Saturday 23 July 2011

What is the Big Deal With Lanzarote?


Tourism is the main economy behind the fourth largest of the Canary Islands. Located just 80km from the coast of Africa, and the Sahara, Lanzarote offers visitors and residents year round warmth and sunshine.

Rainfall in Lanzarote measures only around 5 and a half inches a year, which accounts for the dry, baron look of the island for most of the year. When it rains in Lanzarote you usually get short, sharp rainstorms that pass quickly, but the temperate remains warm.

Lanzarote has two sides to the island. The west was devastated by volcanic activity thousands of years ago, and to this day looks like a lunar landscape. Miles and miles of volcanic fields lie in the Timanfaya National Park, where you can take a bus tour around the volcanic landscape. The volcanic history of the island also means that you get a combination of golden and dark grey beaches on the island, something unique to Lanzarote within the Canaries.

The east side and to the north of the island tend to be a little greener. These areas are less populated by holiday makers but still offer some great attractions such as Mirador del Rio (the lookout over the island of Graciosa), Jameos del Agua and The Green Caves.

Lanzarote is largely unspoilt, thanks to Cesar Manrique. All the buildings on the island have to remain white and there are no advertisements or billboards lining the road like you might see on mainland Spain.

These days it's becoming ever cheaper to fly to Lanzarote with companies such as Jet2 offering flights as little as £24.99 (I had to double check this to believe it!).

Lanzarote isn't just about the weather and the natural beauty of the island. It's a great place to go and relax to get away from the stress of the "rat-race". Many of the tourist resorts offer an excellent choice of restaurants, bars and nightlife and Puerto del Carmen and Arrecife offer a great shopping experience for those that aren't able to leave their shopping desires at home.

All in all, Lanzarote makes for a great holiday destination, which is why so many people go back year after year.



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