Hotel Riu Palace Maspalomas
Why we like it: Adults-only five-star hotel on the edge of the dunes, next to the Playa del Inglés viewpoint. Half board, two pools heated in winter.
From €163
View details
Duration2 nights
From Las Palmas45 min by car · bus 50
Best timeOctober – April
Budget€350–600 pp
DifficultyEasy
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to arrive on Friday afternoon from Las Palmas and sleep two nights by the Faro. Saturday is for sand and sea; Sunday, for the ravine. It also works without a car, with buses 50 and 18.
Friday
- 119:00Arrival at the Faro
From Las Palmas to the Maspalomas lighthouse in about 45 minutes. Leave your suitcase at Hotel Faro, on the Plaza de Colón, and go for a stroll along the promenade towards Meloneras. If you prefer to eat outside the hotels, La Tapita Los Jose's, in San Fernando, is open on Friday until midnight.
Saturday
- 107:30The dunes at dawn
Enter from the beach, next to the Faro, and climb the marked trail towards the Playa del Inglés viewpoint. At that hour the sand is cool and empty. Come back along the shore and stop at the Charca to watch the herons.
- 211:00The Faro
The ethnographic centre in the former lighthouse keeper's houses holds more than 5,000 objects from traditional Canarian life. Check the opening hours first.
- 313:30Dolphins from Puerto Rico
Twenty minutes by car, or hotel pick-up for €5. The 13:30 Spirit of the Sea departure lasts two and a half hours and stops for a swim near the coast if the sea allows. Bring swimwear and a towel.
- 420:00Dinner at La Aquarela
In Patalavaca, five minutes from Puerto Rico. Michelin-starred tasting menus of Canarian produce, dinners only, Tuesday to Saturday. Book well ahead and take a taxi back if you have the wine pairing.
Sunday
- 109:30Along the GC-60 to Tunte
Drive up the ravine: the Degollada de las Yeguas, the Arteara palm grove, with the necropolis temporarily closed, and Fataga, where a stroll is worthwhile. Continue to Tunte, at 890 metres, the end of the first stage of the island's Camino de Santiago. If you feel like walking, do a stretch of the path towards Fataga.
- 213:30Lunch in Playa del Inglés and the drive back
Go down to La Palmera Sur, which serves lunches on Sunday from 13:30 to 15:30. Then the GC-1 to Las Palmas: home by mid-afternoon.
From Las Palmas, Maspalomas is three quarters of an hour away: you can go and come back in a day. But sleeping there changes the best part of the trip, which is walking on the dunes at dawn, cool and without footprints, before anyone arrives. This weekend splits Saturday between the sand, the Charca and the sea, with a whale-and-dolphin catamaran and a Michelin-starred dinner, and leaves Sunday for the drive up the Fataga ravine to Tunte.
When to go and how to get there
From October to April the sand and the ravine are easier to walk; in summer, do everything first thing. By car, take the GC-1 south to exit 46 and the Faro square. Without a car, the Global bus (guagua) 50 leaves from San Telmo and ends at the Faro, a few steps from the hotel, and the 18 climbs from the Faro to Fataga and Tunte.
| What | Time | Price | Who for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crossing the dunes | 1 h 30 – 3 h | Free | Everyone, best early |
| Charca and palm grove | 45 min | Free | With children |
| Whale-and-dolphin catamaran | 2 h 30 | €40 · children €25 | Families |
| Fataga and the GC-60 | Half a day | Free | By car or on the 18 bus |
Where to sleep
Hotel Faro, adults only and with a rooftop infinity pool, is on the Faro square: all of Saturday can be done on foot and the buses from Las Palmas stop next door. With children, the Seaside Grand Hotel Residencia, next to the Oasis palm grove, welcomes families and has a baby pool; in high season it usually asks for a one-week minimum. The Riu Palace Maspalomas, also adults only, is by the dunes viewpoint in Playa del Inglés.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Maspalomas Dunes and the South of Gran Canaria, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Maspalomas Dunes and the South of Gran Canaria
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
By car: coast in the morning, ravine in the afternoon
From Las Palmas you drive down in about three quarters of an hour along the GC-1, the southern motorway. The car is useful for what is not on the beach: going up the GC-60 to the Degollada de las Yeguas, Arteara, Fataga and Tunte, and going down to Puerto Rico for the dolphin boat.
