Illegal Trafficking: President of Gran Canaria “Animal Welfare” Association Investigated for Falsifying Export Certificates and Suspected Mistreatment of Animals
A rogue individual, living on Gran Canaria and operating an unlicensed and unregistered facility supposedly dedicated to animal welfare, has been referred by the Guardia Civil to the Canarian justice system for illegal trafficking and documentary falsification of certificates required for the safe transport of animals into the UK. The operation, she has run for nearly a decade, is suspected of collecting around a quarter of a million euros for this activity in just one 18 month period, keeping...
Leaked documents raise further concerns about welfare in proposed Las Palmas octopus farm that would be first of its kind in the world
The proposal by Spanish multinational Nueva Pescanova to create the world's first commercial octopus farm on Gran Canaria has generated a great deal of controversy. The company aims to produce one million octopuses a year for consumption worldwide, three times the number currently caught in the wild by Spanish fisheries. However, the project has been condemned by many scientists who regard the proposed method of killing the octopuses as "cruel". Confidential documents obtained by the BBC...
Three Men Detained, without bail, for An Alleged Gang Rape, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Hotel
Three men were arrested and charged with sexual assault after having allegedly gang-raped a young woman in a hotel, in the Santa Catalina area of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on Thursday, March 16, 2023. The woman, who is 21 years old, reported the incident at the hotel's reception, claiming that she had been raped by the men and could not remember anything after accepting a drink from them. Police began an investigation...
The Canary Islands: Influx of Foreign Property Buyers Risks Pushing Locals Out
Many have been discussing the possibility of restricting property sales in the Canary Islands to foreign buyers, as property prices and a lack of new builds has become a major issue, and particularly in the political debate ahead of the regional elections this May. Podemos, one of the parties that currently governs the region, has expressed its intention to limit real estate transactions involving non-residents, going...
Gáldar pioneering in animal welfare with a new centre
The project to build the Centre for Temporary Stay of Animals (CETA) El Sobradillo broke ground this week with the laying of the first stone in an act which included the citizens of Gáldar with dozens of animals of all kinds of conditions and breeds. This pioneering project will allow Gáldar, on the north coast of Gran Canaria, to dedicate a space that will guarantee the protection of domestic and farm animals, and which will make it the only municipality in Gran Canaria to have facilities...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 17-19 March 2023
What a big weekend ahead! It's St. Patricks Day on Friday and Spain celebrates Fathers' day this Sunday, the feast day of Saint Joseph. Maspalomas will also be celebrating their Big Carnival weekend with a "tourist day" on Friday, the big carnival parade on Saturday, and the cremation of the sardine procession on Sunday. Two major sporting events are taking place on Saturday so some road closures are sure to occur. You may also enjoy some of the more local carnival festivities in Agaete, La...
Gran Canaria Weather: Summer-like weather to continue, 30ºC+ in the shade this weekend
The Canary Islands are experiencing their first previews of summer this weekend with temperatures at the summits of Gran Canaria yesterday having exceeded 31ºC, in the shade, as noted at the Spanish State Meteorological Agency AEMET, via data from their weather station in the picturesque mountain town of Tejeda, which yielded the fourth highest reading in the country. A little further south in the highlands of San...
Movie and television production on the Canary Islands has more than doubled
The shooting of movies and television series in the Canary Islands have doubled over the course of 2022 and now far exceeds the figures recorded for 2021, which were the highest to date. More national and international productions, more investment and more direct hiring of technical and artistic professionals are the three most notable milestones reached over this period. All is touted as a direct result of a successful strategy that has managed to increase the already favourable tax...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 10-12 March 2023
A gorgeous, sunny March weekend ahead on Gran Canaria as the Carnival celebrations reach Maspalomas and the weather forecast is simply perfect. There are carnival parades to enjoy in Telde, Santa Lucía and La Aldea. The Southeast Fair is happening in Carrizal, Ingenio this weekend and Artenara celebrate their monthly market. There is still time to enjoy the Spring Artisans’ fair by the Faro de Maspalomas lighthouse. Whatever your plans may be, it is a glorious weekend for any activity on...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 3-5 March 2023
It's already the first weekend of March and the pre-Springtime carnival festivities continue around the island. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria will have their big finale weekend, including the biggest Carnival parade on Gran Canaria this Saturday. Some carnival festivities have already come to an end, other municipalities are just getting started and there are still plenty to come. Spring is just around the corner. The European Cheese fair this weekend arrives in Tejeda and the springtime...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 24-26 February 2023
The last weekend of February and the weather forecast continues to look a little unsettled and does not look very promising, unless you are a gardener in hope of a pre-spring boost to your patch. It could be a little rainy across Gran Canaria, so bear in mind that any outdoor events may get postponed or cancelled if weather conditions get too bad. The weekend offers Carnival celebrations in the capital Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Gáldar, Agüimes and Moya, Sardina del Sur and a few other towns....
Record tourist arrivals to The Canary Islands, though Gran Canaria lags behind in the recovery
2023 has started positively in terms of foreign tourism numbers. In January, the archipelago welcomed 1.22 million foreign visitors, a 3.2% increase from 2019 (1.18 million). The figure even surpasses the numbers from 2018 (1.21 million) and 2017 (1.20 million) to set a new historical record for foreign tourists during the month of January. Compared to 2022, the growth is significant, at 60%, almost half a million more...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 17-19 February 2023
It's all about carnival celebrations this February weekend, 17-19 February, on Gran Canaria. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Gáldar, and Agüimes continue their celebrations and joining them this Friday, La Aldea and Ingenio start their festivities too. A chance to also enjoy the year's first full carnival parade taking place this Saturday in Gáldar. There are always plenty of markets to visit and explore around the island. This weekend, with a little chill in the air, our top tip is the wonderful...
#GranCanariaWeather: Sleet, hail, lightening and up to 2cm of snow possible around the summits of Gran Canaria
Well if you thought its been a little chilly or wet over recent days and weeks on Gran Canaria, you're in for a further blast from the north, as it looks like a polar vortex is, this Wednesday night and Thursday morning, pulling in some decidedly wintery wet weather, with a potential for very strong winds, rough seas and even a good chance of some snow possible on Gran Canaria and on neighbouring Teide. The Spanish...
#UKMostWanted2023: Six arrested, seven to go – NCA appeal to trace UK’s Most Wanted fugitives
The National Crime Agency and partners have renewed an appeal to help trace some of the United Kingdom’s Most Wanted fugitives. Twelve months ago the NCA launched its most recent appeal to find 13 men who had gone on the run – all believed to be hiding in Spain or with strong links to the country. In that time, six wanted men have been traced, arrested and are at various stages of the extradition and judicial process. Today, the appeal - run in conjunction with independent charity...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 10-12 February 2023
The most exciting of annual celebrations on Gran Canaria is about the start. The capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and Gáldar kick off Carnival season 2023 this Friday, 10th of February, followed by Agüimes on Saturday. The Las Palmas de Gran Canaria carnival starting this week is the biggest of all on the island, lasting almost a month, until the 5th of March. Carnival festivities will be celebrated in almost every corner of the island so there will be plenty to go and see, and experience...
PRIDE by any other name, controversy in Maspalomas
The San Bartolomé de Tirajana (SBT) Town Hall, responsible for popular tourist resorts such as Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés, on the sunny south of Gran Canaria, have found themselves in conflict over the use of the word 'Maspalomas', due to a commercial entity trying, once again, to assert ownership over a world famous community event founded 21 years ago, in partnership with the local government, by the Gay & Lesbian Associates of Yumbo, GLAY. Is it time to reclaim PRIDE in Maspalomas?...
Gran Canaria Weather: Calima and some chilly nights ahead, rain and maybe snow up on the mountain!
A high-altitude weather system known as a "DANA" located northwest of the Canary Islands, is expected to affect the islands over the coming days, leading to increased instability in the weather. Snow, rain, and Saharan dust, a phenomenon known as "calima", are expected all through the weekend in the archipelago. Having started before the weekend and expected to last until at least Monday, rain and cold weather are expected throughout the islands, with snow even expected at higher elevations....
High Courts again rule that Mogán town hall’s “arbitrary” salary increases were simply a “form of reward” for certain employees, seen as loyal to the governing group
The TSJC Canary Islands' High Court of Justice has ruled that increase in salaries granted by the municipality of Mogán, to eight of its employees in 2022, were illegal. The Contencioso-Administrative Court has, once again, criticised the “arbitrary” nature of the town council led by La Alcaldesa Onalia Bueno, mayor of Mogán, who plans this year to run for re-election under the name of her new party, Juntos por Mogán, directly aligned with the right of centre regionalists, Coalición Canaria...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 3-5 February 2023
Always around this first weekend of February, on Gran Canaria, one of the most beautiful villages in Spain, Tejeda, celebrates their traditional and very popular Almond Blossom festivities. The weather around this time of the year can also be a bit hard to predict, and as we have experienced over recent days, the nights can be a touch nippy, particularly up in the mountains. Just one week to go before the spring Carnival season starts, on Friday 10 February. The first to costume up for the...
Face masks will no longer be compulsory on public transport from 7 February
Masks will no longer be required on public transport, though they will remain necessary in healthcare establishments and services, and for workers and visitors attending healthcare and social care facilities. Minister for Health, Carolina Darias, announced this week that, on 7 February, she will submit "the proposal to remove the obligation to wear masks on public transport", to the Council of Ministers taking...
Mogán town council assumes direct management of services on Playa de Mogán
The Mogán Local Council on Friday installed new sun beds and umbrellas on Playa de Mogán, beginning direct management of seasonal services of this popular beach, along with the other six beaches for which it now holds corresponding authorisations: Las Marañuelas, Costa Alegre, Taurito, El Cura, Aquamarina and Patalavaca. Since last summer they have also been in control of direct exploitation of Puerto Rico and El Perchel beaches. The majority of these coastal tourism enclaves were managed by...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 27-29 January 2023
It's the last weekend of January and exactly two weeks to go until the 2023 Carnival season starts on Gran Canaria. This weekend will most probably be enjoyed with a drop of wet weather, Sunday being forecast as the rainiest. The southern tourist enclaves look to also see a bit of cloud cover and even a small chance of seeing a few drops of rain. However you look at it, it may be handy to have umbrellas and raincoats around during the days to come. There is even the possibility of some snow on...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 20-22 January 2023
Following the winter holidays and Reyes Magos, the Three Kings Epiphany festivities, the first major weekend events have started once again, and another year full of fiestas and festivities commences. The almond trees are almost in full blossom across the island's mountainous interior, from Valsequillo to Ayacata, Tunte to Tejeda and Carnival season is also fast approaching. The first patron saint's festivities of 2023 are taking place in...
More than half of all Canary Islands properties sold last year were bought by foreigners, more than half of those non-residents
While we still await final figures for the last quarter of 2022, the latest official data from The Canary Islands has shown foreigners are buying more homes in the Canary Islands than ever before. The number of real estate acquisitions by non-residents in the Canary Islands has risen 52% compared to the same period in 2021, and is already 16% higher than the highest ever record set in 2017. The causes of this increase...
Cordial director says they will fight “illegal” decision to allow cement factory to continue in Port of Santa Águeda
The general director of hoteliers, the Cordial group, a member of the Las Palmas tourist association, Nicolás Villalobos, has described as "illegal" the decision taken by the Canarian Regional Government to extend the usage of the deep water port of Santa Águeda so that the cement company CEISA (Cementos Especiales de Las Islas SA) can continue to operate beyond its concession which expired last October. <!--more--> The...
Gran Canaria Reyes de Magos “The Three King’s” 2023
Twelfth night is almost upon us, the Epiphany, preceded by the Noche del Reyes Magos, or night of the kings, the spectacular finale of the holiday season, when 3 wise men are expected to visit every home in the kingdom. This is the most magical time of the year for Spanish kids. The tradition here is that Los Reyes Magos, known as the Three Wise Men or the Three Kings, are actually the ones who bring children their gifts on the Day of the Epiphany, which is the 6th of January. This is when...
The Canary Guide: Nochevieja, New Year’s #WeekendTips 2022-23
Well, it's the New Year's weekend and perhaps you are wondering what there is to do on our sub-tropical winter-sunshine island. There will be celebrations for the start of 2023 across Gran Canaria at most bars and restaurants, with several fireworks displays on offer, the biggest and most popular of which include the main beach in the capital, Las Canteras, and in the south on Anfi Beach, The Faro de Maspalomas lighthouse (where many of the hotels have lavish parties and compete for the...
The Canary Guide: Gran Canaria Public Holidays, Fiestas, Romerías and Celebrations for 2023
Gran Canaria and the Canary Islands share 8 official "bank holidays" with the rest of Spain. Following the publication of the Laboral Calendar in the Official State Gazette (BOE), the eight immovable holidays are: April 7: Good Friday, May 1: Labor Day, (Monday), August 15: Assumption of the Virgin (Tuesday), October 12: National holiday, (Thursday), November 1: All Saints, (Wednesday), December 6: Constitution Day, (Wednesday), December 8: The Immaculate Conception, (Friday) and December 25:...
The Canary Guide Yule time #WeekendTips, Merry Christmas
From sunny Gran Canaria, we wish you all Feliz Navidad! Happy holidays! Merry Yuletime! Local celebrations on the 24th and 25th are often low key and family oriented and it looks like the weather is going to be wonderful, at least until Monday, when a cold front looks set to move in over the archipelago, bringing with it some rain and even a chance of snow on top of Mount Teide. This week there have been loads of wonderful seasonal goings-on all around Gran Canaria. Christmas lights across the...
Spain’s second largest ever seizure of designer club drug “Tusi”
Spain's, so far, second largest consignment of the pink drug concoction has been intercepted at Gran Canaria airport. A 22-year-old passenger from Belgium was stopped, by Customs Surveillance and Guardia Civil, with an estimated ten kilos of the drug, writes A. Castilian in Spanish language daily, La Provincia Last Tuesday, Customs Surveillance and the Guardia Civil intercepted a consignment of, what is known as, "pink...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 16-18 December 2022
It's the weekend before most foreign residents (and visitors) celebrate their Yuletime dinners and get-togethers. Of course here in Spain, and on the Canary Islands, December 25th is a day of simple, quiet contemplation with the main gift giving days being 12th night, the epiphany, January 5th & 6th, in celebration of the Day of the Three Kings, so for Canary Islanders there is still plenty of time of Christmas shopping to be done. This year the 25th forms part of a 'puente', a bridge...
Works on the new Soria-Chira hydroelectric project expand to the Soria Dam
The new Salto de Chira hydroelectric power station project broke ground this year, after nearly 2 decades of planning, with works now being prepared on the primary wall of the Soria dam (the largest in The Canary Islands) and its surroundings, where a spillway will be constructed to facilitate access via a service road to install elements such as water intake, the hydraulic circuit along with a secondary tunnel which will be installed. [adrotate...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 9-11 December 2022
There is no avoiding it. It's the second weekend of December and the Yule time festivities are pretty much the theme for all the events happening on Gran Canaria over the days and weeks ahead. The municipalities of Santa Lucía and Agaete are celebrating their patron saints' festivities as well as a few other neighbourhoods around the island. The municipalities of Mogán, Teror, Valsequillo and Arucas are just about to start their seasonal programs this weekend, with their respective Lights-on...
A minimum 15 journeys per month for Canary Islands Residents Bus Pass holders wishing to travel for free, from January 1st
As of January 1, public road transport services, urban and interurban, for anyone with a resident's monthly bus pass, can travel free by bus and tram in the Canary Islands, the Government of the Canary Islands and the seven island councils have announced after a meeting held on Wednesday. This and other issues will be included in an action protocol that will be signed by all parties before the end of the year. Anyone not in...
Gran Canaria Weather: Yellow Warning – Rough seas, strong winds and rain from the South West
A massive Atlantic storm has been rumbling across the Azores over the last few days, bringing some residual wet weather last weekend and another band of rain which looks set to sweep across the archipelago today, and over the next 12 hours. Spanish State Meteorological Agency, AEMET, have issued a yellow advisory warning for the southern half of Gran Canaria, this Wednesday, for rainfall that could accumulate up to 15 litres per square...
Supermarket opening times this week, for Tuesday and Thursday and the December “Bridge”
There are two bank holidays this week, as Tuesday marks Spain's Constitution Day and Thursday is the feast of the Immaculate Conception, both of which are national holidays every year, which will make next weekend a long "bridge" weekend, and of course lots of people will take the opportunity to stock up in time of the seasonal festivities relentlessly heading our way at the end of the month. Many supermarkets will change their opening hours for these two most important shopping days at the...
#VoteLocal: Want to have your say? The deadline to register for next May’s local elections is January 15, 2023
Across Spain, municipal elections, to vote for your representatives in your local town hall, will be held on May 28, 2023. All EU nationals, legally resident, have the right to stand for election in their local council, and to elect the councillors whose job it will be to serve you and local interests, defend citizen rights and administrate local town hall funds to where they are most needed and useful for the the community. For non-EU...
Winds of up to 90 km/h from the northwest and heavy rain: AEMET activates Yellow and Orange warnings for the Canary Islands this weekend
Spanish State Meteorological Agency, AEMET, this Friday issued yellow and orange warnings for the Canary Islands this weekend. An orange advisory warning will be in affect for the islands of Tenerife and La Palma, due to strong winds, and there is a yellow warning for rain and wind on the western islands and Gran Canaria. Gran Canaria has a yellow warning for strong wind, with gusts of up to 70 kilometres per hour, especially on the north...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 2-4 December 2022
The first weekend of December and it's going to be an interesting one. The weather forecast is a bit unstable for Gran Canaria for the coming days with some rain, clouds and sunshine to look forward to. That being said, bad weather can cause any outdoor event to be postponed, moved indoors, or cancelled. Overall, the many events and festivities to explore and enjoy include the Avocado fair in Arguineguin. Some of the finest artisan...
Bus companies very concerned about being able to maintain services with free travel from January 1st
Bus operators, technicians and managers have been expressing some concern over the new plan to make public transport free for regular daily users as of next January 1. 2023 is expected to begin with a sudden increase in demand for which the bus companies are not well prepared. The increase in the number of users, means that bus companies like Global Bus (Interurban island-wide) and Guaguas Municipales (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) will have to provide a potentially larger number of services...
Swedish man faces up to 29 years, on trail, suspected of killing his partner in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria
The Guardia Civil arrested a Swedish man, in April 2019, in the tourist resort town of Puerto Rico, in the south western municipality of Mogán, accused of having beaten his partner to death. The woman, who was 42 years old, according to sources within the initial investigation was found dead in her apartment by a Guardia Civil patrol responding to a 112 emergency call, to ask for help at around 10 am the following morning. However,...
Three stowaways found on the rudder of an oil tanker after it docked in Las Palmas on Monday
The Salvamento Marítimo (Maritime Rescue) rescued three stowaways on Monday, found on the rudder blade of an oil tanker that had just arrived in the Port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, having left eleven days earlier from Lagos (Nigeria). They were picked up this Tuesday by the Salvamar Nunki in the port of the capital of Gran Canaria, having been sighted in a precarious position outside the ship's hull, with their feet hanging barely half a metre from the surface of the water. [fb_plugin...
Animal abuser, as well as a municipal service vet, investigated after dog beating in Mogán
Last month, a Guardia Civil SEPRONA (Nature Protection Service) patrol investigated an individual for a crime of animal abuse and/or abandonment, as in addition to having four dogs at a private home in a somewhat precarious state, evidenced by images provided to the Guardia Civil, the owner of the dogs was seen striking one dog with a stick, then with a large heavy rock and later with some sort of wooden board, at the house in question in the municipality of Mogán. ...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 25-27 November 2022
What an awesome month of sunshine it has been, the Orange harvest is in full swing, and now it's time to enjoy the last weekend of November before, Hello December! We have one busy weekend coming up, and that most American celebration of consumerism, the so-called Black Friday, arrives once again on the island. Events to celebrate the switching on of Christmas lights have already started and will continue in various places around the island over the next week...
First of its kind national congress on the local administration of finance and funding puts Maspalomas under the spotlight
A three day congress, the first of it's kind in Spain, has found itself the target of criticism over the cost of aiming to inaugurate a national conversation on financial responsibility, in particular in the administration of local, regional, national and EU funding. Some opposition parties, many of whom, it seems, were not invited, have sought clarifications on how the expenditure for the event itself was decided, and why there was only one sound and lighting company invited to tender...
Free resident travel will be limited to regular and frequent users with monthly bus passes
Free public transport in the Canary Islands is to be limited to those people who use bus services on a regular basis, in their day-to-day activities, using one of the usual monthly or annual bus passes already issued by the Gran Canaria Single Transport Authority or similar institutions on the rest of the islands. Citizens to benefit from free trips will those who undertake a minimum number of trips per month, still to be determined,...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 18-20 November 2022
It's official! Yule time starts this weekend on Gran Canaria with the first of the seasonal lighting events happening this Friday. The gorgeous summery weather that we have been enjoying all the way into mid-November will now take a few days off but it looks like it will return next week. Work has already started of Gran Canaria’s biggest nativity sculpture, the sand art Belen de Arena 2022 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and opens on Friday, December 2...
Quick response from Mogán Policia Local results in arrests following restaurant theft in Puerto Rico
In the early hours of the morning of this Thursday, November 17, Mogán Policia Local arrested three adults and a minor for allegedly having forced their way into the Bahía Playa restaurant, in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, and stealing a cash register. Once alerted, the local agents managed to intercept a vehicle in which the suspects were fleeing, in the area of El Tablero, just 10km away. The Police were alerted around...
Ella the danger mouse grabs more than she bargained for on holiday in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria
Ella the danger mouse got more than she bargained for when she tried to win herself one of the gift teddies in a grab-a-prize machine, located in the family amusement zone of the Sunspot bar, in Fase IV of the Shopping Centre Puerto Rico, last Sunday at about 8.30 pm. Her panicked mum, Lisa, found her little ball of energy had been so focused on winning a stuffed toy she'd spotted that, as soon as her 13 year old sister's...
Sting to perform in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria summer 2023
British singer songwriter Sting looks set to return to Gran Canaria in 2023. Gordon Matthew Thomas Summer (Wallsend, North Tyneside, England, October 2, 1951), known globally as Sting, will perform for islanders next summer, according to sources consulted by Spanish language daily, Canarias7. , in an enclave like the Gran Canaria Arena, in Siete Palmas. The arena concert by the ex lead singer of The Police looks set to be one...
Regular resident bus travel to be FREE – 100% subsidised – in the Canary Islands from Jan 1
Spain's central government in Madrid, it was announced this Monday, has accepted 100% free resident travel on Canary Islands urban and interurban buses from January 1. The regionalist CC party have been negotiating with and socialist PSOE government since October culminating in an agreement to support the central Government's 2023 budget in exchange for the 100% subsidy for passenger and freight transport, and a specific plan for La Palma. ...
Man admits locking up, assaulting and raping a woman in Mogán during the pandemic confinement
A man accused of having, allegedly, held a woman in Mogán during the state of alarm, against her will and wilfully engaging in her sexually abuse, confessed this Tuesday to being guilty as charged. The man acknowledged that he had taken the victim into his home, knowing that she was in a vulnerable situation, after having had problems with her partner, and that he took advantage of her, even engaging in non-consensual sex. [adrotate...
Gran Canaria Weather: Summer-like temperatures will give way to some rain and a slight cooling by the weekend
It's the middle of November and Gran Canaria has been enjoying temperatures more typical of summer than of the middle of Autumn. The balmy sunshine looks set to continue for a few more days this week across the Canary Islands, while Calima haze is expected to trap some of that heat, forecasts suggest the temperatures may well drop by then end of the week and there is a distinct possibility of rainfall, so it could well be time to dust off the umbrella, just incase the prediction of Spain's...
New Mogán law to prohibit sleeping in public spaces, hanging clothes on balconies and drinking in the streets
Gran Canaria's second most important tourism municipality, Mogán on the south west coast of the island, are understood to be engaged in the process of endowing themselves with a new set of local bylaws which, among various other things, will prohibit and penalise anyone found sleeping, day or night, in public spaces. Prohibited too, in some of Gran Canaria's favourite resorts, will be the leaving of clothing or towels on balconies. The apparently deeply conservative Mogán town hall, led by the...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 11-13 November 2022
It's the second weekend of November already and it is going to be a beautiful and busy one on Gran Canaria. The festive season is getting closer and closer and a lot of the Yuletime lights are up already, with many official 'lights on' events still to come, so stay tuned. There are plenty of awesome events and festivities taking place around Gran Canaria, highlights include the WOMAD world music and dance festival, happening in the capital, as well as Fashion & Friends. It's also...
Mass message alert “reverse 112” system tested on the Canary Islands
This Thursday, November 10, at midday, 12:00, the Canary Islands participated in a test of a new public alert system, using mobile phone networks, called ES-Alert, organised by the General Directorate of Civil Protection and Emergencies (DGPCE) and the Regional Ministry of Public Administrations, Justice and Security, directed by Julio Pérez. The system is designed to send mass warnings to the population, via all mobile phones in a specific area, during the test to around 10,000 people The...
Want to live on Gran Canaria? Feel free to Follow the Sun this Thursday, with Pride Properties
Sponsored On Thursday 10 November, between 11.00am and 1.00pm a FREE consultation has been laid on by popular real estate experts Pride Properties, who have gathered together their team, which includes the two property agents behind the company, a trusted architect, a property lawyer and an expert on global accountancy to offer free information and advice for anyone thinking of buying or selling on Gran Canaria. They have offered to answer any...
Foreign woman arrested in Playa del Inglés accused of collecting donations on false pretences
Policia Nacional have arrested a 39-year-old woman suspected of scamming more than €10,000 from at least five foreign restaurateurs on the south of the island island on the false premise that her daughter was suffering from a serious illness and then died after a failed operation, supposedly in Houston, Texas, for which she allegedly needed to raise money. The detainee has been accused of fraud, forgery of documents, the...
La Alcaldesa, the mayoress of Mogán, investigations continue before the courts, after trying to block Guardia Civil from looking at municipal files
La Alcaldesa, O. Bueno, was called on Thursday, before the judge, to defend why she ordered her IT manager to stop Guardia Civil access to town hall computers after her arrest, not for the first time, back in September 2020. The case is just one of the several derived from the latest round of allegations, which came to light after the 2015 local elections, accusing her and her people of dodgy dealing and electoral fraud, having been accused of orchestrating a vote buying plot with a local...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 4-6 November 2022
The first weekend of November and we have been truly blessed with some rather tropical weather across the whole island recently, the island is still layered with greens after the October rains, though temperatures look set to drop a little over the next few days. One of the biggest county fairs of the year, the "Feria del Sureste", is on this weekend in Vecindario. Tejeda is celebrating their Finaos market. There is a beach clean taking place as...
Gran Canaria Weather: Gradually cooling back towards seasonal norms and a small possibility of showers by Saturday
Well it looks like predictions of an extended autumn heat wave have receded in The Canary Islands as weather forecasts across the archipelago turn towards a more seasonal outlook, with temperatures starting to drop following the balmy weather over the weekend. All Saints' Day has started with cloudy intervals at lower altitudes, but continues with a probability of Calima haze and maximum daytime temperatures in the shade of up to 27ºC, and dropping to 20ºC at night, according to Spanish State...
The Canary Guide: Noche de Finaos vs. Halloween on Gran Canaria 2022
All saints’ Day, All Hallows’ Day, Halloween, Todos Los Santos Monday, 31 October 2022 The 31st of October has long been celebrated here in The Canary Islands. A most traditional celebration where families gather and tell each other stories of family members long departed, ancestors of note, parents, grandparents, and the occasional spooky ghost story. Graveyards extend their opening hours so that families can visit their loved ones. Of course, US influences have seeped in over recent years,...
The Canary Guide #Weekend Tips 28-30 October 2022
What a wonderful October it has been and it will also end with the most glorious warm weather around the island with just a hint of calima in the air. A perfect last weekend of October for absolutely any adventure or rest break. This is also going to be a long and interesting weekend as Finaos/Halloween lands this year on a Monday and then Tuesday, 1 November is a bank holiday in Spain. So a long festive "bridge" weekend ahead. There will be...
“Very unusual” warm spell over the Canaries likely to last into November and also affecting mainland for warmest Autumn on record
Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has announced their forecast of a new "very unusual" warm spell for this time of year in the Canary Islands. Meteorologists have not ruled out that the end of October will make it the hottest October in Spain since records began. "Clearly warmer than normal conditions are likely to continue into the first half of November ," they have warned. According to AEMET, thermometers could reach up and over 30°C in the shade in The Canary Islands over coming...
Gran Canaria continues work to protect the Dunes of Maspalomas and avoid their destruction
Gran Canaria's island government, the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, are working with the Coastal Authority to reinforce fences that delimit and prevent access to certain areas of the Maspalomas Dunes. The president of the insular institution, Antonio Morales, who made a visit to the Special Nature Reserve, did not give details about which places they would be focused on, but he did clarify that they would include access to the...
25-year-old allegedly faked the theft of €1,900 in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria
The Guardia Civil in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria report that they identified a simulated crime, allegedly perpetrated by a 25-year-old on October 1, who stated that they had been attacked and held against their will by a group of six people, who forced them to withdraw €1,900 from a nearby ATM, in the popular tourist town on the southwest of Gran Canaria. The person identified had reported to the Guardia Civil that day,...
31ºC in the shade this weekend on Gran Canaria, with a touch of Calima to end October
The Canary Islands have been enjoying some very pleasant October weather with clear skies with just a few intervals of cloud, daytime highs of around 27ºC and night time lows of around 20ºC. The westernmost islands are a little cooler, with lows of around 17-18ºC in La Palma and El Hierro. However, the thermometers look set to rise as we approach the weekend. On Saturday and Sunday and next week, as we head into November, the temperatures across the Canary Islands archipelago will approach...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 21-23 October 2022
An absolutely gorgeous October weekend ahead on Gran Canaria. The weather looks great and the splendid variety of different events and festivities happening is too. On the south of the island, there is a major free concert and a drone show to enjoy among many other music offerings. Arucas is finally celebrating its "World Beers Festival" and in Gáldar the bodyboard competition Frontón King continues on the north coast. In Vecindario the patronal festivities in honour of Archangel Rafael...
