The island of Gran Canaria lies between Tenerife and Fuertaventura, in the Canary Islands. It is about 200 kilometres west of the coast of Morocco, 1,255 kilometres from the port of Cadiz in Spain, and is about four and a half hours flying time from the UK. As it is in the same time zone as the UK there is no need for visitors to change their watches.

The island of Gran Canaria is almost completely circular, with the peak of Pozo de Los Nieves, at 1,949 metres high, in the centre. The average daily temperature, on the dry and sunny coastal areas, is between 18 and 25 degrees, but in higher altitudes the climate changes with the temperature dropping to as low as zero degrees. Visitors can sunbathe on the beaches and then, within the hour, be in the snow at the summit of the mountain.

Gran Canaria became part of Spain in the 1480s, but tourism did not start until the 19th century. The first hotel was built in 1890, and is still open, and the first charter flight arrived at Christmas in 1954. Today tourism is the major industry of the island, with a wide variety of accommodation, sport and leisure facilities, catering for all tastes.