Deciding whether to rent a car in Gran Canaria? Having just returned from a family holiday on this stunning Canary Island, I wanted to share my thoughts and experiences on exploring Gran Canaria without a car.

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Exploring Gran Canaria Without a Car: First-Timer’s Guide

Visiting Gran Canaria for the first time

When planning a trip to a new destination, one of the key decisions is often whether to rent a car or rely on public transport. Personally, I usually turn to Discover Cars for rentals around the world – it’s one of the largest comparison platforms, offering access to both international and local car rental providers, making it easy to find the best deals.

That said, I don’t believe renting a car is necessary for every trip. It really depends on the destination and the kind of travel experience I’m looking for. For our recent trip to Gran Canaria – traveling with two kids and seniors – I went back and forth on the decision right up until the last minute. There were clear pros and cons to both options.

In the end, we chose not to rent a car and explored the island using public transport. For the airport transfer, we booked with Welcome Pickups, which turned out to be extremely convenient for a family trip (check out the IG video here). The driver had car seats already prepared for the children – something that’s not guaranteed in Spain unless you bring your own (even though the law requires car seats for any travel outside of city limits in Spain).

How to explore Gran Canaria Without a Car

Let me share my experience of exploring Gran Canaria without a car, along with a few key points to consider if you’re unsure whether renting a car is necessary for your trip.

Public Transportation in Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria truly surprised me with its extensive and efficient bus network, making it one of the easiest Spanish Islands to explore without a car. Most of the time, the buses were on time and well-synchronized with Google Maps, which made navigating the island incredibly straightforward.

The island’s buses – known locally as guaguas – are frequent, reliable, and serve nearly all major towns, cities, and popular tourist destinations. You can easily catch a bus from Las Palmas, the capital, to places like Maspalomas, Puerto de Mogán, and Agaete. While there is the option to buy a bus Bonus card, paying on board is simple and budget-friendly – you can just tap your credit or debit card when entering the bus.

While sharing my impressions of Gran Canaria on TikTok, including how impressed I was with the public transport, someone commented that the bus experience would be more positive if it weren’t for what they saw as “indifferent or unhelpful bus drivers”. Well, most of the drivers we encountered were focused on doing their job and not especially eager to go above and beyond. But as someone who has lived in Spain for 15 years and runs a business here, I don’t find that surprising. Spaniards are generally friendly, but in public sector jobs, it’s not uncommon to encounter a more relaxed attitude toward customer service.

That said, we did meet a few lovely bus drivers who were exceptionally helpful. One driver in particular asked where we were headed and suggested a faster route. When we got to the correct stop, he signaled to us to get off and even gave clear directions on how to reach our destination more efficiently. It wasn’t part of his job, but it was a kind gesture that we really appreciated.

Where to stay in Gran Canaria without a car

As I mentioned earlier, Gran Canaria has a frequent and well-connected bus network linking all the major destinations – including Las Palmas (the capital), Maspalomas, Puerto de Mogán, and Agaete. Since we chose not to rent a car, we decided to stay in Las Palmas. Capital cities are usually the best-connected hubs, and in our case, it turned out to be a smart decision.

While Las Palmas may not be the most picturesque place to stay on the island, it was the most time-efficient choice for our five-day trip, as we planned to explore a different part of the island each day.

If you’re planning a more relaxed itinerary – perhaps spending a few days on the beach with just a couple of day trips – then Puerto de Mogán might be a great choice too. It was, in my opinion, the prettiest area for beach lovers. Alternatively, Maspalomas is a great option for those looking for nightlife and a livelier atmosphere – it actually reminded me a bit of Benidorm.

You can check out the best accommodation options on the map below.

Taxis and Transfers in Gran Canaria

While public transportation in Gran Canaria is excellent, there may be times when you prefer a more direct or convenient option. In those cases, taxis and transfer services are a great alternative. We only booked a private airport transfer through Welcome Pickups, which was extremely comfortable and hassle-free.

A few times, our senior family members opted to take a taxi back after long walks, and overall, we found taxis to be relatively affordable and easy to use – noticeably more so than in places like Mallorca. I also called local taxi companies a few times, and each time the taxi arrived quickly and without issue.

Most taxis accept credit cards, though I always recommend carrying some cash just in case. Interestingly, in our experience, many drivers preferred card payments or asked for the exact amount in cash because they were low on change. That said, as someone who travels frequently across Spain, I’ve also encountered the opposite – where drivers claim the card machine is broken to push for cash payments. So it’s best to be prepared for both scenarios.

Extra Walking When Using Public Transport in Gran Canaria

One important thing to keep in mind when using public transport in Gran Canaria is that it often involves some extra walking. Buses typically don’t drop you off right at your final destination, so you should expect a short walk before or after your ride. That said, we found this to be perfectly manageable – even for the seniors in our group – thanks to the island’s extensive bus routes and well-placed stops that usually get you fairly close to where you need to be.

The walking itself was actually quite pleasant. Gran Canaria’s climate is ideal for exploring on foot – especially in the north, where the weather reminded me of Hawaii: it can go from sunshine to a quick rain shower and back again in 10 minutes, but it’s rarely too hot or too cold. This made walking to and from bus stops a comfortable part of the journey.

Can You See It All Using Only Public Transport in Gran Canaria?

If you love vacations packed with activities, you might be wondering whether you can actually see it all using just public transport in Gran Canaria. The answer is both yes and no. Almost all the major destinations and attractions on the island are connected by bus, but sometimes the journeys can take a bit longer than by car.

We based ourselves in the island’s capital, Las Palmas, which was a great choice since it’s very well connected by bus. From there, we easily visited places like Puerto de Mogán, Maspalomas, Arucas, Agaete, and the botanical garden. However, we decided not to visit Tejeda, the island’s most famous village, because the bus ride would have taken more than two hours each way, while by car it’s only about an hour.

