Gran Canaria's plan to use its reservoirs as a giant battery to store wind energy is expected to generate 60% of the island's electricity needs within five years.

There's no shortage of local events in Gran Canaria with a village romeria (fiesta) or six every weekend but what about international events? Well, here's our pick of the top Gran Canaria events that tourists and visitors have to attend.

Save money and avoid rip-off bank charges while in Gran Canaria by paying in euros when using your credit or debit card.

Many bars and restaurants in Gran Canaria, and in almost all European holiday destinations, give you the option of paying in euros or in your home currency. Opting for your own currency, while it may seem like the safer option, can add as much as 5% to the bill as it triggers dynamic currency conversion. 

DCC basically means that the exchange rate is calculated at point of sale rather than by your bank. It allows you to see the total cost of the transaction in your own currency but adds up to 5% to the total because it uses a terrible exchange rate. 

Since the extra money is shared between your bank and the merchant, some places will automatically bill you in your own currency and hope you don't notice. You have the legal right to refuse and void the transaction should this happen. 

ATMs too

The same applies when taking money out of ATM machines in Gran Canaria (and anywhere in Europe); Always choose the local currency option to avoid losing money to poor exchange rates.

If you opt for the local currency option, using bank ATMs is often the cheapest and safest way of getting euros in Gran Canaria. It's far safer than having a big pile of euros hidden in your room or tucked into your shorts.

More details in this Daily Telegraph article.

The Catholic church rather than the local tourist authorities still decides when to open church doors in Gran Canaria. This means that some of the island's prettiest churches, such as the Puerto de las Nieves hermitage, are often closed during the day.

Gran Canaria's east coast beaches are a mixed bag with everything from windswept pebble beaches to sheltered coves with golden sand. Salinetas beach is the prettiest and most accessible of the east beaches.

A recent draft law released by the San Bartolomé de Tirajana town hall (Ayuntamiento) has generated widespread confusion and worry in Gran Canaria. However, there is little to be concerned about as the situation is being hyped up for political reasons. Here's a concise summary of what's going on and what it means.

We have updated this article to take into account the important effects of the 1995 Ordenación del Turismo de Canarias law.

Taxis in Gran Canaria's capital city Las Palmas are amongst the cheapest in Spain, according to a recent survey.

The trouble with ordering big beers in Gran Canaria is that they often warm up before you get to the end.

With Gran Canaria car rental you get what you pay for and if you pay the absolute minimum, what you get is a headache and a ruined holiday.

While papas con mojo and seafood get all the attention, Gran Canaria's delicious doughnuts are a daily treat that you have to try.