10 Things to Do in Gran Canaria in October

Gran Canaria stands out for its natural spaces and adventure excursions, but also for its festivals, concerts and endurance competitions, which is why the island's calendar is usually packed with activities, even in the months when there are fewer tourists, as is the case of October.

In addition to the best things to see and do in Gran Canaria, in October there are, among others, the celebrations for the Noche de los Finaos, which is a Spanishization of Halloween, the Fiesta de la Manzana and the music festivals and concerts.

Halloween is celebrated in the Canary Islands to commemorate the popular Day of the Dead, but its name is very different: Noche de Los Finaos. Traditionally it was celebrated during the night before All Souls' Day (November 1 to 2), but nowadays it is held on All Saints' Eve (October 31 to November 1)

It is a tradition of the islands that has been recovered in recent years and which in the past consisted of children ringing doorbells and receiving almonds, walnuts, chestnuts and other nuts in exchange. This variant of the Anglo-Saxon celebration used to include dances and family meals.

In Gran Canaria the Noche de Los Finaos is currently celebrated in several ways. Children dress up in costumes and ask for sweets and treats, which they share with their friends or family. Adults, on the other hand, usually go out to party in themed discos and dance the night away.

The Noche de los Finaos is the Spanish version of Halloween and has no major differences with the traditional Anglo-Saxon holiday, although it retains some of its own traditions such as children still asking if there are any saints when knocking on the doors of neighboring houses, instead of asking for the popular 'trick or treat'.

If you are planning to visit Gran Canaria in October you can attend the Casa de Colón to follow the Columbus Day events and also delve into the personal history of the conquistador, which was intimately connected to the Canary Islands.

In Vegueta, the historic center of Las Palmas, you can also visit the Cathedral, the Plaza de Santa Ana and the Castillo de la Luz, which is a little further away.

On October 12, 1492 Christopher Columbus arrived in America, but before his voyage of discovery he spent a long time in the Canary Islands, where he finished preparing the caravel for the itinerary. In Gran Canaria, Columbus' long stay on the islands is thoroughly reviewed by the Casa de Colón, located in the historic center of Las Palmas.

In addition, after the discovery, each of the loaded ships returning to Spain had to pass through the Castillo de la Luz and there the defensive fortification guarded the vessels and kept them safe from the pirates that prowled the Canary waters.

Every October 12, in addition, Gran Canaria celebrates the Día de la Hispanidad and the island remembers the time Columbus spent in the Canary Islands before his founding voyages to America.

Details of interest

• Price: General admission to the Casa de Colón is approximately 4 euros.
• Location: C. Colón 1, Las Palmas.
• Hours: Monday to Saturday from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm. Closed on Sundays.
• How to get there: By bus lines 7, 54 and 70 to Lentini station.

During the off-season months, Gran Canaria celebrates several patron saint and local festivals. One of them is the Fiesta de la Manzana, which is celebrated every first Sunday of October in Valleseco, the picturesque village located in the center-north of the island.

The Fiesta de la Manzana stands out for the apple dishes contests , the tastings of local cider, which is one of the best in the world, and also for the musical performances, the painting and photography exhibitions and the fireworks that close the festival every year.

If you plan to visit the island in October, attending the Fiesta de la Manzana is one of the best things to do in Gran Canaria in autumn.

Valleseco is located about 30 kilometers from Las Palmas, near the Doramas Rural Park, the main area for buggy excursions on the island.

• How to get there: By car on the GC-3 road or by bus lines 1, 10, 12 and 17 combined with lines 206 and 210.

If you are interested in hiking routes (one of the best activities to do in Gran Canaria) and you are planning to visit the island in October, the Walking Festival could be ideal for you, because it is an event where hiking enthusiasts get together to discover the island in groups and walk the most beautiful paths of the Canary Islands.

The Gran Canaria Walking Festival takes place every year during the last days of October and proposes that hikers get to know the natural and unknown profile of Gran Canaria, discover the contrasts of the island, taste the flavors of the local gastronomy and compete for the prizes raffled by the organization among those who finish the route.

This hiking route also offers an option that links Maspalomas, in the south of the island, with Gáldar, in the north. Those who finish this route receive a stamped pilgrim's credential and the official certificate of having completed the Way of St. James of Gran Canaria.

The Camino de Santiago from the south to the north of the island will take you through the most demanding adventure circuits, including the highest points of Gran Canaria such as Roque Nublo and Pico de las Nieves.

Details of interest

• Price: Registration costs approximately 40 euros per person.
• Location: The start is in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria.
• When: Every year in October.
• How to get there: By car on the GC-1 road.

Vegueta is the old quarter of Las Palmas and also the stage of the show Don Juan Tenorio, which unfolds its amorous exploits in the Plaza de Santa Ana or in the Castillo de la Luz.

The Don Juan Tenorio show changes its director and performers every year, but the story it tells is always the same: that of the Don Juan Tenorio and his lovers. This event is one of the most popular in Gran Canaria and every year thousands of spectators flood the cobblestone streets of Vegueta.

The libertine and seductive character of Don Juan Tenorio is already a reference for the inhabitants of Gran Canaria, who every year come to Vegueta to relive the adventures of an archetypal figure of Spanish literature.

If you are planning to visit the Canary Islands in October, you can attend this show, which is free of charge. If you are planning a short stay on the island, keep in mind that it is a show that only lasts a few hours, so it should not interfere with your travel plan. If that is your case and you plan to visit Gran Canaria in 3 days, here is a list of things to do and see to discover the island.

