A Beauty Place

Lanzarote is a popular holiday island, located in the Canaries. Which are the seven strong Spanish owned island group situated off the coast of West Africa. On the same line of longitude as parts of Mexico and the Bahamas. Enabling visitors to enjoy great weather whatever the time of the year. This clement climate has helped to establish the Canaries as one of the most visited destinations in Spain. And during the course of 2008 alone over 1.5 million foreign tourists enjoyed holidays in Lanzarote – the fourth largest and most easterly island in the group.

So lets have a glimpse of the island and find out why holidays in Lanzarote are so popular and choosing to stay in one of the many Lanzarote holiday villas that the island offers has become almost the most popular private accommodation choice amongst holiday makers.

Like all of the Canaries Lanzarote boasts a unique charm and character. Visitors expecting a lush green island will be disappointed though. As it is much more barren than the rest of the Canaries. As a result of experiencing very little rainfall. Whilst also boasting an arid terrain forged by volcanic eruptions centuries ago.

This volcanic region – called Timanfaya - was declared a national park back in 1974 – and dominates the island’s interior. It’s also the most popular sight on Lanzarote thanks to its incredible lunar like scenery. Which in the past has earned the region a number of starring roles in major movie productions. Most recently Broken Embraces starring Penelope Cruz, the latest release from Spanish director Pedro Almodovar.

There are plenty of places to stay on the island. With visitors able to choose from a large selection of Lanzarote villas, hotels and apartments. The bulk of which are located in the main resorts of Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise. Whilst rural tourism has also started to grow in popularity over the last few years.

Lanzarote offers more than just sunshine and volcanoes alone though. There are over ninety beaches for visitors to explore. The best of which can be found in traditional coastal villages such as Playa Quemada, Famara, Orzola and Arrieta – which all remain largely unspoiled. Whilst each resort boasts a good selection of beaches too – although many of these are man made, created by using sand from the nearby Sahara desert.

Lanzarote was unfairly dubbed Lanzagrotty by Michael Palin during the 1970´s. But this epithet couldn’t be further from the truth. As the island offers a wealth of cultural attractions. With over a dozen museums – such as the fascinating house musem the Palacio Spinola in Teguise. Which provides an insight into the life of an 18th century island merchant. Along with the many works of the local artist César Manrique. Who famously fought for the controlled development of tourism on the island of his birth.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!