8 reasons Gran Canaria is the ultimate spa & wellness escape

Robin McKelvie

It always amazes me that many stressed Europeans feel the need to haul themselves all the way over the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean for a wellness and spa break. Or even further away, to the islands of the Indian Ocean.

The western end of Maspalomas Beach, Gran Canaria © Valery Bareta - Fotolia.com

Why would you when you can just nip down to the Canary Islands and their spa and wellness superstar, Gran Canaria? This idyllic, multi-faceted island is balmy year-round and also perennially welcoming to those in need of relaxation.

And what spa and wellness oases they are on an island blessed with countless spa hotels, thalassotherapy centres and laid-back beach clubs on an island you have to try pretty hard to stay stressed out on.

Getting there: find great value wellness escapes to Gran Canaria with TUI^*, which departs year-round from across the UK.

A continent draped in wellness

Gran Canaria^* is hailed as a 'Continent Miniature'. It's a fair epithet given its epic diversity; so much so, that UNESCO has deemed much of the island one giant biosphere reserve.

One minute you are swathed in dunes that echo the Sahara, the next draped in subtropical rainforest, then the next again breathing in pine-scented air in the rugged mountains. Washed by the Atlantic and kissed by the Trade Winds, this year-round island makes you feel better just by being here.

Deep-rooted wellness

Spa tourism is no Instagram fad on this magical Macaronesian island; the island's health spas have a lineage stretching back over a century. Always keen to experiment beyond the mainstream, the locals are open to all things wellness, with perhaps the wackiest treatment being the experiments on 'sand therapy' in the dune-kissed south.

Today, myriad wellness and thalassotherapy centres range from pampering oases that emphasise your time and luxury to more medically orientated centres.

All sorts of treatments & massages are available © Yatcenko - Adobe Stock Image

On one island, you have hydrotherapy, seaweed, sea-mud therapies and thalassotherapy circuits, alongside all the usual health and beauty favourites. You'll also find Gran Canaria Wellness, an organisation which brings the wealth of options under one umbrella.

Day spa visits

At the Gloria Palace San Agustin Thalasso & Hotel^*, the big attraction is the thalassotherapy circuit, which you'll need a good couple of hours to enjoy. Various hot and cold pools, mercifully mainly hot, ease you around, with jets pummeling you massage-style as you go.

A nice touch is the channel that lets you swim outside for some fresh air and some big Canarian skies. The Lopesan Costa Meloneras^* has another superb spa. Its highlights are the spa suites, where you can enjoy a massage and then slip into the water of your very own plunge pool, with the Atlantic providing a backdrop that deepens the experience further.

Relaxing in a jet pool © David Palau - Adobe Stock Image

Then there is the Salobre Hotel Resort & Serenity^*. Its signature treatment is the Aloe Experience. A therapist will scrub off all your "dead skin cells" before a massage with local aloe vera, meant to rejuvenate your skin.

The final touch is a shot of aloe vera, said to be good for you too. The Bali Beds above the resort's highest pool are a great place to relax after a treatment, with a spirit-soaring view of the mountain and ocean.

A very retro spa hotel

A hotel deserving of a mention all on its own, Seaside Palm Beach^* is a glorious oasis that has charmed savvy holidaymakers since the embryonic days of Gran Canaria tourism in the 1970s. Brilliantly, it has boldly stuck with the hip 1970s' décor, which now makes it the coolest hotel on the island, and a member of Design Hotels.

Relaxation area at Seaside Palm Beach SPA - photo courtesy of the Seaside Palm Beach Hotel

It celebrated its 50th birthday in 2025, and its SPA is still going strong. Think twin thalassotherapy pools (28°C and 32°C), plus a sauna, steam bath, salt cave, and a pool.

There's also a palm-fringed outdoor relaxation area where you can take a dip or forget your worries and stress. The signature treatment is the Pantai Luar, a hot stone massage that uses compressed herb bags instead of stones.

Bountiful beach clubs

Next up is the Perchel Beach Club. No spa treatments here, but plenty of relaxation. There are 'hammocks' by the Atlantic rollers, plus more giant beds that invite a sun-umbrella snooze. You can order drinks to your hammock using a QR code.

The restaurant La Arroceria hits the spot for your equally laidback lunch. Think delicious tapas dishes followed by lobster rice, best enjoyed with a glass of local minerally star Tameran Malvasia Volcanica.

Life-affirming cuisine

Handily, the spa hotels have some of the island's best restaurants. Gorbea Restaurant at the Gloria Palace San Agustin Thalasso & Hotel has a great view of the endless ocean, ideal for savouring epic Gran Canaria sunsets.

It serves Jamon Iberico at the right temperature, which isn't always a given on Gran Canaria. It is also rightly renowned for its decadent shellfish broth.

The Seaside Palm Beach never rests on its hard-won laurels. In 2025, it opened Il Giardino. Enjoy spot-on Italian cuisine and boat-fresh local seafood alongside wines from Italy, the Canaries and the rest of Spain.

Make sure to snare a table outside under the swaying palm trees, where the birdsong makes it feel like a wellness Spotify playlist.

Beyond the spas

Wellness on Gran Canaria is not just about the fancy spas. It's about getting active and being present on and around this remarkable Atlantic island. We're talking hiking on a brilliant network of trails and watersports.

Hiking in the mountains of Gran Canaria © Barmalini - Adobe Stock Image

The waters around Gran Canaria are also alive with our marine mammal cousins. If you head out with Spirit of the Sea for a boat trip, you'll find it hard to be anywhere but in the spirit-soaring present when a pod of dolphins skips by or a whale breaks the surface of the crystal-clear waters.

Climate in Gran Canaria

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	19	20	21	21	22	24	26	27	26	25	22	20
Hours of sunshine (daily)	6	7	7	8	8	9	10	9	8	7	6	6
Days with some rainfall	4	3	3	2	1	1	0	0	1	3	4	5
Sea temperature °C	19	19	19	19	20	21	22	23	23	23	22	20

The above guide shows the climate in Las Palmas. Find out more about conditions across the island in our complete guide to the climate in Gran Canaria.

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Robin McKelvie

Robin McKelvie is a Scottish travel writer, author and broadcaster. He has visited over 100 countries and regularly writes about Scotland and the Canary Islands. As well as frequently contributing to Weather2Travel.com, Robin writes for publications including The Telegraph, The Independent, The Guardian, The Times and Wanderlust, and has authored more than 30 guidebooks.

Posted on Tuesday 6th October 2026 in: Europe & the Mediterranean Spa & wellness Winter sun