Missing man found dead inside a car parked in the Bellavista area of Maspalomas
Agents of the Policia Nacional have found the body of a man inside a vehicle parked in residential area of Bellavista, near Maspalomas, 0n the south of Gran Canaria. It is thought the deceased may have been there for about 15 days. According to reports from sources within the San Bartolomé de Tirajana Town Council, and subsequently from Spanish language news portals, late on Sunday, everything appears to indicate that it was...
At least 5 flights diverted to Gran Canaria due to powerful electrical storm over Fuerteventura on Saturday night
A powerful electrical storm descended last night over Puerto del Rosario, forcing at least five planes destined for Fuerteventura to have to be diverted to land on Gran Canaria. All arrived without major incidents. The affected flights all originated from the United Kingdom. The first, from Jet2, had taken off from Manchester and at about 8pm, after remaining on hold to the south of Fuerteventura, controllers...
The Canary Guide: Maspalomas Market has moved to Parque Europeo while the new facilities are being built
At the start of October the popular Maspalomas Market moved to the Parque Europeo, in the heart of Playa del Inglés. The Town Council provisionally moved the Wednesday and Saturday market due to works due to start on the new municipal market renovation The Councillor for Markets of San Bartolomé de Tirajana town hall, María Ángeles Rodríguez Vega, held a meeting with representatives of the market stallholders, in which the details were agreed to proceed with the change of location (just next...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 14-16 October 2022
It's mid-October weekend and there are many wonderful events and festivities taking place to see and enjoy. Free concerts in Meloneras. Patron Saint festivities in La Isleta in the capital and in Vecindario. Tejeda is finally trying to celebrate World Tourism Day after being forced to postpone already twice. Last days to enjoy Water Circus in Maspalomas and there is an autumn Fair happening in Holy Trinity church in Las Palmas de G.C. This...
Blood & Gold: The ‘Discoverer’ and the brutality of conquest
Many in Spain celebrate the national day, October 12, as a day for all Spaniards to revel in Spanishness, and remember an empire, replete with displays of military might, with marches and the waving of flags coloured blood and gold. For many, it is not a day of celebration but a time worth spent remembering countless millions whose lives were so irrevocably affected after the arrival of one lost adventurer, who managed to find a small Bahamian island, an ocean away from the newly united...
Rain showers to end the week, but nothing like Tropical Storm Hermine, likely to remain mostly sunny in the south
Forecasters over the last few days have been expecting a DANA (which stands for High Altitude Isolated Atmospheric Depression - Depresión Atmosférica aislada en Niveles Altos) approaching from the north and bringing rainfall, while temperatures are expected to remain little changed, they could drop slightly as the weather system attracts colder air from the north. When a DANA like this brings significantly colder temperatures it is also known as a Gota Fría or "cold drop". Though the rains...
A “good winter” predicted for Canary Islands tourism as demand rises 12% in a week
The forecasts of the business sector and the Tourism Department of the Government of the Canary Islands, which indicate that the islands will have a good winter, are gaining consistency as November 1, the official start date of the season, approaches, reports Silvia Fernandez in Spanish language daily, Canarias7 this Tuesday. Over the last week, reservations have grown more than 12% and it is expected that in the coming days the tourism rebound will be higher,...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 7-9 October 2022
A much more as-to-be-expected October weekend ahead on Gran Canaria, with an intriguing selection of different kinds of events taking place. Patronal festivities in La Isleta, Big Bang Vintage Festival, Movelec at INFECAR and free concerts this weekend in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria are just a few of the biggest ones to mention. Agüimes celebrate their co-patron's festivities of The Rosary. There is a Cangrejo fest on the coast of Arucas. Water...
An unusually strong African Calima blows out over us from the east
An intense Calima has been sweeping the Canary Islands since Monday, October 3. According to forecasts of the meteorological models consulted by CanariasAhora, Saharan dust will remain suspended in the air at least until Wednesday. It is expected that this episode will also affect the entire peninsula, especially southern and central parts of Spain. [video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://thecanarynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/10/finalVideo-3.mp4" loop="true"...
The rains guarantee water for crops until 2024 on Gran Canaria, but generate millions of euros of damage to roads
The rain last weekend has caused significant damage to roads and infrastructure across Gran Canaria, but the water has been "a blessing" for agriculture. This was expressed on Tuesday by the president of the Cabildo, Antonio Morales, who said that 2,721,212 cubic meters of water had been collected in the island's public and private reservoirs, a 6% increase on the total volume available. Specifically, the private reservoirs have collected 1,970,440 cubic meters, 8% of the total volume, and the...
The alert and pre-alert for rain declared finished following Hermine
The alert declaration for the heavy rains affecting El Hierro and the pre-alert situation that was still in place on La Gomera, La Palma, Tenerife and Gran Canaria due to tropical storm Hermine ended at 12:00 noon this Wednesday, according to the General Directorate of Security and Emergencies of the Canary Islands regional government. In a statement they specified that the meteorological conditions behind the declaration have now ended. Likewise, they have assured that communications and...
Maximum Alert for rains remains in place until midday Monday, more than 800 incidents reported, airports closed and 200 or more flights cancelled
The President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, has reported this Sunday evening on the evolution of 'Hermine' over the Archipelago, which despite being downgraded this morning from a Tropical Storm, to a depression, continues to make its presence felt across the Archipelago. So far, more than 800 incidents related to heavy rains have been reported and more than 250 flights to or from the Islands having been cancelled. In addition,...
Hermine downgraded to Tropical Depression, 12 or more hours of heavy rainfall still expected
The NOAA Hurricane Centre has downgraded Storm Hermine to a tropical depression this Sunday morning, as had been predicted in previous discussions, as wind speeds fell below 62 kilometres per hour. Meanwhile on social media some members of the public had become confused by the use of the word "cyclone" which had been utilised to describe the cyclonic, or circular, motion of the winds attached to this Atlantic wet weather system; comparing the abundant rainfall as no worse than a "Saturday...
AEMET raises advisory warning for heavy rains to Red, on Gran Canaria this Sunday
The Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) in the Canary Islands this Saturday updated their warnings for rain on Sunday, September 25, on the islands of Gran Canaria, El Hierro and La Palma as tropical storm 'Hermine' passes to the south and west of the archipelago. The Red Advisory warning (the highest level) comes into force from 12:00 midday tomorrow for the east, south and west of Gran Canaria, where accumulated rainfall of 120 litres per square meter...
“Complicated” Sunday forecast as weakening Tropical Storm Hermine passes west of Canary Islands
Tropical Storm 'Hermine' is expected to bring Autumn rains to The Canary Islands this weekend, reaching a peak for Sunday , which is expected to be "a complicated day", according to the Emergency technicians at a Canary Islands press conference on Friday, with effects expected to last until Monday. Among the official recommendations, they advised everyone to ensure they had candles, flashlights and a radio on hand, to be prepared in the event of a power outage. Likewise, the regional...
Canarian Government issue urgent warnings to help you keep safe during the coming Storm Hermine
Heavy rains forecast this weekend in the Canary Islands have led the regional government to remind everyone that the situation can change rapidly when a storm like this affects the weather systems of the archipelago. Stay at home and drive with extreme caution are just some of the advice that the Government of the Canary Islands urge in situations like the one that is coming. With sudden downpours like this barrancos and ravines can fill quickly and turn into...
Classes suspended on Monday as Government of the Canary Islands asks for caution and calls for self-protection in the face of a maximum alert
The president of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, this afternoon appealed for "prudence" and called for "self-protection and maximum precautions" during the weekend, in the face of what, he pointed out, "may be the most important rains in recent years ”. Torres announced that all activities are suspended from tonight and until the change from maximum alert. At this time, the forecasts highlight that the core of the cyclone will not touch the islands, but the meteorological phenomenon...
Atlantic depression south of Canaries upgraded to Tropical Storm Hermine
The Atlantic cyclone that has formed to the south of the Canary Islands has in the last hour been officially upgraded from a tropical depression to a tropical storm. The new classification has confirmed this Friday night by the US National Hurricane Centre. The president of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, reported this afternoon's press conference that the Canary Islands would very likely be affected by what was then a "tropical depression", a type of...
Maximum Alerts declared for heavy downpours and possible storm weather bringing strong winds and flooding
The Government of the Canary Islands, through the General Directorate of Security and Emergencies, has declared a Maximum Alert for Rains in the Canary Islands, starting at 00:00 midnight and into the early hours of September 24. This decision was made taking into account the most current information available and applying the Canary Islands Specific Emergency Plan for Risks of Adverse Meteorological Phenomena (known as PEFMA). The State Meteorological Agency...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 16-18 September 2022
Autumn is here, and the weather prediction for the weekend is trying to prove it. There is so much going on this weekend hopefully the rain predicted will not spoil any of the upcoming events. World clean up Day is celebrated this Saturday. There is also a double event happening in Vecindario with Km.0 Fair Gran Canaria - SouthEast edition and 'Feria del Sol' which is all about renewable energy. Many patron saint festivities are taking place this weekend including in Guía, Tejeda, Agüimes...
San Bartolomé de Tirajana will completely renew sunbeds and umbrellas on its beaches
The Maspalomas-Gran Canaria Tourism Rehabilitation Consortium has put out to tender, to a value of €600,000, divided into two lots, for the supply of sun-beds (hammocks) and umbrellas for the beaches of Maspalomas Costa Canaria, Spain and The Canary Islands' top tourism destination. The simple sun-beds, spare parts and double-covered Balinese hammocks, are budgeted at €263,500, and the circular parasols, various spare parts and windbreaks for €297,246. This is...
Perpetrator of Puerto Bello disturbances sentenced to 3 years in prison
Ahmed Haison, of Moroccan origin and in an irregular situation on the islands, has been convicted of causing damage to the Puerto Bello complex, in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaira, where he was being accommodated by the Government of the Canary Islands, he has, this week, been sentenced to three and a half years in prison. Convicted by the Second Section of the Provincial Court of Las Palmas for a crime of public disorder, and another of attack on an agent of the authorities, he was acquitted of a...
Mogán town hall ordered, for the third time, to remove “illegal” bar restaurant construction in Puerto Rico harbour
The magistrate at Contentious-Administrative Court 4 of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has ordered Mogán Town Hall to immediately open a new file to restore urban legality altered by Waikiki restaurant bar, illegally built by the Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria Sailing School, more than twenty years ago. The establishment is in clear violation of Coastal Law, by invading the maritime-terrestrial public domain. In 2003, a demolition order was issued, which the local town hall administration did not act...
British Embassy and Consulates announce opening condolence books to mark passing of their Queen
The Embassy of the United Kingdom in Spain announced on Friday the opening to the public of books of condolences, following the death of Elizabeth II, at its headquarters in Madrid, as well as consulates in seven other Spanish cities, including Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Through a statement issued by the British embassy, it was confirmed that a book of condolence would be available, to be signed, on Friday and over the next few...
Gran Canaria Weather: Mainly clear blue skies and a touch of Calima, daytime highs upto 31ºC in the shade
Canarian skies this weekend will see some cloud cover over the north of the island, though mainly clear this Saturday to the south according to Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), with forecasts of Calima blowing in at high altitude over the easternmost islands, and night time lows of around 23ºC and daytime highs in the shade hitting up to 31ºC in the south, temperatures will see few changes from recent days, as moderate winds continue from the northeast. [fb_plugin...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 9-11 September 2022
As the summer comes to a close, it has been an important week already on Gran Canaria with the main September celebration of the island's Patron Saint taking place in Teror, and Thursday being a bank holiday on the island, in honour of Nuestra Señora del Pino, Our Lady of the Pine. This weekend will see more big, popular celebrations taking place, and particularly busy in the westernmost municipality of Gran Canaria, La Aldea, with their own Patron...
Meanwhile, in Las Palmas: Taxi driver escapes injury after crashing into building site from the air
The networks are going wild over a spectacular traffic accident this Friday in the capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, on Pancho Guerra street, Paseo de San Antonio, after a taxi mishap managed to result in a tumble from a height of 5 meters, into the middle of a building site. Fortunately, according to the Policia Local of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on its official Twitter account, the driver of the vehicle does not appear to have suffered any serious...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 2-4 September 2022
It's the first weekend of September edition of The Canary Guide #WeekendTips. What a summer its been, but it's not quite over yet, and as we roll towards the autumn there is a full weekend of activities ahead, with various events and fairs to go and see. The month of September will also see some of the biggest and most popular patron saint festivities on Gran Canaria with the Fiestas del Pino in Teror, the Patron Saint of Gran Canaria, and patron festivities in honour of San Nicolas de...
Price of bus passes discounted 50% for all Canary Islands’ residents
The Gran Canaria Single Transport Authority (AUTGC) have been able to lower the prices of public transport cards (bonos) on the Island, thanks to a 50% subsidy from the Government of Spain for bus transport on Gran Canaria. The state contribution was raised from 30% to 50% after the signing of a collaboration protocol carried out last Monday by the President of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, and the Minister of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, Raquel Sánchez, in the...
Gran Canaria Weather: The first of the Autumn rains beckon, warm winds and passing storm showers for the end of August
August comes to an end on the Canary Islands with heat and Calima haze, from African winds carrying Saharan dust in suspension, with a mass of warm air that looks set to raise temperatures to 34ºC, or more, in the shade, particularly on south and west facing slopes, the spokesman for Spain's State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), Rubén del Campo, has reported. By Wednesday, however, there could be some storm showers on the westernmost islands, and from Thursday...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 26-28 August 2022
It's the last weekend of August (already!) and the end of the traditional holiday month, which will mean a slow down in some of the summer season tourism traffic, to the enclaves of the south, as local preparations get underway for a new school year to start. Summer weather, as ever, continues on Gran Canaria, with lovely warm daytime temperatures predicted this weekend pretty much around the whole island, with some possibility of a little cloud cover in the capital and in the rugged north,...
The Canary Guide Weekend Tips 19-21 August 2022
The most summery month of August is already in its 3rd weekend, and it's going to be another warm one. The Canary Islands Health Department has activated risk warnings due to high temperatures forecast on Gran Canaria. The weather prediction by AEMET shows highs of up to 38º in the shade for the southern part of the island and average temperatures set to stay way above 30º all around the island. So a proper summer weekend ahead! There are several Romerías and fiestas, celebrating various...
Wildfire prevented after a palm tree fell on to high voltage power lines in the Mogán Valley
Several news outlets are reporting a more than five meter tall Canarian palm tree having fallen on to high voltage power lines, causing a fire, in the Barranco de Mogán ravine, near El Cercado, which prevented residents of agricultural farms from accessing or leaving their properties. The 'phoenix canariensis' fell at around 6:00pm onto power cables causing three separate outbreaks of fire. The area has a lot of dry vegetation, bushes and reed beds, which...
Young man alleges that he was attacked and robbed by Yumbo centre security guards
A 26-year-old resident of Mogán has accused two security guards of brutally beating him last Friday at the Yumbo Shopping Centre, in Playa del Inglés, in an unprovoked attack that he has reported in a denuncia complaint to the Guardia Civil. Image of alleged victim's injuries, courtesy of El Digital Sur GC The complainant says he was having drinks at the well known leisure centre with a friend, before noticing that two of the centre's security officers were...
Innovative new “Fog Water Collectors” installed on north Gran Canaria, to help prevent soil erosion and assist reforestation
👷🏽♂️This week the installation of innovative Fog Water Collectors has begun on the north of Gran Canaria as part of a 4 year project to use this innovative method of water collection in an attempt to prevent further soil degradation or loss of vegetation.🛠️. Deforestation and desertification have long been recognised as two of the principal causes for biodiversity loss and soil degradation. These phenomena are mostly caused by a mixture of ongoing climate...
Head-on collision in Arguineguín leaves two injured and major traffic problems
This Saturday morning, August 13, at around 9am a head on collision on the entry road to Arguineguín, on the south west of Gran Canaria, left a Mapfre tow truck (grua) and a Mercedes very badly damaged. The impact caused significant damage to the driver's side of the tow truck, and appears to have written off the Mercedes which was travelling in the other direction. From the amount of damage it appears that at least one or both vehicles were travelling at some...
Town hall silent this Friday as Playa de Mogán beach again closed due to suspected fecal contamination
Mogán town hall has once again chosen to remain silent this Friday in regard to the closure of Playa de Mogán due to suspected sewage having been detected in the waters of one of the islands favourite tourist-cum-fishing towns, choosing instead to talk about how much money they have spent on sports projects. This is already the 5th time in 4 months, reports news portal El Digital Sur Gran Canaria, that Playa de Mogán beach, one of the most important on Gran Canaria, in the Municipality of...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 12-14 August 2022
Mid August and what a gorgeous and hot summer it's already been. This weekend will be a long weekend, known as a 'bridge' or 'puente', as Monday 15th of August is a public holiday throughout Spain, ostensibly to celebrate the religious Asunción de la Virgen, the feast of the Assumption. Bare in mind that governmental offices will be closed on Monday as well as some retail shops; like Carrefour in Vecindario. The weather is looking fine indeed, with more "normal" summer temperatures predicted...
HIV+ activist, Orlando Viera, demands life saving medication be made available in Maspalomas
August 10th is International LGBTQ+ Tourism Day, and Maspalomas is world famous for its large Rainbow Community as well as welcoming an estimated 15% of Canary Islands tourism oriented specifically towards this sector. Maspalomas is also, therefore, a focal point for a large number of foreign residents who work within tourism related businesses, and among whom there are a number of HIV+ patients who, with the right medical assistance, are able to successfully manage their condition and...
Gran Canaria Weather: A little cooler, breezes and bright sunshine after the third hottest July in 61 years
July 2022 saw two consecutive heat waves in The Canary Islands archipelago, and temperatures that reached maximums of 45º Celsius, making it the third warmest in the last 61 years, according to the climate analysis published by the Spanish State Meteorological Agency AEMET. It details the average temperature, during the observed period, was 23.7º Celsius across the islands, a positive anomaly of 1.6º Celsius on what is usually expected, which classifies July as...
Spain requires shops and institutions to turn lights off after 10pm with limits on heating and air conditioning temperatures to be controlled
The countdown has begun to power-saving blackouts, in shops and institutional buildings, set to be in force at least until November 1, 2023. The measures, decreed last week by Spain's central government form part of the package of measures on energy saving and efficiency. The open commercial areas of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria have reportedly reacted with skepticism, waiting to see how it will affect business and consumption; however, the sector recognises that inflation and the rise in...
Sailor rescued thanks to the Maspalomas satellite receiving space station COSPAS-SARSAT search program response
A 62-year-old French man, rescued last Tuesday in a harrowing shipwreck off the Costa da Morte, was, it has emerged as reported in La Provincia, located thanks to a signal from his sailboat's emergency beacon, which reached the COSPAS-SARSAT search program, located at the Maspalomas Space Centre . Operators in Maspalomas quickly notified the National Maritime Rescue Centre in Madrid, which deployed units to begin an intervention that lasted more than 16 hours, in which the survivor had managed...
Ryanair strike action causes more disruption in Spain, but has not yet affected Canary Islands flights
Ryanair has cancelled at least ten flights this Monday, coinciding with the start of the new strike call for cabin crew (TCP), as well as having experienced a number of delays. At the moment, no Canary Islands air traffic has been affected, as with previous strikes, the majority of problems caused appear to have been on flights to and from mainland Spain and elsewhere in Europe. This morning cancellations have been reported between Barcelona and Milan, Menorca,...
Canary Islands recommend El Pajar Cement Factory continue to have use of Santa Águeda port for several more years
The Government of the Canary Islands set up a commission to examine the future of the port of Santa Águeda, on the south of Gran Canaria across the bay from Arguineguín, because the concession allowing the cement company to use the port is due to expire on October 22. The commission's conclusions are that the port be temporarily shared between tourism and industrial use, at least until the factory can operate in Arinaga, some time in the future. Something that will take a minimum of 6 years...
Mogán’s deputy mayor will be put on trial accused of awarding 16 contracts ‘by finger’ to his own law firm
Since 2018 the courts have been investigating an alleged crime of continued prevarication (deception) in Mogán Town Council's having awarded up to 16 contracts to one particular law firm. Mogán's deputy mayor, and councillor for Urban Planning, Mencey Navarro (CIUCA), will go to trial when the Investigating Magistrate's Court number 3, in San Bartolomé de Tirajana, has reviewed the collected evidence of the commission of a crime of prevarication. A recent order from the Sixth Section of the...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 5-7 August 2022
The long hot Gran Canaria August is here, and it's a busy summer weekend with some amazing, popular Patronal festivities going on, including the Fiestas de Las Nieves in Agaete and in Lomo Magullo, Telde. Santa Brigida is celebrating their patron saint's festivities and have their Romeria, pilgrimage offering, this Saturday. The small neighbourhood of San Lorenzo, in the capital, is celebrating their main festivities; Fiestas San Lorenzo, marked by a huge fireworks display. There are many...
Something smelly in the waters of Mogán: Police close Playa de Mogán beach again, for the third time this summer
Playa de Mogán beach was closed yet again this week and bathing was prohibited, on Wednesday, when fecal contamination was detected in its waters. Independent Spanish-language news portal for the south of Gran Canaria, El Sur Digital Gran Canaria, reported subsequently that Mogán Town Council workers removed the delimiting tape closing the beach to bathers in Playa de Mogán at around 9:00 a.m. on Thursday morning. Analysis carried out on Thursday came out...
Canary Islands Government consider 7 visions of the future for El Pajar
The Canary Islands Government are considering up to seven different visions for the future of the El Pajar Port of Santa Águeda (San Bartolomé de Tirajana, in Gran Canaria), the concession for which is held by Cementos Especiales de las Islas (CEISA) at least until October of this year. The industrial cement company aspires to renew its permit to manage the deep water dock that it has held for the last 65 years, while various entities in the tourism sector are demanding the port be given over...
Mogán’s CIUCA town council approve doubling taxi fares and prohibiting unattended towels on the beaches or boats within 200m of the shore
A rather unwelcome set of new measures has been announced by those fun folks still running Mogán Town Council this week, making clear that they will not allow parasols, umbrellas, tables or towels to be used to reserve space on the beaches, for long periods in the absence of their owners. The representatives of the people of Mogán have decided such items left unattended will be considered abandoned, and may be removed by municipal workers. It is one of the more...
August on Gran Canaria begins at 40ºC with our third heatwave in as many weeks
The Canary Islands are yet again expecting to spend the next few days in short sleeves, flip-flips and shorts, due to warning advisories from the Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), among others, due to yet another wave of incoming high temperatures. This latest heatwave, though for many a little less oppressive than the back to back swelters we experienced throughout July, is expected to persist throughout this week, at least until Thursday. Gran...
Maspalomas Soul Festival closes its successful sixth edition in Boogie Woogie style, ‘cus the music certainly moved them
The sixth edition of the Maspalomas Costa Canaria Soul Festival closed this year having exceeded all initial expectations, both in terms of public attendance during the three days of programming, and artistic performances that have already written a new chapter in the history of this annual musical San Agustín Beach encounter on the famous Maspalomas Costa Canaria. In spite of a two-year hiatus, the festival was an outright success over the three day weekend on the south coast of sub-tropical...
Maspalomas got Soul, if it didn’t they wouldn’t be here – Maspalomas Costa Canaria Soul Festival 2022 – Exclusive images
The south of Gran Canaria was treated to an extraordinary show, on Friday night, by a line up of world class musicians, with the happiest faces, occasionally casting furtive sidelong glances towards the rolling waves of the incoming tide on San Agustín Beach, as they performed for the more than 5,000-strong crowd who'd come to join them for the Maspalomas Costa Canaria Soul Festival 2022. Editor's Thoughts: Since the Maspalomas Soul...
Canary Islands Ministry of Health reactivate advisory warnings for high temperatures this weekend on Gran Canaria
The Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, through the General Directorate of Public Health, have reactivated health risk warnings in different municipalities of Gran Canaria for the next few days due to forecasts of temperatures exceeding 32º Celsius maximum (daytime in the shade) and 24º minimum (night time), as established in the Preventive Action Plan for the Effects of Excessive Temperatures on Health. Yellow notice (low risk) Agüimes...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 29-31 July 2022
It’s the last weekend of July and what a spectacular Summer 2022 we are having… as if you expected anything less here on Gran Canaria! Weather predictions feature highs of around 32-34ºC in the shade, to the south, blue skies and bright sunshine raising the thermometers still higher; a little cooler to the north, where some cloud cover is quite normal at this time of year. A few of the biggest and most popular summer events and fiestas are happening, or just...
Guardia Civil investigate violent homicide of man found dead on Friday with stab wounds
The Guardia Civil Judicial Police continue to investigate the death of Juan José VJ, a 53-year-old resident of Santa Lucía whose body was found last Friday in the Los Frailes ravine (Mogán). The body was found with numerous injuries including several deep cuts believed to be the result of stab wounds, according to sources close to the investigation, who added that it has now been ruled out that his death occurred due to a fall. This is now a homicide investigation. [fb_plugin...
38ºC+ high temperatures on Gran Canaria, Orange warnings extended for Gran Canaria this Tuesday
The July summer heat is expected to continue for another few days here in The Canary Islands with the ECMWF European weather forecasting models predicting a day of intense heat this Tuesday that looks set to affect all the islands. Temperatures on Monday were already stifling, especially on Gran Canaria, and the south of Tenerife and Fuerteventura, and this Tuesday the thermometers will continue to rise in many places throughout the archipelago. The General...
One dead and another injured in rally collision tragedy on the North of Gran Canaria
A woman has died and a man seriously injured after being hit by a rally car participating in the competition being held this weekend on north of Gran Canaria, in the municipality of Gáldar. The vehicle left the road and travelled a few meters up a hillside, running over a small group of people who were there watching the event. The rally was suspended shortly afterwards. The 112 Government of the Canary Islands Emergency Coordination Centre (CECOES) reported...
Police investigate dead body found in the Los Frailes ravine, between Tauro and Taurito, in municipality of Mogán
Guardia Civil Judicial Police are investigating the death of one Juan José VJ; a 53 year old resident of Santa Lucía de Tirajana, originally from Ingenio, who was found dead on Friday afternoon in a waterway channel, in the Los Frailes ravine, in the municipality of Mogan. The body appears to have had various injuries, so agents are trying to determine if these were made by another person or if it was due to an accidental fall. The discovery was reported at...
Orange Advisories on Gran Canaria for high temperatures and Saharan dust this Sunday & Monday
The Government of the Canary Islands, through the General Directorate of Security and Emergencies, have declared an Alert for Maximum Temperatures on Gran Canaria, starting from 10:00 a.m. this Sunday, July 24. This decision was made on Saturday taking into account all available information and applying the Canary Islands Specific Emergency Plan for Risks of Adverse Meteorological Phenomena (PEFMA). Episodes of maximum temperatures of up to 34ºC, in the shade...
Barranco Fire in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria
Residents at the top of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria's West Hill, on the other side overlooking Amadores, were shocked at around 22:30 on Friday night after a fire broke out in the barranco below the Lairaga apartment complex. Local resident and fitness trainer, Ben Stone, managed to capture a video of the blaze, including the heroic actions of at least one resident who appeared to be trying to tackle the fire from above using a garden hose. Fire crews were called to the scene,...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 22-24 July 2022
A blissful summer weekend ahead on Gran Canaria with some pretty awesome events to go and see. Top picks for the coming weekend include the Virgen de Carmen festivities in Playa de Mogán and La Isleta, in the Capital, and one of the main annual festivities in the ancient Royal Capital, Gáldar. There are also festive events happening in the wonderfully picturesque mountain towns of Tunte and Valsequillo and music galore on offer, including the a Latin Salsa Festival in Teror, as well as all...
Tragedy in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria as workers trapped following a hotel wall collapse, at least one dead
At least one worker has died and the other has been seriously injured this Wednesday when major hotel renovation work lead to the collapse of a retaining wall in the popular holiday resort town of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, in the municipality of Mogán. At around quarter past three in the afternoon, one of the walls collapsed trapping the two workers. Numerous emergency services were deployed to the scene, including firefighters from the Puerto Rico Park Consortium, Mogán...
British holidaymaker pleads for help to pay for medical repatriation when clerical error leaves him without insurance following life saving surgery
British holidaymaker Russell Stones from Wellington, Telford travelled with his wife Vicky and their two teenage daughters on all inclusive family holiday holiday to Furteventura back in May. Within a couple of days of being there the whole family fell ill, and Russell managed to rupture his oesophagus due to chronic vomiting. He was flown by air ambulance to the Insular Hospital in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria for a life saving operation to repair it. Thanks to the excellent surgical team that...
Heat Alerts issued for Risk to Health on Gran Canaria and other islands
A red notice has been issued for the south eastern municipality of Santa Lucía de Tirajana, on Gran Canaria. With orange notices for La Aldea de San Nicolás, Artenara, Mogán, Tejeda, San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Agüimes, Ingenio, Valsequillo and Vega de San Mateo. And a yellow notice is in force for Santa Brigida. Alerts have also been issued on Tenerife, La Palma and Fuerteventura The...
Gran Canaria recorded fifth highest number of arrivals in its history during the second quarter
Gran Canaria has received nearly 700,000 foreign tourists during just the second quarter of this year, according to data collected by Spanish airport authority AENA. A total of 699,949 non-national visitors landed at Gran Canaria airport to enjoy a few days of vacation. This figure represents the fifth best on record, corresponding to the months of April, May and June, since data began being collecting in 1990. ...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 15-17 July 2022
The main weekend for the Virgen del Carmen festivities lies ahead, celebrating the patron saint of sailors and fisher' folk, which will see fiestas in many coastal areas of Gran Canaria and in Spain. Saturday is the main festive Day and also a local bank holiday in the municipality of Mogán. You will find many other neighbourhoods on the island celebrating Virgen del Carmen, here below are some of our top picks. There are also big festivities taking place in Gáldar and Teror. The very best...
