Playa Taurito Holidays

Playa Taurito is one of Gran Canaria's most distinctive resort spots, a purpose-built holiday valley wedged into a natural amphitheatre between volcanic cliffs on the island's south-west coast. The headline draw is the cliff-sheltered black-sand beach and the Lago Taurito waterpark, the saltwater lagoon-and-slides complex that sits at the heart of the resort, but the overall character is what really sets the place apart: the steep ravine walls block out the trade winds and clouds, creating a microclimate that's noticeably warmer and sunnier than the bigger resorts further east.

✨ Highlights of your Holidays to Playa Taurito

• 🏞️ The Volcanic Valley Setting. Playa Taurito is built into a steep-walled volcanic ravine on the south-west coast, with the cliffs forming a natural amphitheatre around the resort. The dramatic setting is unlike anywhere else in Gran Canaria, and the cliff walls give the whole place a properly enclosed sun-trap feel.

• 🏊 Lago Taurito Waterpark. The signature draw, a huge saltwater lagoon-and-slides complex right in the centre of the resort. Big slides, a wave pool, a lazy river, kids' splash zones and Atlantic-side sun terraces. Most of the local hotels sit a 2-5 minute walk away and several offer waterpark access included as part of your stay.

• 🏖️ The Black Sand Beach. Playa Taurito's main beach is a sheltered crescent of dark volcanic sand backed by the cliffs and the resort buildings, with calm reef-protected swimming water that stays warm year-round. A proper change from the standard golden Canarian beaches and properly photogenic at sunset.

• 🚶 Compact and Walkable Resort. The whole of Playa Taurito is essentially one self-contained valley, walkable end to end in five minutes. Hotels, beach, waterpark, restaurants and bars all sit within a few hundred metres of each other. No buses, no taxis, no logistics, just roll out of bed and onto the lounger.

📌 Good to Know – Playa Taurito Holidays

☀️ Year-Round Sun-Trap Microclimate. The cliff walls block out the prevailing trade winds and clouds that affect the bigger east-coast resorts, so Playa Taurito reliably runs warmer and sunnier than Maspalomas or Playa del Ingles. Highs of 23-28°C all year, peaking at 28-30°C in July to September.

💰 The currency is the Euro (€). A beer is £2 to £4, a sit-down restaurant meal £12 to £20, a taxi to Puerto de Mogan around £8 to £12, and a Lago Taurito day ticket around £18 to £25 if it's not included with your hotel.

🗣️ Spanish is the language and English is widely spoken in tourist-facing places. Hotel staff, the waterpark, restaurant menus and the boat trips all work in English.

🏨 Top Playa Taurito Hotels 2026/2027

Playa Taurito is a properly compact resort with a small but quality cluster of hotels, almost all within a five-minute walk of the beach and the Lago Taurito waterpark. See all our Playa Taurito hotels here, or check our all-inclusive Gran Canaria options if you want unlimited vino tinto and Canarian potatoes sorted before you've even unpacked.

• Princess Taurito. Beachfront family resort with one of the best positions in the valley, a 2-minute walk to the black sand beach and a 3-minute walk to the Lago Oasis Waterpark. Multiple restaurants and bars including the Princess buffet with live cooking stations, kids' club, mini disco and splash zone, plus an enormous outdoor pool with ocean views. Properly equipped for a family week.

• LIVVO Lago Taurito & Waterpark. Family-friendly four-star with direct waterpark access included as part of the all-inclusive (worth flagging: all-inclusive service is hotel-only, all-inclusive at the waterpark is a small supplement). Spacious rooms with garden or sea views, family rooms with kitchenettes, buffet restaurant with Spanish, Italian and Thai stations, and a pool bar. Brilliant value for a waterpark-focused family week.

• LIVVO Costa Taurito & Waterpark. The bigger sister property, with a Mediterranean restaurant, snack bar, swimming pool, kids' pool, two tennis courts, squash, gym, mini golf and the same waterpark access. Brilliant for active families and groups wanting more on-site facilities than the standard apartment-style stays.

• LIVVO Taurito Secret. Comfortable mid-range four-star with partial sea view or sea view doubles plus family rooms, buffet restaurant serving global cuisine, and waterpark access available with an in-resort supplement. The straightforward, properly-priced Playa Taurito option.

• Suite Princess (Adults Only). The grown-up adults-only pick on Taurito Beach, with bright Junior Suites, two freshwater pools, sauna, games corner and a disco. Buffet and a la carte dining options. Properly chilled couples' base if the family-resort energy isn't your thing.

