The Cunning Canary » December http://www.cunningcanary.com My Grand life on Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands! Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:11:57 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= Gran Canaria Weather December http://www.cunningcanary.com/1031/gran-canaria-weather-december/ http://www.cunningcanary.com/1031/gran-canaria-weather-december/#comments Sat, 20 Nov 2010 11:51:59 +0000 Victoria http://www.cunningcanary.com/?p=1031 Weather in Gran Canaria in December is generally better than the weather back home, which is why it is such a popular destination, especially for Christmas and New Year. Gran Canaria Xmas weather varies but in my 11 years there I’ve seen sunny Christmases (yes, and sunbathed on the beach!) and grey ones. It’s always “warm” though, at least 15 deg C and sometimes in the low to mid 20s. Occasionally it can reach the 30s too but only if there is a calima (hot winds from the Sahara), something that happens several times a year.

Although the Canaries Christmas weather might be the deciding factor in picking Gran Canaria as your destination this Christmas, there are plenty of other reasons to go. Christmas and New Year in the Canaries is a busy time. It’s just as busy as during the peak months of July and August, meaning everything will be open for business :-)

The Gran Canaria Christmas weather means you will return home with a tan. The weather can vary during this time but you should be fine wearing short sleeves in the daytimes and a light jacket in the evenings.

]]> http://www.cunningcanary.com/1031/gran-canaria-weather-december/feed/ 0 The Temperatures in Gran Canaria at Christmas http://www.cunningcanary.com/745/the-temperatures-in-gran-canaria-at-christmas/ http://www.cunningcanary.com/745/the-temperatures-in-gran-canaria-at-christmas/#comments Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:04:11 +0000 Victoria http://www.cunningcanary.com/?p=745 First of all, if you’re going to Gran Canaria at Christmas, don’t worry about the weather. I’ve been here for nearly 11 years and I’ve never had a rainy or cold Christmas 8-) Obviously it’s not going to be 40ºC like in August but you won’t need a heavy coat. Locals like me usually opt for a light jacket in the daytime but tourists are often bare-armed and warm enough.

Photo by Pcesarperez

Photo by Pcesarperez

If it’s a white Christmas you’re after, you can stay home, but if you fancy a warm Christmas with perhaps a few beers in a beach bar and some sun, check out our What’s On at Christmas in Gran Canaria post.

The weather in Gran Canaria at Christmas is usually good. Expect 20ºC and sun. The temperature might be a bit less and the sun might not be out but it’s usually quite pleasant. The weather at Xmas in Las Palmas might be a few degrees cooler than in the south but it’s better than in the UK anyway!

If you’re worried about warm weather at Xmas Canaries weather doesn’t normally let you down. The bars and restaurants will be open and there will be a great atmosphere. A Gran Canaria Xmas is a great way to recharge your batteries for 2010 and enjoy a wonderful break in the sun.

]]> http://www.cunningcanary.com/745/the-temperatures-in-gran-canaria-at-christmas/feed/ 0 Christmas in Gran Canaria – What’s On? http://www.cunningcanary.com/716/christmas-in-gran-canaria-whats-on/ http://www.cunningcanary.com/716/christmas-in-gran-canaria-whats-on/#comments Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:45:28 +0000 Victoria http://www.cunningcanary.com/?p=716 If you are going to be spending Christmas in Gran Canaria, you might be wondering what’s on. Of course, lying on the beach and sunbathing makes a nice change on Christmas day but what about Christmas Eve in Gran Canaria or Boxing day – what’s on and what’s going to be open?

Photo by Pcesarperez

Photo by Pcesarperez

Traditional Christmas Dinner

First of all, if you want a traditional Christmas dinner you should book places as soon as possible after you arrive. There are various restaurants around Puerto Rico, Playa del Ingles and the other resorts in Gran Canaria offering Christmas fare but these places do fill up!

If you’re in Playa del Ingles, a lot of people recommend The Red Cow for Christmas dinner. Alternatively the Barcelo Las Margaritas does good food. If you’re in Puerto Rico there are only two main shopping centres so you can stroll around those and see what takes your fancy.

Photo by BigDani

Photo by BigDani

Churchill’s and Murphy’s Kitchen in the main shopping centre might be worth a visit and the Red Rose Cafe near the harbour is also good. El Brasero in the Europa Centre is really good as well, especially if you like meat! The Scandinavians will be enjoying their Christmas dinner on December 24th so the Brits and Irish will have the restaurants on the 25th to themselves.