Police seek possible victims of Patalavaca masseur accused of sexual abuse and videoing his clients
The Guardia Civil's Judicial Police Team in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria (Mogán), as part of Operation Kurnia, has investigated a 59-year-old German for seven crimes of sexual abuse and intimacy. The man, who runs a massage parlour located in Patalavaca, on the south of Gran Canaria, is accused of having taken advantage of his clients by touching and/or recording them with hidden cameras over more than a decade between 2005 and 2020. ...
Covid-19 infections on the rise as Gran Canaria returns to Alert Level 3
Gran Canaria has returned to Alert Level 3 due to rising infections. In reality, for now, that does not mean any serious increase in restrictions, with masks, hand washing and social distancing being our primary tools to combat further increases. Nonetheless most appear to have ditched even those simple measures, and so it may take some serious effort to get people to refocus themselves on breaking the chain of transmission. For now most measures remain suspended, as we detailed back in...
ALDI opens its first two stores on Gran Canaria, in Las Palmas and Telde
Supermarket chain ALDI today opened their first two stores on Gran Canaria in the municipalities of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Telde. These are the island's two main population centres, and the locations are easily accessible from the primary motorways, off the GC23 ring road and at the Melenara exit from the GC1. Both stores were rammed full, on their first day, of people eager to find out what this new-to-the-islands store brand can offer, in Las Palmas the prices across all sectors were...
78 year old Norwegian hiker survives a day and a night of high temperatures and is rescued after falling into a ravine
A 78-year-old Norwegian tourist, who had been missing since Sunday, was found by a Guardia Civil patrol in a hard to reach area, thanks to the reflections they say from the mans watch. A helicopter took him to hospital with a serious blow to the head, and severe burns all over his body. The report was filed by his son at eleven o'clock on Sunday night. The septuagenarian had gone for a walk in the...
Missing 76 year old found dead near his home on the south of Gran Canaria
A man who suffers from Alzheimer's disappeared in the southern Gran Canaria municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, according to reports this Sunday. The 76-year-old man who had been missing since Saturday in San Fernando de Maspalomas, and in need of medication, was found this morning near his home. The septuagenarian had left his house at 10:30 on July 9, last Saturday. "He had to take a bus to...
Gran Canaria heatwave starts to dissipate, though Orange advisory remains in place this Monday, 43ºC measured yesterday in Agüimes
Temperatures look set to drop a little this Monday across the Canary Islands, following our first proper heatwave of the summer, though will still exceed 35ºC in the shade across the south of Gran Canaria, according to Rubén del Campo, spokesman for the Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), which also suggests that by Tuesday temperatures will normalise, however by the end of this week, he warned, they could rise once more. ...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 8-10 July 2022
A hot July weekend ahead full of summer festivities and events to enjoy. Top picks for this coming weekend include the Virgen del Carmen festivities, celebrating the patron protector of sailors and fisherfolk, in Arguineguín (a Romería, pilgrimage offering, this Sunday), and in the neighbourhood La Isleta, up in the capital. The Canarias Jazz Festival this weekend comes to the south with two free concerts, just next to the Faro de Maspalomas. A major windsurfing competition starts this...
Alert for Maximum Temperatures & Forest Fire Risk Across Gran Canaria This Weekend
ALERTs FOR MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES AND MAXIMUM ALERT FOR RISK OF FOREST FIRE JULY 8 ◾️ The Government of the Canary Islands General Directorate of Security and Emergencies has declared an alert for maximum temperatures starting from 10:00 on July 8th. GRAN CANARIA: the worst affected areas will be the south and west midland areas, southeast coasts and higher altitude zones. The heat wave will be...
Fuel thefts reported on Gran Canaria as prices continue to rise at the pumps
Reports of fuel theft have been increasing of late as prices at the pump continue to soar in the face of rising prices, something that had begun to happen even before Russia's invasion of Ukraine which has only increased the uncertainty for motorists In the last week alone fuel has been reported stolen from at least 10 vehicles on the southeast of Gran Canaria, in the area around Vecindario. One...
Gran Canaria Weather: Heatwave expected as temperatures exceed 40ºC in the shade this weekend
Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) have announced the first proper heat wave of the summer, accompanied by desert winds from the Sahara this week. The trade winds have been keeping the archipelago cool, as the sub-tropical summer has started to heat up, however now AEMET foresees a notable rise in temperatures throughout July and in particular over the next few days. With "the African continental air mass" expected to "move westward affecting the Canary Islands"....
Forest fires high risk season has begun on Gran Canaria
Summer has arrived and the forest fires high risk season on Gran Canaria, which means in practice until September 30, special care must be taken in all rural and forest areas, with the burning of agricultural waste totally prohibited, while any use of fireworks, barbecues and machinery that generates sparks is limited and subject to conditions. Cabildo de Gran Canaria Councillor for the Environment,...
Sand & Limestone, the El Pajar dilemma: More tourism facilities for the south, or protection of an important industry and an authentic community history
On October 22, 2022 the concession for the deep water dock, used by the cement factory operated by Cementos Especiales de las Islas (Ceisa SA), in the port of Santa Águeda is due to come to an end after 65 years of use, however the company is hoping to renew their contract. The Government of the Canary Islands owns the port and will have to decide whether to extend the concession for the industrial facility to maintain activities there or alternatively follow the established 2003 planning...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 1-3 July 2022
Hello July and Hello Summer! The summer months of July to September witness some of the most popular celebrations and the biggest traditional festivities and 'romería' pilgrimage offerings, on Gran Canaria. In July, we have the Virgen del Carmen festivities in multiple locations, patron saint festivities in the name of Santiago Apóstol in Gáldar and San Bartolomé de Tirajana (This is also the Holy Year of 'the Way of St. James' on Gran Canaria ) and then there's the Maspalomas Soul Festival...
PRIDE Matters to the Yumbo and Maspalomas
GLAY is the volunteer-led LGBTQIA+ not-for-profit association that founded Maspalomas PRIDE back in 2002. The Gay & Lesbian Associates of Yumbo were responsible for establishing communication with their local town hall, San Bartolomé de Tirajana, taking this community event from very humble beginnings, during the quietest month of the year, to becoming one of the single most highly attended annual celebrations on the island, bringing foreigners and native Canarians together, visitors and...
Canary Islands Migration: Ukraine war exasperating food shortages, poverty and unrest in the West African Sahel
Special ReportTimon .:. Without being overly sensationalist, it would be fair to say that, a perfect storm has been brewing for some time in Western Africa. The Canary Islands is a region on the frontier, and needs to avoid allowing fear to drive decision making. The war in Ukraine may seem very far away, however the disruption to global cereal supplies, those blocked in Black Sea ports, or worse still not harvested all, is adding a growing food crisis to the problems that already existed....
The British of Las Palmas plant a tree for the Jubilee and celebrate longevity of friendships old and new
The British Club of Las Palmas this week continued their celebrations of the Queen of England's Platinum Jubilee, with the planting of an olive tree in their grounds, where it can be directly viewed from the main entrance to their historic headquarters in this once-mostly-British enclave of the city, known as Ciudad Jardín. The event, organised by the club committee headed up by the newly re-elected...
Newsbrief: 30 kg of hashish found floating by the beach in Arguineguín
Agents of the Mogán Local Police seized a 30-kilo bundle of hashish last week, on the night of June 19, that appeared floating near the Costa Alegre beach, in Arguineguín, Mogán. After being alerted by residents in the area, after 21:15, two agents from the Mogán Local Police dragged the bundle to shore, helped by two young men. Once transferred to the local police station, they proceeded to verify the contents, in this...
Four convicted and sentenced for multiple rape of a tourist attacked in Puerto Rico
A Las Palmas Court has sentenced four men accused of raping a Danish tourist to between 3 1/2 years and 8 1/2 years in prison, after one took advantage of her the other three then also abused the young woman during the early hours of the morning of December 25, 2016 at a shopping centre in the south of Gran Canaria. The judge ruled that there is "sufficient evidence" to destroy any presumption of innocence of the four defendants, Mohamed EH, 31 years old; Ahmed A., and Brahim A., 30; and...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips San Juan 23-26 June 2022
Summer has officially begun with the June solstice on Tuesday and now the foundational San Juan festivities are upon us, celebrating 544 years since the Castillian army first set camp on the banks of the Guineguada fresh water stream, in what is now the old quarter of our capital city, Vegueta! It is a long "puente" weekend with one of the biggest and most magical celebrations on Gran Canaria, and throughout Spain, entailing many traditional fiestas, midnight dips in the sea and various...
Las Palmas City Council does not plan to withdraw its controversial Pride Day campaign: “We have turned it inside out”
A controversial campaign from the Captial City Town Hall proclaiming “Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, One, great and free, free of prejudice, free of LGBTQIphobia, free of mortal sin, free of injustice and free of hate”. The motto of the new campaign, being used to commemorate this Saturday's LGBTQIA+ Pride event, in Gran Canaria's capital, has been clearly inspired by the words spoken by the Franco regime, and this has generated uproar on all sides of the debate. The Councillor for Equality in...
Medical marijuana in Spain will soon be regulated, available from pharmacies and health centres, as a complimentary therapy
Spain's Subcommittee on medicinal cannabis in the Congress of Deputies (lower house) this Tuesday approved their final report to regulate the legal, therapeutic use of marijuana. The proposal has been supported of various political parties including the socialist PSOE, United We Can, and Ciudadanos, PNV and PDECAT, however the ERC and Bildu parties abstained, demanding a more ambitious text, and the conservative PP, along with ultra right wing Vox, voted against the proposals....
Policia Nacional check point detain nine individuals caught with recreational drugs
The National Police on Sunday arrested nine individuals between the ages of 21 and 46 years of age, in San Bartolomé de Tirajana, four of them with prior police records, having allegedly perpetrated crimes against public health. As part of their work to prevent drug trafficking, a police control this Sunday was set up at an event near Playa del Águila, on the south of Gran Canaria. As a result of this operation, a total of 74 packages containing cocaine, 53 doses of LSD, several ecstasy and...
Superstar DJ Carl Cox plays intimate gig on Gran Canaria ahead of next weekend’s 90s music extravaganza
Superstar DJ Carl Cox visited Gran Canaria this weekend for the first time, to the delight of those in the know, headlining a little publicised event named La Misa, at the newly reopened outdoor music venue attached to Sioux City, in the Barranco del Águila, now called Oasis Sioux, on the south of the sub-tropical island paradise. World famous 59 year-old British DJ and producer, Carl Cox, has been...
GC1 southern motorway night time closures announced from June 20 until June 23
Gran Canaria's highways maintenance department have announced night time closures in both directions on the main GC1 southern motorway for asphalting work between the exits for Pasito Blanco and Arguineguín, starting from Sunday night, in work expected to continue until at least Thursday. Diversions will be in place every night from 11pm between kilometres 50 to 56 of the primary north south highway,...
Judge re-orders final closure of unauthorised carnival chiringuitos at Yumbo in time for main weekend
The Contentious Administrative Court number 4 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has ordered the unauthorised Maspalomas Carnival chiringuitos to be closed once again, ahead of the main weekend of festivities. The court dismissed the very precautionary measures requested by the company Poppy Garden Terraza SL, one of the companies that installed chiringuito beach bars in two parking areas on the outer perimeter of the Yumbo Shopping Centre, which had reversed the decision to close them made by the...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 17-19 June 2022
It is the weekend before the midsummer San Juan Festivities, one of the biggest celebrations on Gran Canaria, and with summer solstice one of the oldest with spring officially becoming summer. This year San Juan lands on a Friday, and together with the eve of San Juan, both days will put ancient traditions on show, and there will be a lot of festivities and events to see and experience. The next Canary Guide #WeekendTips will be out in time to highlight some of these cultural traditions...
Crew strikes threaten disruption to around 300 Ryanair flights to and from the Canary Islands
Ryanair are due to operate some 300 international flights (150 round trips) in the Canary Islands during the six days of strikes called by the unions representing cabin crew this summer, for the weekend of June 24, 25 and 26 and June 30, July 1 and 2 . An estimated 50,000 passengers are booked to be on these flights, and they could suffer delays and cancellations, according to Spanish language daily Canarias7. ...
From carnival cross-dressing rose Maspalomas Carnival, Drag Galas, and the Chiringays promoting LGBTQIA+ visibility on Gran Canaria
One of the more interesting legacies, promoted through Gran Canaria's near 500 year old tradition of Carnaval, has got to be the outlandish displays of public cross-dressing, these days celebrated as mass media events with a full system of lights, pyrotechnics and massive sound, but they were once upon a time more hidden away in rural communities. It is one of the most transgressive acts of annual trespass to be found in this sub-tropical archipelago. Carnival arrived here with the Genoese...
Judgement controversy as illegal carnival bars allowed to reopen taking bread from the mouths of legitimate businesses
A controversy has been brewing over the "chiringuito" street bars that were properly authorised for the Maspalomas International Carnival. Last week 25 unauthorised street bars set up in a car park at the Yumbo (why do they call them "chiringays"?), were officially closed down by the Town Council of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, but at the last minute managed to get a judge to lift the ban with a temporary judicial order. Now the 13 legitimate businesses who followed the law, supported the town...
Ryanair reportedly say they expect no disruptions, calling 6 days of strikes “a distraction from their own failures”
Ryanair have been reported as saying it does not expect widespread disruption this summer, after industrial action was called unions representing cabin crews in Spain, on Monday. Announcing their six-day strike the USO and SITCPLA unions, representing a significant number of airline staff across Spain, following a break down in talks with the Irish no frills air carrier, who are calling for more...
ALDI announce its first four Canary Islands stores opening in July as it launches its logistics platform on Gran Canaria
The well loved European brand will open its first supermarkets in the archipelago on July 13, two on Tenerife and two on Gran Canaria · The supermarkets will have nearly 330 products of Canarian origin, from more than 40 suppliers in the archipelago · ALDI is working to make this platform the first logistics centre in the region to have the "BREEAM" sustainability and energy efficiency certificate with an "excellent" rating. ...
Ryanair cabin crew will strike for six days at the start of the summer season
Ryanair cabin crew will go on strike for six days at the start of the summer season. The USO and Sitcpla unions announced this Monday a call for a six-day strike set for June 24, 25, 26 and 30, as well as July 1 and 2. USO (Unión Sindical Obrera or Labour Trade Union) and Sitcpla (Sindicato Independiente de Tripulantes de Cabina de Pasajeros de Líneas Aéreas; Independent Airline Passenger Cabin Crew Syndicate) are the unions representing a majority of airline crew staffing Ryanair in...
Driver critical after leaving mountain road and rolling into 80m deep ravine
A 48-year-old man was seriously injured after his a car crashed into a ravine, having left the road that connects the mountain market town of San Mateo with Utiaca, on the way towards Teror. The occupant had to be rescued by helicopter and taken to a car park in nearby for evacuation in another aircraft to hospital, where he was admitted in critical condition. A large rescue operation was deployed at the scene. ...
The viral truck driver with an oversized tube dangerously loaded was not drunk
The driver of a truck transporting a dangerous load in the Gran Canaria municipality of Santa María de Guía was arrested after trying to carry a large tube that protruded several meters behind his vehicle. Reports of his having tested positive for alcohol, however, appear to have been mistaken. A witness to the events, working at a nearby supermarket told a local radio station "We heard a noise like stones falling,"...
A 50th birthday gift for Gran Canaria’s iconic Sioux City, as production begins on Prime Zorro reboot
It has been announced that the only wild west theme park on the island, and believed to be the first ever theme park in Spain, will be closed for the rest of this year. The filming of a new Amazon Prime "Mega-Production", which looks set to renew and rejuvenate the famous 1920s franchise of Zorro, has begun pre-production and will shoot an exclusive ten-part series around the famous rapier wielding defender of El Pueblo de Los Angeles. There is much history behind this latest location for...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 10-12 June 2022
It's the second weekend of June and midsummer night, San Juan, is fast approaching, Mogán are celebrating their patron Saint San Antonio. Gran Canaria keeps on giving with ever more patronal summer fiestas being celebrated around the island. There are carnival celebrations in Maspalomas and the island's second city, Telde. In the capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, there is the Eco market by Organic Meeting Point as well as Foundational festivities offering a multitude of free concerts to...
Maspalomas town hall closes two large sections of illegal carnival bars at Yumbo
The Maspalomas Town Council (San Bartolomé de Tirajana) this Thursday ordered the closure of two outdoor Carnival street party areas, which use mobile beach bars usually called "Chiriguitos", but for some reason renamed "chiringays" by the organisers, which were located within two private parking areas at the famous Yumbo Shopping Centre (in front of a well-known restaurant), prior to the celebration of the Maspalomas International Carnival for “lacking authorisations and organising a...
Meanwhile on the north of Gran Canaria… A Truck Wheelies and smashes into a police car
A truck driver had a nasty surprise when he ended up doing a wheelie in the northern Gran Canaria town of Montaña Alta, in the municipality of Guía, after trying to transport a large tube that was twice as long his vehicle, and was arrested shortly afterwards having tested positive for alcohol. After having initial difficulties climbing a hill, which were caught on video, the truck continued...
Gran Canaria suffers two small fires in two days as the first summer heatwaves approach
Firefighters have been working during the early afternoon of this Wednesday, June 8, to extinguish a scrubland fire in an area of Las Mesas and Los Giles, within the municipality of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, not far from the capital. The fire affected a grassy area with dry weeds and had nowhere to spread. Aerial means were deployed to extinguish the flames, which were declared under control less...
Dolphin found dead in Maspalomas on World Ocean’s Day
What greater demonstration could there be of the dire, urgent need for tighter controls over discarded fishing gear, plastics and other human pollutants in the ocean, on this World Ocean's Day 2022, than the utter tragedy of a dead wild cetacean found with blue fishing net wrapped around its tail? Disgust must surely rise in the throats of anyone who cares for our environment, or about our marine neighbours, so many of whom make their homes off our southern coasts and a third of the world's...
Maspalomas International Carnival begins 10 days of revelry and free events at Yumbo
One of the most exciting celebrations in the Canary Islands has to be Maspalomas Carnival! Usually celebrated in the run up to lent and Easter this year is a little different with all of Gran Canaria's "carnavales" occurring in the summertime. And what a way to celebrate! You'll find people of every age and background celebrating in the most outlandish costumes, most of them home made, with some glittering and truly entertaining people participating, some of them even on the main...
High Temperatures on Gran Canaria for the rest of the week and into the weekend
A pre-alert was being declared on Tuesday, due to a potential risk of forest fires on the island of Gran Canaria, as the well-known 30-30-30 guideline was being applied in readiness should the authorities need to activate the PEFMA (Plan Específico por Fenómenos Meteorológicos Adversos) "specific plan for adverse meteorological phenomena" following warnings of rising temperatures and strong winds from Spanish Meteorological Agency AEMET. ...
Canary Islands airline #Binter will connect Gran Canaria with #Boston and #NewYork
The regional airline, Binter, are to operate connections with New York and Boston between the months of July to September, in a shared route alongside SATA Azores Airlines. The flights will make a stopover at Ponta Delgada on their way to the North American continent. The Canarian flight company will also include any inter-island jumps in the Canary Islands, as part of the journey, for no additional cost. [adrotate...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 3-5 June 2022
June is here and the Summer season of 2022 is just getting started with a very busy first weekend of the month offering an opulent selection of events all across Gran Canaria. Remember to check for more from our website, www.thecanaryguide.com.Not only are there the foundational festivities, celebrating 544 years of our island capital, starting this Friday, and the Patron Saint of San Fernando celebrations happening, but also Gáldar is celebrating its very first Pride event, and the big...
Canary Islands become first Spanish destination to exceed pre-pandemic tourist arrivals
The Canary Islands have become Spain's first destination, and Autonomous Community, to exceed the numbers of international tourists visiting prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and have been joined by the Balearic Islands and, to a lesser extent, the Community of Valencia who are very close to matching pre-pandemic figures recorded in the fourth month of 2019. According to the National Institute of...
Prominent Gran Canaria lawyer attacked and burned alive, allegedly by farm hand who lived on his property
A murder investigation has begun into the series of events that allegedly led to a man, who had lived quietly for ten years on a farm near the well-to-do neighbourhood of Santa Brígida, having attacked the lawyer, say sources, who had let him live there in exchange for help around the property. The well respected criminal lawyer, and former chief inspector of the Policia Nacional, from Gran...
The Canary Guide ‘Día de Canarias’ #WeekendTips 27-30 May 2022
It's the last weekend of May and also a festive 'puente' long weekend. The busiest this year so far, and the summer season festivities have truly started. The next few days are filled with a multitude of institutional and cultural celebrations with many other events and festivities besides. There is the 'Tuna and Sea Fair' in Arguineguín and the 'Patronal festivities in San Fernando de Maspalomas', including a "Romería" pilgrimage offering as well as popular Carnival main festivities in...
Gran Canaria Weather: Some grey skies, clearing into the weekend, but a little rain expected by Día de Canarias on Monday
The weather across the Canary Islands, ahead of the main Día de Canarias May 30th holiday is expected to be a touch greyer than usual and with a little rain possible, according to the latest updates and weather forecast models from Spanish State Meteorological Agency AEMET. The tail of an Atlantic storm is expected to sweep over the islands from the early hours of Monday, Canary Islands Day, effecting the long "bridge" weekend ahead, throughout the Archipelago, leaving some light...
Gran Canaria confirms a monkeypox case and reports five new ones under study
The Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, after receiving results on the first case in the Canary Islands reported to the Centre for the Coordination of Alerts and Emergencies of the Ministry of Health, last week, has confirmed the presence of monkeypox. The second case reported last Friday, on Tenerife, is still awaiting results of the sample that is being analysed in coordination with the National Centre for Microbiology. The first two cases notified last week continue...
The Canary Guide: Foundational festivities of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 2022
This year marks the 544th Anniversary of the founding of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain’s first Atlantic City and colony. From its origins on June 24th 1478, first named El Real de las Tres Palmas (The Royal Town of the Three Palms), the city celebrates the anniversary of its foundation every summer with an intense program of cultural activities and open-air shows in and around Vegueta, the old quarter, with festivities completed every Midsummer's Night (on the feast day of St. John The...
Canarian Health service ‘Sanidad’ invests €654,700 in the new Playa de Mogán Local Clinic
The Primary Health Care Management of Gran Canaria, part of The Canary Islands Ministry of Health, have launched the new Local Playa de Mogán Health Centre (Centro de Salud), infrastructure which involved a total investment of €654,717. The new centro de salud, includes two Family Care Units (Unidades de Atención Familiar (UAF)), two doctors and two nurses who attend consultations and will attend...
Pride organisers silent as Ministry of Health investigates “probable” link to monkeypox in Maspalomas
Spain is the country with the highest number of Monkeypox cases in Europe, and the Ministry of Health has confirmed thirty cases so far, all of them in Madrid. The majority of cases detected have been men who have had sex with other men, however it is very important to understand that this virus is in no way based around sexual orientation or so-called "risky" practices. The simple fact is that this is an infection that can be passed between any individuals who come into close contact with...
Covid certificates no longer needed to enter Spain, just a negative test result will be enough
As advanced by this publication on Thursday, non-EU, third country, travellers from this Saturday can now enter Spain, by just presenting a negative PCR or antigen test, with so-called Covid certificates no longer needed, regardless of place of origin, according to the latest update to the Spanish pandemic restrictions. The BOE (Spanish Gazette) this Saturday published the order from the...
World Health Organisation working closely with countries responding to monkeypox
The World Health Organisation today, in a statement, have said they and their partners are working to better understand the extent and cause of an outbreak of monkeypox. Editor’s comment: While sexual interaction has been identified as a potential vector, special emphasis was given to the importance of not jumping to conclusions, highlighting the unusual multiple occurrences currently being reported across the world, still less than 100 confirmed cases, and the inherent differences...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 20-22 May 2022
More than half way through May and on the south, patron saints' fiesta season is in full swing. This Friday and Saturday are also the last days to enjoy some live Jazz in Puerto de Mogán. The Fair of The Sea is taking place in the capital, and there is a tomato fair to be enjoyed in La Aldea. There's a double-take to enjoy in Gáldar, with the last days of 'Flower week' as well as the Collectibles fair on Saturday. Remember that next weekend is a 'puente' long weekend with Canarian Day...
Suspected Monkeypox case under investigation in Las Palmas
Something unusual is happening across the world, though many have been pointing out that our currently heightened state of awareness, means our ability to detect even small epidemiological outbreaks is more acute than ever.With less than 100 cases confirmed worldwide, doctors are urging calm as a series of Monkeypox infections have been reported, including at least one suspected case on Gran Canaria. This rare, and most-often mild, infection, is not new, and was first detected in the...
The Canary Islands lead Spain’s tourism recovery, the first to return to pre-pandemic numbers of arrivals
The Canary Islands have been confirmed, as of April, to be leading the Spanish tourism recovery with international passenger volumes comparable with pre-pandemic levels in 2019, with a total of 1.1 million, representing 15.9% of national market share throughout Spain, according to data released this Wednesday by the national tourism board, Turespaña. The Canary Islands are, not only, still the favourite destination in Spain for UK tourists, but they are also the fastest growing destination for...
Covid19 certificate for non-EU travellers to enter Spain will end “in a matter of days”
Spain's Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, has said this Thursday that the requirement for travellers coming from outside the EU to present a COVID19 certificate, for vaccination status, test result or prior infection, will come to an end "in a matter of days" allowing them to enter the country with a simple negative test result. "It will be a matter of days before we are going...
Gran Canaria’s Southern tourism heartlands have only one Blue Flag beach, with none in Mogán for 5 years now
The Canary Islands have been awarded 54 Blue Flag beaches and four awards for marinas, distinguishing those facilities that meet criteria of excellence, in terms of the quality of bathing water, environmental regulations, and health and safety infrastructure. While Maspalomas and San Agustín have not achieved the honour this year, Playa del Inglés is the sole remaining Blue Flag beach on the south of the island. Mogán's beaches have not achieved any blue flags since at least 2017....
Tragedy in Arguineguín pool as triathlete perishes while practicing free diving technique
A well-respected ultra-distance triathlete from the municipality of Mogán, Suso Muñoz Jiménez (58), has died in Arguineguín after suffering a suspected fainting spell while free-diving in the municipal pool. Medical staff, including a health technician, a nurse and a psychologist from the Red Cross, attended the scene, attempting to revive him, and even called for the Canarian Emergency Service (SUC) helicopter, but in the end certified his death at the scene after more than half an hour of...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 13-15 May 2022
It's mid-May already, and what a marvellous weekend we have ahead indeed. This weekend's events, activities, and festivities will be as widespread as the unusual weather conditions we have experienced this past week, when Calima met thunder, lightening, rain and heatwave (though that's all calmed down a bit now). There are patron saints' festivities, flowers, parades, an Andalusian fiesta, museums, music, and markets to see, explore and enjoy, among many other attractions around the island....
Final season of Tom Clancy’s ‘Jack Ryan’ will also be filming on Gran Canaria’s wild west coast, in La Aldea de San Nicolás
The production crew making the fourth season of Tom Clancy's American political action thriller series, Jack Ryan, have been filming on the southeast of Gran Canaria, and are about to head west to La Aldea de San Nicolás to continue with location shoots for what has been revealed, by Hollywood news and gossip portal Deadline, to be likely the last season of the series starring John Krasinski in the title role. Don't expect to see any of these familiar terrains on your screens any time soon...
The newly green-lighted Cañadas de Gatos tunnel could reopen Playa de Mogán road within the next two years
The project to reopen the old national road between the resort of Taurito and the tourist-cum-fishing port town of Playa de Mogán has finally emerged almost five years after a landslide that forced the Mogán coastal road to be closed to traffic on the southwest of the island, although it could still take another two years or more before vehicles and cyclists will be able to travel the less than two kilometres between the tiny tourist enclave and the ancient coastal settlement without having to...
Gran Canaria Weather: Temperatures climbing upwards to 35ºC in the shade, with just a touch of Calima
Increasing temperatures and high altitude cloud have predominated this Saturday in the Canary Islands archipelago, supplemented to the east by a light Calima blanketing the islands in dust from the Sahara, travelling at altitude, but causing maximum temperatures to rise still further and expected to spread to all the islands as the weekend wears on. At sea, northeasterly moderate winds, of...
Faro de Maspalomas: More than 132 years as a beacon for Gran Canaria
The Maspalomas Lighthouse El Faro de Maspalomas is a 19th century lighthouse at the southern tip of Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands archipelago. It stands at the Meloneras end of Maspalomas beach, Playa de Maspalomas, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) southwest of the southern tip of the main resort town centre of Playa del Inglés, next to the famous area known as the Dunes of Maspalomas. Image: Maspalomas 1960 - courtesy of Maspalomas Costa Canaria [fb_plugin...
The most active house burglar in the south arrested and identified
Guardia Civil from the Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria (Mogán) Main Post have arrested a 54-year-old, with various prior police records, for an alleged ten crimes of robbery with force, committed inside homes located in the south of Gran Canaria, from which he may have obtained a booty of approximately €40,000. The investigations began last October 2021, after a complaint...
