Playa del Cura: The Quiet Cove That Lets You Breathe

If Gran Canaria were a book, the south-west would be its dog-eared chapter: the part you keep returning to, the part that smells faintly of sunscreen and sea breeze. Hidden within that familiar coastline is Playa del Cura, a place that doesn’t shout about itself. Instead, it nudges you gently and says, ‘Sit. Stay a while. The world can wait.’

Playa del Cura has always felt like the south coast’s mellow cousin, calmer than Puerto Rico, quieter than Amadores, less polished than Anfi. The cliffs surrounding it rise like ancient guardians, sun-baked and reassuring, giving the bay a cradled, almost cosy feel. It’s the kind of place where you can hear your thoughts again, though whether you want to is another matter entirely.

Walk through the small collection of apartment complexes and hotels such as Hotel Riviera Vista, H10 Costa Mogán and Idyll Suites you’ll notice how unhurried everything feels. Residents amble to the little supermarket for fresh bread, towel draped sun-seekers meander down to the beach and café owners lean on door frames as if they're auditioning for the role of ‘chilled local’ in a travel advert.

The beach itself is a simple affair. Golden-brown sand, a gently sloping shoreline, and waters that tend to stay calm thanks to the protective cliffs. Don’t expect DJs or inflatable flamingos here. Playa del Cura prefers the soundtrack of gentle waves, a few Canarian families chatting, and the occasional clink of beer bottles from the nearby terraces. It’s the kind of place a person might come to spring clean their soul.

There’s something about the air - drier, warmer, tinged with the scent of sunbaked earth - that invites you to declutter. Time moves differently here. You feel less like a tourist and more like someone who’s stumbled into an easier version of life.

For those who want light adventure, you can wander along the coastal walkway to Amadores, watching fishing boats bob lazily offshore, or continue onward towards Puerto Rico if you fancy a livelier scene. If you’re feeling sprightly, trails behind the resort wind up into the hills, giving you views over the entire curve of the coastline - a reward that feels disproportionately glorious for the modest effort.

Food-wise, Playa del Cura serves up exactly what you’d expect of a small Canarian seaside town: honest cooking, friendly faces, and plates that appear with satisfying speed. Think grilled fish,  papas arrugadas with mojo and cold beers all under a hot Atlantic sun.

Nights in Playa del Cura are warm, slow and pleasantly uneventful. The cliffs hold onto the day’s heat, and the glow from terraces reflects off the bay like scattered gold. You might hear the distant hum of nightlife drifting over from Puerto Rico, but here it softens into background music - a reminder that pounding beats and neon exists, just not on this doorstep.

Playa del Cura may not be glamorous or dramatic, but it is genuine. And in a world full of noise, there’s something rather compelling about a place that lets you cleanse and simply be.