Maspalomas is a tourist town in the south of Gran Canaria, stretching from El Berriel Sports Airport in the east to Pasito Blanco Harbor in the west. The city also includes well-known resorts such as San Agustín, Playa del Inglés, Meloneras or Campo International. Maspalomas is the southernmost part of municipaily the San Bartolomé de Tirajana.
Before the era of tourism
Maspalomas was originally called solitude, located in the area of today’s part of San Fernando. The name of the area, although at first sight sounding Castilian, probably evolved from the original designation of the territory in the Guanch language “Masəbbă-əluməs”. In the language of the original inhabitants, this designation meant “soaked or damaged” and was probably a reference to the swamps in the area of today’s La Charca de Maspalomas pond.
The current Maspalomas is the result of an ambitious development project, which was organized in the form of an international architectural competition from the early 60s of last century. The competition was held under the auspices of Alejandro del Castillo y del Castillo, Count Vega Grande and Guadalupe and his son Alejandro del Castillo y Bravo de Laguna.
This family owns most of the land in the area. The competition included the solution of an area of almost 2,000 hectares, including 19 kilometers of coastline. This area is today known as Maspalomas – Costa Canaria. You can read about the competition itself and the beginnings of construction in a separate article.
Modern resort
Unlike the development of other resorts, which gradually developed in other areas of the Canary Islands, Maspalomas has retained its own character. Gradually, this resort has developed into a fully equipped city, which in terms of tourism is much closer to destinations such as Palm Springs in California or Palm Beach in Florida. Maspalomas has a richly developed infrastructure. Here you will find several private clinics, two hospitals, domestic and foreign educational institutions, shopping and conference centers, casinos, cinemas, golf courses, sports centers, theme parks and churches.
Currently, the designation “Maspalomas – Costa Canaria” covers the entire coastal area from El Berriel Sports Airport to the port of Pasito Blanco. The area is divided into the following parts (from east to west): Bahía Feliz, Playa del Águila, San Agustín, El Veril, Playa del Inglés (the most famous and densely populated part), Bellavista, San Fernando, Campo Internacional, Campo de Golf, Maspalomas Oasis (often used only by Maspalomas), Sonnenland, El Tablero, Meloneras, Pasito Blanco, El Salobre, Montaña la Data, Monte León and Ayagaures.
San Fernando de Maspalomas, Bellavista and El Tablero are predominantly residential areas for workers in this area. The areas of El Salobre, Montaña la Data, Monte León, Ayagaures and the gorges in the northern part developed mainly for leisure activities (sports clubs, amusement parks, botanical and zoological gardens, …). Other areas have mostly tourist use.
Thanks to its year-round mild and stable climate, Maspalomas has gained a number of visitors not only from the ranks of locals but especially Germans, British and Scandinavians. The influx of gay clients had a significant impact on the development of the area. The Playa del Inglés part has become a major winter destination for European gays. Most of the facilities for gay clients are concentrated in the Yumbo Center and its surroundings.
The most sought-after places are the localities of Dunas Maspalomas National Park. (see separate article). The dominant feature of the area is the lighthouse, located in the southernmost part of Gran Canaria. The lighthouse forms the imaginary border between the beaches of Meloneras and Maspalomas. (see separate article) It is also worth mentioning the location of the space station in the western part of Maspalomas (see separate article).
Maspalomas is a destination that combines the sun and the beach. However, it also offers many leisure options. Whether it’s amusement parks, sports grounds (golf, diving, windsurfing, parachuting, football …) but also a relentless nightlife, concentrated in many shopping centers, designed for everyone, regardless of age, gender, religion or sexual orientation.
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