Prime series, Tom Clancy’s ‘Jack Ryan’, filming on the south of Gran Canaria
Various enclaves of the southern municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana on Gran Canaria will be the setting for the shooting of a fourth season of the popular series broadcast by a well-known streaming platform, Tom Clancy's 'Jack Ryan', starring the American actor John Krasinski, who plays a CIA analyst with specialist skills. For approximately 45 days, a large film crew will...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 6-8 May 2022
What a gorgeous start to the month of May it has been on Gran Canaria. This weekend will see temperatures rising and Calima having an effect, making it feel like summer is already here 😉. It’s also going to be a very busy weekend with loads of events, activities and patron saints’ festivities going on around the island. Upcoming events:9-21 May | Jazz Festival in Puerto de Mogán12-14 May | Rally Islas Canarias14 May | Romeria, pilgrimage offering in El Tablero13-15 May | Feria de Abril in...
The Canary Islands continue at medium and low health alert risk levels for another week
The regional Ministry of Health has this Thursday updated the health alert levels in line with the epidemiological report from the General Directorate of Public Health, carried out in accordance with the latest Surveillance and Control Strategy criteria for COVID-19, following the acute phase of the Pandemic, based on the indicators in use to assess assistance services. ...
Canary Islands exceeds a monthly total of one million tourists for the first time following the start of the pandemic
The Canary Islands received 1.12 million foreign tourists in March, exceeding the one million visitors in one month mark for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The figure represents an eleven fold increase in the number of arrivals in March 2021, which stood at just 100,525 for the whole archipelago. The figures are, however, slightly down on those registered in March 2019, the year before the...
The Canary Guide “May Day” Weekend Tips 29 April – 1 May 2022
An exhilarating May Day weekend ahead, with a multitude of events, markets and festivities to enjoy around Gran Canaria. Sunday, May 1 is also when Spain celebrates Mothers' Day and there is a special Mothers' Day edition of the monthly Tejeda market among others. The biggest fair dedicated to the produce of this island 'Gran Canaria Me Gusta' is at INFECAR again this weekend as well as music and dance shows happening around the capital. Montaña Alta in Guía celebrates the second of this...
Guardia Civil and Policia Local of Telde Local Police macro operation against illegal car racing on GC-1
Agents intervened in the middle of the illegal road race and arrested 42 people, and are investigating another 6 for crimes against road safety 40 vehicles used in the races were seized and their owners taken to court. A large number of charges have been filed against the Road Safety Law, the General Vehicle Regulations and the Citizen Security Law The races had an audience and they competed by positioning themselves in parallel in the middle of GC-1 The Guardia Civil and the Telde Local...
Emergency training simulation will close GC-1 between Arguineguín and Puerto Rico this Wednesday
The Cabildo de Gran Canaria reports the closure of the GC-1 between Arguineguín and Puerto Rico/Tauro, in both directions of traffic, this Wednesday 27 April 2022, due to a incident simulation, taht will take the form of an emergency drill in the Heriberto Linares tunnel. The main highway will be closed between 08:30 to 13:00. The only detour possibility is to use the coastal road, GC-500 through Arguineguín. GC-1 will be closed in both directions: the Arguineguin interchange -...
Gran Canaria’s southern tourism heartland announces the removal of temporary “express” terraces
The southern Town Council of San Bartolomé de Tirajana has notified catering establishments who are using temporary terraces, put in place during the pandemic restrictions, on public roads, to proceed with their removal. To do this, they will have until Monday, May 2, 2022. This measure is taken based on the Government of the Canary Islands having established the end of restrictions associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. [adrotate...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 22-24 April 2022
A wonderfully interesting April weekend ahead. Weather predictions are showing some sunshine, clouds, and a big possibility of some rain on Gran Canaria this weekend (April, eh?). With masks coming off across Spain (psst... it's still ok to wear one if you want to...) there will be many, many events this weekend, definitely worth visiting, like the Cheese Festival taking place in Santa Maria de Guía. There are also Carnival celebrations happening in Agaete and some traditional neighbourhood...
Spain removes the mandatory masks almost everywhere, but still required on all public transport
The Government of Spain, as expected, have announced that face masks will no longer be compulsory as of Wednesday, 20 April 2022, albeit with some exceptions. Royal Decree 286/2022, of April 19, was published in the State Gazette (BOE) and modifies the guidance on mandatory use of masks, put in place during the health crisis caused by COVID-19. The Council of Ministers approved the end of mandatory face masks indoors from 20 April. Minister for Health, Carolina Darias, argued that the high...
The Challenge Mogán Gran Canaria triathlon and road closures on Saturday 23 April on GC-500 Mogán
The Mogán town council, on the popular southwest of Gran Canaria, has issued several maps to indicate restricted access to various locations, as well as road closures, this Saturday, April 23 between 06:00-14:00. Likewise, the town hall have made their apologies for any inconvenience these measures may cause. This year, the Mogan Gran Canaria Challenge has been divided into two sporting events, the first of which took place on 2 April, when the GC-500 old national road was closed for a morning...
A fishing boat loaded with three tons of cocaine intercepted south of the Canary Islands
Officials from the Spanish Tax Agency's Customs Surveillance Service, working as part of a joint operation with agents from the Policia Nacional and Guardia Civil, in waters south of the Canary Islands, last week, intercepted a fishing boat loaded with more than 2,900 kilos of cocaine hidden in one of its fuel tanks, arresting all five crew members. Operation 'Capirote-Piteas-Acerico', led to the boarding of the 20-meter-long fishing vessel, named 'AKT 1', on the afternoon of April 13, some...
Gran Canaria Weather: Calima and high temperatures expected to linger until Wednesday, rain possible by weekend
An unexpected "whiteout" Calima arrived on the eastern slopes of the Canary Islands archipelago this Easter Sunday, driving temperatures as high as 35.2ºC in Pájara, on Fuerteventura, which was the highest temperature officially recorded in Spain that day, and this Monday temperatures of 30º and above are expected on the south and west of Gran Canaria. Temperatures, here, are always measured in the shade, and so as the skies clear we can expect hotter measurements to be taken in direct...
Gran Canaria Weather: 34ºC+ in the shade expected this Easter Sunday, with a yellow advisory for rising temperatures
The warm Easter weekend weather will continue to soar this Sunday, with the hotels and beaches full of holidaymakers from around the island and further afield all heading for the south. Slight Calima haze is expected on Canary Islands slopes facing south this weekend, up to 34ºC in the interior of the islands, and on the southwest of Gran Canaria, with gusts of wind that could reach 70 kilometres per hour this Sunday on the west sides of Canary Islands, according to AEMET. At the sea there...
Masks indoors in Spain will no long be mandatory from next Wednesday in most settings
Masks indoors will no long be mandatory from next Wednesday. Spain's Ministry of Health will continue to monitor epidemic indicators with the utmost attention, as an increase in infections could also lead to an increase in hospitalisations and serious cases of covid, said Spain's Health Minister, Carolina Darias, this Saturday in statements made during her visit to the island, from our provincial capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. ...
Man found dead at landfill identified as Telde homeless man, named Raúl
The man found dead by workers at the Ecoparque Gran Canaria Sur landfill last Thursday, in Juan Grande, has been identified was being a 40 year old homeless man named Raúl. He was known in the area of Telde's San Gregorio health clinic, where he spent his days assisting drivers to find parking, in the hope of earning small amounts of cash. His body was discovered when the collected refuse was being sorted, and upon first examination did not appear to show any signs of violence, leading...
Suspected thief arrested in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria with fake id and possible counterfeit money
Agents of the Citizen Security Unit (USECI) of the General Corps of the Canarian Police on the afternoon of Friday, April 15, arrested an individual for an alleged crime of robbery with force at a house in the south western tourist resort town of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria. The man had been seen trying force several locks on doors of an apartment complex in the municipality of Mogán. Agents discovered,...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 15-17 April 2022
A long, hot "puente" weekend lies ahead on Gran Canaria, with Thursday and Friday both being Easter bank holidays (but not Monday). The southern beaches have already seen a huge influx of people arriving to enjoy some Easter feasting in sun. The weather forecast for the coming days is simply marvellous across Gran Canaria, though seas may be a little rougher than usual, temperatures are expected to rise to 30º Celsius, in the shade, on the south of the Island. All around the island,...
La Alcaldesa, hoping to rise again, wants to wipe away the alleged “black cloud” for which she is still under investigation
La Alcaldesa, the still-serving Mogán mayor, currently presiding over Gran Canaria's southwestern town hall, has been under investigation for years, for one thing or another, and arrested at least twice while working for the good people of Mogán, though currently she and her alleged co-conspirators do appear rather bullish, having once more escaped prosecution, this time on a technicality, following multiple allegations of electoral fraud, and other crimes, stemming from the Mogán local...
Body found at Juan Grande “EcoParque” landfill in south of Gran Canaria
The body of a deceased man was found early on Thursday morning, April 14, at the main Juan Grande landfill site, in the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, on the south of Gran Canaria. The dead body had come from a refuse container that had been collected from Gran Canaria's north eastern town of Telde. Judicial police cordoned off the area to proceed to remove the body, once a court order was obtained....
Europe welcomes Ukrainian refugees with a fast-track asylum system already in backlog
Europe welcomes Ukrainian refugees with an asylum system that averages more than 15 months of delay Ukrainian refugees now arrive under the aegis of the ultra-fast special protection system, but regular reception centres are piling up hundreds of thousands of applications and rejecting many. Eva Belmonte, Ángela Bernardo, Miguel Ángel Gavilanes, Carmen Torrecillas, David Cabo, Lucas Laursen, April 4, 2022 Story...
More than 52,000 Spanish protection visas granted to Ukrainian refugees, 1,000 already in Canary Islands
Spain's Office for Asylum and Refuge (OAR) and the Policia Nacional have granted 51,957 temporary visas, over the last month, to people displaced by the war in Ukraine, almost a thousand of those are in the Canary Islands (965), according to the Ministry of the Interior. More have been arriving across Spain, and on the islands, some being accommodated by private individuals, with many more seeking refuge after more than 45 days of horrendous bloodshed. [fb_plugin...
Market stall holders protest 46% hike in town hall fees in Arguineguín and Mogán
Market stall-holders in the municipality of Mogán, are up in arms, after their town hall took the opportunity of re-establishing stall subs to raise their monthly fees to the council by 46% per pitch. Mayor Bueno's governing group, who also raised their own salaries last year, as well as business rates, while consistently failing to meet the needs of a sharp increase in social care provision, say they had planned to apply this increase back in 2020, however, due to the health crisis and the...
42 year old arrested in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria on suspicion of setting fire to neighbour’s car
The Guardia Civil Main Post in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, Mogán, arrested a 42-year-old last March 11, allegedly the perpetrator of the crimes of arson and damage having set fire to their neighbour's car causing damage to a residential complex belonging to a Community of the Property Owners in the town. The events occurred during the early hours of February 26, when the Puerto Rico Civil Guard were alerted to an incident at a duplex located on Calle Valencia, where a vehicle was on...
A summary of some of the main Easter processions worth visiting on Gran Canaria (2022)
Whether you are religious or not, there are few more interesting spectacles than the faithful following in processions behind images and statues of the foci of their devotions, infused with deep heartfelt sentiments and strongly held traditions, among the faithful you can expect weeping in the streets, wailing, fragrant incense and men in various colours of hoods and robes, among many other strange sights at this time of year on Gran Canaria. Semana Santa, Holy Week, on Gran Canaria includes a...
The Canary Guide Weekend Tips 8-10 April 2022
A gorgeous April weekend ahead as well as the start of Easter week this coming Palm Sunday. Next week, there will be two bank holidays on Gran Canaria, Thursday and Friday. Holy Week on Gran Canaria is one of the most unique cultural celebrations and with much historical emphasis. Religious ceremonies and processions can be expected around the island 10-17 April, especially now that new regulations allow mass events to happen once again. The most popular events take place in the capital and...
Mogán town hall change traffic priorities on three Puerto Rico streets above Amadores
This week the south west Gran Canaria town hall of Mogán have announce a change to the direction of traffic on three streets in the upper area of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, overlooking Amadores, Calles Montaña Clara, Timanfaya and Tenerife. The objective, they say, is to achieve better traffic flow and expand the number of parking spaces available. Town Councillor for Traffic and Transport, Víctor Gutiérrez,...
Travellers entering Spain will no longer be required to fill in the SpTH control forms if they have an accepted Digital Covid Certificate
British travellers are being advised to continue using the Spain Travel Health forms until definitively told they will not need them. There are still complications between the British system and the EU, so for the sake of 15 minutes of form filling the safest course of action is to fill in the form prior to travel, though the requirement is expected to be fully relaxed. Spain have announced further...
The end of indoor mask requirements in Spain is expected to be announced after Easter, though still recommended in many settings
Spain's Council of Ministers look set to approve an end to most indoor mask requirements, on April 19, according to Spanish press reports this Wednesday, one of the last of the coronavirus pandemic restrictions still in force across the country, having decided to wait until after Easter to relax the mandatory use of the mask indoors. The intention to end mandatory mask use has also been confirmed by Spanish Health Minister, Carolina Darías Masks will continue to be mandatory in nursing homes,...
The Canary Guide Weekend Tips 1-3 April 2022
April begins with a few clouds and an occasional shower, but there are a few big fairs happening around the island this weekend, a great chance to really start to celebrate the Spring as we relentlessly move towards the Easter holidays. The island is enjoying some beautiful greenery due to the long-needed rainfalls over the past weeks, and Springtime blooms pepper the mountainsides. Sunday's weather forecast and the start of the new week warn of a possibility of further rains, especially in...
Siam Park Gran Canaria: Largest water park attraction in Europe edges ever closer to final approval, hoping to break ground this year
The San Bartolomé de Tirajana Town Hall Governing Board, this Thursday, have announced their long awaited approval of the urbanisation project for the waste land area known as El Veril, between the GC1 north-south highway and the entry point to the southern resort areas of Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas, where the construction of a new Siam Park Aqua Adventure attraction has been planned since at least 2013. This is a preliminary step to granting the final license to building the much...
77-year-old Félix rescued after four days wedged in a ditch having tried to rescue a cat
Félix Guerra spent four days trapped between two walls at a farm in the north Gran Canaria area of Gáldar, he was rescued on Wednesday when another man heard his cries for help, and admitted to the Dr. Negrín hospital in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, here he is now recovering. His family say they are confident that he will be able to return home very soon, once his body returns to normal. Residents of the...
Petrol prices continue to rise, despite Friday’s incoming subsidy and moderate drops in oil prices
Drivers have been up in arms for weeks, with transport workers on strike across mainland Spain, adding to fears of shortages here on the islands, where we import 80% of what we consume. Prices on the forecourts have continued to rise in the Canary Islands, despite the fact that the oil prices have been falling recently, having peaked at just over $130.2 a barrel on March 8 the price of Brent crude oil, the European benchmark, has been oscillating between $100 and $120 a barrel. Most transport...
Puerto Bello complex claims €1million in damages from Canary Islands Government
The owners of the Puerto Bello apartment complex, in the popular tourist town of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, are claiming nearly one million euros from the Canary Islands Government for damages caused by some of a group of unaccompanied migrant minors who were being sheltered there for several months, ostensibly under the guardianship of the Canary Islands Regional Autonomous Executive. Featured Image: Puerto Bello damage, Image by @Rafaleonortega/CanariasAhora ...
Doctors and campaigners disappointed by the return of smoking on outside terraces
84 weeks after being banned outright, smoking has been allowed to return to the outside terraces of the Canary Islands Archipelago. As of last Friday, March 25, all Covid restrictions at the regional level have been removed, following last Thursday's Governing Council (regional cabinet) meeting. However doctors have reacted negatively to the return of the smokers, with Pedro Cabrera, president of the Official College of Physicians of Las Palmas, calling it "a step backwards" in the fight...
Measuring the effects of a nuclear blast in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria
What would happen if a nuclear blast went off in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria? Anti-nuclear war campaigners, Outrider.org, have produced a simulation system that allows you to choose any town or place to see what the immediate effects would likely be were they unlucky enough to be hit by a nuclear strike. Though this is at first a little shocking, it is designed to make you think, more locally, about how terrible...
Two injured in serious car accident on Saturday night in the Agüimes hills
A vehicle left the road last Saturday night, in the rural area known as La Cortada, in Los Corralillos, in the Gran Canaria municipality of Agüimes. Two people were injured and the vehicle also suffered extensive damage. The driver apparently lost control of the vehicle, which left the road (the GC-551) at speed at around 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, passing over the safety fences and the various large rocks...
Spanish Congress will debate and vote on the relaxation of mask rules
The Spanish Congress will debate, and vote, this week on if it is now finally time to abolish the legal obligation to wear masks against coronavirus, not only outdoors but also indoors. The Plenary Session of the Chamber will discuss a proposal presented by the conservative leaning Ciudadanos (Cs) party, who will also take advantage of the control session this Wednesday to ask the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro...
Las Palmas court hears case of the individual accused of causing the Puerto Bello disturbances last year
The Second Section of the Las Palmas Provincial Court this Tuesday will hear the case of one Ahmed Haison who, according to the Prosecutor's Office, was at the heart of the serious incidents that occurred in the Puerto Bello apartments, in the tourism enclave of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, after being transferred to the temporary facility used to accommodate unaccompanied minors, having arrived on the island of Gran Canaria by open boat. ...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 25-27 March 2022
A little unstable weather is forecast for the weekend ahead. The Canary Islands Government has announced the suspension all the COVID-19 restrictions, it is going to feel a bit different than it has over the last 2 long years. Remember that preventive measures are still in place in some cases and masks are still in use indoors. It's Mother's Day in UK this Sunday. Summer is a step closer with the spring forward of the clocks this Sunday as 1 AM becomes 2 AM. This will also mean sunrise and...
TUI confirms high tourism expectations for the summer with longer stays and higher spending
The world's largest tour operator, TUI Group, communicated on Thursday morning, to the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce of the Government of the Canary Islands. its strong commitment to the islands, confirming good expectations for the summer, with the arrival of tourists who will enjoy longer stays and spend more on vacations. Regional Tourism Minister, Yaiza Castilla received the news,...
Netflix movie ‘The Mother’ with Jennifer Lopez, wraps up filming on location on Gran Canaria
Since the beginning of the year, Gran Canaria's Economic Promotion Society (SPEGC) and the Gran Canaria Film Commission have been providing technical coverage to the international team that travelled to the island for the production of 'The Mother', a feature film that will be released later this year on Netflix, which this week ended its filming on location on Gran Canaria. The production has involved the...
Accessibility improvements on the southern beaches of San Bartolomé de Tirajana (Maspalomas, Playa del Inglés and San Agustín)
In recent months, various improvements have been carried out on different beaches in the southern municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, aiming to to secure nothing less than to have the best beaches available for residents and the tourists who visit throughout the year, as well as recovering Blue Flags, which were lost two years ago. Works to improve accessibility, like the installation of walkways to...
Maspalomas town hall transfers land to the Ministry of Health to expand the San Fernando Health Centre
The Municipal Council of San Bartolomé de Tirajana has announced the transfer of a plot of land to the Government of the Canary Islands for the expansion of the San Fernando de Maspalomas Health Centre. The plot is attached to that of the current health centre. Mayor, Conchi Narváez, highlighted the need to strengthen the municipality's primary care network, "above all because we are aware of the population increase in the municipality over recent years, the trajectory of the age curve of our...
From Saturday The Canary Islands suspends all restrictions and maintains prevention measures
The Canary Islands Governing Council (regional cabinet), has approved an agreement to limit restrictions and measures in force on all the islands, suspending them temporarily, based on health alert levels for each island. The elimination of the restrictions in force on the Canary Islands is part of the continuation of "progressive and prudent" de-escalation that the Autonomous Executive began in February....
Let’s Dance! Canary Islands to lift all Covid-19 restrictions on Thursday, but mask rules will continue for a little while longer
The Canary Islands are to eliminate all restrictions activated by the Covid-19 pandemic this Thursday, except the use of masks indoors, which remains strictly a state measure, in the hands of the Spanish Ministry of Health and, for the moment, there is no date set to address the matter. Regional President Ángel Víctor Torres announced on Tuesday, in the regional Parliament, that “following the technical...
People diagnosed with asymptomatic coronavirus will no longer need to isolate from next Monday
The Public Health Commission has, this Tuesday, given a green light to the new strategy aimed at normalising the way we deal with COVID in The Canary Islands, as of March 28, when self-isolation for asymptomatic people will no longer be required by law and general testing will no longer be carried out across the population. This was decided by the general directors of Public Health, on the part of the...
Spanish Transport strike seriously threatens produce cargos headed for Canary Islands
The Canary Islands have started to feel repercussions from skyrocketing transport costs and are facing their second week with a large drop in cargo arriving from the mainland, due to the transport strike in peninsular Spain and, although for now supermarket shelves appear normal, the distribution sector has been warning for days of shortages of some products - especially perishables - and a real risk of shortages across the islands, if the Government of Spain does not take measures to put an...
The Canary Islands, this Thursday, “will suspend all restrictions” for COVID
The president of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, has announced that, in this week’s Governing Council on Thursday, as ever following the technical criteria, "we will suspend all restrictions that remain in the Canary Islands" regarding the covid pandemic. Torres stressed that this is to take the form of a temporary suspension of the general and regional measures, making clear that if circumstances worsen,...
All the islands maintain their current health alert levels, though infections rise slightly
Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro remain at level 3; and Fuerteventura and Lanzarote at level 2. The daily average of conventional hospital beds occupied by covid patients throughout the Archipelago as a whole has decreased by 18.4% compared to the previous week and that of ICU beds decreased by 12%. The Canary Islands Ministry of Health on Thursday, March 17, updated health alert...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 18-20 March 2022
Spring has finally sprung, as the sun crosses the equator from south to north, the March equinox is this Sunday. A festive weekend ahead with Spanish Father's Day this Saturday, Día del Padre. It is also the feast day in honour of San José, Saint Joseph, the patron saint of families, fathers, pioneers and travellers and many more. After two years of postponements, religious processions start taking place once again on Gran Canaria. You'll find some notable traditional celebrations around the...
After a topsy turvy week of cold snaps, strong winds and rain, Calima arrives in The Canaries
Calima has returned to the Canary Islands this Thursday and looks set to continue until at least Saturday, affecting all the islands, particularly in the easternmost province, the mass of Saharan dust clearly visible on the latest NASA satellite imagery. Strong winds from the north from storm Celia left rain and snow, strong waves and a cold snap that closed roads and left snowfalls at the summits of Gran Canaria...
Storm Celia brings 90km winds, rain, sleet, hail and snow to Gran Canaria
A night of strong persistent winds, and rain from the north, has brought snow and hail to the summits of Gran Canaria. The Cabildo closed access to Pico de las Nieves this Monday afternoon-night due to adverse weather conditions caused by storm 'Celia', just two hours before the snowfall arrived. 'Celia' brought strong winds and caused the suspension of school classes and extracurricular activities this...
Canary Islands prices rose almost 7% in February due to increases in housing, transport and food costs
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) in the Canary Islands increased by 6.8% over the month of February, in the year since February 2021, due to an increase in housing, transport and food prices, according to data published this Friday by Spain's National Institute of Statistics (INE). In one year housing has increased by 22.3% on the islands, while transport grew by 11.4%, and food and non-alcoholic beverages have...
Huge rise in petrol prices across the Canary Islands
The price of fuel continues to rise and, it will continue to do so for the duration of the conflict in Ukraine, predicts Dacil Jimenez for El Diario's CanariaAhora. In the Canary Islands, despite having the lowest prices in Spain, due to lower taxes, this increase has been noticeable, on some islands more than others. According to information published and updated daily by the Ministry of Ecological Transition, the difference between the cheapest fuelling station on the islands and the most...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 11-13 March 2022
The second weekend of March arrives with some excellent events taking place. The Artisan's craft fair by FEDAC kicks off this Friday just next to the Maspalomas lighthouse. There is a European cheese Fair in Teror, an Eco market in Las Palmas and some covid friendly carnival celebrations taking place over the coming days. Upcoming events: Rally Villa de Santa Brigida 18-19 MarchKm.0 Fair Valsequillo 19-20 MarchENORTE 2022 in Gáldar 1-3 AprilThe 9th Institutional Fair of the Canary Islands...
Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro remain at level 3 alert; and Fuerteventura joins Lanzarote at level 2
The Canary Islands Ministry of Health, today, updated health alert levels following the latest epidemiological report from the General Directorate of Public Health, using data consolidated as of March 9. The report analyses the evolution of health indicators regarding COVID-19, and confirmed the island of Fuerteventura could drop to level 2, thanks to improvements in the epidemiological indicators. The rest of the islands maintain their current alert levels for another week. This means that...
More wind alerts for Gran Canaria and the Western Islands over the weekend
The Canary Islands declares an Alert due to Wind expected to reach the summits and east, south and west slopes of the island of Gran Canaria, from 00:00 on March 5th, also affecting the midlands and summits of the island of El Hierro; the island of La Gomera; and midlands and summits of the islands of La Palma and Tenerife. This decision was made taking into account information provided by the Spanish State...
Supreme court rejects Cordial attempt to declare El Pajar CEISA cement works concession already expired
The Spanish Supreme Court (TS) has rejected an appeal, presented by Cordial Properties, trying to end the cement company, CEISA, concession held on the port of Santa Águeda. CEISA general director, Claudio Piernavieja, celebrated the decision. In a statement sent to journalists, CEISA reported that the Supreme Court would not admit the appeal for processing, and instead Cordial Properties will have to pay the...
Two accidents happen independently, almost at the same, heading in different directions on the GC1 near Playa del Inglés
Two separate accidents on the GC-1 main highway, near Playa del Inglés, just before noon this Friday, March 4, were reported by 1-1-2 Canarias. As a result, a 54-year-old man suffered moderate injuries and was transferred by medicalised SUC ambulance to the Gran Canaria Insular University Hospital. The first accident, heading north, occurred when a car collided with the central reservation and the driver became...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 4-6 March 2022
It's the first weekend of March and markets galore are open again this weekend including La Aldea and Tejeda. One of the biggest sporting events on the island, the toughest billed as one of the toughest in the world, the 'TransGranCanaria 2022' is happening on Gran Canaria this weekend. Carnival main stage celebrations are now in full flow in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, with local carnival events in Mogán, Santa Lucia and Agüimes. Meanwhile Ingenio and Telde have announced that they will be...
Canary Islands continue de-escalation, returning to 100% capacity in general, for hospitality, sports and culture
The Government of the Canary Islands have agreed at their meeting held this Thursday, March 3, to continue with the de-escalation of restrictions applied to contain the pandemic caused by COVID-19, after the latest measures approved 15 days ago. The agreement affects the general capacity, both in outdoor and indoor spaces, and those of cultural and sports activity, which is established in both cases at 100% in...
Gran Canaria goes to alert level 3 due to the improvement of its epidemiological indicators
Tenerife, La Palma, Fuerteventura, La Gomera and El Hierro continue at Level 3; and Lanzarote, at Level 2 The daily average occupation of conventional hospital beds in the Archipelago as a whole has decreased by 26% compared to last week and ICU beds occupied by covid patients has fallen by 14% The Ministry of Health has today updated the health alert levels following this week's epidemiological report...
Mogán Policia Local track down and arrest two pickpockets in Puerto Rico
Mogán Policia Local say they stopped and arrested two pickpockets last week, after a day of surveillance, having received reports from Playa de Mogán, and subsequently a tourist whose belongings had been allegedly stolen in a pool bar, in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, the tourist resort town where they were eventually intercepted. Puerto de Mogán control tower operators reported to the Policia Local the identity...
Canary Islands Issue Alert for Strong Winds from Sunday 00:00
The Canary Islands' General Directorate of Security and Emergencies, based on predictions from the Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) and other available sources, in application of the Specific Emergency Plan of the Canary Islands for Risks of Adverse Meteorological Phenomena PEFMA (Decree 18/ 2014, of March 20), has declared an alert due to strong winds expected on the islands of La Palma, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, El Hierro and La Gomera. This alert will take effect at 00:00 this...
Canary Islands Health Ministry reports 1,871 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours
The Ministry of Health this Friday reported 1,871 new cases of coronavirus COVID-19. To total 19,201 currently active cases across the region, of which 43 are in the ICU and 296 remain hospitalised. The 7-day Accumulated Incidence (7dAI) in the Canary Islands stands at 437.6 cases per...
Increased Portuguese Man of War sightings on Gran Canaria’s north east beaches
Spanish language press have reported bathers warning this week of 'Portuguese man-of-war' sightings on the north eastern beaches of Gran Canaria, particularly in the municipalities of Telde and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Similar warnings were being issued from Fuerteventura earlier this week, with reported sightings on Monday. A sting from this species of "jellyfish" is known to be one of the most poisonous and painful, they can cause fever, headache, inflammation, nausea, vomiting among...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 25-27 February 2022
The last weekend of February and the weather forecast is not looking very promising, unless you are a gardener in hope of a pre-spring boost to your patch . A rainy weekend across Gran Canaria is expected so bear in mind that any outdoor events could get postponed or cancelled if the rain predictions become a reality. The month of March also brings a lot of events so stay tuned for things to come. The weekend offers Carnival celebrations in Las Palmas and Playa de Arinaga. The mountain village...
Gran Canaria remains at Alert Level 4 while Tenerife goes to Alert Level 3
Gran Canaria remains at alert level 4; La Palma, Fuerteventura, La Gomera and El Hierro at level 3; and Lanzarote at level 2. The evolution of the indicators on the rest of the islands does not yet present sufficient stability to allow other changes in level The Ministry of Health has today updated the health alert levels after the epidemiological report of the General Directorate of Public Health with...
66 specimens of the Yemen chameleon located on Gran Canaria since 2017
The Canary Islands Ministry of Ecological Transition, Fight against Climate Change and Territorial Planning, through the Canary Islands Early Warning Network for the Detection and Intervention in cases of Invasive Alien Species (RedEXOS) working the public company Gesplan, have, since 2017, located a total of 66 specimens of Yemen chameleon on Gran Canaria, mainly in the municipality of Arucas. This invasive...
