One of the three great barranco drives up into the Gran Canaria highlands, the GC 605 hairpins its way up the Mogan Valley until it reaches the cumbres at Ayacata village just below Roque Nublo.

The Tamadaba loop road gives you the best views out over the Atlantic Ocean towards Tenerife and Teide volcano. It's a driving must in Gran Canaria.

This little-known rural road winds up through the northwest of Gran Canaria past cliff-edge villages and flower meadows and brings you to the wild pine forests of Tamadaba. 

As Canary Islands photographers we've visited most of the 500 beaches in the archipelago. It's tough to narrow them down to a Top Ten so we cheated a bit, but here's our pick of the best places in the Canaries to spend a day on the sand.

Nudists love Gran Canaria because it has naked beach spots to suit all tastes. Here's our pick of the best places to get an all-over holiday tan. Click on the beach name to see more detailed info on each one.

Germans know how to bake bread and this little bakery/cafe sells some of Las Palmas' best rolls, along with a range of excellent cakes and pastries. 

Tranquil Pasito Blanco is as close to a private beach as you get in Gran Canaria but is open to all. 

You don't know Gran Canaria until you've ventured beyond the gates of the resorts. Here's the five things we think you have to do if you're in Gran Canaria this week.

Hoya del Pozo beach is low-key even by east Gran Canaria standards, but it is clean and a pleasant place to sit in the sunshine.

Agualdulce is the prettiest beach on Gran Canaria's east coast and one of the island's best small beaches.