Lanzarote: the Best of the Canary Islands

There is a saying in Lanzarote: “Visit Lanzarote once, and love it forever”. It is certainly true that this most northerly of the Canary Islands engenders huge loyalty amongst its visitors. Many return to the island year after year with their children, who in turn grow up, marry, and then bring their own children back every year. But what is about Lanzarote that excites such a sense of loyalty? The weather helps of course, for here is a place where the daytime temperatures rarely drop below 20 Celsius, and where cooling Atlantic breezes keep the air comfortable, even in the hottest months when the temperature gauge can hit 32 Celsius plus. Perhaps it is the breathtaking scenery, which is so spectacular that Lanzarote has often been used as a film location. The most recent of these was Pedro Almodovar’s Las Abrozas Rotos (The Broken Embraces) in 2008, which starred Penelope Cruz. Although the filmmaking tradition goes back to 1956 when the area around the malpais around El Golfo was chosen for the filming of 'A Millions Years BC', starring Raquel Welch. The combination of high volcanic mountain peaks, the dramatic and lonely timelessness of the malpais (vast fields of eroding volcanic rocks and lava that cover large areas of the island), and beautiful views of the surrounding Atlantic Ocean, is truly awe-inspiring. Family holidays are nothing without beaches, of course, and Lanzarote has great beaches in abundance. It is true that some of these are man-made, but they are pretty convincing nonetheless. But the natural beaches of Lanzarote offer a wonderful range of seaside experiences – there are black beaches, golden beaches, beaches with high surf, and beaches with dramatic cliffside and mountain backdrops. There are lagoons formed from the rivers of volcanic lava that once flowed steaming hot and hissing into the sea; these lagoons quickly warm under the hot sun, and offer very therapeutic and safe bathing. Water sports are big on Lanzarote. There are plenty of scuba diving clubs and schools, good for all levels from beginner to expert. Windsurfing is very popular, especially around Costa Teguise, and Caleta de Famara on the North coast of the island offers seasoned surfers the chance to tackle some serious waves. For those who want to be less active, there are plenty of boats trips available, some with opportunities to fish, and others with the chance to swim or snorkel. Accommodation on Lanzarote can be chosen from apartments, villas with or without private pools, and hotels. There are plenty of specialist websites offering a wide range of Lanzarote accommodation of all types. Restaurants on Lanzarote are similarly varied, and most of the towns and resorts offer a choice of Canarian (highly recommended!), Spanish/tapas, Italian, Chinese and Indian food, as well as the full English breakfast experience if you can’t do without it. Every visitor should try at least one of these local specialities: Canarian Potatoes (with mojo sauces), Pimiento de Padrón (Padron peppers – watch out for the hot ones!), gofio, and any locally caught fish. So that’s a very quick roundup on Lanzarote, and it is really just a flavour. To really do this magical island justice would take 20 or more articles. To find out more, you can always visit the All Things Lanzarote website.