Gran Canaria Weather: As temperatures rise, Calima departs, and a little rain to follow, particularly on the north, by the weekend
While this winter in Spain has been marked by a drought, with fewer rainstorms than would usually be expected, thanks to an anti-cyclonic weather system over the Iberian peninsula, here in the Canary Islands, following a fairly dry year, even by the standards of the archipelago, significant rains and even snowfalls have occasionally arrived in recent weeks, on a few days combining low pressure with strong winds, Calima followed by warmer than usual days. According to Meteored, this Monday, ...
Meanwhile at The Yumbo: Yet another wrong turn captured on camera
Anyone passing by the Yumbo centre, in Playa del Inglés, was likely to be more than a little surprised this Monday after yet another hire car driver appears to have become confused about how to enter the commercial and leisure zone, famous for its Drag bars, nightlife and colourful characters. Believe it or not, this is not the first time that a visiting tourist has taken a wrong turn at the Yumbo. Just 18 months previously,...
Canary Islands crime rate falls to the lowest figure in the last decade
This Monday it was announced that the crime rate fell in the Canary Islands, in 2021, to now stand at 37.4 criminal offences per 1,000 population, the lowest figure in the last decade, ten points below the 2010 data, which the National Police commanders and Civil Guard have put down to the "good performance of their troops." This places the Canary Islands almost four points below the national average, of 41.3 criminal...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 18-20 February 2022
It's the third weekend of February and the weather is finally back to "normal" after Calima finally leaving Gran Canaria. So far it looks like an unstable weekend ahead around the island with some clouds to the north from Friday and even some possible rain in the forecast. The first of the Carnival celebrations start this weekend in the municipality of Agüimes, followed by the Las Palmas Carnival next week. Even though this year, the festivities are still not back to full strength parties in...
The Crew of a Cargo ship have had to be evacuated after a fire aboard the vessel carrying high end automobiles to America
A ship loaded with luxury cars is currently adrift in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, some 1,700 kilometres northwest of the Canary Islands. The Felicity Ace was carrying Porsche or Volkswagen brands, but suffered a fire that forced the Portuguese Maritime Rescue authorities to evacuate its crew. The ship, a 200-meter-long car carrier, was travelling between the German town of Emden to Davisville, and the US state of...
Canary Islands continue towards full de-escalation of pandemic restrictions
The Canary Islands Government Council held on Thursday, February 17, agreed to continue with the de-escalation of the restrictions in force to contain the pandemic caused by COVID-19. To do this, two unique packages of measures have been established, to be applied depending on the level of risk for each island. New regulations approved this week, specify more flexible rules for for the islands of Tenerife and Gran...
Work begins on Salto de Chira, the first large energy storage system in the Canary Islands
Third vice-president of the Spanish Government, and minister of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera, the president of the Canary Islands, Ángel Victor Torres, the president of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Antonio Morales, the president of Red Eléctrica de España, Beatriz Corredor and the mayors de Mogán and San Bartolomé participated today in the commemorative act of the start of the works. Salto de Chira aims to reinforce Gran Canaria's supply guarantee and will...
Suspect arrested in Gran Canaria north after Gáldar bus driver attack, detainee’s mother heartbroken
Guardia Civil have arrested a 21-year-old man, with numerous prior police records, accused of stabbing a bus driver in the early hours of Tuesday morning at the Gáldar municipal bus station, as the driver started his work day. The Guardia Civil said in a statement that the person, a resident of the area, was suspected of being responsible for the alleged crime of attempted homicide, just before 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning,...
Ministry of Social Rights’ cry for help in caring for nearly 3,000 minors in “unprecedented migratory crisis”
Canary Islands Minister of Social Rights, Noemí Santana, this Tuesday launched a cry for "help" and "assistance" in guaranteeing fundamental attention for migrant minors on the islands, which currently total 2,869 under guardianship as wards of the State. "The situation is extreme", Santana urged during an appearance at a parliamentary committee, in which she warned that "there is not a single space more", economic and human...
Instigator of high speed pursuit on the GC1 jailed awaiting trial
Tanausú O., was jailed this Tuesday, February 15, by decree of a Telde Investigating Court, after being involved in an altercation with security forces on Monday, having fled in a stolen car, dodged a check point and was pursued on the GC-1 to end up crashing into two Guardia Civil crews on the main highway passing the Las Terrazas Shopping Centre. The Prosecutor's Office has announced the perpetrator having been admitted to...
Bus driver attacked in the early hours of the morning
A bus driver was assaulted in the early hours of this Tuesday morning, February 15, at the Guaguas de Gáldar bus station, in the north of Gran Canaria. The events are reported to have taken place around 04:38 in the morning, according to the 112 Emergency and Security Coordination Centre (CECOES). Doctors from the Gáldar health centre, located next to the scene of the attack, responded first. “They told me from 112 that...
Newly cashless Maspalomas beach-hammocks-and-umbrellas services start once again, re-employing 41
First thing, this morning, the sun bed and umbrella service staff were visibly back in action to reactivate the services that have been absent for nearly two years on the beaches of San Bartolomé de Tirajana. 9 sectors have been reactivated, with a total of 1,000 hammocks, distributed as follows: One in Meloneras, three sectors in Maspalomas, four in Playa del Inglés and one on El Cochino beach, near San Agustín. This week the rest of the sectors will continue to be added, to total 23 in...
Police pursuit causes tailbacks on Gran Canaria’s main GC1, and ends in a collision with a motorcycle
A car chase on the GC-1 followed a driver evading and escaping a control checkpoint, on Monday afternoon. In a joint operation by the Policia Nacional and the Guardia Civil, the main GC-1 north-south highway was closed as a fugitive was being pursued. At first the driver slowed and stopped for agents but then escaped by dodging the control point. He was followed until he collided with a motorcycle near Las Terrazas de Jinámar,...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 11-13 February 2022
A gorgeous February weekend coming up with temperatures expected to come down a touch from the almost summer-like highs of this week. Last week pretty much felt like summer with a nice hot spell of calima, hopefully putting an end to the weeks of dusty gusts we have been enjoying, still occasional strong winds in some parts of the island. As Gran Canaria continues with Level 4 but measures having been relaxed a little, it is been welcome news for many leisure establishments with a new closing...
Spain and The Canary Islands remove restrictions on travel for British youths
The Canary Islands State Gazette, the BOC, this Friday included an order by which, as of Monday, British people between 12 and 18 years of age will be allowed to travel to Spain, and specifically to the Canary Islands, with a vaccination certificate or PCR carried out within 72 hours prior to arrival. The restriction had caused a huge drop in bookings and in the arrival of tourists, according to the hotel sector, during the high winter season. ...
Canary Islands maintains Covid Alert Levels as Government establishes a de-escalation in the measures applied
Groups of people in spaces for public and private use, indoors or outdoors, can be no more than a maximum of 12 people, cohabitants excepted, at Alert Levels 1 and 2; no more than eight people, except cohabitants, at Alert Level 3, and six people, except cohabitants, at Alert Level 4. Night time opening hours are restricted until 04:00 at alert level 1 and 2; at 03:00 hours at alert level 3, and at 02:00 hours at alert level...
Newsbrief: Guardia Civil recover objects stolen from Mogan Mall with market value of €4870
The Guardia Civil of the Main Post in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, in collaboration with the Policia Local of Santa Lucía, arrested three people between the ages of 26 and 33, with numerous prior police records, for thefts committed in commercial establishments. The investigation began on January 30, when Mogán Mall shopping centre security team alerted the Puerto Rico Guardia Civil Post of the occurrence of a criminal act in a...
Police dismantle prolifically active cocaine organisation on Gran Canaria
Guardia Civil and Policia Nacional, regarding Operation JEZABEL-DOOLITTLE, consider dismantled one of the most active criminal groups on the Island of Gran Canaria, specialised in the introduction and subsequent distribution of large quantities of cocaine on the island. After several phases of investigation, the operation has resulted in the arrest of 8 people, 7 of them of Spanish nationality and another Bulgarian, having...
Guardia Civil arrest two suspected phone thieves in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria
Guardia Civil, from the Main Post in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, Mogán, last Saturday, February 5, arrested a man and a woman, aged 31 and 19 years of age respectively, both with prior police records for crimes against other people's property, on suspicion of a robbery with violence against two minors, committed in a shopping centre in Puerto Rico where they attacked the young people and stole their high-end mobile phones valued at about €1,600. ...
Good news as Canary Islands President announces Spain to resolve travelling restrictions on British children
Health restrictions, imposed during the COVID-19 response, that prevented British children traveling to Spain, are to be relaxed by Spain's Central Government, according to an announcement made by Canary Islands President, Angel Víctor Torres. In coming days, the central government will facilitate the arrival of families thanks to the modification of current health requirements. The Archipelago's tourist sector should get a...
“Several islands” set to begin de-escalation of Covid Alert Levels this week
The president of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, announced this Tuesday that the Governing Council will, "probably", approve the lowering of Health Alert Levels this Thursday "on various islands". Several islands will likely begin to de-escalate from their respective Covid Alert Levels after this Thursday's Governing Council meeting. The President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, made the announcement during a Canary Islands Regional Government control...
Strong gusts of wind forecast this week, rising temperatures and still more Calima in the Canaries
The Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has declared a yellow advisory warning for this Tuesday, due to gusts of very strong winds from the southeast, which could exceed 70 kilometres per hour, in the west of the easternmost islands and on the summits and western slopes and north of Gran Canaria, Tenerife and La Gomera. According to the AEMET forecast, the skies will clear, with occasional cloud, and intervals of...
Spain to end requirement to wear masks in the streets as early as next Thursday, says Health Minister
Spain's Health Minister, Carolina Darias, said this Friday that from next Thursday she expects the use of masks outdoors may no longer be mandatory, once the measure has been published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) next Wednesday, following approval one day before at the Council of Ministers. "If everything goes well, which is what we hope, it will be published in the Official State Gazette on Wednesday so that it comes...
Canary Islands Scraps Mandatory Covid Certificates and extends opening hours for Level 3 or below
The Canary Islands Government Council (regional cabinet) agreed this Thursday to revoke the mandatory requirement to present a Covid certificate at leisure and restaurant establishments, as well as some other activities, and to request that the regional high court, The Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC), extend its voluntary use, in such a way that establishments choosing to use the system will gain greater capacity limits and opening hours, according to the Alert Level...
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 4-6 February 2022
Always around this first weekend of February on Gran Canaria, one of the most beautiful villages in Spain, Tejeda, celebrates their traditional and very popular Almond Blossom festivities. This 50th-anniversary celebration, however, has been postponed to 2023, along with Almond blossom festivities that were to take place in the municipality of Valsequillo. Gran Canaria continues for at least one more week at Health Alert level 4, though there was a surprise announcement made by the town...
Canary Islands Alert Levels maintained this week, though La Palma moves back down to Level 3
Tenerife and Gran Canaria remain at Alert Level 4; Fuerteventura, La Gomera, El Hierro and Lanzarote at Level 3. La Palma moves down to Level 3 from 00:00 this Friday, February 4. Accumulated incidence has fallen by 44.8%, but the hospital occupancy remains at very high risk on both Tenerife and Gran Canaria; on Lanzarote and La Gomera occupancy is at high risk; on Fuerteventura and La Palma, medium risk; and El Hierro's is at at low risk, which maintains all the islands at their current Alert...
Yellow advisory for strong winds adds to warnings in force for rain from the west
Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) updated their advisory warnings in force across the islands this Wednesday with a new one. Rainstorms and strong winds. The notice comes into force from 00:00 this Thursday on the Western Islands of La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro; from 03:00 on Tenerife; 06:00 on Gran Canaria; and from 12 noon on Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. According to the forecast, maximum gusts of up to 70...
Maspalomas International Carnival 2022 set for a summertime return, June 9 – 19
Maspalomas International Carnival is to be held during the summertime, from June 9 to 19 following a meeting this Wednesday morning at the Town Hall. Mayor Concepción Narváez, the Councilor for Events and Celebrations, Francisca Quintana, the president of the Las Palmas Federation of Hospitality Entrepreneurs and Tourism (FEHT), José María Mañaricua alongside the president of the Association of Tourist Accommodation Entrepreneurs (AEAT), Tom Smulders, and Vice President of the FEHT, via...
Current rules on travelling to The Canary Islands, entry to Spain restricted for unvaccinated travellers
There has been some confusion over recent days regarding entry requirements for anyone flying to Gran Canaria and The Canary Islands, whether from inside the EU/Schengen area, or from outside, so-called, third countries. The European Union has a adopted a policy of allowing unvaccinated travel between member states and Schengen zone countries, though a negative test result is required (for PCR, TMA, or LAMP NAAT tests) within...
Maspalomas beach beds and umbrellas to return from February 7
On the south of Gran Canaria the San Bartolomé de Tirajana Town Council, this Monday, through Samuel Henríquez Quintana's Department of Cleaning and Attention to Coastal Maintenance, requested that sun beds and umbrellas services in Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas be restarted once more, having been suspended since March 14, 2020 as a result of the global COViD-19 pandemic. The town councillor informed the company responsible...
Spanish Health Department reduces validity of antigen tests to 24 hours prior to entry to Spain
The validity of the antigen detection tests required to enter Spain has been reduced, from this Tuesday, to 24 hours rather than the 48 hour period that had been allowed until now, according to the Moncloa, referring to the official State Gazette published this Tuesday. The resolution by the General Directorate of Health, regarding sanitary controls required at the entry points to Spain, highlights the decision as the result of...
Meanwhile on Lanzarote: First e-powered ultralight glider tested in Canary Islands in Calima
The pilot Manfred Ruhmer, has traveled from Italy to Lanzarote to fly his ultralight electric plane, the SWIFT LIGHT E (Icaro 2000). This is the first flight of this type of vehicle on the Canary Islands. It has an autonomy and range of more than four hours, able to remain in the air without landing. Even adverse weather conditions, like the Calima haze and gusty winds that have swept the Archipelago, have proved no obstacle. [adrotate...
Gran Canaria Weather: Dust expected to clear later in the week, Binter Flight lands in Calima with low visibility
The Canary Islands General Directorate of...
85 year-old Norwegian bather dies while swimming at Mogán beach
An 85-year-old Norwegian tourist tragically died this Monday afternoon, having been pulled out of the water in cardiorespiratory arrest at the Anfi del Mar beach, in Gran Canaria's south west municipality of Mogán. The event occurred around four in the afternoon when the main 112 Coordinating Centre for Emergencies and Security (CECOES) received a report indicating that a man in cardiorespiratory arrest had been pulled out of...
The Anfi del Mar beach concession is being reconsidered as two companies compete for control
Anfi del Mar SL (majority owned by hoteliers Lopesan, and the beleaguered Santana Cazorla Group) are reportedly competing with Santana Cazorla family company, Gestiones y Explotaciones Narval SL, for management of businesses and concessions along the Barranco de la Verga beach. The two companies are competing once again for the business concession to oversee the artificial beach at the mouth of the La Verga ravine, in Mogán, including sun beds and umbrellas, jet skis and other recreational...
Yumbo nightclub forcibly closed by police for breaching Covid restrictions
San Bartolomé de Tirajana Policia Local and Policia Canaria, on Sunday morning, had to enforce the closure of Heaven nightclub, in the Yumbo shopping and leisure centre, Playa del Inglés, where clients were still being served at dawn despite Level 4 restrictions temporarily meaning all nightlife is supposed to close by midnight. Policia Canaria agents forced customers inside the establishment to leave it at around 6am, it is...
Calima Yellow Advisory Maintained, Reduced Visibility Expected
The yellow advisory warning for Calima dust in the Canary Islands issued by the Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) continues this Monday across Gran Canaria, Tenerife, and the islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. Feature image: Yellow Calima Advisory for Gran Canaria and The Canary Islands 30012022 Aqua Modis CR TC courtesy of NASA Saharan dust in suspension, affecting the archipelago over the weekend, will...
Submarine earthquake between Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura
Spain's National Geographic Institute (IGN) reported a magnitude 4 earthquake detected on the ocean bed on Saturday night, between the islands of Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura, at a depth of six kilometers, with no reports of it having been felt by the population. Activity is being constantly recorded in the Canary archipelago, with most seismic readings in the last 24 hours located in the subsoil of La Palma, primarily around...
Ayuntamiento de Mogán Town Hall fines five bars €15k each
Mogán Town Hall, responsible for the tourist resorts of South West Gran Canaria, have fined five establishments for administrative infractions they have classified as very serious. 'Tiffany's' bar in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria were issued a fine of €15,001 for broadcasting music with a loudspeaker outside their establishment without having the authorisation to do so. The popular tourist bar also had to suspend activity for...
The Canary Guide Weekend Tips 28-30 January 2021
It's the last weekend of January already and what a month it certainly has been! Almond blossom festivities both in Tejeda and in Valsequillo have been postponed until next year, 2023. Many Carnival celebrations have also been postponed until summer 2022 and the start of the main Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carnival, moved to 25 February and will be celebrated without most of the popular street events. Gran Canaria continues on Health Alert Level 4 for another week, and the...
Guardia Civil arrests two men for animal abuse and abandonment in Santa Lucía de Tirajana
The Guardia Civil's Seprona Patrol (Environment and Animal welfare) from the Vecindario Post, between January 08 and 14, arrested a 26-year-old man and another 50-year-old man, as the alleged perpetrators of a crime of animal abuse and abandonment. The events occurred after several residents of Santa Lucía de Tirajana provided the Guardia Civil videos and photographs of the unfortunate state the animals were being kept in, suspecting a possible case of mistreatment or omission of the...
Public Works plan €14 million improvement and reorganisation of the Agaete port
The Minister of Public Works, Transport and Housing of the Government of the Canary Islands, Sebastián Franquis, has presented a new project for the improvement and reorganisation of the Port of Agaete, promoted by the Regional Executive, to modernise the facilities and, at the same time, promote greater connection and communication between the port and the population of Puerto de Las Nieves through a comprehensive urban intervention. To execute this project, the Ministry, announced Minister...
Vaccine booster appointments offered to everyone over 18 years of age
The Canary Islands Ministry of Health this Wednesday, January 25, issued an open invitation for people aged between 18 and 39 years to receive Covid-19 booster vaccinations by making an appointment, for anyone born between 1982 and 2003 who has previous completed their vaccination schedule. Older citizens are also welcome. Anyone who had the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines must wait at least five months to receive their booster dose after a change in the time intervals established by the Vaccine...
Gran Canaria stays at Alert Level 4 for at least another week and La Gomera moves up to level 3
Gran Canaria, Tenerife and La Palma remain at Alert Level 4; Fuerteventura, El Hierro and Lanzarote at Level 3. La Gomera moves to Level 3 at 00:00 on Monday, January 31. Covid-19 Occupancy levels of hospital beds on Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote are still at very high risk levels; Fuerteventura and La Palma are at high risk; and La Gomera and El Hierro are currently at medium risk, keeping all the islands where they were except La Gomera, which rises from Level 2 to 3. 86.1 % of...
World’s pre-eminent expert on Canary Islands flora, Liverpudlian botanist, and Templar, Dr David Bramwell dies
World respected authority on Canary Islands flora, plants and trees, Liverpudlian, Doctor David Bramwell, died on Thursday January 20 2022 surrounded by loving family. Few have devoted such long service and dedication to Gran Canaria and its natural environment. An Englishman of renown, who made his life in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, David Bramwell earned a privileged perspective from the highest summits of Canarian academic, political and cultural society. A towering figure, in every...
Anfi Sales and Anfi Resorts declared bankrupt with a €56m debt they cannot pay
The Commerce Court number 1 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria agreed this week to declare necessary bankruptcy for tourism companies Anfi Sales SL and Anfi Resorts. There will be an appeal against that judgement heard before the Provincial Court, although it will not be suspensive, that is to say it will not impede the judgement. Judge Alberto López Villarrubia accepted the request made...
One wrong turn in Playa del Inglés leads to some extraordinarily bad parking
Hilarity and a little confusion in Playa del Inglés this Friday afternoon after a rental car driver apparently got confused and took a wrong turn, ending up on one of the access stairways of the famous Yumbo Centre. - Passers-by and witnesses were left bemused by the extraordinarily bad parking, after the driver had realised his error and decided to get out and leave the vehicle where it was, presumably to go and inform the well known...
Some evidence of alcohol and drug use among the youths of Puerto Bello, nothing more serious currently, the priority now is to relocate them.
The Government of the Canary Islands, according to the Department of Social Rights, say their priority now is the closure of the Puerto Bello temporary reception centre for migrant youths in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, Mogán, saying once that objective is achieved, decisions will be made as whether any action needs to be taken against the Siglo XXI Foundation, who were contracted to manage the out of use hotel facility in December last year, after it began to be used as temporary emergency...
Puerto Bello investigation looks more closely as it emerges current director is newly appointed
The manager currently responsible for the unaccompanied migrant minors, temporarily housed in the Puerto Bello apartments, in Mogán (Gran Canaria), it has emerged, was only appointed to the position one day before being asked to give a statement to the Prosecutor's Office Puerto Bello investigation based on anonymous allegations sent on June 10, and so he says he does not know what happened in March, when the reported sexual crimes are supposed to have occurred. - [fb_plugin...
Minors continue to be moved from Puerto Rico while prosecutors investigate anonymous allegations
The Las Palmas Provincial Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation into accusations of alleged sexual assaults against at least one minor and reports of three individuals having been involved in prostitution at the temporary reception centre for unaccompanied migrant minors, who have been accommodated in the Puerto Bello apartment complex, in the tourist town of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, after taking a statement from the director of the facilities and having verified that eleven of...
Cabildo declares alert for the risk of forest fires in the midlands and summits of Gran Canaria
The Cabildo de Gran Canaria has declared an alert for the risk of forest fires at the summits of the island and in the southern midlands from heights above 400m altitude, and on the north from 300m above sea level. The alert was declared at 10:00 am on Friday and will be in effect until 09:00 on Monday, June 14, and prohibits the use of fire on forested land. - The predictions of Spain's State Meteorological Agency...
Canary Islands Tourism launches an unprecedented strategy to encourage domestic travel market
The Canary Islands Regional Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, through the public company Promotur Turismo de Islas Canarias, has launched a never-before-seen strategy to encourage domestic tourism, especially focused on the accommodation sector. "We carried out an unprecedented exercise of communication and sales promotion, which we combined with a program to generate economic activity around the regulated tourist establishments of the eight islands," explained the Regional Minister...
New till 2am opening hours and a return to nightlife on islands on Alert Level 1
The Governing Council of The Canary islands agreed in their weekly session held on Thursday, June 10, to approve adjustments to COVID-19 prevention measures including the operation of nightlife establishments on the islands epidemiologically at Alert Level 1, where nightspots may remain open until 2am in the morning and must meet certain capacity and occupancy requirements, as well as register attendees. At Level 1, hospitality hours are now also established until 2am at the latest. The...
The Canary Guide Weekend Tips 11-13 June 2021
The second weekend into the Gran Canaria summer, as our first little calima heatwave of the season gusts saharan winds and dust slowly away, its looking to be a marvellous weekend ahead to explore local festivities and events happening this weekend 11-13 June all across the island. You just need to know where to look.12-13 June, Villa de MoyaFeria Artesanal y comercial The Pico Lomito Park in Villa de Moya plays host this Saturday and Sunday, June 12 and 13, to an Artisan and Commercial Fair...
450 kg of cocaine found in a container at the port of Las Palmas
A container, which was destined for Valencia, was inspected in the Port of Las Palmas and 450 kg of cocaine was seized, as a result three people were arrested in the port of Valencia - Policia Nacional Agents, in a joint operation with the Guardia Civil and the Tax Agency, this week discovered 450 kg of cocaine hidden in a container that was in transit from Brazil to Spain, its first point of entry into Spain being the...
Gran Canaria residents over 45 years and not vaccinated can make an appointment at 012
The Canary Islands Ministry of Health report that from today, Wednesday, June 9, residents on Gran Canaria and Tenerife over 45 years of age who have not yet received an appointment for their first dose of coronavirus vaccine can call to request it through 012 (or at 928 301 012 or 922 470 012). This appointment system is part of the usual sending of sms messages or direct calls made as a usual protocol for notification to the population from the SCS, as well as the possibility of users in...
Canary Islands ready to start issuing Digital Green Certifications for EU resident travellers
Canary Islands Health Minister, Blas Trujillo, reported, this Tuesday morning, to the Regional Parliamentary Plenary, the affirmation that his department are moving forward with the EU's COVID Digital Green Certificate, the official document with which, as of July 1, anyone residing in European Union Member States will be able to prove that they have received the vaccine, overcome the disease or have received a negative diagnostic test result. - [adrotate...
Alert for high temperatures and risk of forest fires declared in Gran Canaria
The Government of the Canary Islands, through the General Directorate of Security and Emergencies, have declared an Alert for Maximum Temperatures on Gran Canaria, starting at 09:00 on the morning of June 9. The decision takes into account available information and triggers the application of the Specific Emergency Plan for the Canary Islands for Risks of Adverse Meteorological Phenomena (PEFMA).Observations: Generalised maximum temperatures may reach 35º to 37 ºC. The maximums will occur...
Ghost Boats: A Mauritanian cayuco in the Caribbean highlights those lost on The Canary Route
The Canary Island of El Hierro marks the last possible point of landfall for those who head west into the Atlantic Ocean from the coasts of Africa. Beyond it lies 4,500 kilometres of open ocean. The Canary Islands rescue services hold their breath, says Efe's José María Rodríguez today in Spanish language daily La Provincia, whenever an open boat is discovered in the westernmost waters of Europe's most southwesterly point, as they are probably adrift and for anyone still left alive on board,...
Vaccinated travellers can now enter Spain again from third countries without the need to test
The Canary Islands, along with the rest of Spain, as of Monday now allow travellers from non-EU and Schengen third countries, except India, Brazil and South Africa, if they can prove they are vaccinated against COVID-19. The order, published last Saturday in Spain's Official State Gazette (BOE) modifies the temporary covid restrictions on non-essential trips from third countries to the European Union and Schengen associated countries. - [adrotate...
Child rescued from leisure centre arcade machine in Maspalomas
Last weekend on the south of Gran Canaria, at a leisure centre, a little panic was caused after a 3 year-old managed to crawl into an arcade machine, according to BTC Canarias, from Televisión Canaria. - The minor ended up trapped inside the machine after sneaking in through the prize chute, where cuddly toys are delivered whether won through luck or skill. The security personnel quickly arrived to assist the child, no injuries reported.. [adrotate...
British cargo ship rescues 25 migrants from the Atlantic, 426 km south of Gran Canaria
A British-flagged cargo freighter on Monday night rescued 25 sub-Saharan migrants, 426 kilometres south of Gran Canaria, and is now headed to the port of Las Palmas. - A Salvamento Maritimo (Maritime Rescue) spokesperson reported to Spanish News Agency, Efe, that the M/V Anvil Point, a 193-meter-long merchant ship, reported last night at 8:35 p.m. that it had located and rescued 25 men from a boat in the Atlantic Ocean,...
Weather: Gran Canaria prepares for 40ºC+ as desert calima brings first heat wave of the season
The stable blue skies and warm weather across the Canary Islands this weekend has given way to an incoming African desert calima expected from Tuesday, June 8. The desert sands and dust are to be accompanied by our first real heatwave of this season in the archipelago, according to forecasts from the Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), the effects of which will last several days starting to soften by the coming weekend, giving way to clearer blue skies once more. In the meantime...
Lucky escape in the Puerto de La Luz, Port of Las Palmas, caught on camera
The loading and unloading of more than 1 million containers every year at the Puerto de La Luz, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, comes with its own set of dangers, which is why health and safety is of paramount concern in The Canary Islands biggest port. Disaster nearly struck last week, when several large containers toppled on to a waiting truck under a one of the cranes. Thankfully there were no injuries as a result of the incident, although the company has opened an investigation into what...
The Canary Guide Weekend Tips 4-6 June 2021
It's the first weekend of June and Summer season is officially here, albeit with a few less visitors than we are used to, but Gran Canaria Culture continues to return. Slowly the events and festivities are starting again across the island, with many public events for summer now being announced. It is going to be a busier season than last year, with some of the bigger events taking place even with the extra health protocols. Leisure events like The Festival Internacional Canarias Jazz &...
All the Canary islands remain at their alert levels for another week
The Canary Islands Ministry of Health agreed this Thursday, June 3, after analysing the latest data, to keep all of the islands at the same levels of alert. Tenerife and Lanzarote (where La Graciosa is epidemiologically included) continue at level 2 (Amber); and Gran Canaria, El Hierro, Fuerteventura, La Gomera and La Palma at level 1 (Green). - The updated assessment comes into force coinciding with the weekly update of...
Canary Islands Tourism invests €1.4 million for renewal of El Perchel beach in Arguineguin, Mogán
The Canary Islands Ministry for Tourism, Industry and Commerce, led by Yaiza Castilla, has awarded a subsidy of €1,469,268 to the municipality Mogán to remodel El Perchel beach, located in Arguineguín and the provision of complementary services. - The project focuses on the remodelling and expansion of the transit area of the promenade and the establishment of new defined leisure and recreation areas, such as a...
Canary Islands region were quietly hopeful of summer chances as UK press reported no new Green List countries
**UPDATED** UK press reported early today that their government were not likely to add any new countries to the British travel "green list" leaving many in The Canary Islands region hoping they might yet stand a chance of being included, despite the rest of Spain missing out. Those hopes have now been dashed. The UK's Joint Biosecurity Centre met on Wednesday to present their risk assessment based on 7-day & 14-day accumulated incidence, infection rates, risks of Covid variant...
More than 3 million square meters of Güi-Güí is now publicly owned by Gran Canaria
The Cabildo de Gran Canaria island government has acquired, through auction from the State Tax Administration Agency (AEAT), a total of 2,852,630 square meters, in two plots, at the centre of the Güigüí Grande and Chico ravines, for €2,876,000. These lands join the 225,340 m2 purchased via the same procedure last January, for a total of 3,071,000 square meters, making the land public property. - In the two purchase...
