Puerto de Mogan

Puerto de Mogan was a small fishing settlement until the 1980s, when it was developed on a plan quite different from the high-rise resorts further east: low white buildings of two or three storeys, a marina connected to a set of narrow canals crossed by small footbridges, and planting of bougainvillea and hibiscus trained over the walls and pergolas, which is why it is marketed as the little Venice of the Canaries. It has aged better than most Canarian resort development. A small beach sits beside the harbour, a Friday market fills the streets, and fishing boats still work from the port alongside the yachts. Ferries run along the coast to Puerto Rico and Arguineguin, and boat trips go out for dolphins.

What you actually see

• The canals and bridges - narrow waterways crossed by small footbridges.
• The flowered walls - bougainvillea and hibiscus trained over the buildings.
• The working harbour - fishing boats alongside the marina yachts.
• The Friday market - stalls filling the streets weekly.

When to go

Year-round; southern Gran Canaria is dry and warm in all seasons. The Friday market is the busiest day. Cruise calls and coach traffic fill the harbour at midday.

Honest expectations

This is a planned resort rather than a historic village, and the Venice comparison is generous for a handful of short canals. Prices in the harbour restaurants are high. The Friday market is aimed squarely at visitors.

Nearby

Puerto Rico and Amadores lie east; the Mogan valley runs inland to the mountains.