Simon Calder shares Europe’s sunniest destination

Simon Calder joined ITV’s This Morning to talk about some of the world’s sunniest holiday destinations and luckily for Britons, there’s one in Europe.

He recommended Las Palmas, the capital city of Spain’s Gran Canaria, for Britons seeking a bit of sunny weather this May.

The travel expert told ITV: “There’s so much to do. It’s of course got fantastic interior, great beaches and the capital, Las Palmas itself is a lovely place with a beautiful historic area.

“And on top of that, fantastic seafood restaurants. So if you want that glass of rose with a good bit of seafood, then just head straight for the beach.”

Simon said some fantastic deals are on offer for British tourists who want to travel to the Canary island.

Gran Canaria is very close to the Equator so tourists have a much better chance of sunny weather than in the UK.

Presenter Ben asked Simon if the Canaries would be too windy as he said he’d experienced high winds on holiday in Fuerteventura.

Simon said: “It can be. Fuerteventura, if you want to go windsurfing – it’s terrific. If you want to lie on the beach, it’s not so good. But honestly, this is in the very southern tip and therefore it is pretty well protected.”

Las Palmas’ top-rated beach is Playa de Las Canteras, an urban beach right in the city centre.

A tourist said: “A very nice and large beach. There were a lot of people, the beach itself was clean.”

Tourists will also be a short step from many of the city’s best bars and restaurants, especially if they fancy a glass of rose and some seafood as Simon suggests.

Aside from relaxing on the beach, tourists can visit the Casa de Colon, a former home of Christopher Columbus.

The house has now been converted into a museum and holds several of his drawings and journals.

Gran Canaria’s botanic garden is also top-rated and has a huge range of plants including exotic species and cacti.