Gran Canaria sells itself as a Miniature Continent, but this can make the place sound like one of those model villages that nobody visits. Be in no doubt that Gran Canaria's top sights are epic in scale and well worth visiting. 

Whether you surf, swim, run or drive, there's a Gran Canaria competition that you have to watch or try to win. Here are the Top Ten annual sporting events in Gran Canaria. 

With everything from drag queen galas and wailing widows to tapas stands the Las Palmas carnival is an epic fiesta. It's got be Europe's biggest outdoor party and stretches out over three weeks, four if you count the times it takes to clear up the sequins.

Some people say that Las Canteras is one of the top city beaches in Europe. We say it's number one. In fact, we'll go further and say that Las Canteras deserves to be at the top of any "best city beaches in the world" list.

Bloggers and travel writers obsess about the real Gran Canaria. They write about exploring hidden beaches and finding secret villages. It's silly, to be honest.

Watch Canarians on the beach and you'll see that they do something odd. They coat themselves in beach sand and rub their skin vigorously: They're not crazy but know about one of the ocean's secrets. Wet beach sand, coated with sea salt and minerals, is great for your skin.

 Tiny Carrizal de Tejeda is Gran Canaria's Masca hamlet but without its Tenerife twin's souvenir shops and coach queues. 

The only access, unless you hike or bike in, is via the tortuous GC-606 road between the Cumbres and La Aldea. It's narrow, windy and barrier-free in parts but well worth the effort.

There's not much to do in Carrizal de Tejeda except wander about and enjoy the tranquility. Have a drink at the bar and enjoy the view from its rooftop terrace. 

Stop at the viewpoint just above the hamlet for a bird's eye view of Gran Canaria's least known volcanic monolith: Roque Palmes is a stunning mini Roque Nublo sitting right in the middle of a steep gorge. 

The GC 15 is the main northern route up from Las Palmas to Cruz de Tejeda and the Gran Canaria highlands. It's windy but wide and runs through the green valleys and hillsides of northeast Gran Canaria and a series of interesting towns and villages. 

Steep and hair-raising, the GC 210 road drops from the pine-shrouded cumbres right down to the west coast town of La Aldea de San Nicolas. It's the kind of the road that fries brake pads and makes grown men cry (we've seen it happen).

But wow, is it spectacular.

GC 210 starts between Cruz de Tejeda and Tejeda on the GC 60. First you drive through Artenara, Gran Canaria's highest village: Stop for views of the island's central caldera and its iconic rocks. Further on the road drops steeply in a series of hair pin bends and get glimpses of the cave village of Acusa Seca (look behind you) and the emerald green Presa de Parralillo reservoir.

The most famous viewpoint here is by the renovated old windmill: A great spot for the photos without having to stop in the road.

This is Gran Canaria at its wildest with huge masses of volcanic rock cleaved by deep ravines. Nobody has lived here since pre-Hispanic times apart from a few goatherds.

The GC 60 links up with the GC 606 that takes you back up to the main road, but it's a steep old climb with huge drop-offs and no barriers.

Otherwise, you come out in La Aldea and have to choose between going north or south along another lunatic road: The GC 200. North takes you along the cliff edge route up the west coast to Agaete and south heads inland through the steep Degollada de Tasarte back to the south.

Santa Lucia has quietly become south Gran Canaria rural tourism centre. With its palm-filled valleys, traditional houses and mellow way of life it deserves to be better known. Perhaps it's best if it stays out of the brochures.