Steve's World Blog Information and articles on cities, towns and villages around the world.

May 11, 2010

La Caleta Tenerife

Filed under: Canary Islands,Holidays,Spain — Tags: , , — needahand @ 11:26 am

The former fishing village of Caleta has in recent years become a popular holiday destination. Situated in the south of the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands, La Caleta is in the area known as the Costa Adeje. Though there has been quite a bit of development in the town the harbour area and seafront are mostly unspoilt, one of the most pleasant things to do is eat a fine fish dish in one of the excellent seafood restaurants. Caleta weather is perfect for holidays all year round and is especially pleasant during the winter months.

La Caleta Street Map.

May 10, 2010

Mogan Gran Canaria

Filed under: Canary Islands,Holidays,Spain — Tags: , , — needahand @ 9:16 am

An inland town and municipality in the south west of Gran Canaria, Mogan is a charming residencial town which is situated about 12 km from the coast and the town’s seaside area Puerto de Mogan. The municipality comprises area of mountains and valleys with barren sections in the north and agricultural areas nearer to the coast. Reached from Puerto de Mogan via the GC-200 which is dotted with numerous small villages such as El Palmito, Los Navarros and Molino de Viento. Mogan and the southern areas of Gran Canaria experience a very dry climate with long hours of sunshine.

Mogan Map.

April 6, 2010

Corralejo Fuerteventura

Filed under: Canary Islands,Holidays,Spain — Tags: , , , , — needahand @ 3:12 pm
Corralejo Fuerteventura

Corralejo Fuerteventura

The best known and largest of Fuerteventura’s resorts, Corralejo is situated on the northernmost tip of the island, the least populated of the main Canary Islands off the coast of North West Africa. This former fishing village has developed into a considerable holiday resort offering the main requirements needed for the typical package beach style holiday in the shape of sandy beaches, sunny weather, quality hotels and good facilities. Fuerteventura and Corralejo in particular certainly has beaches and these stretch for many miles in each direction and include a huge area of sand dunes which now form a Natural Park. The superb weather conditions allow visitors to travel here right through the year, with plenty of sunshine whatever month you arrive. From the main beach you can look across the turquoise blue ocean to the neighbouring island of Los Lobos another Natural Park which you can also visit. The best way to arrive in Corralejo, Fuerteventura is by way of the ferry from Playa Blanca on the island of Lanzarote, but you could also fly into the airport at Puerto del Rosario, Fuerteventura’s capital.

March 11, 2010

Los Gigantes Tenerife

The well known Tenerife resort of Los Gigantes is situated in the west of the island near to the town of Puerto de Santiago. Getting its name from the huge steep cliffs beside which the resort stands, Los Gigantes has its own small black sand beach, some decent hotels and the usual holiday facilities expected of a package tour destination, the weather is a little cooler than the southern resorts. The coastline around Los Gigantes is quite spectacular with cliffs rising to around 800m in places, being at the southern end of the Teno mountains. Los Gigantes is an ideal spot for a more laid back peaceful holiday, being somewhat less crowded than the better known resorts of Los Cristianos and Playa de las Americas to the south, there is however still a good choice of bars and restaurants and plenty of entertainment on offer, especially in some of the bigger hotels, the biggest attraction is the weather and it is a popular spot for a winter holiday. Los Gigantes can be reached from the TF-47 highway, it is approximately ninety kilometres from the nearest airport at Reina Sofia.

Los Gigantes Street Map.

February 12, 2010

Golf del Sur and Amarilla Golf Tenerife

Located in southern Tenerife, in the district of San Miguel de Abona are two superb golf complexes known as Golf del Sur and the Amarilla Golf and Country Club. Running along the southern coastline the Amarilla Golf Resort has a superb 18 hole course enjoying panoramic views of the coastline, the San Miguel marina and the spectacular Pico del Teide volcano. Right beside Amarilla Golf you will find the 27 hole Golf del Sur with emerald fairways dotted with palms, cacti and tropical flora and bunkers made from black volcanic sand. The Amarilla Golf Resort also has a pitch and putt course for those less able golfers and for practise purposes. In Golf del Sur you will find the San Blas centre which boasts a great range of facilities including shops, bars and restaurants, a supermarket, chemist, bank and hairdressers. These two Tenerife golf courses enable visitors to enjoy a round of golf all year round, with the pleasant Tenerife weather providing ideal playing conditions even during the winter months. The south and south-west coast of Tenerife has some of the best known resorts on the island including Los Cristianos, Playa de las Americas, Las Galletas, Costa del Silencio and Chayofa, all are within easy reach of these golf complexes and also handy for Tenerife south airport. Tenerife Map.

