Gran Canaria has everything you could ever want in an island paradise: verdant valleys, majestic mountains, vast sand dunes, volcanic craters, deep ravines, meandering coastlines, fantastic beaches, and sometimes, snow-capped peaks. Las Palmas, the capital of Gran Canaria, is home to the urban beach district Playa de las Canteras, the Catedral de Santa Ana, clusters of Gran Canaria hotels, and some of the finest examples of Canarian architecture. The peaceful fishing village of Puerto de Las Nieves is fast becoming a popular tourist destination, but it still retains its quaint allure. Caldera de Bandama is a 200-meter-deep volcanic crater, on whose peak you will find an observation platform that affords you a scenic vista of the island.