Patalavaca holidays

Holidays to Patalavaca on Gran Canaria stick to the sun, sea and sand mantra. Picture a cluster of pretty beaches, backed by smart hotels and every-flavour restaurants.

Holiday staples

Patalavaca ticks all of the traditional holiday boxes. It’s one of the lesser-known spots on Gran Canaria’s south coast, but still lines up a clutch of sandy beaches and well-positioned hotels. Whitewashed villas start to take their place as you follow the twisting road uphill, and the panoramas get better the higher you climb. Turn your back on the ocean, and you’ll see mocha-coloured hills rise and fall towards the island’s rural centre.

Best for beaches

You’ve got a couple of options when it comes to sunbathing here. One’s a classic Canarian sweep of digestive-coloured sand, which comes with a scattering of hotels over its shoulder. The more eye-catching option, Anfi Beach, has literally been plucked from the Caribbean – the dazzling white sands were shipped here from tropical climes, and a string of palm trees completes the look.

Day-tripping

With Patalavaca as your base, exploring Gran Canaria’s most-popular towns couldn’t be easier. Puerto Rico’s only a five-minute drive from here, and lines up shopping centres, beachfront restaurants and family-focused activity parks. Head in the other direction, and the famous, wave-like dunes of Maspalomas can be reached in 15 minutes by car.