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In Gran Canaria, the Atlantic breeze moves across the mountains and the ravines murmur with history. From the very beginning, the island surrounds you with its steady rhythm and varied landscapes, encouraging you to slow down and reconnect. The air feels cleaner, the quiet deeper, and time… shifts into something looser among these striking settings.
This closeness to nature becomes even more meaningful when staying in its rural houses and nature hotels, many within areas of rich biodiversity and the Biosphere Reserve. These are places where traditional architecture is woven naturally into calm surroundings, far from hurry or noise.
A stay surrounded by nature
The Agaete Valley, lined with citrus groves, shelters another gem: Hotel Rural Las Longueras, a historic mansion where heritage and contemporary comfort sit easily together. The coastal breeze, autumnal tones, and lush gardens create an inviting space to wander without rushing.
Hotel Rural La Hacienda del Buen Suceso
Further west, between mountains and sea, Hotel La Aldea Suites offers a modern base that’s ideal for discovering nearby protected natural parks – and the island’s quieter side.
In Tejeda, one of Spain’s most beautiful villages, a 19th-century property has been reimagined as Hotel Fonda de la Tea, a balcony over the impressive Roque Bentayga. Its appeal lies in its honesty: thick walls, lived-in corners, and the sense of being at the island’s core.
Hotel La Aldea Suites
Close to Arucas, set among wide banana plantations, stands Hotel Rural La Hacienda del Buen Suceso. Its colonial architecture and gentle pace have long drawn artists, writers, and travellers looking for an unhurried stay.
Across the island, Gran Canaria’s rural houses and nature stays become places where tradition, landscape, and comfort meet. Spaces that encourage you to switch off, settle in, and see the island from a more grounded perspective.
In Moya, Casa Rural El Drago sits among orchards and footpaths, blending quietly into the greenery. This early-20th-century home, carefully restored, offers a soft, slow retreat framed by gardens, mountain views, and the northern breeze.
Casa Rural El Drago
Within Doramas Rural Park, Casa Rural Naturacanaria stands between terraced fields and wooded slopes, making it a perfect starting point for exploring ancient pathways. The scenery moves from steep ravines to moss-covered forest, creating a peaceful, secluded atmosphere suited to unhurried discovery.
Near Santa Lucía Village, the eco-cottage The Moon of Santa Lucía offers a simple, natural stay surrounded by some of the region’s most scenic trails. Palm groves, volcanic rock, and highland silence shape an environment where nature and heritage naturally align.
Casa Rural Naturacanaria
In Artenara, the island’s highest village, Casa-Cueva Las Margaritas embraces Gran Canaria’s cave-dwelling tradition. Carved into the rock and opening onto a terrace over the valley, it creates an intimate connection with cliffs, pine forests, and clear night skies. Set within the Biosphere Reserve and Sacred Mountains, it allows you to experience the landscape from within – quiet, elemental, and unmistakably local.
Experiences to discover the island at your own pace
These rural stays are the ideal starting point for a range of active-tourism experiences for all levels: guided routes with key viewpoints, longer hikes, canyoning, climbing, and more, led by the specialists at Climbo, as well as family-friendly summit activities and guided hiking days with Vivac Aventura.
There are also opportunities to connect with nature at a gentler pace, through mindfulness retreats with Mindfulness Canarias Compassion Academy. And with SLOWMOOVE, movement becomes thoughtful and restorative, with tailored workshops, Yin Yoga, guided meditation, conscious stretching, and reconnection practices.
La Jaira de Ana
Visits to an Aloe Vera plantation at Finca Canarias Aloe Vera, or discovering the story behind banana cultivation at Mundo del Plátano La Rekompensa, add another layer to your stay. At La Granja Escuela La Jaira de Ana, you can experience everyday farm life and taste local produce. Another memorable stop is Finca Las Orillas, a century-old estate restored with care and now a sustainable hideaway where rest blends with the traditional agricultural landscape.
You can also pair hiking with archaeology at La Fortaleza and its museum – one of the island’s most significant archaeological sites, where landscape and heritage are inseparable.
Museo de La Fortaleza
Local craftsmanship is another essential part of understanding the island. At La Molina, you’ll find products shaped by tradition and flavour. In the historic centre, Sabor a Canarias offers a curated selection of handmade pieces from across Gran Canaria.
And, naturally, these experiences are complemented by the island’s cuisine. Local dishes invite you to savour the island’s flavours, while its wineries offer tastings where each wine reflects the land. Bodega Las Tirajanas is known for its award-winning vintages and mountain-side setting. In Agaete, where coast and mountains meet, Bodega Los Berrazales reveals the unique story of Gran Canaria’s coffee – and the local produce it grows alongside.
A festival to experience the island in a different way
A key date for hiking enthusiasts is the Gran Canaria Walking Festival, celebrating its fifteenth edition from October 15th to 18th, 2026. With four routes to choose from, it combines walking, tastings of local products, and guided insights into the island’s most authentic landscapes.
Gran Canaria Walking Festival
Ultimately, Gran Canaria doesn’t ask for anything – only that you allow yourself to be present. To walk through its nature, take in its shifting scenery, and pause at sunset. And when you leave, you’ll carry something with you. Because connecting with a place like this tends to stay with you.
Your rural stay in Gran Canaria awaits at grancanarianaturalandactive.com
