Gran Canaria packs a lot into a small island, which makes it a fine choice for a honeymoon: you can have beach days, mountain drives, a harbour town and a proper city in a single week without ever feeling rushed. This is a suggested seven-night itinerary that balances sun and relaxation with a couple of the island's more romantic corners, along with notes on how to shorten it if you have fewer days.
The week at a glance
Seven nights in outline. Full day notes follow.
- Day 1: Arrive and settle in the south. Promenade, easy dinner.
- Day 2: Dunes and a southern sunset; optional private evening.
- Day 3: West coast and Puerto de Mogán for blue hour.
- Day 4: Up to Tejeda and Roque Nublo; stars after dark.
- Day 5: Mountain morning, then back towards the sea.
- Day 6: Las Palmas: Canteras, Vegueta, a good dinner.
- Day 7: Slow last day. Honeymoon experiences.
The shape of the week
The plan below uses two bases: most of the week in the sunny south for the beach and the easy evenings, and a night or two in the mountains for a complete change of scene, with day trips to the west coast and the city from wherever you are staying. If you would rather not move at all, keep the south as your base for the whole trip and do the mountains and the city as long day drives instead. The island is small, so nothing is more than a couple of hours away.
Day 1: Arrive and settle in the south
Fly into the south of the island and check into your base around Maspalomas, Meloneras or Playa del Inglés. Do nothing ambitious on the first evening: a walk along the Meloneras promenade, a drink with a sea view, and an early dinner nearby. For help choosing a base, see our guide to the best hotels in Maspalomas for couples.
Day 2: The dunes and a southern sunset
Spend the morning on the beach while it is quiet, then rest through the heat of the day. In the late afternoon, walk a little way into the Maspalomas dunes in the softening light, keeping to the marked routes, and end at the lighthouse for sunset. This is the day to plan one private, styled evening if you want one, timed to the light.
Day 3: The west coast and Puerto de Mogán
Drive west along the coast to Puerto de Mogán, the harbour town of canals and bridges known as 'little Venice'. It is busiest by day, so time your visit for the late afternoon and stay for the blue hour once the day-trippers have gone. The whole west coast faces the open Atlantic, so the sunset here drops straight into the sea. Find a table near the moored boats for dinner before you drive back.
Day 4: Up to the mountains
Trade the coast for the interior and drive up to Tejeda, an hour or so inland, among almond terraces beneath Roque Nublo. Check into a rural hotel for a night, walk the short trail towards the great rock for sunset above the clouds, and stay up for the stars: the high centre of the island has some of the clearest night skies in Europe. Pack a warm layer, as the mountains are cooler than the coast, especially after dark.
Day 5: Mountain morning, then back to the sea
Take a slow mountain morning, a long breakfast and a short walk, then drive back down, stopping at viewpoints on the way. Depending on your energy, either return to the south to relax or continue north towards the city for the next leg. The drives themselves are part of the honeymoon here, so take them slowly and stop when a view asks you to.
Day 6: Las Palmas, the city by the sea
Spend a day in the capital, Las Palmas. Walk the long, calm Las Canteras beach, wander the old quarter of Vegueta with its squares and small streets, and have dinner somewhere in the city's genuinely good food scene. If you are short on time, this can be a day trip from the south rather than a change of base.
Day 7: A slow last day
Keep the final day gentle: a swim, a long lunch, a last walk on the beach or the promenade. Save anything you did not get to, whether that is a spa morning or one more sunset, for now, and resist the urge to cram.
If you have fewer days
- Four or five nights: stay in the south throughout, and do Puerto de Mogán and the mountains as separate day trips.
- A long weekend: pick one contrast to the beach, either the west coast or the mountains, and leave the city for next time.
- Ten nights or more: add slower days, a second mountain night, or a few nights based in Las Palmas.
The best time to go
Gran Canaria is mild all year, which is part of its charm for a honeymoon. Spring and autumn are especially comfortable, warm from morning to night. Winter brings warm days and cooler evenings and is peak season for sun-seekers, so book ahead. Summer is hot at midday but glorious in the evening, which is when you will want to be out anyway. Wherever you go, the south stays reliably sunny while the north and mountains can be greener and cooler.
If a day turns grey
Even here the odd cloudy day happens, more often in the north. It is no reason to waste it. Head up through the clouds to the mountains, which often sit in bright sun above the coastal haze; visit the botanical garden or the museums and old streets of Las Palmas; or linger over a long lunch somewhere with a view. A grey morning frequently burns off by the afternoon.
Common questions
How many days do you need for a Gran Canaria honeymoon?
A week is ideal and lets you combine the beach with the mountains and a harbour town without rushing. Five nights works if you stay in the south and do the rest as day trips; ten or more lets you slow right down.
Do we need a car?
For this itinerary, yes. The west coast and the mountains are awkward to reach otherwise, and the drives are part of the experience. If you would rather not drive, base yourselves in the south and use taxis and excursions instead.
One evening, taken care of
Somewhere in the week, it is worth having an evening that is entirely private and entirely yours. Our honeymoon experiences are set up before you arrive, timed to the light, and quietly cleared away afterwards, arranged around wherever you are staying. Here is how locations and logistics work.
Still choosing where to base yourselves? Read where to stay in Gran Canaria for couples and our couple's guide to Maspalomas and Meloneras.