Gran Canaria - Island of a Thousand Sunsets.....

In this week's Ambassadors for Spain series we meet Eoin Flynn in Gran Canaria.  Here is an island full of surprises with its volcanic landscape, lush pine forests, secret rocky coves and swathes of sand dunes.  Year round good weather, historic towns, a calendar of unusual festivals and superlative cuisine and wines.   Eoin Flynn moved to Gran Canaria 10 years ago.   An Irish International Mountain runner and an english teacher,  he reveals the locals insider track on this beautiful Island.
 
Vitamin Sea
There’s more to Gran Canaria than just great value food and drink and lots of Vitamin Sea and sun.    Eoin takes on a trip to a land of lunar vistas high above the clouds.  He tells us how to discover the real food and culture of this stunning place.  Eoin is also a well known commentator in the media for the best trail running races in the world and specially the famous "Transgrancanaria" over 160 kilometres long - the next one is due to happen on March 4th 2022 -  Eoin also tells us about the famous festival which takes place here every September in the local villages with full traditional Canarian dress.   There's even a strawberry festival and an avocado festival.    

Eoin also tells us about the traditional festival of Our Lady of Rosario de Agüimes

This festival, which takes place in the town of Agüimes in Gran Canaria, attracts a multitude of visitors each year, as it brings one of the oldest Canary Island traditions back to life. This is the “traída del agua y el gofio”, a lively, joyful event that re-enacts the old custom of taking corn, barley, or wheat to the mill to be ground into gofio, a kind of flour that’s used in many different ways and is still an essential part of Canary Island cuisine today. On this day, people head for the mills, and along the way gofio is distributed and there’s music and dancing. Afterwards it’s back to the town, and water is sprinkled down on everyone from the balconies of the houses.

Camino de Gran Canaria?
Did you know that Gran Canaria even has a part of the Camino de Santiago! Check out the www.jacobeogalder.es   Yes indeed - 23 hours and 66 kilometres make up the Camino de Santiago in Gran Canaria. A good part of this route was already traveled by the ancient canaries in communications from the south to the north of the island, and later, it was used as a livestock route for cattle,  pilgrims and "romeras".  For lots of info on Gran Canaria - check out www.spain.info and www.grancanaria.com

The Travel Lounge in association with www.discovernorthernireland.com