January 17, 2010

Lanzarote Resorts – Playa Blanca

Filed under: Canary Islands,Holidays,Spain — Tags: , , , — needahand @ 10:03 am

Located in the extreme south of Lanzarote in the Spanish Canary Islands, the town of Playa Blanca was formerly just a small fishing village. In recent years Playa Blanca has become one of the largest resorts on the island, but has not yet been too badly spoilt by this rise to notoriety. Boasting some fine sandy beaches, the one to the south at Playa de Papagayo of particular note, Playa Blanca is also the main ferry port for accessing the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura (where the beaches are even better). Playa Blanca has a decent range of shops, bars and restaurants and is ideal for family, beach style holidays. The main attractions for visitors to the resort are the traditional charm and the excellent Lanzarote weather, which is ideal for winter breaks away from the cold and damp of northern Europe.

December 5, 2009

Jameos del Agua Lanzarote

Filed under: Canary Islands,Spain,Travel — Tags: , , — needahand @ 2:29 pm

Another of the major tourist attractions on the island of Lanzarote, the Jameos del Agua caves are located in the north of the island around twenty seven kilometres north of the capital Arrecife. Skillfully transformed during the 1960’s by Lanzarote architect Cesar Manrique, the caves now feature a restaurant and a concert area with 600 seats, where superb acoustics provide an ideal venue. The Jameos del Agua caves were formed by volcanic activity of which there has been plenty on Lanzarote, one of the caves contains a lake, which was formed as water entered during the lava flow. Jameos del Agua can be reached from the Orzola to Arrecife road.

November 16, 2009

Playa de las Americas Tenerife

Filed under: Canary Islands,Holidays,Spain — Tags: , , — needahand @ 3:17 pm

A built for tourism resort in the south of Tenerife, Playa de las Americas is one of the major holiday destinations in the Spanish Canary Islands. Especially popular for winter breaks, Playa de las Americas caters for family holidays and is particularly attractive to the younger set, having a great selection of pubs, bars and clubs. Noisier and more crowded than nearby Los Cristianos, Playa de las Americas may not suit everyone, and if you’re looking for something typically Spanish, head elsewhere, because in this resort you’re more likely to find an English pub! The night-time is when it all happens in Playa de las Americas, with more bars and clubs than you can wave a stick at, the best places to head are the Starco Centre and Veronica’s Strip. When you wake up with a hangover in the morning, you will probably want to head for the beach, and Playa de las Americas beach will not disappoint, being composed of fine golden sand imported from Africa. With kids in tow, you will likely want to visit the water park, a free bus is generally available to take you there. The fabulous weather in Playa de las Americas is, of course, one of the biggest draws for holidaymakers, and is pretty reliable all year round, expect pleasant sunny days right through the year, the best time to visit is during the English winter time, when the temperature is not too hot. Playa de las Americas is located just of the TF-1 motorway, to the west of Tenerife South airport.

November 12, 2009

Playa del Ingles Canary Islands

Filed under: Canary Islands,Holidays,Spain — Tags: , , , — needahand @ 2:31 pm

Situated on the edge of the Dunas de Maspalomas, the Gran Canaria seaside resort of Playa del Ingles is one of the best known spots on the island. Popular more for its climate and beach than for any historical or cultural worth, Playa del Ingles also has a vibrant nightlife scene and plenty of facilities for visitors to enjoy. During the daytime most holidaymakers head for the beach area, where aside from the sea, sand and sun, there are plenty of bars and restaurants to tempt the thirsty and hungry. The climate is of course fantastic, with Playa del Ingles weather being sunny and dry all year long. The beach is excellent and was in fact man-made from sand shipped in from the Sahara Desert, there are also lots of water sports facilities for those who get bored with simply sunbathing. Playa del Ingles can be accessed from the GC1 and the GC500 and is approximately 30 km from the airport at Gando. Playa del Ingles Map.

Vegueta and Playa de las Canteras

Two entirely contrasting districts of the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Playa de las Canteras and Vegueta also lie at opposing ends of this great city. Playa de las Canteras is the prime beach for the city and as such has all the modern facilities that such an attraction should have, its 4 kilometres of golden sand attracts visitors throughout the year, they come to enjoy the safe warm waters of this reef protected beach. On the other hand the ancient district of Vegueta was where the original city was founded in 1478, its narrow streets concealing attractions which take visitors back many centuries, head here to see interesting museums, the cathedral and steep yourself in the history of this historic city.

More about Playa de las Canteras here: http://www.needahandspanishproperties.com/playa-de-las-canteras.html

And Vegueta here: http://www.needahandspanishproperties.com/vegueta.html

November 11, 2009

Yaiza Lanzarote

Filed under: Canary Islands,Spain,Travel — Tags: , , , — needahand @ 4:38 pm

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.

Things to do in Maspalomas

Filed under: Canary Islands,Holidays,Spain — Tags: , , , — needahand @ 4:29 pm

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

Las Palmas

Las Palmas

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

Filed under: Canary Islands,Spain,Travel — Tags: , , — needahand @ 6:08 pm
Roque de Bonanza El Hierro Canary Islands

Roque de Bonanza 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

Filed under: Canary Islands,Holidays,Spain — Tags: , , , , — needahand @ 3:33 pm

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.

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