Travel

The continuing cold weather in the UK and Northern Europe is helping to focus the minds of many on their summer holiday plans.  With destinations that offer guaranteed sunshine – such as the Canary Islands – close to the top of the list.

The Canaries are in fact the second most visited region of Spain after Catalonia.  And little wonder really as these seven Spanish islands offer much more than just great weather alone.  Boasting wonderful beaches, high standards of accommodation and some of Spain´s most unique tourist attractions.

Lanzarote is the third most popular of these islands after Tenerife and Gran Canaria.  And welcomes around 1.4 million tourists every year.  With a climate that offers loads of sunshine but very little in the way of rainfall.

Holidays in Lanzarote feature in the brochures of all of the main tour operators this year such as First Choice and Thomson.  With plenty of discounts around for early bookings and some attractive deals on accommodation, especially in the resort of Costa Teguise.

Local authorities estimate that tourist beds are split fairly equally between hotels and self catering accommodation.  With around 50% of visitors booking hotels in Lanzarote whilst the remainder favour Lanzarote villas and apartments.

There’s much more to do on Lanzarote than just soak up the sun at the beach or by the pool though.  For those who like a little culture the island is home to one of the most famous Canarian artists of the 20th Century – César Manrique.  Who not only fought a successful battle against over development but also created seven unique centres of art and culture.  Such as the Jameos del Agua, Mirador del Rio and the Cactus Garden.

The islands real star attraction though are undoubtedly the Fire Mountains or Moñtanas del Fuego as they are known locally.  Which were created by massive volcanic activity during the 18th century and which now occupy much of the islands’ interior.  Standing testament to Mother Nature´s incredibly destructive powers.

There are three main resorts on the island  - Costa Teguise, Playa Blanca and Puerto del Carmen.  Costa Teguise is the smallest of the three but is ideally located for anyone keen to explore Lanzarote´s many attractions.  Whilst both Playa Blanca and Puerto del Carmen occupy more sheltered positions on the island’s south east coastline.  With Playa Blanca the best choice for anyone seeking good value hotel accommodation as there is an abundance of four star establishments here.

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