Because Christmas week is one of the busiest weeks in the Canaries, nearly everything is open and that includes dolphin trip excursions, glass bottom boat excurions, Gran Canaria ferries to Puerto Rico, Mogan and Arguineguin, fishing trips and more :-) These book up quickly too. You can email me if you want more information about the fishing. I can also hold places for you on the dolphin trip or glass bottom boat trip. You’ll be fine with the ferries because these run hourly.

There are usually a couple of small supermarkets open over Christmas if you want to buy supplies. December 24th in the evening is when the Canarians eat their traditional Christmas dinner in Gran Canaria.

Evening Entertainment

The bars and discos will be open as usual over the festive period. You might want to stay close to your own resort though because taxis can triple or quadruple their prices over Christmas and New Year! :-o

Weather in Gran Canaria at Christmas

Today it has been a pleasant 26ºC and it’s usually fairly warm over the Christmas week. So how how is Gran Canaria over Xmas? Well it does vary and you ought to bring something with long sleeves. It might not be sunny everyday but it’s likely to be warm, probably between 20 and 25ºC so you should get some colour! 8-)

]]> http://www.cunningcanary.com/716/christmas-in-gran-canaria-whats-on/feed/ 6 What is the Weather in Gran Canaria at Christmas http://www.cunningcanary.com/308/what-is-the-weather-in-gran-canaria-at-christmas/ http://www.cunningcanary.com/308/what-is-the-weather-in-gran-canaria-at-christmas/#comments Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:59:51 +0000 Victoria http://www.cunningcanary.com/308/what-is-the-weather-in-gran-canaria-at-christmas/ If you fancy a bit of sun at Christmas (and let’s be honest, most of us crave it by then!) what about a holiday in Gran Canaria?

Daily sun is not guaranteed as such but when you have a cloudy day here the next day is often nice. Also, you get some days with a few cloudy hours and a few sunny ones, but mostly you can expect sun!

The weather and climate in Gran Canaria are pretty good throughout the year in general and the weather in Gran Canaria at Christmas tends to be good.

Average Temperatures

The average December temperatures are between 19ºC and 26ºC in the daytime and you can expect 17ºC at night. The coldest I have ever experienced on the island since 2001 is 13ºC (for me that means gloves, scarf, thick coat and thermal socks but I am kind of acclimatised by now!)

You should bring long trousers and a jacket at least because if there is a breeze it will feel cooler, but I’ve been on the beach on Christmas day (and on my birthday which is January 2nd) in a bikini and been plenty warm enough.

Beach PR

Even if you do get a dull day or two, there is plenty to do, such as a visit to Mogan market, boat trips, shopping, a visit to Palmitos Park Gran Canaria and much more.The Gran Canaria nightlife is busy too over Christmas here.

One word of advice is that if you want to visit Gran Canaria at Christmas or another of the Canary Islands at Christmas, you should book well in advance. It is the busiest week of the year by far and many of the hotels are booked up weeks beforehand.

]]> http://www.cunningcanary.com/308/what-is-the-weather-in-gran-canaria-at-christmas/feed/ 6 December http://www.cunningcanary.com/16/weather-december/ http://www.cunningcanary.com/16/weather-december/#comments Mon, 11 Jun 2007 13:45:12 +0000 Victoria http://www.cunningcanary.com/?p=16 How do you fancy eating Christmas dinner on the beach and spending New Year al fresco at a bar? You can easily do that here in Gran Canaria because, even though December is cooler than the summer months, you can still expect daytime temperatures between 19ºC and 26ºC, like in November or January. A white Christmas is rather unlikely unless you’re on the top of a Canarian mountain, but a dip in the sea in mid-December is a great way to relax! Expect temperatures of around 17ºC at night so you might need a light jacket in the evening. By day, the weather is warm enough to sunbathe on the beach or by the pool.

There is a nativity play on the evening of December 25th in Veneguera, near Mogán. Día de Santa Lucia is on December 13th. This is when Canarian traditions meet Scandinavian ones for plenty of winter street parties. Villages and churches are illuminated all over the island. The Canarians enjoy their Christmas dinner on the evening of December 24th and December 25th is a Bank Holiday in the Canaries. You can get a traditional British Christmas dinner in many of the restaurants, if you are self-catering, but it is wise to book early – they get booked up quickly!

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