A Day in Puerto de Mogán — Ice Cream, Flowers, and Fish in the Marina

A family day with warm streets, good food, and a town we returned to more than once.

I have a small rule that most places are meant to be visited only once. Life is short, the world is big, and there is so much to see. But every now and then I find a place that makes me break that rule. Puerto de Mogán is one of them.

We arrived in the late afternoon. The sky was clear, bright blue, and not a single cloud above us. It was warm, but not too hot — just the kind of warmth you feel straight away when you come from Scotland. At home I always carry a hat in the car, all year round. Here it was the opposite. Shorts, a simple top, sandals, a hat for the sun. I cannot explain how good it felt.

We parked near the marina without any real plan. I knew the town was pretty, but it was even nicer than I expected. They call it the “Little Venice” of Gran Canaria — the narrow canals, the white houses with colourful borders, the flowers growing over the arches. The whole place felt calm and easy. We walked slowly, back and forth through the small streets, taking photos and looking into every corner. I enjoy days without a plan. It gives us space to explore at our own pace.

After a while we wanted a break from the sun, so we went towards the water. We sat by the harbour wall, and I could not believe how many fish were swimming below us. We saw a barracuda, a trumpetfish, and many others. Huge red crabs walked across the rocks. The water was so clear that we could see everything as if we were inside an aquarium. We stayed there for more than an hour, just watching. It was simple, but we all enjoyed it the most. These free little moments often stay with you longer than anything else.

When we finally felt hungry, we went to look for dinner. Travelling self-catering is always a mix of good choices and not-so-good ones. This time the restaurant was fine, and the food was good, but we had eaten better meals during the week. Still, that is part of self-catering. You try, and sometimes you guess right, sometimes not. What I like is the freedom. No fixed dinner times, no pressure to rush anywhere. We can stop where we want and when we want.

After dinner we walked to the beach. The sun was almost gone, so the water looked darker, almost a little scary when I think about how many fish live there. The sand was still warm. The girls ran straight into the sea, laughing and jumping. I stood on the sand watching them and feeling grateful for this simple day. Before heading home, we stopped for gelato — a small holiday tradition and always necessary.

Back at the apartment, we made Canarian salted potatoes for supper. For the first time, they turned out perfectly. We bought a jar of mojo — the local pepper sauce — and it was delicious. Mojo is the sauce you find everywhere on the island.

Cooking on holiday is not always easy, but a few ingredients go a long way. Potatoes with sauce, pasta with vegetables, or a simple salad with some meat on the side — it works well and does not take much time.

It was a full and lovely day. We liked Puerto de Mogán so much that we returned again — maybe even twice. Some places are worth breaking the rule.