Playa del Cura Travel Guide

Situated on the southwest coast of Gran Canaria, about an hour's drive from the airport at Las Palmas, is the small, quiet holiday resort of Playa Del Cura, built on the cliff sides lining the coast. This low-key family resort is just two miles (3km) from lively, hectic Puerto Rico, the island's well-known holiday and nightlife resort, but Playa del Cura remains popular as a peaceful place to stay while granting easy access to the bright lights and amenities of its more flamboyant neighbour. Playa del Cura is on the main coastal bus route so travelling to other resorts is easy, and taxis are cheap and plentiful. The holiday resort has two small, pretty cove beaches, Cura and Tauro, at the base of the cliffs, both covered with dark volcanic sand and pebbles, and strewn with sunbeds so that visitors can make the most of some of the best weather in Gran Canaria. A short distance away is the popular stretch of the Amadores beach. The rocky coastline, and valley extending inland, provides opportunities for those keen on walking excursions. There is a small commercial centre equipped with enough stores, bars and restaurants to provide for all holiday requirements.

Shopping

The commercial centre of Playa Del Cura is a few hundred yards from the beach, its anchor store being a large Spar supermarket with an in-store bakery which stocks all requirements for vacationers. There are also a few gift and souvenir stores. For more serious shopping, however, visitors can take a bus or taxi to nearby Puerto Rico where it is possible to buy literally anything and everything at three huge shopping malls, including the sought after duty-free electrical goods, photographic equipment and perfumes.

Restaurants

Playa del Cura offers a fairly good choice of restaurants, mostly situated in the commercial centre. There are seafood restaurants with excellent fish dishes, as well as other food styles on offer. Bistro 22 is perhaps the best known restaurant in Playa del Cura, and the Guantanamo Canarian restaurant is also popular.

Nightlife

Those in search of all-night clubbing and pubbing will have to take the 10-minute bus or taxi drive across to Puerto Rico to satisfy their craving, but those looking for more relaxed evenings will be well catered for in one of Playa del Cura's bars. There are several fun pubs, such as Pio Pio on Tauro beach, which offers open house jam sessions on Sunday evenings, or the Irish bar, Old Brouge, and its counterpart Welsh bar, Fleur de Lys, both on the upper level of the commercial centre. Several of the larger hotels offer their own entertainment, which is open to non-guests.

Holiday activities

For water sports and swimming it is best to head for the white, sandy Amadores beach across the bay, where the whole gamut of fun in the sun from waterskiing to scuba diving is available. Other sporting facilities such as tennis and squash courts are to be found in the vicinity, especially in nearby Puerto Rico, which is well-supplied with amenities, including water parks, amusement parks and mini-golf. Playa del Cura is well situated on the tourist route for excursions to the capital, Las Palmas, or visits to other parts of Gran Canaria.

Any negatives?

As Playa del Cura is built on steep cliffs, it is not suited to the elderly or those with difficulty walking. Families with teenagers may find entertainment is limited for this age group. Swimmers should be wary of the strong currents off both of Playa del Cura's beaches.