• Cordial Magec Taurito. Stylish self-catering apartment complex 600 metres from the beach, with one-bedroom apartments featuring full kitchens (ceramic hob, microwave, fridge, freezer, toaster, coffee machine), two pools (one for kids), gym, pool table and table tennis. Eight superior apartments come with private gardens. Brilliant for self-catering families and groups wanting kitchen privacy.

• Club Cala Blanca. Self-catering hillside complex with Atlantic Ocean views, 1.6 km from Taurito Beach. Apartments with kitchenettes, outdoor pool, indoor whirlpool, kids' playground, tennis court, gym, sauna and pool table. Note the hillside location means it's not ideal for guests with reduced mobility, but the views are properly spectacular.

👉 See all Playa Taurito hotels | See all all-inclusive Gran Canaria hotels

🏖️ Best Beaches in Playa Taurito

• 🏖️ Playa Taurito (Main Beach). The headline beach for the resort, a sheltered crescent of dark volcanic sand backed by the dramatic cliffs and the resort buildings. Calm reef-protected swimming water, lifeguards in season and properly easy access from every hotel in the valley. Watching paragliders land on the beach is one of the small but genuine pleasures of staying here.

• 🌊 Playa de Mogan. Stunning golden beach 10 minutes west by car or bus, sitting next to the postcard-pretty Puerto de Mogan marina. Calm shallow water for families, beach bars and restaurants on the seafront, plus easy access to the marina's Friday market and the Submarine Adventure dock. Combine with a marina lunch.

• 🌅 Playa de Amadores. Man-made crescent of imported white sand 15 minutes east by bus or car, properly photogenic with calm turquoise water, beach bars, watersports rentals and lifeguards. The most photogenic beach within easy reach of Playa Taurito and a brilliant change-of-scenery day trip.

• ⛱️ Playa del Cura. Quieter volcanic-sand beach 5 minutes east, with a more local feel and fewer facilities than the resort beaches. Good if you want a calmer alternative to Playa Taurito itself with less of the waterpark crowd, plus a couple of authentic seafood restaurants in the small Playa del Cura village.

• 🏝️ Anfi del Mar. The famous Caribbean-look heart-shaped beach 25 minutes east by bus, with imported soft white sand and turquoise calm water. Properly photogenic and sometimes called the most beautiful beach in Gran Canaria. Day trip with a hire car or local bus.

📍 Where to Stay on Your Playa Taurito Holidays

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families

For families, the big Princess Taurito and the LIVVO Lago Taurito & Waterpark hotels are the natural picks because they sit closest to the beach and the waterpark, with kids' clubs, splash zones, family rooms with kitchenettes and direct waterpark access included on certain stays. The whole resort is walkable so families can wander between the beach, the waterpark and the restaurants without ever needing transport.

💑 Couples

For couples, Suite Princess is the obvious pick as the only adults-only property in Playa Taurito, with the calmer pool scene, the Junior Suites and the disco for evening wind-down. Otherwise the LIVVO Taurito Secret works for couples wanting a quieter four-star without the family-resort energy. For a properly grown-up base in the wider area, the marina-side hotels in Puerto de Mogan just 10 minutes west are a romantic alternative.

🎉 Groups

For groups, the bigger LIVVO Costa Taurito & Waterpark works thanks to the on-site facilities (tennis, squash, gym, mini golf, restaurant) that keep the squad busy without leaving the resort. Self-catering apartment complexes like Cordial Magec Taurito or Club Cala Blanca work for groups wanting kitchen privacy and the flexibility to do their own thing. Groups wanting more nightlife should look toward Puerto Rico or Maspalomas along the coast.

🗣️ Local Lingo for Your Playa Taurito Holidays

Spanish is the language and English is widely spoken in tourist-facing places, but a few words go down well in the off-resort restaurants and the Mogan market.

• 👋 Buenos días (BWAY-nos DEE-as), Good morning. The standard greeting before midday.

• 🙏 Por favor / Gracias (por fah-VOR / GRAH-thee-as), Please / Thank you. The basics, properly appreciated.

• 🍻 Una cerveza, por favor (OO-nah ther-VAY-thah, por fah-VOR), A beer, please. The standard order at any beach bar.