120–220 €per person per day, approximate
- SleepingSeaside Grand Hotel Residencia, with…
- Getting aroundGC-1 to exit 46 for…
- EatingLa Palmera Sur, in Playa…
- ServicesTourist office on Plaza de…
Sleeping
- Seaside Grand Hotel Residencia, with free parking and valet
- Hotel Riu Palace Maspalomas, next to the dunes viewpoint
- Hotel Faro, on the Lighthouse square
Getting around
- GC-1 to exit 46 for the Lighthouse; Playa del Inglés, a few exits earlier
- GC-60 from Maspalomas to Fataga and Tunte: a winding road, take it slowly
- At Puerto Rico, paid parking in the port, about €3 for two hours
Eating
- La Palmera Sur, in Playa del Inglés, open at midday on Sunday
- La Tapita Los Jose's, in San Fernando, Tuesday to Saturday
- La Aquarela, in Patalavaca, for a special dinner
Services
- Tourist office on Plaza de Timanfaya, San Fernando
Without a car: bus from San Telmo and everything on foot
Maspalomas works very well without a car from Las Palmas. Global bus 50 leaves the San Telmo Station and drops you at the Lighthouse, a few steps from the Charca, the beach and the dunes. For the Fataga ravine and Tunte there is line 18, which leaves from the same Lighthouse.
110–200 €per person per day, approximate
- SleepingHotel Faro, next to the…
- Getting aroundLine 50 San Telmo…
- EatingLa Palmera Sur, on foot…
- ServicesMaspalomas Lighthouse bus station
Sleeping
- Hotel Faro, next to the Lighthouse bus station
- Hotel Riu Palace Maspalomas, in Playa del Inglés, with Global line 5
Getting around
- Line 50 San Telmo – Maspalomas Lighthouse; the 30, direct from Santa Catalina
- Line 18 from the Lighthouse to Fataga and Tunte, stopping at the Mirador de las Yeguas
- Hotel pick-up for the cetacean boat, €5 per adult
Eating
- La Palmera Sur, on foot from the dunes viewpoint
- Maspalomas beach kiosks, from 10:30 to 18:00
Services
- Maspalomas Lighthouse bus station
- Dunes visitor centre, next to the Hotel Riu Palace
Luxury beside the reserve
The south has luxury hotels a few steps from the reserve: sleep beside the palm grove or in front of the lighthouse, go down to the sand before anyone else and dine on a starred menu in Patalavaca.
From €250per person per day, approximate
- SleepingSeaside Grand Hotel Residencia, five-star…
- Getting aroundOwn car or taxi; valet…
- EatingLa Aquarela, with a Michelin…
- ServicesRooftop Faro, with a day…
Sleeping
- Seaside Grand Hotel Residencia, five-star grand luxury, with spa included
- Hotel Faro, adults only, with a rooftop infinity pool
Getting around
- Own car or taxi; valet at the Grand Hotel Residencia
- On foot to the Charca, the Lighthouse and the beach
Eating
- La Aquarela, with a Michelin star, dinner only Tuesday to Saturday
- La Palmera Sur, Canarian market cooking
Services
- Rooftop Faro, with a day pass from €40
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights2
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're drivingwithout a carin style
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Seaside Grand Hotel Residencia
Why we like it: Five-star grand luxury between the Oasis palm grove and the dunes, five minutes' walk from the beach. Spa with a thalassotherapy pool included.
Hotel Faro, a Lopesan Collection Hotel
Why we like it: Adults-only hotel on the Maspalomas Lighthouse square, with a rooftop infinity pool and views of the dunes. The Las Palmas buses stop next door.
From €286
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Services for this trip
Areas, for any way of travelling
| Area | Who it's for | Average night |
|---|---|---|
| The Lighthouse and Meloneras | Within walking distance of the Charca and the beach, guaguas to Las Palmas | |
| Playa del Inglés | Next to the dunes viewpoint, more restaurants | |
| Fataga and Tunte | Ravine and mid-altitude village, 30–40 min away |
Where to eat
Where to eat in Maspalomas Dunes and the South of Gran Canaria
La Palmera Sur
What to order: the red porgy ceviche, the squid sandwich on charcoal bread and the black-pig cheek taco; for dessert, the brioche torrija
La Tapita Los Jose's
What to order: the sautéed mushrooms with prawns and ham, the goat's cheese log salad and, at midday on weekdays, the dish of the day
La Aquarela restaurant
What to order: the Experience menu with the Canarian wine pairing; if you do not eat meat or fish, the Harvest, which is vegetarian
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
Set the alarm on Saturday. The dunes at half past seven in the morning have nothing to do with the dunes at midday.
We'd skip it
The midday sun of July and August on the dunes. There is no shade and the sand burns: if you go in summer, do everything first thing or at sunset.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth sleeping in Maspalomas if I live in Las Palmas?
If you want to see the dunes at dawn and do the ravine without rushing, yes. In a day it can be seen, but in a hurry.
How much does the weekend cost?
Between €350 and €600 per person with two nights at Hotel Faro in a double room, the boat and meals, depending on the season.
Can I do it without a car?
Yes: bus 50 to the Faro, hotel pick-up for the boat and bus 18 to go up to Fataga and Tunte.
What do I do if the sea is rough for the boat?
The company refunds the money or changes the date. Swap the boat for the Charca and Maspalomas beach.
Is the Arteara necropolis open?
In November 2026, the Cabildo lists it as temporarily closed. Call 638 810 591 beforehand.