Smoke and Soot and smouldering forest: teams work to extinguish the Arico fire
The Brifor Tenerife Forestry Brigade firefighters and technicians have continued this week to work on concluding the Arico forest fire, which has continued to burn despite having been declared under controlled since Monday, May 24. The Tenerife forestry brigade are focused on smothering the tree stumps and pine trees that are still burning and smouldering within the perimeter of the burn zone. - The Cabildo de Tenerife...
The Hero of Pepe Chiringo KM 13 puts out car fire at petrol station
I couple driving an Opel Corsa along the GC2 highway, on the north coast of Gran Canaria, had a nasty shock this afternoon after stopping outside the popular Pepe Chiringo fresh fast food outlet opposite the BP service station at San Andres roundabout in the municipality of Moya. - A sudden flash of flame from below the car sends the couple inside into panic as they leap out, the driver grabbed a cushion from off of his seat and tries to tackle the fire, but...
No need to test if vaccinated or resident: Canary Islands confirm new covid testing rules for checking in to tourist accommodation
The Canary Islands Ministry for Tourism began making changes to their websites this Tuesday, in expectation of new amendments to regional laws regulating access to hotels and other tourist accommodations during the pandemic. The Canary Islands pioneered their new "safe tourism" law last autumn, in the absence of any national legislation for testing arriving tourists, by making it mandatory for anyone checking into a registered tourism accommodation to show that they had been...
Two detained in an animal abuse case in Tauro
The Guardia Civil detained two people for an alleged crime of continual animal abuse, thought to have been committed by keeping 23 dogs, two horses a donkey, 60 chickens, four sheep and six goats "in conditions incompatible with life". - The only water available to some of the animals was completely full of larvae due to the lack of hygiene and many of them presented cachexia, parasites and physical symptoms of...
US military’s African Lion exercises will not be happening in Western Sahara
The African Lion 2021 military exercises, in which Morocco, the United States and seven other countries are set to participate, will not be held in Western Sahara after all, according to to El Periódico de Catalunya news portal, who contacted US Military Command Africa (Africom) for comment and to clarify speculations over recent days, fuelled by the Moroccan president, Saadedín Otmani, who said this week that part of the exercises would be held in the former Spanish colony, suggesting that...
The Canary Guide Canary Islands’ Day Weekend Tips 28-30 May 2021
This is The Canary Guide Weekend Tips for events and leisure on Gran Canaria this 28-30 May 2021. An important weekend with Canary Islands Day being celebrated this Sunday. This year, for obvious reasons, the festivities are very low key but there are still few events and things to do and explore around Gran Canaria. On Thursday it was announced that Gran Canaria moves down to Alert Level 1. It is good to remember to keep on keeping it real and help keep the Island safe and ready for when the...
Canary Islands announce no need to test if vaccinated, travelling from within Spain, and open the door to international passengers
.:. Edward Timon .:. The Canary - Feature Image: View For Sale - 45photos.com Bård Ove Myhr The Canary Islands have this Thursday announced that they will no longer require, from as early as next week, a PCR or an antigen test from domestic travellers, and international transit passengers, who arrive on the islands, so long as they have previously been vaccinated against COVID-19 or have recently recovered from the disease. The changes look set to align with measures already taken in Spain,...
Lowest Alert Level 1 for Gran Canaria as data continues to improve across the region, the other islands stay at their current levels
The Canary Islands Ministry of Health has agreed this Thursday, May 27, to place the island of Gran Canaria at Alert Level 1 following the continued improvement of epidemiological indicators. The rest of the islands remain at their current alert levels: Tenerife and Lanzarote (along with La Graciosa) all at Level 2, and La Gomera, El Hierro, La Palma, Fuerteventura all at Level 1, now joined by Gran Canaria too. - For the latest Canary...
San Bartolomé de Tirajana will pay outstanding irregular invoices worth 10.6 million euros
Two budgetary modifications, worth €10.6 million were taken to the San Bartolomé de Tirajana Ordinary Plenary session last Friday, May 22 in order to deal with the huge backlog in payment to suppliers that have been pending since at least 2017. This last block of payments puts an end to the large debt inherited by the current quadripartite government group, who have made a total of payments over these last two years worth €28 million, to suppliers who had been chasing money for several years,...
‘Votes for life’ for British citizens living abroad
New measures announced in the Queen’s Speech will make it easier for British citizens who have moved abroad to participate in UK democracy, according to a statement released today on the British Government's Cabinet Office, on their main website. - The UK government vowed to scrap the law, introduced in 2002, that bans British citizens who have lived abroad for more than 15 years from taking part in UK elections. Decisions made in the UK...
Crash driver fleeing Guardia Civil who killed musician sentenced to ten and a half years
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Criminal Court number 2 has sentenced the driver who killed a musician in Pasito Blanco on February 5, 2019 while he was fleeing from the Civil Guard, to ten years and six months in prison. - The judge accepted the merits of prosecutor Cecilia Acebal's request for eight and a half years in prison for the crimes of reckless driving in contest with homicide through serious recklessness and one count of an attack...
Any legal resident over the age of 16 can now get a vaccination appointment in The Canary Islands
With the announcement this week that anyone over the age of sixteen, resident in The Canary Islands, can now register for an appointment to get the COVID-19 vaccine, the Ministry of Health have reported that more than 100,000 residents were processed during the first 24 hours of operation of the new web form (www.canariassevacuna.com) launched this Monday, 24 May by the Regional Government, and this Thursday that number stands at more than 255,000 according to a Ministry of Health press...
Massive US military deployment planned for African Lion exercises with Morocco in Western Sahara
Military manoeuvres will take place in June both on land in Western Sahara and close to the waters of Canary Islands in a joint US and Moroccan exercise, along with several other countries but not including Spain. This has been billed as the "largest exercise in Africa" with an overwhelming deployment of resources planned for Operation African Lion scheduled from June 7 to 18. The main peculiarity is that the Western Saharan town of Mahbes, near the border with Algeria beside the Tindouf...
British holidaymakers can now fly to Canary Islands, and the rest of Spain, without tests
Spanish borders officially reopen to the British, who will be able to visit from Monday without the need to test, after Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared last Friday that the country is "delighted" to be able to welcome back tourists from Spain's main tourism source market, as well as from other third countries deemed to be safe, based on their current epidemiological data. Whether vaccinated or not, Spain has decided there will be no need for tests so long as the UK's 14-day incidence...
Tenerife forest fire stabilised though not yet declared under control
The Tenerife forest fire has continued through the weekend, though the conditions on the ground have led to more favourable forecasts by fire crews who have been battling since Thursday to bring the blaze under control. Last night and into the early hours of Monday morning work continued along with surveillance to control hot spots, according to reports from the main 1- 1-2 Canary Islands Emergency and Security Coordinating Centre. - Aircraft have continued...
The Tenerife forest fire in Arico evolving favourably, although it remains uncontrolled
The Minister of Public Administrations, Justice and Security, Julio Pérez, announced on Friday night that the forest fire declared on Thursday in the municipality of Arico, on Tenerife, is still active and uncontrolled, although conditions are favourable for the extinction tasks. "We can say that the situation this afternoon is better than this morning." - The perimeter around the blaze has reached 25 kilometres, containing a surface area of 2,600 hectares of...
#IFArico Tenerife Forest Fire still “out of control” as fire crews head into their second night tackling the blaze on the mountain
Ángel Víctor Torres, president of the Canary Islands, travelled to the Tenerife municipality of Arico today to learn in detail about the forest fire that has affected that area since noon on Thursday. Torres highlighted the effort that public administrations have made from the beginning to try to perimeter the blaze, control it and extinguish it as soon as possible. This effort has been joined by six helicopters, a seaplane and some 300 service personnel, including members of the Military...
#IFArico: Gran Canaria firefighters help more than 300 fire fighters with the Tenerife forest fire which continues uncontrolled
The Cabildo de Gran Canaria this Friday morning sent troops to assist in the extinction of the Tenerife forest fire declared on Thursday, May 20 in the municipality of Arico. Two forestry brigades, a "presa" team and a "bravo" team, with four commanders, have travelled to Tenerife. The contingent plan is made up of two fire engines and eight light vehicles, they travelled by sea to integrate with the rest of the teams, of more than 300 firefighters and at least 7 aircraft, in the work of...
#IFArico: Tenerife Forest Fire has already burned more than 1500 hectares (6000 acres)
The Tenerife forest fire that started on Thursday, around 11:30 a.m., in the Chajaña ravine, in Arico, remains uncontrolled this Friday morning having already affected more than 1,500 hectares of forest, and continues to climb towards the peaks of the island. The blaze has now been declared a Gran Incendio Forestal ( GIF - Great Forest Fire). The right flank is heading towards the Teide National Park and the left flank towards the south of the island, with firefighters already at work in the...
Spain and The Canary Islands Are Now Open For Summer Holidays, Government adds UK to “white list”
Spain will open their borders to British tourists as of Monday May 24th, even to visitors who are not vaccinated, and ahead of the European Union. The Spanish Government, as was predicted, have decided to include the United Kingdom, their main tourism source market, on the so-called "white list" of safe non-EU countries, known as third countries, due to their positive epidemiological situation, published this Friday by the Official State Gazette ( BOE). This is great news for The Canary...
Canary Islands studying how to restart international travel in anticipation of new measures expected “in the next few days”
The Canary Islands Governing Council met on Thursday, as they do every week, to discussed the development of the coronavirus pandemic in the Archipelago. The Canary Islands Government spokesman, Julio Pérez, explained that the alert levels for each of the islands remain unchanged, and he expressed positivity regarding the contagion data over the last week, adding that it is important to continue improving the situation. Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote and La Graciosa are all on alert level...
The Canary Guide Weekend Tips 21-23 May 2021
The Canary Guide Weekend Tips for events and leisure on Gran Canaria this 21-23 May 2021. It’s the weekend before the Canarian Day festivities and here our highlight picks for you to explore around the island. SATURDAY 22 MAY, LA ALDEA DE SAN NÍCOLASMERCADILLO 'PRIMAVERA DE SENSACIONES' "Spring of Sensations" market , Mercadillo 'Primavera de Sensaciones' in the municipality of La Aldea de San Nicolás on Saturday 22 May 2021 from 09:00 to 14:00. This yearly festive event celebrates the...
Canary Islands are hoping to recover up to 85% of the summer tourism connectivity they had in the pre-Covid era
The Canary Islands are hoping to recover up to 85% of the tourism connectivity they had in the pre-Covid era, in 2019, throughout the course of this year. Announced on Thursday, at the FITUR International Tourism Fair by the Canary Islands Regional Minister for Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Yaiza Castilla, it was explained that the Archipelago had reestablished flight connections with 130 of the 153 cities for 2021 with which there were connection routes two years ago. - ...
Tenerife Forest Fire declared a Level 2 emergency at the request of the Cabildo de Tenerife
The forest fire that started at around 11:45 a.m. in the Chajaña area, in the municipality of Arico, on Tenerife, at 7:30 p.m. was declared a Level 2 emergency at the request of the Cabildo de Tenerife, as per the Government of the Canary Islands emergency direction, applying the Special Plan for Civil Protection and Emergency Assistance for Forest Fires in the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands (INFOCA). - The territorial scope of the emergency, at...
Four helicopters, a seaplane, fire fighters and the army try to bring Tenerife fire under control
A forest fire was declared this morning on Tenerife, in the Chajaña ravine, and by 4pm this afternoon had already affected more than 240 hectares of pine forest in the south eastern municipality of Arico. Strong gusts of wind, exceeding 30 kmph, have been pushing the flames in the direction of Granadilla de Abona. - ?En estos momentos tres helicópteros del #GES trabajan en las labores de extinción del #IFArico pic.twitter.com/NWvM5uh2ig — 1-1-2 Canarias...
Confusion continues for British Tourism despite an estimated 2.6m bookings for Amber list destinations this summer
Confusion for British tourists continued this Thursday after Health Minister, Matt Hancock, at Wednesday's Downing Street press briefing, downplayed any possibility that the UK Government will expand their Green List of destinations. For the moment the United Kingdom has not made any clear decision regarding which destinations might be added to the list, despite the European Union this Wednesday having approved new rules for vaccinated travellers from third countries, with a particular focus...
Gran Canaria summer season starts with the most ever air routes to mainland Spain
The Gran Canaria summer season will start boasting the greatest ever number of air connections to mainland Spain, now having direct links with 21 cities on the Peninsula. 460,000 airline seats will be available for the months of June, July and August, similar levels to those last seen in 2019, the summer before the global health crisis. - These announcements were made on the first day of International Tourism Fair FITUR, in Madrid, which opened yesterday...
Seaplane heroes of 43 Group carry out Gran Canaria exercises ahead of the summer heat
Beach users, bathers and holidaymakers, those few, for now, on Gran Canaria's favourite Maspalomas beach, were treated to an unusual surprise on Monday. Delighted sun seekers unexpectedly witnessed some of the preparatory exercises currently being carried out by the Spanish Air Force heroes who fly the big yellow seaplane of the UME 43 group. These guys became instantly famous, most recently, on the island back in summer 2019, and briefly during February 2020, when they...
Reckless driver who killed an innocent man in a crash, claims the fault was not his but the Guardia Civil who were chasing him
A reckless driver whose actions while fleeing from the Guardia Civil led to the death of a well known Canarian musician, Miguel Estupiñán Díaz, on February 5, 2019 in Pasito Blanco has tried to suggest that it was the agents chasing him who caused him to lose control of the vehicle, invading the opposite lane and colliding with the victim. - The defendant, Evaristo José P. M., also known as El Platanito, testified yesterday before the...
British Foreign Office continue to exclude Canary Islands from their advice against travel to Spain, the Dutch can now travel to the islands too.
The Dutch can travel here from Saturday. Spain's Ministry of Foreign affairs are set to allow travel from the UK into Spain without tests from May 20. The UK have separated their advice for Canary Islands from the rest of Spain, it is thought in preparation to soon allow return travel from the UK without quarantine. Right now Spain is on the UK Amber list, which means travel is allowed after Monday, but requires 5-10 days of quarantine and negative PCR results. - [fb_plugin...
The Canary Guide Weekend Tips 14-16 May 2021 – We’re Back!
As Gran Canaria continue to bring infection rates down, maintaining a level 2 alert, and as the rules and regulations are slowly eased, this a good weekend to enjoy the beautiful views this springtime island has to offer, together with a few events and leisure options to explore, as different communities start to carefully reopen their municipal agendas. The weather forecast for the weekend is not the usual all sunny all around but definitely warm enough to have a joyful time. Hopefully soon...
Gran Canaria Weekend Weather: Warnings for strong winds and rough seas, highs in the shade of 30ºC and climbing next week
Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) activated a yellow advisory warning for rough seas along the east, south and west coasts of Gran Canaria this Thursday. Waves are expected to reach up to four meters in height. Advisory warnings for strong winds also took effect at 12 noon on Thursday affecting the south, east and west of Gran Canaria. Gusts of between 70 & 90 km/h are expected. - This Friday, the waves advisory is extended to the entire...
Tauro Beach residents take matters into their own hands to #RemoveTheFences
The residents of Playa de Tauro beach this Thursday began to dismantle what they called the "illegal fence" preventing them from accessing the beach in front of their homes. According to Los Verdes, the Green party of Mogán, in a statement, the Costas, coastal authority, has decreed the opening of Playa de Tauro following a complaint made by the party last December to the Prosecutor's Office. The Greens denounced "the abuses that have been repeatedly committed against the residents of Playa de...
Anfi Tauro SA will be billed by the coastal authority for the removal of the illegal breakwater and embankment on Tauro Beach
The Costas, Costal Authority, the Government department for the Demarcation of the Coasts of the Canary Islands, have commissioned the public company Tragsa to remove a breakwater and embankment built "without a license" by the timeshare company, Anfi, that held the concession during work carried out back in 2016 on Playa de Tauro beach. - The esplanade covers an area of between 50 & 60 meters by 20 meters, and will cost an estimated €35,000 to be...
Canary Islands primed for EU health passport test next week ahead of FITUR launch, Turespaña launches You Deserve Spain campaign
Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, will present the Digital Green Certificate, a health passport, on Friday, May 21 alongside the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, to promote the reactivation of international tourism at the main FITUR international tourism fair 2021. Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, made the announcement during a press conference to present the Madrid tourism fair, which aims to represent a turning point for the recovery of travel and...
Legal foreign residents, even without a Spanish health card, can register to get vaccine appointments
The Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands has announced that all foreign residents, legally registered in the Archipelago, who do not have a health card can now make appointments to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Many foreign residents with private healthcare had reported issues in participating in the vaccine roll out programme, this latest announcement should resolve the problems encountered. - To do this, they can go in person to their...
Coastal Authority postpones Anfi signing the nullified concession on Tauro beach, awaiting TSJC High Court conclusions
The "Costas", Coastal Authority, Demarcation of Coasts Las Palmas, have postponed their planned final act in the recovery to the Spanish State of the controversial Tauro beach, which was scheduled for today with the planned signing over of the land, and the nullification of the concession awarded to Anfi Tauro, following an order from the Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC - Canary Islands High Court) who are looking into precautionary measures requested by Anfi Tauro, the...
Spain expects EU travel restrictions to be lifted as early as May 20, even allowing Brits to visit without testing
The Spanish Government has expressed confidence that the European Union will lift restrictions on non-essential travel to foreign countries from May 20, meaning that British tourists could travel to Spain. This was announced by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, at the press conference following the Council of Ministers on Tuesday, when asked about the expected arrival of British tourists this summer, taking into account that London has not yet included Spain among the...
Latest Canary Islands regional measures all either on alert level 1 or 2
The Government of the Canary Islands have updated the regional measures in place to contain the spread of the coronavirus following the end of Spain's National State of Emergency on Sunday May 9, and the suspension to curfews and the perimeter closures , after the Canary Islands Superior Court of Justice (TSJC) refused to ratify two measures adopted by the regional Executive. Though the Regional Government did announce plans to appeal to the Supreme Court, since Tuesday afternoon there has...
€51 million project to manage Canary Islands migrant reception facilities announced as referrals increase from the Canary Islands
The Spanish Central Government's Council of Ministers this Tuesday approved an initiative from the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations, agreeing to contract the public company Tragsa, for the amount of €51 million, to provide properly managed migrant reception services on The Canary Islands over the next year. - Government spokesperson, María Jesús Montero, announced at the press conference following the Council of Ministers, that the...
Canary Islands Government forced to cancel curfews, along with other suspended measures not supported by the regional High Court
The Canary Islands Regional Governing Council was forced yesterday to cancel curfews along with the other measures not supported by the Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC - High Court -) in their ruling ratified yesterday. The Government had requested urgent clarification from the courts on the validity or not of the suspended measures to control the pandemic until the Spanish Supreme Court has pronounced, but the High Court magistrates were exhaustive, ratifying their...
La Aldea say no Kokoon “there is no place” for a 7-star resort in their development plans, despite the company’s claims
The Councillor for Urban Planning for La Aldea de San Nicolás town hall, Naira Navarro, has issued a statement, following an interview on radio station Cadena Ser last Friday with the representative of a now infamous US company known as Kokoon, stating very clearly that La Aldea say no project of any kind has been presented to the town council regarding the supposed "macro complex" Kokoon resort in La Aldea. - The company behind Kokoon were supposed to be...
A group of four on trial this Tuesday accused of gang rape in Puerto Rico
Four foreign nationals are accused of allegedly participating in the group rape of a Danish woman in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, back at Christmas 2016. Their case is to be heard at the Second Section of the Provincial Court of Las Palmas next Tuesday and the accused face sentences of between nine and sixteen years in prison. - The brief of conclusions, from the Las Palmas Provincial Prosecutor's Office, reveals that the first of the accused, a 30-year-old...
TSJC High Court ruling questions necessity for curfews or inter-island travel restrictions in Canary Islands following end to State of Emergency
A Canary Islands TSJC High Court ruling has refused to endorse the regional government's intention to maintain scheduled curfews, and in particular travel exclusion rules around perimeter closures on islands at alert levels 3 or 4. The Contentious-Administrative Chamber of the TSJC also established the limits to people in places of worship and maximum numbers of non cohabitants at family or social gatherings in public and private. All Canary Islands are currently at level 1 or 2, and so for...
The Canary Islands designated “Amber” and not yet on the UK travel “Green List”
The UK Government this Friday announced their initial 'green list' of 12 countries and territories to which their citizens can travel without having to quarantine of May 17, which includes Portugal, Gibraltar and Israel, but leaves all of Spain, France and Greece out for now. The Canary Islands are also excluded from this list of safe places. - British Transport Minister Grant Shapps explained that travellers returning to England from those destinations will...
Unaccompanied migrant minors: Canary Islands Ministry of Social Rights has been appealing for help for months and to all the administrations to help take responsibility
The Deputy Minister of Social Rights of the Government of the Canary Islands, Gemma Martínez, said back in January that the archipelago is "clearly facing an humanitarian emergency situation" in the care of unaccompanied foreign minors, she appealed to all the administrations to take responsibility, as well as to the Government of Spain and the European Union (EU), during a meeting held with the representatives of the seven island Cabildos focused on addressing and specifying measures to care...
Next Tuesday new Spanish speed limits are due to come into force
Next Tuesday new Spanish speed limits are due to come into force. Last November 2020, the Spanish Government announced the adoption of new measures and reforms in traffic regulations, aiming to reduce the accident rate, particularly among users of roads presenting greater risk. - Changes come into force on Tuesday 11 May, as per Royal Decree 970/2020 amending Article 50 of the General Traffic Regulations to establish new speed limits in urban areas. The royal...
Judge insists on removal of 150 minors from Tamanaco apartments in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria
A judge has denied any further continuation to migrant minors being allowed to be temporarily accommodated in the Tamanaco Apartment Complex in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaira ordering the removal of migrant minors within the next few days and weeks. The Las Palmas de Gran Canaria court of contention number 2 has reportedly rejected an attempt to suspend the timely eviction of the unaccompanied migrant minors who have been accommodated at the Tamanaco tourist apartment complex in recent months....
Norwegian will close bases on Gran Canaria and Tenerife
Norwegian airlines has announced a cost reduction plan to close bases on Gran Canaria, Palma de Mallorca and Tenerife, as well as the cancellation of the Tenerife South-Rome route along with capacity reductions on some other routes. The decision does not affect any of the other five bases operated by Norwegian in Spain: Alicante, Barcelona (with two bases: short and long haul), Malaga or Madrid, nor its corporate headquarters in Barcelona. - Of the 122...
Playa de Mogán recreational park inaugurated on site that spent 25 years vacant
Residents and visitors of the sunny beach resort of Playa de Mogán now have a new recreational park, which was inaugurated on Tuesday, May 4th. The plot has stood vacant for decades and was once destined to host an Aquarium for which construction began in 1996 but was never finished. It has taken 25 years to remedy the unused area with the total investment of €1,065,770.65 of which half a million euros came from the Secretary of State for Tourism and €350,909.44 from Gran Canaria Tourist...
Disturbing paradise: A small group of foreign residents feel themselves “besieged” by youths living in a Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria hotel
Another normal day in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, but disturbances, on one street at least, have become more frequent in recent times. Some will claim there are "daily riots", this is inaccurate. There are incidents, however. Mostly noise related, occasionally more serious. And although almost every problem is pretty well contained within the one building involved, local residents are losing sleep. Some feel threatened when leaving their homes, for fear of the strangers across the road....
UK nationals Pop-Up Residency events this week with Age In Spain, on Gran Canaria North and South
Age in Spain's Regional Co-ordinator for the Canary Islands, Deepika Harjani, will be holding some pop-up events on 5 and 6 May to help British people on Gran Canaria who may have residency questions or concerns. - Given the amount of confusing, conflicting and even just plainly inaccurate information that is circulating about residency (quite a lot of it from the UK press) this will be a chance for anyone who needs it to get free information and guidance from...
UK hope to allow travel to Canary Islands as first Spanish destination so far expected on the “Green List”
The British Government on Tuesday let it be known they are removing the Canary Islands from their list of destinations to which they advise against non-essential travel, due to the low incidence of the coronavirus. - An update to the travel restrictions for Spain, that appear on the British Government's main website, said "The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Spain, including the Balearic Islands but excluding the Canary Islands, based on the...
Fore! Huge success for the European Tour at the Gran Canaria Lopesan Open helped with a header from our man Gilliam…
Golf's prestigious European Tour returned to the Canary Islands this April, for the first time in nearly 20 years with The Gran Canaria Lopesan Open, staged on the south coast, at the visually outstanding Meloneras Golf. The European Tour has form in the Archipelago, having visited Campo de Golf de Maspalomas in both 1995 and 1997, as well as El Cortijo Club de Campo in 2002, but this was the first time the international event has been held at Lopesan's flagship course, on an island that is...
Mogán Mayor Bueno opens a Motorhome Trailer Park for Puerto Rico de Gran Canaira
On Friday the mayor of Mogán, O Bueno, opened her latest gift to the residents of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria with a new trailer park space for overnighting of motorhomes and campers. Beaming, together with members of her current governing group, she welcomed the first motorhomes to arrive, ready to enjoy May day weekend. - The space, located beside the park, in the old Motor Grande neighbourhood, makes use of a large parking area which will now be for the...
Canary Islands Unemployment rate is the highest in Europe, if you include those on ERTE
The Canary Islands are once again officially the region with the highest unemployment in Europe, reports Spanish language daily La Provincia this Monday. However to reach that conclusion they have added the official statistics regarding registered unemployed to the number not currently working because they are on the Spanish furlough system, known as a Temporary Employment Regulation File (ERTE), workers who, although they do not officially count within the national stats, are, say the...
GRAN CANARIA ALERT LEVEL 2 – BASIC DOs & DON’Ts
Here are the list of basic rules for Gran Canaria as we move down to Alert Level 2 (Amber). Bars and restaurants can open again for indoor service. Camping sites, recreational parks and children’s play areas can reopen. Inter island travel restrictions are also lifted completely and no tests are needed for other level 1 and 2 islands. A new modification to the regulations also allows tourism at Alert Level 3, but you need a negative Covid-19 test, just like the rules were during...
Relief on Gran Canaria as we move to (Amber) Alert Level 2, with cautious hopes for the summer.
The Canary Islands Ministry of Health has agreed this Thursday, April 29, following their weekly analysis of epidemiological indicators, carried out by the Governing Council, to decrease restrictions on the island of Gran Canaria, to Alert Level 2 and bring Fuerteventura down to Alert Level 1 (the lowest risk level during the pandemic). The islands of El Hierro, Lanzarote and La Graciosa all remain on level 2, and La Palma and La Gomera, at level 1. The Governing Council also announced that...
British government announce lower test prices, while Ambassador discusses UK holiday travel to the Spanish islands this May “if the incidence of COVID-19 is low”
The ambassador of the United Kingdom in Spain, Hugh Elliott, visited the Spanish islands, and reported this Thursday from Palma de Mallorca, to confirm that the British Government are closely studying the data that will hopefully allow travel to the Balearic and Canary Islands from May, so long as the incidence of the coronavirus remains low, regardless of the epidemiological situation in the rest of Spain. - For the latest Canary Islands...
Gran Canaria starts to breathe a little easier as accumulated infection rates drop once more
For Gran Canaria all eyes will be on the weekly Governing Council meeting on Thursday morning, focused towards the prize of a hoped return to medium risk, and Alert Level 2 restrictions. We will find out tomorrow afternoon if changes are to be announced in the next BOC, regional state gazette. For the latest Canary Islands data on Covid-19, updated daily, check our mobile device dashboard, or for a more feature rich experience try our dashboard for desktop and tablet devices...
Guardia Civil from Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria identify and charge suspects in two separate thefts over the easter holidays
The Guardia Civil in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, Mogán, have been investigating two crimes of theft resulting in four arrests announced this week. The first three detainees were caught red-handed having allegedly stolen booze from a supermarket and the fourth was charged with stealing the wheels from a parked vehicle, all of which happened in Puerto de Mogán over the easter holidays. - €359 worth of booze A shop worker first reported a group of three people,...
“An unprecedented emergency” Spain’s Ombudsman demands that the Interior Ministry not prevent the departure of migrants from the Canary Islands
The Ombudsman, Francisco Fernández Marugán, tasked, as the Public Defender, to investigate Spain's response to The Canary Migrant crisis, has directly demanded that the Ministry of the Interior cease “police practices” that prevent migrants from leaving the Canary Islands to go to mainland Spain. He clarified that these measures are not justifiable, even through arguments for immigration control, nor does stopping onward travel avoid the so-called “pull effect”, as the central government have...
On The Canary Route this year at least one person dies at sea, on average, every 32 hours
88 people so far this year are known to have died trying to reach the islands migrating by boat via The Canary Route. On average, the current death rate stands at one person every 32...
Mogán Local Police detain an alleged drug dealer in the otherwise quiet and deserted streets of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria
The Mogán Policía Local report that they have detained an alleged drug dealer in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria after stopping a vehicle for breaking curfew on Alert Level 3 to discover that he was carrying hashish, marijuana and cocaine, in addition to €237,15 in cash. - Just after 3:00 a.m. on April 20, two local police noticed a car driving around, after the curfew limits established by the Government of the Canary Islands, as a measure against COVID-19, on...
Mogán town hall plan to pedestrianise lower Arguineguín’s beachfront streets around Calle Miguel Marrero Rodríguez
More disruption is planned for the streets of Arguineguín on the south coast of Gran Canaria. Not only is a major contraflow system already in place throughout the town, which has been heavily criticised for blocking access to many of the local businesses, but now it has emerged that there is a plan to pedestrianise large swathes of Lower Arguineguín, replacing the beach front thoroughfare along with a huge number of shorefront parking spaces. Now residents are asking who is it that benefits...
