Casa El Olivar

The house has plenty of local information, including loose leaf guides for hikes and walks, which we found useful. Our host also helped us figure out how to reach medical care in Aguimes, 11 km away. The village has shops, bakeries, and restaurants within walking distance, and it sits on a main bus route, though a hire car is probably the best way to make the most of a visit. We stayed in one of four separate apartments in a traditional former Olive mill in the heart of Santa Lucia. The village is lovely and well kept, near the centre of Gran Canaria and close to hill walks and sightseeing, but away from the mass tourism areas. Our room was rustic and comfortably equipped to a basic standard. It has air conditioning, which we didn’t need in February, and very good Wi-Fi plus an internet-enabled TV. The kitchen has two electric hot plates, a microwave, kettle, toaster, juicer, and blender, but no oven. There’s also a secluded, pleasant shared pool and picnic garden, along with a useful, well-equipped shared laundry for people travelling with cabin baggage. We had to ask for a sharp kitchen knife and a plug for the washbasin, and both were provided willingly.