Shopping in Gran Canaria

Although the shops can not offer prices as advantageous as earlier, the remnant of the days when the Canary Islands were a duty free zone still exists. Shopping in Gran Canaria might be a good idea as products such as alcohol, tobacco, perfumes or electronic equipment cost less than in Mainland Europe.

There are many shopping centres in Gran Canaria, especially around resorts and larger towns. These are some of the best places on the island:

Centro Comercial Atlántico is located in Vecindario and is one of the best places to do the shopping in Gran Canaria. The commercial centre contains a huge Carrefour hypermarket, plenty of bars and restaurants, many well known fashion names, including the Spanish ones such as Zara or Mango. If you are looking for attractions, Atlántico can offer Ten-pin bowling or cinema.

Centro Comercial Cita in Playa del Inglés is sometimes called as little Germany and decorated with models of famous world monuments. Shops inside the centre sell mainly leather goods, electrical equipment and jewellery. For those who got hungry, there are several restaurants in the commercial centre.

Centro Comercial Yumbo is the largest shopping mall in Playa del Inglés. There are banks, pharmacies, jewellery, fashion, sportswear stores, several bars and restaurants at Yumbo. A large Spar supermarket is also located in the centre.

Fedac (Foundation for Etnography and Development of Canarian Handicrafts). There are two government sponsored handicraft stores, one located in the tourist office in Playa del Inglés and the other in Las Palmas. You can buy pottery, leather and textile goods, baskets, toys and many other things. All the products are made at the Canary Islands.

Centro Comercial Faro 2 is a shopping mall in Maspalomas where you can find elegant fashion stores, supermarket and a variety of restaurants.

El Corte Inglés in Las Palmas is the largest department store and a great place to do the shopping in Gran Canaria. The store has many floors and each of them contains different departments such as fashion, music, books and a lot of others.

Las Arenas shopping centre is almost a commercial symbol of Las Palmas and contains a large Carrefour hypermarket, lots of fashion stores, outlets, 6 screens cinema and a big variety of cafes and restaurants.

For Gran Canaria accommodation check out this article first. There are a lot of interesting things to do in Gran Canaria. SingleTripadvisor published a good list on activities in Gran Canaria.

Some suggestions for shopping in Gran Canaria:

• Large commercial centres are usually open from 9 am till 9 pm, Monday to Saturday. Smaller shops may close for traditional Spanish siesta after the lunch. However, many shops in resorts generally work from morning until late at night.
• Most shops accept popular credit cards, such as Visa or Master Card. However it is recommended to have some cash in smaller towns. If you are paying with the credit card, you may be asked to show your passport.
• The amount of duty-free goods is limited, as you can take out 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars, 2 litres of wine, 1 litre of spirits or liqueur over 22 percent volume, 60 ml of perfume, souvenirs worth up to 162 euros (£145).
• Bargaining is not a very common thing in Gran Canaria and you may even offend a trader by doing this.
• Clothes sizes are labelled like in a continental Europe.

Most popular souvenirs in Gran Canaria:

• Hand made knives, produced in Gáldar and Guía.
• Traditional Canarian pottery made by the Guanche traditions in La Atalaya, Hoya de Pineda and Juncalillo.
• Red or green Mojo sauce.
• Honey rum.
• Agaete Coffee, grown in Agaete valley.
• Traditional Canarian potted plants, such as Canarian palm, banana tree, aloe vera or bird of paradise.
• A replica of Guanche pintaderas or Idolo de Tara.

Gran Canaria Holidays Resources
http://www.easyvacationplanning.com/places-to-visit-in-gran-canaria.html
http://canary-islands-spain.net/practical-information-about-gran-canaria
http://www.traveldestinationguide.net/what-to-see-in-las-palmas.html
http://www.lessdollartravel.com/nightlife-in-gran-canaria.html
http://www.familyvacationshq.com/best-beaches-in-gran-canaria/
http://www.spaincityguide.com/history-of-gran-canaria
http://cheapholidaysinspain.net/gran-canaria-vacation-guide/
http://www.coastal-vacation-homes.com/diving-in-gran-canaria.php