10 Things to Do in Gran Canaria in October

Gran Canaria is known for its natural areas 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 in October.

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

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

It is an island tradition that has been revived in recent years and which in the past consisted of children ringing doorbells and receiving almonds, walnuts, chestnuts and other nuts in return. This variant of the Anglo-Saxon festival used to include dances and family meals.

In Gran Canaria the Noche de Los Finaos is nowadays celebrated in various 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.

Noche de los Finaos is the Spanish version of Halloween and does not differ greatly from the traditional Anglo-Saxon festival, although it does retain some of its own traditions, such as children still asking if there are any saints when they knock on the doors of neighbouring houses, instead of asking for the popular 'trick or treat'.

If you plan to visit Gran Canaria in October, you can visit the Casa de Colón to follow the Columbus Day events and also delve into the personal history of the conquistador, which was closely linked to the Canary Islands.

In Vegueta, the historic centre 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 afield.

On 12 October 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's long stay on the islands is extensively documented by the Casa de Colón, located in the historic centre of Las Palmas.

Moreover, after the discovery, each of the loaded ships returning to Spain had to pass through the Castillo de la Luz, where the defensive fortification guarded the vessels and kept them safe from the pirates who prowled the Canary Islands' waters.

Every 12 October, Gran Canaria also celebrates Columbus Day, and the island commemorates the time Columbus spent in the Canary Islands before his founding voyages to America.

Interesting details

• Price: General admission to the Casa de Colón is approximately 4 euros.
• Location: C. Colón 1, Las Palmas.
• Opening 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 months of low season, Gran Canaria celebrates several local and patron saint festivals. One of them is the Fiesta de la Manzana, which is held every first Sunday of October in Valleseco, the picturesque village located in the centre-north of the island.

The Fiesta de la Manzana is notable for its apple dish competitions , tastings of local cider, which is one of the best in the world, as well as the musical performances, painting and photography exhibitions and fireworks that close the festival each 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 kilometres from Las Palmas, near the Parque Rural de Doramas, the main area for buggy excursions around the island.

• How to get there: By car on the GC-3 road or by bus on 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 along the most beautiful paths of the Canary Islands.

The Gran Canaria Walking Festival takes place every year during the last days of October and offers hikers the chance to get to know the natural and unknown profile of Gran Canaria, to discover the contrasts of the island, to taste the flavours of the local gastronomy and to compete for the prizes raffled by the organisation 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 Camino de Santiago de 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 setting for 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 and his lovers. This event is one of the most popular in Gran Canaria and every year thousands of spectators flood the cobbled streets of Vegueta.

The libertine and seductive character of Don Juan Tenorio is already a reference point for the inhabitants of Gran Canaria, who come to Vegueta every year 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 and open to the public. If you are planning a short stay on the island, bear in mind that it is a show that only lasts a few hours, so it should not interfere with your travel plans. If that is your case and you plan to visit Gran Canaria in 3 days, here is a list of things you can do and see to discover the island.

Interesting details

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

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

Some of the best surfers in the world compete in the Fronton King Pro, a sport that has made Gran Canaria an international benchmark for its great waves and its extensive beaches in 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 take part in the participants' parties and the presentation of the trophies to the Open and Junior World Bodyboard Champions.

Interesting details

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

If you think that taking part in a daytime run along the island' s winding roads is a challenge, imagine taking part in the biggest national night-time running circuit. During the Binter Night Run, as night falls, the streets of Gran Canaria are lit up in green and you can take part in 5, 10 and 21 kilometre races as part of 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 kilometres 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 October for three-day events held in 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 Canaries, which is 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 in price at the last minute.

Interesting details

• Price: A day ticket to Festival CERO costs approximately 15 euros.
• Location: Plaza de la Música, Las Palmas.
• When: Every year in October.
• How to get there: By bus on 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 on the island and also a meeting point for all Canarians.

The Virgen del Pilar is the patron saint of the neighbourhood of Guanarteme, in Las Palmas, and is also the protagonist of one of the most famous patron saint festivities in 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 neighbourhood of Guanarteme go out into the streets, eat food that they buy from other neighbours and improvise street music festivals. Although it is a religious festival, the Pilar celebrations have a social function, which is why theatre, music and circus performances predominate.

It is also an activity that I recommend 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 these attractions, you can visit Gran Canaria's best theme parks at your own pace.

Holiday World Maspalomas is one of the best known in Gran Canaria and is noted for its Ferris wheels and roller coasters, while Sioux City Park is one of the most successful and recreates a Wild West atmosphere, 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 at 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 minimum is around 15°, so the weather is pleasant, although it can get cooler at night

Please note that October is also the start of the rainy season, so I advise you to always have waterproof clothing on hand as the island's humid weather can become very changeable.

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

The low number of tourists is also maintained during 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 visit 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 excursions for your trip to Gran Canaria in October in advance , you can also get discounts and secure your place on tours.

• Swimwear
• T-shirts
• Waterproof jacket
• Comfortable city shoes
• Trekking shoes
• Running shoes
• Waterproof trousers
• Summer jumpers
• Sunglasses
• Lightweight coat
• Sporty sun hat