Tejeda was the only place I wished we could have visited but didn’t due to not having a car. Other than that, everything else I wanted to see was easily accessible by bus from Las Palmas, with frequent service that added a lot of flexibility to our plans. In terms of time, the difference between traveling by bus and by car wasn’t too significant. Plus, buses almost always had available seats, allowing me to relax, listen to new audiobooks for my BookTok channel, and enjoy the scenic views – all instead of having to focus on driving and hunting for parking spots, which would have been the case if we had rented a car.

The Best Day Trips and Guided Tours in Gran Canaria

Another important point to consider if you’re planning to visit Gran Canaria without a car is the variety of tours you can pre-book through platforms like GetYourGuide, Viator, or Tiqets (use ATC5 code for a 5% discount via this link) – especially if you’re staying in one of the major cities. Like many tourist destinations, Gran Canaria offers numerous guided tours that typically include transportation, so you can simply relax and enjoy the experience without worrying about logistics.

For our trip, we didn’t book any full guided tours since we were traveling with small children and wanted the freedom to explore at our own pace rather than follow a group. However, we did book individual tickets and experiences through these platforms, including entrance to Poema del Mar Aquarium via Tiqets, a visit to Arehucas Distillery through Viator, and Mundo del Plátano via GetYourGuide.

Gran Canaria Without a Car – Is It Really Worth It?

As I already shared in my TikTok video, Gran Canaria surprised me a lot. I didn’t expect the island to offer such a bit of everything – beaches, landmarks, great food, and beautiful nature. We really enjoyed a versatile island vacation, and there was no need to rent a car to experience it all.

Staying in Las Palmas, the capital city, we were able to visit almost everything we had initially planned quite efficiently (except for Tejeda). So, I’d say that for people looking for a mix of a relaxed vacation with occasional sightseeing, not renting a car is a great option.

That said, since we traveled by bus in various directions across the island, I noticed the roads generally looked good, and driving around would likely be a comfortable experience as well. For future visits to Gran Canaria, I might consider renting a car to explore some places we missed or to do some hiking – especially if we’re traveling without our senior family members, who initially said they weren’t up for it.

Basically, as first-time visitors seeing all the most popular spots, we managed to plan our entire 5-day itinerary without a car. Renting a car in Gran Canaria isn’t unnecessary; it definitely has perks, such as complete freedom to move around the island independently of bus schedules. However, in our case, I’m 100% satisfied with exploring the island without a car – which honestly came as a surprise since I was skeptical about the bus service. I expected the buses to be less frequent and less punctual than they actually were.

Read more about the Canary Islands:

• Epic Tenerife Family Holidays: All You Need to Know (read it)
• 10 Best Spanish Islands to Visit (read it)
• Top Beautiful Places in The Canary Islands (read it)
• 5 Days in Lanzarote: Cool things to do in Lanzarote (read it)
• A Visual Guide To The Cactus Garden in Lanzarote (read it)
• Ultimate 4-Day South Tenerife Itinerary (read it)
• An Ultimate One Week in Tenerife Itinerary (read it)
• Gran Canaria or Lanzarote: The Canary Island I Liked More (read it)
• Ultimate 5-Day Gran Canaria Itinerary (read it)
• Mallorca or Tenerife: Which One Is Better for Your Next Holiday? (read it)
• What to Eat in Gran Canaria: Best Foods + Restaurants (read it)
• Where to Stay in Gran Canaria: Best Areas for First-Timers (read it)
• Gran Canaria with Kids: Best Places to Stay & Fun Things to Do (read it)
• Tenerife or Gran Canaria: Where Would I Return? (read it)
• Best Hikes in Fuerteventura (read it)

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For more Spain travel tips and itineraries check my Pinterest boards Best of Spain and Spain Travel Collection.

• Accommodation: For short stays, I usually book via Agoda and Booking
• Tours&excursions: My favorites for guided tours are GetYourGuide and Viator
• Museums&attractions: Get mobile tickets for attractions via Tiqets (use ATC5 code for a 5% discount via this link)
• Semi-private & private tours: LivTours is my favorite place for unique & crafted experiences in Europe
• For Foodies: Eatwith is a unique platform for finding culinary experiences with locals around the world
• Audio guides: Book audio excursions & tours in 35+ countries via WeGoTrip
• Flights: Find the best deals with Skyscanner and Kiwi
• Driving in a new country? – Check out Tripiamo guides (do not miss Tripiamo Driving in Spain Guide)
• Train&bus tickets: Currently, I book via Omio (10% off with code ATC10 for first-time customers)
• Car rental: To find the best deals, I use Discover Cars
• Top E-Sim: To avoid roaming fees, I like Holafly (use ATLIFESTYLECROSSROADS for for a 5% discount)
• Shop My Level8 Suitcase: get 15% off with the code ATC15 here
• Internet Security on the road: Connect safely to public Wi-Fi and bypass censorship with NordVPN
• Transfers: For individual transfer services, I like GetTransfer and Kiwitaxi
• Suitcases&Luggage: Discover where to store your luggage on the go with Radical Storage
• Travel Insurance: Find the best trip insurance plans via VisitorsCoverage and EKTA
• Compensation for delayed/canceled flights: Check out AirHelp and Compensair
• Renting Bikes: To find motorcycles, scooters, quads, and bicycles, I use BikesBooking
• Package Tours: Head to CheapOair and Expedia
• For Bloggers: To monetize my blog, I work with Travelpayouts and Stay22
• Website Owners: For hosting services, I work with and recommend Lyrical Host (get 10% off with my code ATC10)