ExploGC

From Snow to Sun: 20 Years of Gran Canaria 1 February 2006. Twenty years ago our adventure truly began. While Holland was wrapped in snow and grey skies, we packed our lives into suitcases and turned our faces toward the sun. Gran Canaria was waiting — warm, bright, and full of promise. At the time, it felt like a leap into the unknown. Looking back now, it feels like the most natural decision we ever made. Gran Canaria was never just a holiday destination for us. Yes, tourism was everywhere — hotels, bars, beaches filled with sunseekers — but beneath that glossy surface lived an island rich in culture, history, and stories that didn’t always make it into the brochures. We felt that almost immediately. Learning the Island from the Inside Like many newcomers, we started by working in bars. Long days, late nights, music, laughter, and conversations that crossed borders without effort. Behind the bar we met people from all over the world: travelers passing through, drea...

A Sunny Morning in Barranco de Guayadeque We arrived on a sunny morning, when the Barranco de Guayadeque was glowing in shades of green and deep volcanic brown. The road into the ravine always feels like a quiet transition — leaving the busy island behind and entering a place where time moves differently. Steep rock walls rose on both sides, protecting a valley shaped by fire, water, and centuries of human life. The air was warm but fresh, and the vegetation felt unexpectedly lush for such a rugged landscape. Guayadeque never feels empty. Even in silence, it feels alive. Parking near the Museo de Guayadeque, we took a moment to look around. Cave homes were scattered along the slopes, some ancient, some still lived in today. It’s one of those rare places where history isn’t locked behind glass — it’s part of the landscape itself. Inside the Rock: The Museo de Guayadeque The museum is built into the rock, blending naturally into the ravine wall. From the outside it feels mode...

The evening light in San Agustín always feels different. Softer. Slower. As if the sun itself knows that this place was never meant for rushing. Our walk began at a building that quietly carries more history than most people realise: Hotel Las Folias, today known as Hotel New Folias. Standing there at the start, it was impossible not to think about what this place represents. This was not just another hotel. This was the beginning. When Hotel Folias opened in 1965, the south of Gran Canaria as we know it today did not yet exist. No Playa del Inglés full of lights, no Maspalomas boulevard, no endless resorts. Just land, wind, and an idea that this quiet coastline could become something more. Starting our walk here felt like stepping into the first page of a long story. From the hotel, we headed gently uphill toward Shopping Center San Agustín. The evening had settled in comfortably by now. The heat of the day was fading, replaced by a warm breeze coming from the ocean. The s...