Heading from Playa Blanca towards the Parque Nacional de Tinamfaya, you will pass through the pretty town of Yaiza one of the most attractive on the island of Lanzarote in the Spanish Canary islands. Nestling at the foot of the Montañas del Fuego mountains, Yaiza is the main town for the municipality which covers south-western Lanzarote. Partly destroyed by the great volcanic eruption during the 1730’s, Yaiza’s inhabitants mostly left the town and headed further south for the village of Femes, the population not fully recovering until the 20th century. Notable places to visit in the town include the beautiful 18th century church of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, built on the site of an earlier chapel with its colourful altarpiece, outside the town, of course, you can head for Timanfaya, one of Lanzarote’s premier tourist destinations. Yaiza is a peaceful place to stop for a drink or maybe a meal in one of the fine restaurants, there are also some excellent gift shops where you can purchase a souvenir or two from your visit. Yaiza Map.
November 11, 2009
Things to do in Maspalomas
As you would expect from one of the largest resorts on Gran Canaria, Maspalomas has a wide range of tourist attractions to make your stay in the resort more enjoyable. No doubt the kids will get bored with the beach after a couple of days and families will be looking for something else to fill their time. Probably one of the first places you will head for will be the Aqualand water park, one of the best known Maspalomas attractions, and the biggest water park in the Canary Islands and boasting 13 attractions and 33 slides, the star attraction of Aqualand is the Tornado, with big slopes and fast turns, other rides include Aquamania, Adrenalina and the Rapids. The evening sky of Maspalomas is lit up by the Holiday World amusement park, apart from the usual rides and attractions this holiday complex also offers a 16 lane ten pin bowling alley and a number of pubs, restaurants and discos. Another of the famous Maspalomas attractions is Palmitos Park, severely damaged by fire it reopened in the summer of 2008 and will no doubt return to its former glory offering animal exhibitions and wildlife attractions. Thrill seekers may head for the last of our attractions which is the well known Karting Maspalomas go-kart track, where speed and skill will keep the slightly older visitors happy. Maspalomas Map.
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
The largest city in the Canary Islands, Spain, the historic city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, was founded on the 24th June 1478 by the Spanish conquistadors under Juan Rejón. Las Palmas developed into a significant port and was well used by ships sailing around the African coast and also those visiting the Americas. Used as a stopping off point for Christopher Columbus, before heading for La Gomera and onto the 1st of his American voyages. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria boasts a fantastic museum, named after the famous explorer, the Casa Colón contains models and artefacts relating to Columbus and his voyages and exploits. The fabulous Catedral de Santa Ana was begun in 1497 and took over 400 years to finish, the Neo-Classical façade hides Gothic vaults. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is situated in the fertile north of the island and experiences a humid climate, which is not as hot as the desert-like south of the island, making Las Palmas weather more pleasant in the summer months and whilst remaining mild during the winter. A couple of interesting towns worth visiting near to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria are Teror, the religious capital of the island and Moya, a pretty little town dominated by its huge church. Las Palmas Map.
November 10, 2009
El Hierro Canary Islands
The most westerly and also the smallest of the major Canary Islands, El Hierro has a population of just 10,000, living on an island with an area of 278km2. A mountainous island with over 500 volcanic peaks, El Hierro was actually considerably bigger at one time, but lost a third of its area during a huge volcanic eruprion which took place 50,000 years ago. First settled by the Bimbache tribe, El Hierro later attracted the attention of Castillion and Norman sailors, who seized the island and sold the inhabitants into slavery. The main source of survival for the islanders over the years has been fishing and agriculture and even these days relies mostly on these as tourism has not really taken off on the island due mainly to the scarcity of beaches. The only town of any size on El Hierro is Valverde.
Lanzarote Resorts – Puerto del Carmen
Located in the municipality of Tias, Lanzarote, the seaside resort of Puerto del Carmen was formerly just a small fishing village with an attractive harbour. With the growth of the Canary Islands tourist industry in the 1970’s, Puerto del Carmen developed into the largest resort on the island and now attracts many thousands of visitors, who come to enjoy the fine sandy beaches, wonderful seafood restaurants and vibrant nightlife. Perfect for Christmas and winter holidays and breaks, the off-season Puerto del Carmen weather is more pleasant than the hot temperatures experienced during the traditional summer season. From the harbour it is possible to take a trip in a glass-bottomed boat or even a trip to one of the neighbouring islands, the harbour is also where the best restaurants are located, especially if you are looking for seafood, your meal will be so fresh it will be jumping off the plate! For the best beaches you cannot beat Puerto del Carmen, the main beach right beside the town is as good as any on the island, and to the east of the harbour there are an additional 12 km of fantastic beaches great in the sunny weather. For water sports enthusiasts there are plenty of facilities for windsurfing and scuba diving plus other popular activities. Puerto del Carmen is about a 10 minute drive from Arrecife airport.
November 9, 2009
Hertfordshire Towns – Harpenden
A small town in the county of Hertfordshire, UK, Harpenden is within the district of St Albans and has an interesting history. Roman remains discovered in areas around Harpenden suggest of settlements in the centuries BC, however the original village of Harpenden developed as woodland was cleared under Edward the Confessor during the eleventh century, to make room for farming around Wheathampstead Manor, the first church to be built was the St Nicholas church (1217). Somewhat later during the Wars of the Roses, a common close to Harpenden was the site of the Second Battle of St Albans. During the early 19th century, Harpenden was the location of the 1st annually run steeplechase race, and was a popular location for horse racing throughout the century. The face of Harpenden changed forever with the arrival of the railway, as farms were replaced with residential development. During WW2 the town was used for the evacuation of children from bomb torn London. Harpenden today is mostly a commuter town, which enjoys excellent road and rail links with London.