A
brief guide to Lanzarote holidays
Lanzarote is the largest
of the Canary islands, and also the island that is the farthest
east in this group. Lanzarote is actually very close to
the coast of Africa – a mere 80 miles away –
and this proximity means that the island is blessed with
warm weather all year round. During the heat of summer,
the trade winds that once upon a time provided the impetus
for Columbus to cross the Atlantic are a constant and welcome
source of free air conditioning.
Lanzarote, like the other Canary islands,
is largely comprised of volcanic rock, with some of the
eruptions that formed the island occurring only a few hundred
years ago. This recent history has left a legacy of black
volcanic rock that gives Lanzarote a striking appearance,
with inland parts of the island resembling a lunar landscape.
The striking, desert like interior was in fact used during
the filming of the ‘60’s prehistoric epic, One
Million Years BC.
There is a national park in the centre
of Lanzarote, Timanfaya, where you can explore the top of
an active volcano, and get some truly striking holiday snaps.
There are also a good selection of beaches on the coast
for the more traditional family holiday pastimes. Some of
these beaches are covered in the black volcanic dust so
characteristic of Lanzarote; but for those that prefer classic
gold, there are also plenty of beaches covered with sand
that has blown over from the nearby Sahara…
Costa Teguise is a long established and
well developed resort that has plenty of golden sands. There
is a good mixture of traditional style tapas bars, and British
and Irish family orientated bars, cafes and restaurants.
Costa Teguise is situated on a windy coast of the island,
and attracts a lot of windsurfers. There are plenty of suitably
accredited schools that can offer lessons for those wishing
to sample the sport.
Puerto del Carmen attracts devotees of
the funkier cousin of windsurfing, surfing, and the average
crowd is often a little younger than the pensioner popular
Costa Teguise – and this is reflected in the nightlife.
There are still plenty of establishments catering for families,
and the nightlife could not be described as riotous –
perhaps just a little funkier than the more sedate resorts
elsewhere on the island.
Lanzarote has been a popular tourist
destination for a long time, and so many of the established
operators like Thomas Cook offer a selection of Lanzarote
holidays year round – try looking online to get
an idea what’s on offer.
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