• 🌊 ¿Dónde está la playa? (DON-day es-TAH lah PLAH-ya), Where's the beach? Useful when you've wandered into Mogan and forgotten the way back.

• 🌅 ¡Salud! (sah-LOOD), Cheers / To your health. The toast for vino, sangria, Canarian rum or anything else.

🗺️ Holidays to Playa Taurito – Travel Guide 2026 / 2027

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families

• 🏊 Spend a Day at Lago Taurito Waterpark. The signature draw, with a huge saltwater lagoon, big slides, a wave pool, lazy river and kids' splash zones. Worth checking with your hotel whether access is included with your stay or whether you'll buy day tickets at the gate.

• 🌊 Beach Day at Playa Taurito. The sheltered black-sand beach right in the resort, with calm reef-protected swimming water, lifeguards in season and beach bars for ice creams. The proper family beach for the holiday.

• 🚌 Trip to Puerto de Mogan ("Little Venice"). The flower-strewn marina village 10 minutes west, with flower-filled streets, the Friday market (one of the best in Gran Canaria), restaurants on the seafront and the Atlantic Submarine Adventure (40-minute trip down to 25 metres, kids over 2 years welcome).

• 🦒 Day at Palmitos Park. The big bird and animal park with parrot shows, dolphin shows, an aquarium and tropical gardens, around 25 minutes by car east of Playa Taurito. Properly memorable family day out.

💑 Couples

• 🌅 Sunset on the Cliffs. Playa Taurito faces west and the cliff walls frame one of the best sunsets on Gran Canaria. Walk up the path on the eastern side of the valley for the elevated view, or grab a table at one of the beachfront restaurants for sunset cocktails.

• 🛥️ Catamaran Trip from Puerto Rico. Day-charter catamarans run from Puerto Rico (15 minutes east), with snorkelling stops, dolphin watching, lunch on board and the chance to swim from the boat in the calm Atlantic. Couples-friendly adults-only options available.

• 🏘️ Dinner at Puerto de Mogan. The marina village's seafront restaurants are properly atmospheric in the evening, with fresh fish, paella, tapas and Canarian wines. Try Restaurante La Bodega or Restaurante Cofradia for the local picks.

• 🌄 Drive Up to Roque Nublo. The dramatic volcanic rock formation in the centre of Gran Canaria, a 90-minute drive north into the mountains from Playa Taurito. The hike to the summit takes 30 minutes from the car park and the views back across the south coast are properly spectacular.

🎉 Groups

• 🚙 Hire a Car for the South-West Coast. Playa Taurito's compact valley feels properly self-contained and the natural group plan is to hire cars and explore the wider south-west: Puerto de Mogan, Amadores, Puerto Rico, Anfi del Mar, all within 30 minutes east, plus the mountain villages of Tejeda and Artenara to the north.

• 🚣 Sea Caves Kayaking. Group kayak tours leave from the Playa Taurito and Mogan beaches, paddling along the cliffs and into hidden sea caves carved into the volcanic rock. Properly memorable group activity with photo opportunities you won't get from land.

• 🛥️ Submarine Adventure from Puerto de Mogan. The yellow Atlantic Submarine takes groups down to 25 metres to see shipwrecks, marine life and the Atlantic seabed. 40-minute trip and a properly different group experience.

• 🍻 Bowling and Arcade at the Resort, then Dinner in Mogan. Playa Taurito has its own bowling alley and games arcade for the warm-up, then take the bus or taxi to Puerto de Mogan for dinner at one of the marina-side restaurants.

🌍 More Destinations for 2026/2027

• 🏘️ Puerto de Mogan, the picture-perfect marina village right next door, with flower-filled streets, the famous Friday market and a properly characterful "Little Venice" feel that's nothing like the bigger resort strips.

• 🏖️ Amadores, the man-made crescent of imported white sand 15 minutes east, with calm turquoise water, beach bars and a properly stylised resort layout designed around the beach.

• ⛵ Puerto Rico, the busier purpose-built resort 15 minutes east with a working harbour for boat trips, watersports galore and a livelier evening scene than Taurito.

• 🌅 Maspalomas, the headline Gran Canaria resort 30 minutes east, with the otherworldly sand dunes, a vast golden beach, the lively Yumbo Centre nightlife and the most extensive resort facilities on the island.

• 🌋 Gran Canaria, the wider "mini-continent" island with mountain villages, volcanic landscapes, the cosmopolitan capital Las Palmas and dozens of beach resorts to choose from.