Travel guide – puerto rico and playa del cura
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Overview
The vibrant, modern resort of Puerto Rico, on the island of Gran Canaria, revels in excellent weather year-round, being situated on the island’s southern tip just across the ocean from the Sahara. Puerto Rico is encircled by hills, its whitewashed holiday accommodation clinging to steep cliff sides above two golden beaches. It includes three large commercial centres overflowing with shops, bars and restaurants, and is flanked by a marina packed with luxury yachts where it is possible to indulge in every kind of water sport imaginable. Puerto Rico has something for everyone: sunny corners for seekers of peace and tranquillity, or a lively venue for a family holiday. Just two miles (three km) west of Puerto Rico is the smaller neighbouring resort of Playa Del Cura, offering a beach cove and a quieter location from which to enjoy the amenities of Puerto Rico. It has a small shopping centre, no nightclubs and a relaxed atmosphere.
Shopping
Puerto Rico boasts three large shopping and entertainment malls, the largest being the Centro Civico, where visitor’s can buy literally anything. There is everything from banks to boutiques, florists and fishmongers, and dozens of duty-free stores selling electrical goods, photographic equipment and perfume at great prices. The other two centres are Agua La Perra and Europa, and both have good selections of souvenir and beachwear shops and at least one supermarket. Opening hours for shops and supermarkets in the centres are from 9.30am to 10pm. The largest market on the island is at Arguineguin, only ten minutes away by taxi, and is open from 8am to 4pm every Tuesday. This is a good place to test your bargaining power; hagglers should start negotiating at about half the asking price.
Restaurants
Like most resorts on the Canary islands, the Puerto Rico restaurants and fast food outlets cater for a wide range of tastes. Here you can dine on anything from fish and chips to haute cuisine. Most of the restaurants are in the Centro Comercial. Among the most popular are The Indian Head, where snacks are served up with country and western music and karaoke. At La Habana the menu is Tex-Mex and the music Latin American, while the Royal Oak pub is the place for some traditional British home cooking. Upmarket French cuisine is the order of the day at Oliver’s, at the harbour, and if you want to sample some Spanish tapas dishes Don Quijote in Edificio Porto Novo will oblige. La Cabana and El Cendor are also highly recommended and those who like to dine overlooking the beach will find some good restaurants on the west side of the bay.
Nightlife
Puerto Rico is one of Gran Canaria’s hottest nightspots where visitors can party the night away. Happy hour starts as early as 4pm in many bars and pubs, and the clubs don’t close until around 4.30am. Popular clubs include Disco Joker and, for those into RnB, Space. Centro Comercial is the hub of the action and where most nightspots are found.
Activities
Puerto Rico is the perfect resort for a sporting holiday, offering numerous active diversions, not least of which are a wide range of watersports available at the marinas at each end of the bay including windsurfing, jet skiing and banana rides. Out of the water visitors can enjoy tennis; the courts are in excellent condition and lit at night and rackets and balls can be hired. There are squash courts at the Europa Centre and a gym in the Centro Commercial. Youngsters particularly enjoy the amusement arcades in the three shopping centres, and the mini golf is popular. A variety of excursions are available to various tourist attractions around the island, while for the adrenaline junkies there is paragliding, skydiving and scuba diving.
Attractions in Puerto Rico and Playa del Cura
Palmitos Park
A colourful and entertaining look at nature is presented at Palmitos Park, situated four miles (6km) inland from Arguineguin on the south coast. The park is a subtropical oasis containing thousands of birds, fish, trees, plants and particularly orchids. The orchid house is the largest in the Canary Islands and the range is astonishing. There is a cactus garden too, a huge butterfly house and an aquarium featuring a recreated riverbed. Parrots complete the picture among the lush Canarian flora which fills the park.
Climate
While Gran Canaria has a wonderful climate throughout the year, the south of the island (where the major resorts are located) enjoys its own microclimate with generally better weather than other parts of the island, although the sea breeze can be quite bracing. The average temperature is comfortable all year round, rarely dropping below 63°F (17°C) and more often above 82°F (28°C) during the day. Rainfall in the summer months is almost non-existent, but showers are likely between October and April.
Health
There are no health risks associated with travel to Spain, and no vaccination certificates are required for entry. Spain has a reciprocal health agreement with most EU countries, including the UK, providing free emergency health care at State run hospitals. UK travellers should take a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Note that private clinics are not covered, and the scheme gives no entitlement to medical repatriation costs, nor does it cover ongoing illnesses of a non-urgent nature, so comprehensive travel insurance is advised.
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