Details of interest

• Price: The show is free
• Location: Vegueta, Las Palmas.
• When: Every year in October.
• How to get there: With bus lines 7, 54 and 70 to Lentini station.

Gran Canaria is the Spanish capital of surfing and also an ideal place for water sports, including bodyboarding. That's why every year in October the island hosts the Frontón King Pro, which is the world's most important championship in this discipline.

In the Fronton King Pro compete some of the best surfers in the world in a sport that has placed Gran Canaria as an international reference for its great waves and its extensive beaches of Gáldar, in the north of the island, very close to the paradisiacal Playa de Sardina del Norte.

If you plan to visit Gran Canaria in October you can attend the competition and also participate in the participants' parties and the awarding of the trophies to the Open and Junior World Bodyboard Champions.

Details of interest

• Location: Beaches of Sardina del Norte, Gáldar.
• When: Every year in October.
• How to get there: By car on the GC-2 road.

If you are planning to visit Gran Canaria in October and you are a running enthusiast, perhaps the Binter Night Run event might interest you.

If you think that participating in a daytime race through the winding roads of the island is a challenge, imagine participating in the largest national nighttime running circuit. During the Binter Night Run, at nightfall, the streets of Gran Canaria are illuminated in green and you can participate in 5, 10 and 21 kilometer races in one of the most eclectic events in the Canary Islands.

The race takes place every year in October and is promoted with the values of solidarity, inclusion and sustainability. The Binter Night Run is oriented each year to a social objective and contributes to the development of Gran Canaria as a refuge for minorities.

The registration fee is approximately 30 euros per person for the longest 21 kilometers and includes the race T-shirt.

Details of interest

• Price: Registration for the race is approximately 30 euros per person.
• Location: Maspalomas, Gran Canaria.
• When: Every year in October.
• How to get there: By car on the GC-1 road.

Festival CERO is one of the island's most popular music concerts and brings together a host of international rock, pop and hip hop artists and bands every year in October for three-day events held at the Plaza de la Música in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

CERO is the last of Gran Canaria's festivals to close the summer season and is the ideal place to get to know the more youthful and multicultural profile of the Canary Islands, highlighted by workers from all over Spain who move to the island during the high season to work in the bars, restaurants and tourist services.

If you are planning to visit Gran Canaria in October and want to attend the CERO Festival, I recommend that you book your tickets in advance as they tend to sell out or increase their prices at the last minute.

Details of interest

• Price: The entrance per day to the Festival CERO has an approximate cost of 15 euros.
• Location: Plaza de la Música, Las Palmas.
• When: Every year in October.
• How to get there: By bus lines 1, 8, 11, 17 and 82.

If you are planning to visit Gran Canaria in October I advise you not to miss the Fiestas Patronales del Pilar, as they are a traditional event of the island and also a meeting point for all Canarians.

The Virgen del Pilar is the patron saint of the neighborhood of Guanarteme, in Las Palmas, and is also the protagonist of one of the most famous patron saint festivals of Gran Canaria. For some years now this celebration has been held in the Plaza de la Música, although in its beginnings it was a street party.

During the Fiestas Patronales del Pilar the inhabitants of the neighborhood of Guanarteme go out to the street, eat food that they buy from other neighbors and improvise street music festivals. Although it is a religious festival, the celebrations of the Pilar have a social function and hence the predominance of theater, music and circus shows.

It is also an activity that I advise you to attend if you are planning a short stay in the city. If that is your case, here is a list of the best attractions to discover Gran Canaria in 4 days.

As in the months of November and December, if you visit Gran Canaria in October you will notice that the influx of tourists decreases drastically and therefore you will be able to visit some of the main attractions of the island without delays and without queuing. Among those attractions, you can visit the best theme parks in Gran Canaria at your own pace.

Holiday World Maspalomas is one of the best known in Gran Canaria and stands out for its Ferris wheels and roller coasters, while Sioux City Park is one of the most successful and recreates the atmosphere of the American Far West, with cowboys, saloons and a sheriff.

If you prefer water parks, you can choose between Aqualand Maspalomas or Lago del Taurito and if you plan to visit the island with friends you can have fun in Hangar 37, a theme park where you will face the rest of the visitors and you will have to defend yourself with airsoft ball guns.

With maximum temperatures of 27° and an average of 19°, October is a hot month in Gran Canaria. The approximate minimum is 15°, so the weather is pleasant, although it can cool down at night

Keep in mind that October also marks the beginning of the sporadic rainy season, so I advise you to always have waterproof clothing on hand because the island's humid weather can become very changeable.

October is another of the low season months in which the influx of tourists in Gran Canaria decreases, so it is an ideal time to take the best excursions from Las Palmas

The low tourist influx is also maintained during the months of November and the first part of December, as closer to Christmas the island recovers its visitors and prepares for the high season in January.

October is a convenient month to tour Gran Canaria from an economic point of view, as prices decrease in a dynamic that is also maintained during November and the first part of December.

If you book in advance the excursions for your trip to Gran Canaria in October you can also get discounts and secure your place on the tours.

• Swimming suit
• T-shirts
• Waterproof jacket
• Comfortable urban footwear
• Trekking shoes
• Running shoes
• Waterproof pants
• Summer sweaters
• Sunglasses
• Light coat
• Sporty sun hat