Manicured sands, turquoise waters, and a hint of holiday glamour wrapped in island calm

Purpose-built and palm-polished, Anfi is Gran Canaria’s answer to the kind of beach perfection you normally see on postcards and assume must be heavily filtered. Spoiler: it isn’t.

Created by Norwegian entrepreneur Bjørn Lyng in the early ’90s, Anfi was designed with one clear ambition - to offer a slice of Caribbean-style paradise on the Atlantic’s doorstep. And, rather astonishingly, it succeeded. Step onto Anfi Beach and you’re greeted by soft, imported Bahamian white sand, the colour of icing sugar left too close to a breeze. The sea is a dazzling turquoise, shimmering with the confidence of a destination that knows it’s photogenic from every angle.

The heart of Anfi del Mar is its sweeping promenade, lined with bars, boutiques, cafés, and holidaymakers moving at a pace best described as ‘unhurried shuffle.’ This walkway wraps around the marina, where glossy yachts twinkle in the sunlight as if auditioning for a luxury brochure. Even if you’re not the boating type, the marina is prime territory for casual wandering, preferably with an ice cream in hand and absolutely no plans whatsoever.

Just offshore lies Anfi’s pièce de resistance - the Isla de Mar, a heart-shaped artificial island that has become something of a local icon. Cross the small bridge and you’ll find manicured gardens, leafy pathways, and sunbathing lawns where people calmly roast themselves like well-marinated peppers. It’s romantic in that pleasantly understated way - couples holding hands, kids cartwheeling on the grass, and the odd holidaymaker pretending not to stage their perfect sunset photo.

Despite its glossy finish, Anfi isn’t all show. There’s a surprising friendliness to the place, a kind of relaxed, family-holiday warmth where multilingual chatter floats through the air like background music. Everything feels easy. Need a pedalo? Done. Fancy sushi? Right there. Want to glide out on a dolphin-watching trip? Boats leave from the marina several times a day.

If you wander away from the beach, you’ll find a series of holiday resorts such as Anfi Beach Club, Club Puerto Anfi, Club Monti Anfi and Club Gran Anfi offering killer sea views and pools that glisten invitingly. Anfi is a master of convenience; whatever you need is either within five minutes’ walk or available via a cheerful member of resort staff who appears as if summoned by telepathy.

The area’s location is another of its quiet superpowers. From Anfi, you can stroll to Patalavaca, amble into Arguineguín, or hop on a bus to Puerto Rico, all in under ten minutes. You get all the benefits of a picture-perfect beach without feeling isolated or confined to a resort bubble.

True, Anfi isn’t the place to come if you’re craving gritty authenticity or unpredictable adventure. This is the polished, well-behaved cousin of the Gran Canaria coastline - reassuringly tidy, effortlessly relaxing, and specifically engineered to make you forget what day it is. But if your idea of a holiday involves turquoise sea, guaranteed sunshine, and the gentle hum of carefree contentment, Anfi delivers with style.