Canary Islands Tourism Minister, Yaiza Castilla, says we will need to halve our infection rates to get on the British Travel Green List
Canary Islands Tourism Minister, Yaiza Castilla, yesterday made clear that so far as she can see, in the first instance, "we will not be on the list," when it comes to the British Travel Green List, due to be announced by UK authorities as part of their plan to reopen holiday travel. She pointed out that a reduction in the Accumulated Incidence rates of coronavirus is a first level objective for the Archipelago. She thinks we have some way to go before we will be deemed as low risk by the...
A quarter of UK travellers already booked plan to soak up some summer sun in Spain, according to analysis of UK bookings since February
A recent survey claims that more than 52% of the UK bookings volume for pre-pandemic summer holidays has already been achieved, with more than 25% of those bookings headed for summer sun in Spain. Given the uncertainty around mainland Spain at the moment, it is thought the vast majority of these tickets to fly this summer are for the islands, including in particular Europe's only sub-tropical destination, The Canary Islands. The survey also points to a more than 60% recovery on 2019 tourism...
Green light for Gran Canaria expected on the UK holiday safe list along with the rest of The Canary Islands
A Green light for Gran Canaria is expected this summer after the British Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, said that the travel traffic light system the UK Government will launch from May 17, to classify countries based on their current Covid and vaccination indices, will take into account the data on the islands separately from the nation of which they are part. He said he trusts that the high vaccination figures, and overall low numbers of infections, for those islands preferred by the...
Gran Canaria and Tenerife continue with Level 3 Alert with a change to the curfew
The Canary Islands Government have announced that Gran Canaria is to continue on Level 3 Alert following the Governing Council session on Thursday, reviewing prevention measures during the continuing health crisis caused by COVID-19, though they have confirmed some slight changes to some restrictions. The BOC (Official Bulletin for Canary Islands) has been published so these modifications enter into force from today, April 23 and will be in affect until at least April 29. Gran Canaria and...
Policia nacional’s “Operation Arión” broke up a trafficking ring that may have organised transit for thousands of migrants, using false documentation, and with access to thousands of passports
“Operation Arión” was the name given to a coordinated series of raids, as part of a covert operation, across the south of Gran Canaria, and on mainland Spain that has managed to smash an organised criminal gang, suspected of having arranged transport for thousands of incoming migrants from the Canary Islands to the peninsula. More than 300 migrants, who had arrived in the archipelago aboard open boats, known as pateras and cayucos, had their travel arranged from the same travel agency in...
Gran Canaria infection rates decreasing, leading to hopes of being able to relax restrictions within the coming week or two
The Canary Islands Ministry of Health on Tuesday registered 148 new cases of coronavirus COVID-19. The total accumulated cases in the Canary Islands now stands at 50,972 with 4,194 active, of which 84 are in the ICU and 324 remain hospitalised. Infection rates appear to be dropping on Gran Canaria, though Tenerife is still struggling. - For the latest Canary Islands data on Covid-19, updated daily, check our mobile device dashboard, or for a more feature rich...
Coastal authority investigating claims of unauthorised work on the Faro de Maspalomas breakwater
The Costas, Spanish Coastal Authority, are investigating whether the San Bartolomé de Tirajana Town Hall's Beaches Department have been carrying out unauthorised work by moving large rocks around the Faro de Maspalomas Lighthouse, in an alleged effort to expand the breakwater running parallel to the walkway, along which Gran Canaria's most iconic beach is accessed from the lighthouse. A video, recorded by local residents shows a digger operator moving large stones and stacking them in front of...
Tenerife man detained with 3D printed guns has “a worrying profile and is obsessed with weapons”
The man found making weapons using 3D printers, as well as homemade improvised explosives devices (IEDs) who was arrested in Santa Cruz de Tenerife last September, after a secret investigation that lasted more than year, has been identified with the initials JM. According to police sources, he presented "a worrying profile", as someone who mixes an obsession with weaponry and a manifest interest in terrorist activities, urban guerrilla-craft and a far-right ideology. He is known to have used...
Gran Canaria Cabildo to plant 8000 trees across several zones, recovering forest, and creating green fire-resistant areas
The Cabildo de Gran Canaria are allocating more than €400,000 to plant 8,000 laurel trees, and thermophilic forest containing species resistant to fire, at the eight of the largest island farmlands on the north of Gran Canaria. - Each year, 2000 specimens are to be planted at these Farms; Osorio located in Teror, La Cazuela in Firgas, El Brezal in Santa Maria de Guía, Los Chorros, Los Tilos and Peñón in the municipality of Moya, and San José del Álamo and...
Airline News: New routes are starting to be announced for Summer 2021, flying to Gran Canaria and the Islands, across Spain and the EU
As the long awaited first steps towards rebuilding tourism and international travel are looking ever more likely, so recent airline news announcing new routes to Gran Canaria, to the islands and throughout Spain and Europe, has included many offering very flexible terms to try to encourage confidence in bookings. With luck a cautious start to the summer could well lead to a bumper winter season for this destination. - SmartLynx Airlines has announced that it...
DGC, the Digital Green Certificate, should be up and running by end of June, to facilitate mobility and guarantee public health protection
The Digital Green Certificate (DGC) will facilitate mobility at a European Union (EU) level, guarantee the protection of public health and gradually allow the return of safe economic activity, said Alfredo González, Spain's National Health Secretary-General for Digital Health, Information and Innovation, at a Moncloa press briefing explaining that the Government of Spain and the regional governments have started to work on introducing the Digital Green Certificate, this summer, to comply with...
Secret Investigation: The Most Serious Threat To Security – Spain’s first 3D printed weapons workshop, dismantled on Tenerife, man arrested with explosives and white supremacist iconography
The greatest, most serious threat to security on The Canary Islands today, in Spain and in Europe, does not come from outside. It comes from within. Spanish Police have finally removed the secrecy order from an ongoing covert investigation, that resulted in a significant and shocking find, on our neighbouring island of Tenerife. A fully functioning arms factory; creating dangerous unlicensed weaponry, discovered last September, in a workshop run by a man who bought materials over the internet...
Las Palmas judgement concludes that migrants can legally travel from the Canary Islands to the Peninsula, with just their passport and an asylum request
A passport and an asylum application are sufficient documents for any migrant to legally travel from the Canary Islands to mainland Spain. This fact, under the law, was formally recognised by a judge at the Contentious-Administrative Court number 5, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, this week. The magistrate, Ángel Teba, concluding the hearing, ordered the Jefatura Superior de Policía (Canary Islands' Policia Nacional Headquarters) to allow a migrant, who was trying to travel from Gran Canaria to...
Canary Islands approach their half millionth vaccine dose administered as Gran Canaria and Tenerife remain on Alert Level 3, and Fuerteventura’s improvement means they drop down to level 2
The Canary Islands Governing Council, who met on Thursday, as the region approaches their half-millionth vaccine dose administered, agreed to maintain current alert levels for COVID-19 on all islands, except Fuerteventura, which, given their epidemiological indicators continuing to improve, drops from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2. So, until April 22 at least, Tenerife and Gran Canaria continue at level 3 (red traffic light), Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and La Graciosa at level 2 (orange traffic...
Mogán to control Tauro Beach, but it is not likely to open any time soon, despite Anfi being summoned to sign the public declaration cancelling their concession
The current Mogán mayor, Bueno, and the timeshare operator, Anfi, are in a bit of a pickle, and are no longer, it appears, feeling bullish about the battle to control Tauro Beach. This mayor, who so very publicly stood in the spotlight to support Anfi's project, dumping 70,000 tons of sand, illegally extracted from the disputed and occupied territory of Western Sahara, onto the Mogán coastline, using the now partially bankrupt Santana Cazorla Brothers to move it, as one of the first major...
A covid test certificate is required for all travellers coming to the Canary Islands, including from the rest of Spain where these are free for residents
A valid negative diagnostic test certificate for SARS-COV-2 is required for all passengers coming to The Canary Islands, including from the rest of Spain need, done 72 hours before arrival. The Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands decided last week to extend, by means of an Executive Order by regional health minister Blas Trujillo, screening measures to help contain the transmission of SARS-COV-2,by ensuring that every passenger entering the Canary Islands from the rest...
Vice President of Cabildo de Gran Canaria agrees to directly assist in funding The Food Project in Arguineguín
The vice president of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Miguel Ángel Pérez del Pino, met on Tuesday with Artemi Artiles, spokesman for the PSOE of Mogán and Jenni Hymoff, president of the Neighbours Association of Las Lomas del Barranco de Arguineguín, who among their projects are perhaps best known for organising The Food Project, in Arguineguín. At the meeting they analysed the difficult situation that many families throughout the municipality are going through and agreed on ways of collaborating...
We’re all made of stardust, but only some of us know how to shine. How Andy Reed shone
Calm waters, and a toast to Arguineguín’s happiest, most exuberant guy: The life and soul of Andy Reed. At the beginning of April 2021 the small, close-knit, coastal community of Arguineguín, on the south of Gran Canaria, lost a gentle soul. Known to many as a “people person”, Andy Reed always thought himself a bit of a comedian. Everyone thought he was funny, he thought he was funnier. He was a funny guy. - A paradox, Andy was born, a child of war, on...
Mogán Town Council again announces restrictions to the water supply, unfit for human consumption, this time in the Soria neighbourhood
Sources and cover image courtesy of our partners over at El Sur Digital GC:Mogán Town Council have once again, through social networks, announced restrictions on the supply of water, this time in the Soria neighbourhood, warning that the water supply cannot be used for drinking, cooking or preparing food. - This is not the first, nor is it the only neighbourhood that is now suffering from these water supply restrictions, apparently, as has been confirmed in...
Ash from the volcano erupting in the Caribbean could arrive over Spain from Wednesday with the expected storm
A storm, expected to arrive over mainland Spain on Wednesday, is thought to be carrying some part of the emissions, including ash from the volcano, La Soufrière, erupting on the Caribbean island of St Vincent, according to a prediction by Meteored. AEMET, the Spanish State Meteorological Agency, has clarified today that the storm is not expected to have any great effects on the Canary Islands, as it will arrive already "broken" and at most will bring some rain to the westernmost islands, and...
Nearly 50 arrests as part of Gran Canaria Policia Nacional investigation against people trafficking to The Canary Islands
The police raids across the South of Gran Canaria, on Friday, as part of a cross border investigation into the illegal organising of irregular migration, in the municipality of Mogán, have resulted in nearly 50 arrests, with a confirmed total of 27 arrested on Gran Canaria, 17 of whom have been directly jailed on charges. Policia Nacional Agents have made between 15 and 20 more arrests in mainland Spain related to these events, investigating alleged crimes including the illegal trafficking of...
Binter adds new direct weekly air routes, connecting Canary Islands with French, Italian and Spanish cities, among 26 other destinations beyond the archipelago
The Canary Islands airline, Binter have announced that from July it will open new international routes operating direct links with five destinations in Italy and France. The homegrown airline, which started with inter-island flights, expands their connections with regular flights to the European airports of Toulouse, Marseille and Lille, in France, and Turin and Venice, in Italy. - Binter will maintain the routes to mainland Spain they currently operate and,...
Volcanic Plume of Sulphur Dioxide Stretches Across The Atlantic From The Caribbean to The Canary Islands
On 8 April, 2021, after months of build up, and following a sustained increase in volcanic and seismic activity over preceding days, a "red alert" was declared on the Caribbean island of St Vincent in the Lesser Antilles, and an evacuation order issued as an explosive phase in the eruption of La Soufrière volcano was deemed imminent, the resulting activity has produced a cloud of Sulphur Dioxide stretching all the way to The Canary Islands. - Concerns have...
Canary Islands Covid numbers remain relatively low, but a sudden increase in hospitalisations this week have brought concerns of a more virulent fourth wave
The Canary Islands Government Ministry of Health recorded 202 new cases of coronavirus COVID-19 on Saturday. The total number of cases accumulated in the Canary Islands has now reached 48,943, with just 4,567 patients still being actively monitored. 78 are currently admitted to the ICU, and 316 others remain hospitalised. There has been one new death, a 66-year-old woman in Tenerife, who had been admitted to the hospital and was also suffering from previous pathologies. For the latest Canary...
Secret police operation makes 30 arrests since coordinated raids across south of Gran Canaria on Friday
Reporting: Timon .:. Cover Image: Bård Ove MyhrSpanish National Police have so far detained a total of around thirty people as part of a secret police operation, what is being termed as a macro-operation, against people trafficking and irregular migration, linked to the arrivals of open boats travelling from the West African coast to the Canary Islands, according to sources close to the investigation. A large deployment of heavily armed police wearing balaclavas and bullet proof vests, and...
Here are the current guidelines of Alert Level 3 on Gran Canaria, Tenerife & Fuerteventura that came into effect at 00:01 on Saturday April 10
The health alert Level 3 on Gran Canaria, and restrictions on the Canary Islands, remain generally unchanged, it was announced on Thursday, after the finalisation of the extraordinary enhanced measures adopted over the easter holidays, with the exception that normal mobility between islands is to be restored, depending on the alert level in force on each island, and therefore it is no longer, in general, restricted, across the entire archipelago, to travel only for work, appointments for...
Exclusive: Spanish police raids in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria and Arguineguín, with Europol, result in at least 15 people detained suspected of people trafficking
There were at least 15 people detained in a combined operation between Spanish police and the EU Agency for Law Enforcement on Friday, when agents with balaclavas, bullet-proof vests and automatic weapons were deployed onto the streets of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria and Arguineguín, in a coordinated series of raids as part of an ongoing investigation into a people trafficking gang, who were working out of several premises in the southern coastal towns, to arrange for irregular migrants and...
Western Sahara drone strike allegedly kills head of the Sahrawi National Guard in disputed territory conflict with Morocco
The head of the Sahrawi National Guard, Adah el Bendir, was killed on Thursday afternoon in an alleged Western Sahara drone strike, carried out by Moroccan forces, at a point along the wall built by Rabat, in the disputed and occupied Spanish ex-colony territory, according to an official Sahrawi source reported by EFE. - According to the source, El Bendir "fell as a martyr, and with honour, while fighting the occupying forces in the liberated area of Rouss...
No changes necessary to COVID-19 containment measures or alert levels, at least until next Thursday
Canary Islands Governing Council spokesperson, Julio Pérez, reports no changes necessary and nor will it be necessary to take any new containment measures, at least until next Thursday, when the council will again meet to look at the most current data regarding COVID-19 infection rates and steps needed to ensure the general health of the population. Following the Governing Councils regular weekly meeting they are of the opinion that with the current data,...
The British Variant now represents more than 80% of all new Covid infections in The Canary Islands, and between 50% and 99% throughout Spain
The British variant of SARS-Cov-2 , B.1.1.7, is now the dominant strain on The Canary Islands. In December it already accounted for 10.7% of all cases detected on the island of Tenerife, it has now gone on to account for between 80% and 90% of all diagnoses in the Archipelago. This was confirmed by the genetic sequencing data supplied to The Public Health Department from the Nuestra Señora de La Candelaria University Hospital and the Technological and Renewable Energy Institute (ITER) where...
Coastal Authority file complaint for Tauro Beach environmental pollution from desalination outlet pipe buried under the sand, Anfi Group claim ignorance, the fences will stay up for now
Five years after the Tauro bay was closed officially to the public, due to a hastily green-lighted project to import sand from Western Sahara, as part of an Anfi Group tourism development, followed by a legal dispute with the company and the constructors of the artificial beach, Santana Cazorla; the Demarcation of Coasts of Las Palmas (coastal authority) say they have found a buried pipeline, under Tauro beach, that is pouring brine environmental pollution into the sand. This extremely...
The Guardia Civil catches the ‘surfer’ driver of Gran Canaria, who has received a denuncia
The Guardia Civil's Investigation and Traffic Analysis Group from Las Palmas successfully identified the 'surfer' driver of a vehicle who was caught on camera with either end of a surfboard sticking out both rear passenger windows of the small car he was driving down the main GC-1 highway, on the island of Gran Canaria last week, and have administratively denounced his failure to understand that his actions were illegal, based on the General Traffic Regulations. [fb_plugin...
Canary Islands working with Spain to better share responsibility for migrant minors, and employment rights for government workers, taking control of coastal management and planning
Ángel Víctor Torres, the President of the Canary Islands, met in Madrid this Tuesday with Spain's Minister of Territorial Policy and Public Function, Miquel Iceta, to conclude the process of transferring strategic competences, including coastal management, financial protection and promotion of market competition, from central State control to the Regional Executive. They also discussed the urgent need to amend the laws regarding migrant minors and employment rights for government...
The Canary Islands Flight Development Fund will need to address lost connectivity across 80 air routes, accounting for 64% of the routes pre-pandemic
During talks over Spain's Flight Development Fund, Canary Islands Regional Government Minister of Tourism, Yaiza Castilla, this week asked Spanish Central Government Tourism minister, Reyes Maroto, to provide a specific plan for the islands aimed at allowing the archipelago to recover all the lost the air connectivity that has resulted from the covid-19 pandemic. Castilla made the request during the Tourism Sector Conference held last week. Although the...
Shifting Sandcastles in the Sky: Spanish Supreme Court upholds the cancellation of the Tauro Beach coastal territorial plan on Gran Canaria
A little-known beach on the south west of Gran Canaria has been making big waves, again, following more than 30 years of talk, 20 years of hype, 16 years of planning procedures and 6 years of controversy in the hands of the recently bankrupted Grupo Santana Cazorla. It appears the long awaited Tauro Beach project has finally been cancelled, after years of intrigue, investigations, recriminations and shifting sands. Well, cancelled for now, at least.Reporting: Edward Timon .:. - Main...
Surfer fails to recognise surf board error in tiny car on Gran Canaria motorway
The long easter weekend always brings large numbers of young Canarians and families heading south from across the island to enjoy the beaches and a little staycation time. This year has really been no different in that respect, along with occasionally silly drivers who, in their excitement, do not always appreciate that the normal rules of the road still apply, such as this surf board error caught on camera. The Guardia Civil Traffico have been trying to...
Tragic death of well known local Norwegian resident, in Arguineguín, suspected to be by misadventure, autopsy ordered as part of investigation
The tragic death of a Norwegian national, well known in the local foreign-resident community on the south of the island, occurred Thursday afternoon following a fall from the roof of his apartment block in Arguineguín, having allegedly been locked out during the night with his keys inside. Paramedics at the scene could do nothing to revive him due to the severity of the injuries. Death by misadventure is most likely say witnesses and investigators. The main...
The British Embassy in Madrid have forwarded an update for UK Nationals as a reminder of the requirements for living as an immigrant in Spain
An update for UK Nationals from The British Embassy in Madrid ...
Detained without bail: Three Ukrainian crew members from the hashish smuggling Panamanian-flagged fishing vessel intercepted last weekend
The Central Court of Instruction number 6 has agreed to the three Ukrainian nationals being detained without bail, all crew members from the Panamanian-flagged fishing vessel intercepted last weekend in the Atlantic, more than 300km south of the Canary Islands, which was found to be carrying a total of 18,985 kg of hashish, while they await trial. Legal sources have reported that the National Court judge decided to send the three detainees to prison without...
Fourteen men arrested by National Police including the skippers of seven boats that recently arrived on the coasts of Gran Canaria and Lanzarote
Spanish National Police have arrested a total of fourteen men on Gran Canaria and Lanzarote as alleged perpetrators of crimes connected to illegal immigration, three of them were charged also for belonging to a criminal organisation and another four for reckless homicide. All of them were identified by migrants as the people who supplied and navigated the boats, which recently arrived on the coasts of Arguineguín, in Mogán (Gran Canaria), Órzola and Arrecife...
Four women detained for working as a gang to steal alcohol worth €1200 from supermarkets on Gran Canaria
Policia Nacional report that four women detained on Gran Canaria, between the ages of 30 and 43, all with numerous previous police records, are alleged to have committed crimes of theft and illicit association. Acting as a team, members of the group kept watch and disabled alarm systems, to steal alcohol from supermarkets, by hiding bottles in their bags, and leaving the establishments without paying for drinks. Between February 19 and 23, various items amounting to €1,200 euros were allegedly...
It’s official! No change to mask rules, you don’t have to wear them in the pool or while sunning yourself, as long as you maintain distance
The Canary Islands Government spokesperson, Julio Pérez, has confirmed that the Regional Community's understanding of the national law published on Tuesday, in Spains Official State Gazette, known as the BOE, does allow each community to continue to regulate the use of masks according to their own specific circumstances. "The change in the wording of the law obliges the use of the mask, but attends to exceptions by communities, and the Canary Islands have specific guidelines," said Pérez. ...
Masks required when moving around, says Canary Islands President and urges “common sense” on beaches
The president of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, has asked that "common sense" solutions be found, while always protecting public health, to the mandatory use of masks included in Tuesday's Official State Gazette (BOE), reported to include beaches and swimming pools, regardless of any interpersonal distance that may exist. The BOE itself however does not appear to specifically mention either beaches or swimming pools. ? This was made clear to the...
What you need to know: Spain’s newly finalised Law of The New Normality is causing confusion about having to wear a mask even when sunbathing
For many, particularly in The Canary Islands, it was a bit of a bombshell to learn that Spain's finalised Law of The New Normality, announced on Tuesday, will mean having to wear a mask everywhere, even when lying sunbathing on the beach or at the pool. The legislation comes into force throughout Spain this Wednesday, just ahead of the main four-day easter weekend. The latest Official State Gazette (BOE) tightens mandatory regulations for the use of face masks and makes very clear: it must...
Migratory flows headed for the Canary Islands continue to worry the Regional Government who fear “a constant humanitarian crisis”
Migratory flows, headed for the Canary Islands, continue to worry the Canary Islands Government, in particular the increases in two vulnerable groups: minors, whether accompanied or not, and women, particularly pregnant women. In fact, data from the last two weeks reinforce this upward trend with 75 [supposed] minors (pending medical confirmation) and 94 women having arrived on the islands in recent days and weeks. The changing profile of migrant arrivals, with respect to the 2006 crisis, a...
Operation ‘Avio’ Spanish Tax Agency “Aduanas” intercept fishing boat carrying 18,000 kilos of hashish south of the Canary Islands
March 29, 2021 .- More details have emerged from Operation 'Avio', the second major drugs haul to have been carried out in recent days in waters near to Gran Canaria and The Canary Islands archipelago. Three crew members were detained on a fishing vessel, flying the Panamanian flag, following a four month long investigation by Customs Surveillance agents who suspected the vessel was being used to transport drugs The interception was carried out by a patrol...
Two separate maritime interventions results in several bales of hashish, potentially up to 10 tonnes, being seized and taken to Gran Canaria
Customs and Guardia Civil over this last week have intercepted up to ten tons of hashish on in two separate operations to inspect and seize a ship that was sailing more than one hundred nautical miles south of Gran Canaria and an inflatable zodiac that was preparing to deliver a cargo of the drug to the islands. The first intervention occurred last Thursday morning when an aircraft tracking the coast, in search of a suspected migrant boat, located another...
Shipping companies start sending ships to the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Port of La Luz to circumvent the blocked Suez Canal
Shipping companies have started sending ships via the main Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Port of La Luz to avoid the blockade in the Suez Canal. The president of the Port Authority of Las Palmas, Luis Ibarra, confirmed on Saturday that the capital will be one of the beneficiaries in the commercial crisis caused by the Ever Given accident, caused when the large container ship ran aground last Thursday in the famous Egyptian canal. Freight companies have signalled that they now intend to avoid the...
Extra restrictions on Gran Canaria over easter, including travel, gatherings, entertainment and the beach
This Friday morning began the first day of additional restrictions over easter being in force, until April 9, aimed at stopping the spread of coronavirus as much as possible, at a time when general mobility traditionally increases Gran Canaria over easter, as well as the rest of the canary islands. The measures already established for each island have been tightened, depending on the current alert level in play, and so this may well have generated some confusion as the various measures in...
50 more feared perished at sea as Maritime Rescue search the ocean in response to warnings and a distress call from a sinking rubber boat
The Salvamento Maritime Rescue search plane that has been tracking the 100km-wide strip of ocean between Fuerteventura and Tarfaya (Morocco) this morning has not yet managed to find any sign of a rubber inflatable boat after the distressed occupants put out a call for help after finding themselves in serious trouble. A another alert has also been received following the departure of a second boat, this time from Dakhla. 50 migrants were reportedly aboard...
Epidemiological indicators suggest Intensive Care Units (ICU) capacity on the Canary Islands at high risk, health experts have warned
Capacity within Intensive Care Units (ICU) on the Canary Islands is at high risk, health experts have warned. The Ministry of Health delivered its latest epidemiological report on Wednesday March 24 (with data consolidated up to the 23rd), in which all the epidemiological indicators are shown in orange, that is, medium risk, with red flags starting to appear.For the latest official data on COVID-19 in The Canary Islands, updated daily, visit our Mobile Dashboard, of for a more...
Gran Canaria Weather: Time to hit the beach at more than 28ºC in the shade, Calima bringing Saharan Dust and 70kmph+ winds, light rain possible into next week
The Canary Islands General Directorate of Security and Emergencies declared a state of pre-alert yesterday in anticipation of Calima affecting Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Tenerife and La Gomera. A yellow advisory was already in place for winds expected to gust to more than 70kmph for Thursday. After a warm night of occasional howling winds, Gran Canaria awoke on Thursday morning to temperatures exceeding 28ºC in the shade, higher in direct...
CEISA group’s iconic Gran Canaria cement factory at El Pajar request renewal of private port concession from Puertos Canarios
Cementos Especiales de las Islas SA (CEISA) has requested new authorisation from Puertos Canarios to renew their private port concession to continue using the Santa Águeda Pier, the only privately-owned industrial port on the islands, after the current concession ends. The request was made and processed this Tuesday morning, as the port's concession term, granted in 1972, expires in October of next year, reports the company in a statement. "The port...
Calima brings slight increase to temperatures, with wind advisory for 70kmph gusts on Thursday and the possibility of some rain before the end of the weekend
Spain's State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) have announced that this Thursday will activate a yellow advisory warning, for strong winds, reaching up to 70kmph gusts and perhaps even higher, on the north, east, south and west of Gran Canaria. Tuesday started, in the north and northeast, with cloudy intervals during the morning that gave way to clear skies. Clear skies throughout the day elsewhere have been tempered with a slight Calima, increasing during the...
British will fine up to £5000 for trying to leave the UK without a valid reason, no foreign holidays likely before July
United Kingdom Residents who travel without a valid reason will face fines of up to £5,000 (€5,789) from next week, according to new legislation prepared by the British Government that will be voted on this Thursday in Parliament. British Health Minister, Matt Hancock, indicated that there was a possibility of a new wave of infections that could arrive from Europe. The new law, which will tighten restrictions to contain the spread of Covid-19, imposes large...
Meanwhile on Tenerife: Feisty British immigrant couple wrestled to the ground by Policia Local after illegally parking in disability space
Two brits living on Tenerife have been involved in a brutal street fight with Policia Local agents on the south of Tenerife. A British citizen, of about 50 years old, remained detained on Monday evening in the cells of the Adeje Local Police, after being denounced (accused) of having allegedly attacked an agent, on Monday morning, as he proceeded to issue a fine to a British immigrant couple for having illegally parked their vehicle in space reserved for people with disabilities, beside the...
GüïGüí Mushroom Party: Guardia Civil and Policia Canaria launch joint operation to catch beach partiers high on hallucinogenic fungi, and without masks
A bunch of young people celebrating at a GüïGüí Mushroom Party, on hard to access beach, while high on hallucinogenic mycelia, and without masks, were denounced, by Guardia Civil and Policia Canaria agents, on Sunday morning, after having been discovered at a GüïGüí Mushroom Party for The Moon, held on perhaps Gran Canaria's remotest beach, on the wild west coast. Known as GuiGui (GüïGüí or Guguy dependant on who you ask), a specially deployed joint patrol, involving more than 20 agents,...
Balcony fall on Gran Canaria, 58-year old man in Patalavaca taken to hospital with head injuries
A 58-year-old man was injured on Monday afternoon following a balcony fall from a Gran Canaria tourist accommodation on El Escorial street, Patalavaca, near the the sunny southwest coast of the currently tranquil holiday island. According to the main 1-1-2 CECOES emergency co-ordination centre, when first responders arrived, the victim presented severe head trauma, for which he was transferred via SUC advanced life support ambulance to the Gran Canaria Insular University Hospital, in Las...
GRAN CANARIA ALERT LEVEL 3, AGAIN – Here are the Level 3 BASIC DOS AND DON’TS
Gran Canaria find themselves back at Level 3 restrictions this week. The region has done extraordinarily well in coping with and controlling COVID-19 infections over the last year, and though there have been times of real concern, nevertheless, numbers have been kept relatively low in comparison to most places. However after a small, but recent, surge, Gran Canaria returns to Covid-19 Alert Level 3 restrictions again, which came back into force on Monday, March the 22nd, along with Tenerife...
Slightly warmer winter than expected across the Canary Islands, but with some record lows and highs, say AEMET
AEMET, Spain's State Meteorological Agency, on Thursday held a press conference to report on their findings over the winter, in regards to climate balance, and the forecast for spring 2021 on the Canary Islands. A slightly warmer winter, according to the meteorologists, that has been pretty "normal", with average temperatures over the Canary Islands archipelago of 15.3ºC, that is 0.2ºC above the historical average for this season. Data provided by AEMET's territorial delegate in the Canary...
Strictly No Dancing: Canary Islands events & shows restricted over easter with extra limits on hospitality, bars and restaurants over easter
On Thursday The Canary Islands announced their special measures for Easter, including requirements for either PCR or Antigen test results before travelling to any of the island in the archipelago. These will include no shows, no karaoke, no concerts or any background music that encourages people to get up or sing. Strictly no dancing. Curfews will be enhanced to discourage and limit freedom of movement at night, so as to control the potential for larger...
