

Playa de Puerto Rico is a beautiful beach with lots of bars and restaurants along the front, so it's quick and easy to grab a bite to eat or a coffee.

You'll find also sunbeds, umbrellas and lifeguards on site. 

With fine golden sand and tranquil waters, the beach in Puerto Rico is a perfect beach for families with kids and it's one of our favorite beaches in Gran Canaria to spend a day lounging in the sun.

If you're traveling by car, there are paid parking places close to the beach (the price is quite reasonable) but especially during peak season and over the weekend it gets busy, especially after 11 am, so make sure to arrive early if you want to park close to the beach.

2. Go on a boat tour or a dolphin-watching tour

There are lots of boat tours you can choose from and it's one of the best things to do while on holiday in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria. You can go on a short 2-3 hours your to try and see dolphins or you can join a more lengthy tour on a luxury catamaran that also includes food and drinks. 

• Dolphin watching cruises
• Luxury catamaran cruises
• Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts

3. Shop at Mogan Mall

This is one of the newer attractions in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, it's modern, and has many brands of clothing and shoes, as well as jewelry. This is an open mall concept, which also has lots of bars and restaurants, so it's a great place to unwind after a "hard" day at the beach. 

4. Palmitos Park

Although Palmitos Park is not located in Puerto Rico, in only 30 to 50 minutes you can get there (depending on which mode of transportation you will choose) and you can spend an entire day watching lots of animals, birds, shows, as well as beautiful plants like orchids. 

Palmitos Park is a good place to visit especially for families with kids, as the little ones will enjoy for sure all the park's attractions.

5. Angry Birds Activity Park

This is a great place to visit in Puerto Rico if you're traveling with your family and you have small children, as they will have the best time at this park. The karting and the splash area are the top favorites for most kids, but there are several other attractions to explore. 

The Angry Birds park is easily accessible by bus. The ticket gives you all-day access to the park, which means that you can come and go as you please throughout the day. The food and drinks inside the park can be pricey, so you can go out for lunch and then come back for a few more hours of fun.

6. Coastal walk to Amadores beach

Since Puerto Rico is situated right in middle between Amadores and Anfi del Mar, why not dedicate a day to each of these other resorts to see how you like them?

Getting to Amadores beach is easy even if you decide to walk there, as there's a beautifully paved coastal path that links the two places. It's a lovely stroll that should take less than 1 hour, depending on where you start. You'll be rewarded with beautiful views of the ocean along the way and once you get to Amadores you can spend the day at the beach or you can wander around, bar hopping and sampling cocktails and beers.

7. Shopping Center Puerto Rico

Open plan shopping center, with lots of bars and restaurants, that get quite lively in the evenings especially. You will also find lots of shops to buy anything from clothing to souvenirs, and it's a family-friendly place as well, with several all-you-can-eat buffet-style Chinese restaurants, pubs, pizza restaurants and more.

8. Gran Canaria Guided Buggy Tour

Discover Gran Canaria from a different perspective on a buggy drive along some of the island's adventurous roads. Marvel at the impressive natural landscapes of Fataga. Enjoy panoramic views of the Ayagaures Valley and its surrounding mountains in a  90-kilometer buggy drive through the southern half of Gran Canaria.

• Includes pickup from various resorts and towns in the south
• Drinks included
• Free cancellation up to 24 hours before activity starts

9. Spend a day at Anfi del Mar

As we previously mentioned, Anfi del Mar is located very close to Puerto Rico and it's quick and easy to drive there, or, if you don't have a car rental, you can just take a cheap taxi or hop on the bus.

Anfi del Mar is a really beautiful and relaxing place, and the beach there is gorgeous, so it's a great place to spend an entire day there, enjoying the water, the views and all the facilities. So if you're looking to change it up a bit without traveling too far from Puerto Rico, Anfi del Mar is probably your best choice for a lovely beach day in the south of Gran Canaria.

10. Spend a day at Playa de Amadores

Playa de Amadores is one of the most popular beaches in the south of Gran Canaria and although it is an artificial beach, it is an attraction for tourists and residents alike, who come here to enjoy the beautiful golden sand and turquoise water.

You can easily walk to Playa de Amadores on the coastal promenade as we mentioned before, or you can also come by bus or drive here as there is a huge car park right next to the beach (and it's free).

11. Explore the Maspalomas dunes

The Maspalomas dunes should definitely be on your list of things to see, especially if it's your first time holidaying in Gran Canaria. 

The dunes deserve at least a half-day trip so that you can have time for a walk, as well as for spending time on the beach. The dunes are also great at sunset when the view from Faro de Maspalomas is really incredible on clear days.

12. Anfi Tauro Golf

Golfing is one of the top reasons why many people visit the Canary Islands, so if you fall into that category, you'll be glad to know there's a good golf course very close to Puerto Rico.

You can even stay in one of the villas located on the grounds of the golf course, which will be really convenient if this is the main purpose of your holiday in Gran Canaria. But the unique thing about this golf course is the fantastic view it offers, which is really unbeatable and you'll definitely want to come back. 

13. Take the ferry to Puerto de Mogan

If you want to visit Puerto Mogan, our recommendation is to hop on the regular ferry operated by Lineas Salmon which does several daily trips between Puerto Rico and Puerto de Mogan.

It's a quick and beautiful boat trip and it's much quicker than taking the bus.

Puerto Mogan is one of the prettiest places to visit on the island, also known as the Venice of Gran Canaria, so it's worth a visit if you want to explore new towns.