 |
Call us on: |
| 0208 588 9901 |
Enjoy the island lifestyle with a great deal on Puerto Rico holidays
The volcanic origins of Gran Canaria are very evident in the exciting contrasting landscape of the town of Puerto Rico. The main tourist area is surrounded by hills and cliffs, all leading down to two golden beaches.
While nature lovers will love the diverse scenery, shopping enthusiasts won’t be hard done by – Puerto Rico offers some of the best shopping on Gran Canaria. Puerto Rico holidays also offer a wide selection of water sports and some of the hottest night spots on the Canary Islands.
Currency:
The Canary Islands official currency is the Euro often signified by € or EUR. One Euro is divided into 100 cents. Money can be exchanged at bureaux de change and major hotels, but banks give the best rates. All major credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted at most hotels, restaurants, and shops. ATMs are widespread and are generally the cheapest and most convenient method of obtaining money. The Euro is used in 12 members of the European Union. Countries and territories using the Euro include: Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, The Vatican, Martinique, Guadalupe, Reunion, Montenegro, and Kosovo.
Puerto Rico Climate:
The climate of Gran Canaria is considered to be among the best in the world - year-round warm weather with constant sunshine. Boasting a number of different micro-climates, this volcanic island experiences diverse conditions and terrain, from tropical forests to snow-capped peaks, with the south of the island, home to the major tourist resorts, seeing the sunniest driest weather. The moderate temperatures in each region hardly fluctuate from season, with the variance between summer and winter being only 6C.
Dry and sunny most of the year-round, and with constant spring-like conditions, Gran Canaria is an ideal climate for all holidaymakers, from sun-worshippers to nature-lovers alike. Temperatures through the spring and summer can range from 23C to 27C, with the average temperature for both seasons being 25C. Gran Canaria does not experience excessive high temperatures during the summer, and the trade winds that blow across the island certainly help to temper the heat. The island sometimes sees the very hot summer winds coming up from the Sahara, known as the 'sirocco', bringing higher temperatures as well as a cloud of fine sand from the desert. Sea temperatures remain very pleasant throughout the year, ranging from 22C in the summer to 18C in winter.
Time
The Canary Islands are in the same time zone as the UK. Local time is GMT in the winter (GMT +1 between the last Sunday in March and the Saturday before the last Sunday in October).
Language
Spanish is the official language, but
English is widely understood in areas frequented by tourists.
Electricity
Electrical current is 220 or 225 volts, 50Hz.
European-style two-pin plugs are standard.
Tipping
Hotel and restaurant bills usually include service charges, but additional tips are welcomed for services rendered. In established restaurants tips of about 10% are expected. Drivers of metered taxis expect small tips and it is customary to tip usually 5-10% for most services, including guides.
Communications
The international access code for Spain is +34. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom).
Shopping
Puerto Rico boasts three large shopping and entertainment malls, the largest being the Centro Civico, where visitor's can buy literally anything. There is everything from banks to boutiques, florists and fishmongers, and dozens of duty-free stores selling electrical goods, photographic equipment and perfume at great prices. The other two centres are Agua La Perra and Europa, and both have good selections of souvenir and beachwear shops and at least one supermarket. Opening hours for shops and supermarkets inthe centres are from 9.30am to 10pm. The largest market on the island is at Arguineguin, only 10 minutes away by taxi, and is open every Tuesday. This is a good place to test your bargaining power; hagglers should start negotiating at about half the asking price.
Nightlife
Puerto Rico is one of Gran Canaria's hottest nightspots where visitors can party the night away. Happy hour starts as early as 4pm in many bars and pubs, and the clubs don't close until around 4.30am. Popular clubs include Disco Joker and, for those into RnB, Space. Centro Comercial is the hub of the action and where most nightspots are found.
Activities
Puerto Rico is the perfect resort for a sporting holiday, offering numerous active diversions, not least of which are a widerange of watersports available at the marinas at each end of the bay including windsurfing, jet skiing and banana rides. Out of the water visitors can enjoy tennis; the courts are in excellent condition and lit at night and rackets and balls can be hired. There are squash courts at the Europa Centre and a gym in the Centro Comercial. Youngsters particularly enjoy the amusement arcades in the three shopping centres, and the mini-golf is popular. A variety of excursions are available to various tourist attractions around the island, while for the adrenaline junkies there is paragliding, skydiving and scuba diving
Restaurants
Like most resorts on the Canary Islands, the Puerto Rico restaurants and fast food outlets cater for a wide range of tastes. Here you can dine on anything from fish and chips to haute cuisine. Most of the restaurants are in the Centro Comercial. Among the most popular are The Indian Head, where snacks are served up with country and western music and karaoke. At La Habana the menu is Tex-Mex and the music Latin American, while the Royal Oak pub is the place for some traditional British home cooking. Upmarket French cuisine is the order of the day at Oliver's, at the harbour, and if you want to sample some Spanish tapas dishes Don Quijote in Edificio Porto Novo will oblige. La Cabana and El Cendor are also highly recommended and those who like to dine over looking the beachwill find some good restaurants on the west side of the bay.
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
|
|
19 May 12 from 7 Nights,