Specific restriction measures for easter on The Canary Islands to control COVID 19 infections
Specific restriction measures for easter time in the Canary Islands will come into force from 00:00 on Friday, March 26 until April 9, Regional Minister for Health, Blas Trujillo, announced this Thursday, following the weekly Government Council meeting. It will not be possible to travel between islands, regardless of the epidemiological alert levels for each one, unless you have proof of a negative PCR or antigen test, in order to reinforce protections...
Maritime Rescue operations have increased this week, with all indicators pointing to greater numbers attempting the crossing by boat in 2021
As the springtime arrives and the weather becomes less hostile, so The Canary Islands, and the 100km+ stretch of ocean separating us from the African coast, are likely once again to become the focus of Maritime Rescue operations in an increasing trend toward irregular migration that is good for no-one, not The Canary Islands, not the currently absent tourists, not the residents, not the governments, not the police, not the EU, and least of all, the migrants themselves. After last year's huge...
Europe hopes to restart tourism and travel with the new Digital Green Certificate to facilitate safe EU freedom of movement
On Wednesday the European Commission laid out their proposals for the new Digital Green Certificate to facilitate safe freedom of movement inside the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Digital Green Certificate will be used to prove whether or not a person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, if they have received a negative test result or recovered from COVID-19. It will be available, free of charge, in both digital or paper formats. It will include a QR code to ensure security and...
Feral cat hunting is to be included in new Canary Islands Biodiversity Law, Spanish Senator complains
Spanish Senator Carles Mulet, a member of the Parliamentary Association in Defense of Animal Rights (APDDA), has denounced to the Central Government a draft of the new Canary Islands Biodiversity Law because he maintains that it includes cats as a species that can be legally hunted. Feral cat hunting, by hunters with guns, during hunting season has historically been allowed if there is no way to identify the animal has an owner. Consequently many cats in the wild are shot, and many report...
Canary Islands Government trying to stop evictions from “skyrocketing” after State of Emergency ends
The Canary Islands Government Minister of Public Works, Transport and Housing, Sebastián Franquis, has said this Tuesday that his Executive is working on legal measures to help prevent "skyrocketing" evictions from "spiking" on the islands once the state of alarm is again officially de-escalated this coming May 9. In response to a question from Sí Podemos in the parliamentary committee, he commented that there is "concern" within the regional Government due...
“????? ?? ?? ?????́?” Agaete’s Cordial Spa Hotel Roca Negra pioneers live music events where dancing is allowed by performing to the balconies as the sun sets
An innovative event was held for the second time this weekend at a hotel on Gran Canaria's rugged north coast. The Cordial Roca Negra Hotel & Spa in Agaete held a large live weekend ????? ?? ?? ?????́? music concert, with multiple performing artists, which enabled concert goers to reserve a hotel room, from which to watch and dance on their balconies, to the delight of attendees. This tranquil spa hotel transformed into a concert theatre for a few hours to host the event. This pioneering...
Spectacular El Hierro rockslide caught on camera in The Canary Islands on Monday March 15 2021
A spectacular rockslide has been caught on camera in The Canary Islands, this time on the island of El Hierro, when rocks and debris fell from a high cliff in an area known as El Golfo, located in the municipality of Frontera. The exact site of the rockfall is known as the 'Fuga de Tibataje'. It is a very rugged, isolated and uninhabited area on the sweeping western north coast of this western-most island. Fortunately, at the time of the rockslide there were...
Spain announces €11 billion aid package to help self-employed freelancers and companies to overcome the economic crisis
Spain's Council of Ministers this Friday approved an €11 billion aid package to help self-employed freelancers and companies to overcome the economic crisis into which the global pandemic has plunged them. €7 billion euros will be allocated to autonomous communities with €2 billion of that exclusively for the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands, as they are the territories most affected due to their dependence on tourism. Canary Islands President, Ángel...
Two intoxicated tourists in multiple collisions along quiet residential street in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria
On Saturday night, March 13, two young French tourists, intoxicated with alcohol, were treated by emergency services having caused multiple collisions along the otherwise quiet Calle de Gran Canaria street, on Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria's east side. The spectacular accident caused by drunk driving occurred when the tourists' vehicle collided with several parked cars. One of the occupants of the car in question banged his head against the windscreen, and had...
Enhanced measures for Alert Level 2 to try to contain COVID infections, curfews from 10pm once more, for at least the next fortnight
The Official Gazette of the Canary Islands (BOC) published this Saturday new protection measures set to be in place for at least the next two weeks, to fight the spread of COVID19 on the islands of Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura, aimed at curbing infections, the Regional Health Ministry has reported. [fb_plugin...
Bentago Express ferry repairs on schedule for resumption of service before the summer say Fred. Olsen
The repair work to the stricken Bentago Express ferry that ran aground at the beginning of the year at Gran Canaria's north west port of Agaete, is continuing at the Astilleros Canarios (Astican) facilities in the Puerto La Luz, Port of Las Palmas. Fred Olsen confirmed this Thursday that the ferry repairs are progressing as planned and that the ship will be able to sail through the Archipelago once again before the summer. The company's own freight forwarding operation, Shipping Solutions, has...
On March 10 the deadline period for requesting direct aid for Canary Islands small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) and self-employed (Autonomos) started and will be open until April
The first day of the Canary Islands deadline period for requesting direct aid for small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) and self-employed (Autonomos) saw 1,147 claims processed through the four chambers of commerce throughout the autonomous community "and endless calls" aimed primarily at resolving questions and doubts. The extraordinary financial aid measure, launched by the Canary Islands Government, has an budget of €84 million, aimed at alleviating damages within the sectors most...
Deportation flight to Senegal from Canary Islands cancelled for the second time
The Spanish Ministry of the Interior has for the second time canceled a deportation flight to Senegal, meant to return migrants who arrived by boat to the Canary Islands over recent months. The flight was due to be on Wednesday night, the first such flight since 2018, confirm sources involved in their supervision. The flight, which originated in Madrid, was scheduled to arrive at Tenerife North at 8:35 p.m., to embark a group of Senegalese citizens, who are...
Ryanair ordered to reinstate and fully compensate workers unfairly dismissed from Canary Islands base
The National Court (Audiencia Nacional - AN) has issued an order declaring the dismissals of 174 workers from Ryanair bases in the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands as inadmissible, due to an employment regulation file (ERE) that has already been declared illegal, forcing the Irish low cost airline to compensate these workers. The compensation, according to the USO union, more than doubles Ryanair's attempted proposal of liability. It obliges Ryanair to...
Mogán electoral corruption investigation into serving mayor risks stalling, complain witnesses ready to testify
The current serving mayor of Gran Canaria's tourism hotspot of Mogán, Onalia Bueno (Ciuca, former PP), has been under judicial investigation for electoral corruption more than once. The current and ongoing scrutiny she is being subjected to, along with her right hand man, the lawyer and deputy mayor, Mencey Navarro, is related to repeated accusations of election rigging, vote buying and a string of alleged irregularities with the manner in which contracts, tenders and urban development...
First group unaccompanied foreign minors transferred to Castilla y León
A group of ten unaccompanied foreign minors were transferred this Wednesday to Spain's autonomous community of Castilla y León where they will be placed under the care of region's child protection service. Five of them will head to the province of León and another five to Palencia. The Canary Islands Ministry of Social Rights said in a statement, this is the first group of the 25 youths who will be welcomed by Castilla y León, after an agreement reached, led...
Weekend expected to bring locally strong north winds, a drop in temperatures and rainfall on the Canary Islands as winter comes to a close
The Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) reports that from the afternoon of this Friday, March 5, the weather on Gran Canaria "will be similar to last weekend", with the presence of "high pressure in the Azores and lows to the south of the peninsula" which will bring locally strong north winds, a drop in temperatures and rainfall to the Canary Islands. AEMET predicts rain on Friday from the north with cloudy skies with from the second half of the day,...
US Naval 6th Fleet IKE Strike Group conduct maritime exercises with Morocco in Operation Lightning Handshake
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (IKE CSG) is participating in Operation Lightning Handshake, a bi-lateral maritime exercise between the U.S. and the Royal Moroccan Navy (RMN) and Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF) during the first week of March, which will take place between The Canary Islands coastal waters and Morocco's Port of Agadir. "It’s an honour to participate in this historic bi-lateral maritime exercise; hallmarking 200 years of...
Four defendants jailed on remand without bail accused of an alleged sexual assault on the south of Gran Canaria
The judge at the San Bartolomé de Tirajana Court of Instruction No. 1 has ordered four defendants to be jailed on remand without bail, after they were arrested and appeared in court on the south of Gran Canaria, accused of an alleged sexual assault in a quiet neighbourhood park of Puerto Rico, Mogán, last Friday. The court heard their statements on Wednesday afternoon and they were ordered to take part in a line-up. Three of the detainees are accused of a...
Identification line-up ordered by judge investigating four men detained, under suspicion of an alleged group sexual assault last Friday
On the basis of a victim statement and her descriptions given on Sunday, four arrests were made this Sunday/Monday by the Guardia Civil. The four men detained, under suspicion of the alleged group sexual assault last Friday in Puerto Rico, Mogán, this Wednesday afternoon will form part of an identification line-up, whereby the complainant, thought to be a 36-year-old Nordic woman (initially reported as Irish) who, according to sources who know the family, lives on Gran Canaria, though some...
Bone age determination tests on hundreds of young migrants have shown that adults were being accommodated in juvenile facilities
Bone age determination tests are being carried out on hundreds of young migrants, and some results, as suspected, have shown that there were adults erroneously being accommodated in juvenile facilities. Upon arrival to the Canary Islands, unaccompanied minors, young people under 18 years of age, are protected under law by the Autonomous Community. The Regional Government has previously estimated that up to 600 of the migrants claiming to be children are in fact older and have chosen to enter...
500 migrants are still pending medical determination of whether they are adults or minors
Around 500 migrants, who arrived irregularly to the Canary Islands archipelago, from the African continent, are still pending medical determination of whether they are adults or minors, reports the Canary Islands Minister of Public Administrations, Justice and Security, Julio Pérez . This was stated in the parliamentary committee, in response to a question from Deputy Jana María González, who pointed out that there are significant delays in conducting tests to...
Two squatters from Tafira “Mansion” arrested having allegedly encouraged minors to commit theft in exchange for booze and drugs
Policia National in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria have arrested two squatters, aged 18 and 35, both with previous police records, alleged to be the perpetrators of crimes of robbery with force and crimes against public health. They reportedly provided narcotic substances, alcoholic beverages and psychotropic drugs to various minors, in order to encourage them to carry out criminal activities. They are also believed to have committed several robberies with force and one of them physically...
Four suspects arrested after alleged group sexual assault of 36-year-old on Friday night
Four suspects arrested by the Guardia Civil, according to reports on Monday, are alleged to have committed a serious sexual assault on a 36-year-old woman, in a park in Puerto Rico, in the municipality of Mogán. The suspects are accused of a group attack that allegedly occurred last Friday when the victim, according to press reports of her statement, given on Sunday, had enquired about their situation when she was walking through a park area in the tourist town. [fb_plugin...
March 17 set for the launch of EU Digital Green Pass unifying freedom of movement requirements
EU Digital Green Pass is set to debut on March 17 2021 - Last week, MEPs were already advocating common criteria for "safe and clean" tourism travel within the EU. And, they say, these criteria should include a common vaccination certificate. On February 25, the Committee on Transport and Tourism adopted the draft resolution on the establishment of an EU strategy for sustainable tourism. Today, March 1, the European Commission has set the day, to propose an initiative focused on travel and...
Spain urges European Commission toward European vaccination certificate to guarantee safe travel
Spain has urged the European Commission (EC) to accelerate the introduction of a European vaccination certificate, as a "useful and effective" tool to resume mobility in a safe way and guarantee safe travel. At the meeting of European Union Ministers of Tourism, the Spanish Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, urged the EC to develop an ambitious program for the recovery of EU community tourism under the new budgetary framework that allows Europe to continue being a tourism...
Cabildo invests €880,000 in two projects aimed at reactivating southern commerce and industry in San Bartolomé de Tirajana
The Cabildo de Gran Canaria is to invest €880,000 in two projects in San Bartolomé de Tirajana, creating 70 parking spaces in the San Fernando Open Commercial Zone, and improving energy provision, the environment and accessibility for the El Tablero industrial area. The Island Council approved a grant of €400,000 for the Ayuntamiento (town hall) to carry out the works on two projects, which will start in June, aiming to resolve one of the main issues with the...
Meeting with TUI Group CEO, Sebastian Ebel, confirms good forecasts for the Canary Islands and confidence in the reactivation of holidays from this summer
The Canary Islands Government Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Yaiza Castilla, held a meeting on Gran Canaria on Thursday evening, February 25th with the CEO and the financial director of the TUI Group, Sebastian Ebel. He confirmed they have good forecasts for the Canary Islands, within the moderation required by the current situation due to the pandemic, as it is "the only destination in the area of Europe and North Africa with the capacity to be open to tourism at all times and...
Policia Nacional arrest the skippers of seven boats that recently arrived on the shores of Gran Canaria
Policia Nacional arrest thirteen men and one woman on Gran Canaria, all between the ages of 19 and 45 years old, suspected of crimes facilitating illegal immigration. Six of them are alleged to have engaged in reckless homicide and three are also charged with belonging to a criminal organisation. All of them were identified by the migrants who travelled aboard the boats, as the organisers of the trips and in charge of running the boats recently arrived on the coasts of Gran Canaria. [fb_plugin...
Spain’s Ministry of Migration Cautiously Trumpet “Canary Islands Plan” To Accommodate Migrants In Camps For Processing
Spain's Ministry for Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations have announced the opening of a warehouse, ceded temporarily by Bankia to the central government, in the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria industrial estate of El Sebadal, next week, offering 500 places to accommodate migrant arrivals, to be managed by the Fundación Cruz Blanca. Several camps were announced in November, within the framework of what is known as the Canary Islands Plan, which is to be able to offer 7,000 bed spaces to...
Where 800€ Is An Annual Salary, Indebtedness Affects 68% of Returnee Migrants, In Six West African Countries
Posted: 02/05/21 Dakar – A study conducted by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) on the impact of indebtedness on returnee migrants in six West African countries reveals that 68 per cent are in debt, while over two-thirds characterise either the shame or burden of their indebtedness as a hindrance to their reintegration in their home communities. As migration becomes increasingly hazardous and costly, many migrants take out loans and incur debt...
1,243,783 people fully vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, reports Spain’s Ministry of Health, more than all the people infected over the last year
Spain's covid vaccination campaign is now in its second month of activity as of this Saturday with a total of 1,243,783 people fully vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, reports the Ministry of Health. The first vaccine dose was administered to 96 year old Araceli Rosario Hidalgo on December 27 at the 'Los Olmos' nursing home in Guadalajara, and since then a total of 4,508,845 doses, of the three vaccines available, have been distributed among the autonomous...
Canaries face prospect of empty beaches for Springtime as UK confirms non-essential international travel ban
As the new Covid-19 strain spreads in United Kingdom, Prime Minister Boris Johnson this Monday announced his roadmap out of the pandemic restrictions including a total ban on non-essential international travel both from and to the country until at least May 17 2021. Though this may have put a hole in any hopes for a quick return to tourism for The Canary Islands, leaving empty beaches for springtime, it does at least offer a sense of certainty for when we might expect British holiday makers...
Río de Janeiro strain of COVID-19 not of immediate concern in Canary Islands, where data trends continue positively
A Government report yesterday, from the Spanish Ministry of Health, caused some concern here on The Canary Islands when, among its many findings, it was noticed to include a statement regarding the P2 Río de Janeiro strain of SARS-CoV-2, due to nine out of the eleven cases of that particular variants having been detected here in the archipelago. Closer examination of the report and the information contained within it, verified through local sources, have in fact shown that though this data is...
Canary Islands have detected 9 cases of the Río de Janeiro variant and 3 of the British variant
Spain's Ministry of Health say they have identified nine cases of the Río de Janeiro coronavirus variant in the archipelago and continue to monitor three cases with the British strain over recent weeks, according to data published on Monday.The Canary Islands currently has the lowest 14-day Accumulated Incidence of any region in Spain, standing at just under 109/100,000 population cases detected, compared with the overall national average of more than 250/100,000. Overall The Canary...
Canary Islands are evaluating the implementation of a COVID-19 vaccination passport, but there are doubts
The Canary Islands are evaluating the implementation of a COVID-19 vaccination passport in their efforts to relaunch the ailing Islands tourism sector. The Regional Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry, headed up by Yaiza Castilla, has reportedly submitted an...
Gran Canaria Alert Level 2 – Basic DOs and DON’Ts
The Canary Islands Ministry of Health agreed this Sunday, February 21, to, as of Monday, return the island of Tenerife, following just one week at level 1, back to Alert level 2, relaxing restrictions on Gran Canaria down from weeks at Alert Level 3 also to this same Alert Level 2, while El Hierro and Fuerteventura go to Level 1. The islands of Lanzarote and La Graciosa remain unchanged, at level 4, and La Palma and La Gomera remain at Level 1. We've gathered togethers some of the most...
Gran Canaria and Tenerife in Alert Level 2, Lanzarote and La Graciosa in Alert Level 4, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro all now on Alert Level 1
The Ministry of Health agreed this Sunday, February 21, to keep the island of Tenerife up and move Gran Canaria down to Alert Level 2 following analysis of the epidemiological indicators for the last 14 days, the islands of El Hierro and Fuerteventura go to Alert Level 1, while Lanzarote and La Graciosa remain unchanged, continuing at Alert Level 4, and La Palma and La Gomera at Alert Level 1. The changes come into effect coinciding with the weekly update of...
President Ángel Víctor Torres is confident that alert levels will drop on Gran Canaria next week
The President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, has expressed his confidence that alert levels currently in force will be lowered on some of the islands as of next week. "The Minister of Health will appear on Sunday with an updated report and will announce that the levels will change as of Monday," Torres said after the Governing Council meeting on Thursday afternoon. According to the president, Gran Canaria will move back down to...
SOS Save Our Summer Travel campaign to help restart UK tourism to Spain from May 1st
A campaign action group, which started last Friday from Mallorca, calling themselves "SOS Travel" is continuing to grow having gained support from several UK tourism companies and the south of Spain's Asociación Provincial de Hoteles y Alojamientos Turísticos de Alicante (APHA - Alicante Provincial Association of Hotels and Tourist Accommodations). They are fighting to advocate for a tourism sector that finds itself against the ropes, particularly when it comes to seasonal destinations like...
Saharan dust continues to blanket The Canary Islands as we wait for heavy rain to potentially arrive by Sunday
The Calima affecting the archipelago for the last day or so continues this Wednesday, but is expected to begin to dissipate visibly from Thursday, which in turn will deactivate the yellow warning for fine North African dust suspended in the air, along with the yellow warning for strong winds, from about 5pm on Wednesday afternoon. Two days of calm clear weather are expected to act as a prelude to a radical change in the forecast, according to the Spanish State Meteorological Agency AEMET,...
Migrant arrivals to the Canary Islands subsided in the first half of February, but all the data so far suggests there will be more arriving
The number of migrant arrivals to the Canary Islands has seen a sudden decrease in the first half of February, with just 155 people having arrived irregularly by boat, however overall numbers are up, with 1,008 having arrived in the last two weeks of January and 1,069 in the first two weeks. Are we on the verge of an even greater increase in migrant arrivals to The Canary Islands? If so, what's the plan? Will we distinguish ourselves through our humanitarian response, or will we allow...
Irish man tries to convince border cops at Dublin airport that he is an essential worker so he can fly to The Canary Islands
An Irish citizen has tried to circumvent pandemic restrictions, prohibiting him from leaving his country to holiday in The Canary Islands, by having claimed to the Irish authorities that he was in fact an "essential worker" at a hotel on the south of Tenerife. He allegedly decided to present a typed letter to the police at the airport which he claimed was solid confirmation of his necessary role, as an essential worker, providing an essential service, requiring him to travel and, therefore,...
Gran Canaria Weather: Temperatures rising from Sunday afternoon with Calima expected on Carnival Monday
The Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has forecast Calima for this Carnival Monday, February 15, with Saharan winds from the afternoon on the eastern isles of Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Graciosa, and by the end of the day the south and east of Gran Canaria. The weather phenomenon is not expected to produce significant reductions in visibility, however airborne dust will bring an increase in temperatures from the this Sunday afternoon remaining moderately high on Monday and falling...
Guardia Civil redeployment of GRS 8 Reserve & Security Group from Tenerife following altercations in temporary migrant accommodations for minors
The Guardia Civil's GRS Reserve and Security Group number 8 have been deployed once more to Gran Canaria from Tenerife, to provide support to Mogán Local Police on the south of the island, following new incidents in Mogán over the last week. The Town Council requested the deployment, despite the current mayor only last Friday announcing that there had been a clear reduction in problems within complexes and that: “In the municipality the incidence rate has dropped and that is palpable in the...
Adult male imprisoned for causing significant damage to tourist apartments in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, after pretending to be a child
On Thursday a judge ordered an adult male to be imprisoned, who had been detained earlier this week, along with three minors, for causing significant damage to tourist apartments in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, Mogán. They had all been temporarily accommodated, as wards of the state, the responsibility of The Canary Islands Child Protection Services, under the care of an NGO association who have been dealing day-to-day with many of the unaccompanied minors to have landed on the shores of Gran...
Suspected counterfeit merchandise worth €2.5 million seized from Yumbo shopping centre in Playa del Inglés
Agents of the Cuerpo General de la Policía Canaria, the main regional force, have seized products suspected to be counterfeit, with a market value equivalent to €2.58 million, from 12 establishments in the southern tourist areas of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, on Gran Canaria, in an operation in which 40 personnel from different units participated, accompanied at all times by an expert in the field as well as officials from the Work and Social Security Inspectorate. [fb_plugin...
Gran Canaria continues Level 3 Alert and special measures for Carnival period
The Canary Islands Governing Council session of Thursday February 11th have agreed and approved extraordinary measures to help maintain controls over infection rates during what would usually be the Carnival period, particularly as the main week leading up to lent is about to begin, with Carnival Monday, MardiGras/Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday just around the corner in what would be traditionally the final finale week of Carnival de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria . [fb_plugin...
Internet video car chase driver accepts sentence of one year and one month on top of jail time for prior offences
The woman who starred in a 10 minute Guardia Civil police car chase, caught on camera in the Gran Canaria municipality of Agüimes on January 21 has pleaded guilty to the facts and consented to of one year and one month in prison, the sentence requested by the prosecutor, after reaching an agreement with the prosecution and justice system. The closed-door trial against reckless driver, Lioba Cazorla, was held on Wednesday in Criminal Court number 1 in Las...
Luc André Diouf, Member of Congress for Las Palmas and migration expert, positively values the ongoing migration crisis response
The national diputado (Deputy - Member of Congress) for the province of Las Palmas and executive secretary for Refugee Policy of the governing [socialist] PSOE party, Luc André Diouf, has, this Monday, said how positively he values the work being done by the Government of Spain and the Canary Islands on the current migration crisis. The parliamentarian made clear that "without the development of cooperative policies, and work coordinated with countries of origin, it will not be possible to...
“95 percent” of current problems in migrant minor accommodations caused by those suspected to really be adults
The residents of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria have complained for weeks about problems where migrant minors have been accommodated in the south western municipality of Mogán. The majority of the 800 or so unaccompanied children temporarily accommodated in the south, who arrived by boat last year, have been staying in empty tourist hotels in Mogán. While local crime, suspected to be perpetrated by a small number of these wards of the state has been generally limited to a couple of break-ins...
189 new cases of coronavirus confirmed in the Canary Islands with almost all the data moving positively in the right direction
The Canary Islands Government Ministry of Health have, this Sunday, confirmed 189 new cases of coronavirus over the last 24 hours. Throughout the epidemic the Canary Islands have detected an accumulated total for 37,024 cases of which, today, 7,345 remain active. 76 patients are currently in the ICU and 321 remain hospitalised. The 7-day Accumulated Incidence (AI) throughout the Canary Islands stands now at 65.62 cases per 100,000 population, a significant...
The highest summits of Gran Canaria remain closed to traffic due to snow and bad weather
The Cabildo de Gran Canaria announced this Sunday that two roads up to the very highest point on the sub-tropical island, the GC-134 and GC-135, were to remain closed to traffic, for at least one more day, as they were still not deemed as safe, due to adverse weather conditions that have affected the area over recent days and hours. Snow and hail storms this weekend across the mountainous interior of the island, and in particular at the highest summit, Pico...
Spanish Government confirms speeding up of migrant transfers from temporary accommodation in hotels
The Spanish Government has confirmed that they are now increasing the pace of the migrant transfers away from empty tourism establishments on Gran Canaria. According to sub-delegate of the Spanish Government in Las Palmas, Teresa Mayans, by Sunday Aguineguín Park apartments will have been completely emptied of the last 100 people remaining there, and then begins the transfers of foreign migrants staying in the Waikiki hotel to what are being controversially termed as "humanitarian camps"....
A second migrants protest took place on Saturday afternoon demanding “solutions for migrants”
A second migrants protest took place on Saturday afternoon, without prior warning or any information available about the group of around thirty individuals, all wearing masks and chanting loudly who displayed makeshift banners, written on bed linen, demanding "solutions for migrants".It is not yet clear if this is the same group who marched briefly yesterday, who it had been thought joined the large group, waiting for transfer, headed for Tenerife, though it seems likely that in fact this...
30-40 North African migrants march in brief Puerto Rico protest overlooking Amadores Beach in Mogán
Surprised neighbours and residents, at around 11:40 on Friday morning, watched around 30-40 North African migrants march through at least two streets, overlooking Amadores Beach in Mogán, in an impromptu public protest on the south-west coast of Gran Canaria. The demonstration was in the area closest to the small hotels in which several have been temporarily accommodated over the last 3 months, in the otherwise empty tourist town of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria. By all accounts, eye witnesses...
A car was completely destroyed in a roadside fire this afternoon, under the bridge at the entry slip road to Arguineguín
A car was completely destroyed in a roadside fire this afternoon, under the bridge at the entry slip road to Arguineguín from the GC-1 highway. Firefighters used about 1,500 liters of water and foam concentrate to tackle the blaze, however luckily the incident resulted in no injuries. At 5:01 p.m., the 112 Emergency and Security Coordination Centre (Cecoes) received an report of a fire in a Volkswagen Golf at the entrance to Arguineguín from the main southern...
Six potentially dangerous dogs seized by Mogán local Police in Playa del Cura
This Thursday the Policia Local in Mogán there were six potentially dangerous dogs confiscated, from two people who lived with the animals in an apartment building in Playa del Cura on the south west coast of Gran Canaria. The owners had previously received disciplinary proceedings for having potentially dangerous dogs, without the requisite license, and for failing to comply with the obligation to microchip them for census registration, as specified in the Mogán Council bylaws. [fb_plugin...
Canary Islands maintain current alert levels to stop the spread of the coronavirus for at least one more week
The Canary Islands Government Ministry of Health this Thursday report that all Islands maintain current alert levels for the week ahead (until at least February 11) to stop the spread of coronavirus in the archipelago. The decision takes into account...
Snow alert for Gran Canaria summits
The Government of the Canary Islands, through the General Directorate of Security and Emergencies, declared an Alert for Snowfall expected on Gran Canaria, Tenerife and La Palma as of 6:00 p.m. on Thursday February 4. The snow alert was declared based on the latest data and information provided by the Spanish State Meteorological Agency AEMET combined with other available sources, leading the Regional Government to activate their PEFMA Canary Islands Specific Emergency Plan for Risks of...
Weather: Clear skies and a little cloud expected to give way to stormy weather and a drop in temperatures from a “Polar Jet”
A cold front is expected to arrive on The Canary Islands by Thursday bringing a drop in temperatures this week and we may see significant rainfall before the weekend. A storm, currently near the British Isles, is expected to influence the formation of a deep Atlantic trough that is predicted send a "Polar Jet" of cold air that could reach the Canary Islands, if forecasts are correct. The Spanish State Meteorological Agency AEMET point out that there is "a...
Guardia Civil swoop on migrant youths enjoying a swimming pool to enforce covid rules after multiple complaints by neighbours
Guardia civil agents successfully swooped on a group of migrants enjoying a swimming pool, all teenagers temporarily accommodated at an, otherwise, empty tourist complex, in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, on the south coast of the practically touristless holiday island, as video from an, otherwise law abiding, neighbourhood watcher went viral across social media this Saturday. The mobile phone footage showing the youths enjoying a swimming pool (Que Horror!)...
Shopping centre fire brought under control at a motorcycle rental store in Playa del Inglés
Firefighters in Playa del Inglés were deployed this Saturday afternoon to put out a shopping centre fire in a motorcycle rental store at the CC Plaza, on the south of Gran Canaria, according to reports from the 112 Canary Islands Centre Emergency and Security Coordination team (CECOES 112). The alarm was raised at around 4:50 pm, reporting a shopping centre fire, at which point firefighters and police officers were activated and deployed, as well as an...
The Canary Islands vaccine supply failures force small readjustment to roll out schedule
Pharmaceutical company vaccine supply failures in the delivery of doses has had a knock on effect on The Canary Islands. Moderna canceled a shipment of nearly two thousand vials this week, and along with other expected delays this has forced the Canary Islands Government Ministry of Health to have to readjust their immunisation program calendar for rolling out coronavirus vaccinations on the archipelago. The plan has always been to administer both doses required within 21 days of each other,...
Spain’s Government Delegate is committed to processing irregular migrants legally and correctly
Spain’s Government Delegate in the Canary Islands, Anselmo Pestana, on Friday strongly refuted Cabildo de Gran Canaria President Antonio Morales’s suggestion that the Spanish State might be trying to turn Gran Ca