Reflecting on my mini-break

“I think we should try Gran Canaria for out next mini break!” was not a statement that was particularly welcomed by my friend, when we were planning our annual friends trip away. We had only ever done City breaks, so quite rightly she was worried about what there was to do in Gran Canaria and if it might be a bit tacky (also a concern of mine, if I’m being entirely honest)! I love a city break but sometimes I find that I can be more tired when the trip ends than when it started, because you try to fit everything in to 2 or 3 days. This time my friend and I were in need of relaxation, so with less to see, we would ultimately have a more relaxing trip, soak up some sun, perhaps go to the beach and enjoy good food and wine instead of sightseeing! “Just let me do the research, trust me, I’ll find us somewhere nice!”………and I never break my promises! After researching, I decided that it would be better to stay in Las Palmas, it’s an old city with pretty cobbled streets, great restaurants and the odd cocktail bar, much more “our scene”, than the large beach hotels that can often be a little soulless. Once she was convinced, we set off, flying from Gatwick on Easyjet, on an afternoon flight because we don’t’ like the early morning ones! We chose to make the airport the start of the holiday, so booked into one of the Lounges, a first for me, and I would definitely do it again. It is peaceful, less frenetic than the main concourse, drinks are included in the price and they also provide a small buffet of food. It definitely was part of the holiday……….I mean why wait until you arrive to kick start the fun!

The Hotel was great, Cordial La Peregrina, was housed in a gorgeous old building, close to shops and the Old town, the rooms were super comfy and the roof top terrace with swimming pool was a welcome retreat from the busy streets below. Uber currently doesn’t operate in Gran Canaria, however Las Palmas is only 20mins from the airport and cost €25 - €30 euros in a local taxi.

We travelled to the beach by taxi, which only took 5-10 minutes and taxi’s were easy to find and in plentiful supply. For less than the cost of the glass of wine in the UK, we were dropped off by the Promenade that runs along the 2km beach and we were able to hire a sun lounger for a mere €3 for the entire day. The sand was soft and the beach was very clean, with showers and a foot wash at every access point on to the beach and a specific disabled access, which allowed wheelchairs to travel down to the water’s edge.

The Hotel staff were very helpful in recommending restaurants, our favourite one being Manuela Jimena a traditional Tapas restaurant with amazing wine and delicious tapas offerings, I’m still dreaming of their Croquettes and Tuna Salad! We had 4 nights and 3 full days and flew back with British Airways, as the flight time was better than Easyjet…….no early mornings for us, thank you very much!!!

We spent 2 days down on the beach, and the other wandering the beautiful lanes of Las Palmas, drinking coffees, people watching and chatting. I think it is worth noting that there is a bit of begging going on but a simple, polite “No” and they would carry on. We felt very safe walking the streets at night and sitting in pavement bars and restaurants.

I would definitely go back and I would highly recommend the hotel that we stayed in, the bed was super comfy, friendly staff and the roof top bar, Rocktop was a popular early evening spot for locals.

If you are thinking of arranging a mini break with friends and no-one wants to be the organiser, why not pass the task onto me, take the stress out of organising a group and just enjoy some relaxation!