The second largest of the Spanish Canary Islands, Fuerteventura is located to the south-west of Lanzarote, off the coast of north-west Africa, it has an are of 1,660 square kilometres and a resident population of around 74,983, over one third of whom live in the capital Puerto del Rosario. Fuerteventura has some of the best beaches in the entire Canary Islands group and has areas of sand dunes similar to those found around Maspalomas in Gran Canaria. Not quite as well known as a holiday destination, Fuerteventura still attracts thousands of holidaymakers each year, they arrive to enjoy the sunny weather and most are looking for a beach style holiday but without the crowds of Lanzarote, Tenerife or Gran Canaria. Not yet developed to the extent of neighbouring islands, Fuerteventura only has a few resorts of any note, the main one being Corralejo, while others exist at Jandia and Caleta de Fuste. The island can be easily reached by air (the airport is near to Puerto del Rosario) or by ferry from Lanzarote and Gran Canaria.
September 21, 2010
September 15, 2010
Lanzarote Princess Hotel Playa Blanca
Lanzarote Princess Hotel Playa Blanca
Lanzarote Princess Hotel Playa Blanca – If you are looking for a winter holiday this year you could well be considering the Canary Islands, among the most popular winter holiday destinations. One of its top holiday islands is Lanzarote, a volcanic island which only has about three major resorts, of which one of the best is certainly Playa Blanca, right in the south of the island away from the over developed Puerto del Carmen. If Playa Blanca is you choice of resort in Lanzarote, you will be looking for a hotel in which to stay, and one that you will no doubt consider is the Lanzarote Princess Hotel which is one of the largest and most popular, with over four hundred rooms, and perfectly situated only three hundred metres from the nearest beach. With superb outdoor swimming pools and sun terraces for enjoying the marvellous Lanzarote weather, this fine hotel has everything you would need for an enjoyable family holiday, and rooms are offered in the Lanzarote Princess Hotel from just 47 euros per night (about £40), so it is very affordable for your holiday in Playa Blanca. The resort and hotel are about 30 kilometres (25 minutes drive) from Lanzarote airport, which is located at Arrecife, taxis, transfers and buses are available to get you to the resort. Lanzarote is the most northerly of the Canary Islands.
Learn more about Playa Blanca here: http://www.needahandspanishproperties.com/playa-blanca.html
May 16, 2010
Timanfaya Lanzarote
One of the most visited locations on the Canary Island of Lanzarote, the Timanfaya National Park is a volcanic delight, some 51km2 in area in the southwest of the island. Formed when a huge eruption took place in the 18th century, Timanfaya still has molten lava bubbling away four metres under the surface. When visiting you will be able to see water instantly turned to steam by the intense heat, brushwood immediately engulfed in flames, and in the El Diablo (The Devil) restaurant you can eat a barbeque grilled over the heat of the lava. Trips to the Timanfaya National Park (Parque Nacional de Timanfaya) are organised from all the major resorts on the island. Lanzarote Map.
April 6, 2010
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.
January 17, 2010
Lanzarote Resorts – Playa Blanca
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
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 11, 2009
Yaiza Lanzarote
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 10, 2009
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 6, 2009
Playa de Papagayo Lanzarote
Boasting some of the finest beaches on the Canary Island of Lanzarote, Punta de Papagayo is a breezy point at the southerly end of the island. Somewhat isolated and not yet developed the area still attracts lots of tourists, seeking quieter beaches away from the busy resorts. The main and most popular of the beaches, Playa de Papagayo is easily accessed by road from nearby Playa Blanca, some of the other beaches are easier to reach by walking or by boat. There are regular boat trips operating from the harbour in Playa Blanca, and many choose this method as a more exciting way to visit. All the beaches benefit from superb views to the nearby island of Fuerteventura, and all are worth a visit if you are travelling around Lanzarote this year. Playa de Papagayo Map.
November 2, 2009
Playa Blanca Lanzarote
Probably the most pleasant of the main resorts of Lanzarote, Playa Blanca was developed from a small traditional fishing village located at the south-western end of the island. Much more laid back than such resorts as Puerto del Carmen, Playa Blanca has a more relaxed feel and is ideal for a lazy beach style holiday, while still being suitable for the more energetic having some good water sports facilities and some interesting historic monuments, in fact overall it is an ideal base for Lanzarote travel in general. Well known for its beaches, Playa Blanca has several and also the renowned area of Playas del Papagayos just 4km down the coast has some lovely little beaches situated in pretty coves. You should definitely take a boat trip to the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura while you are there and perhaps also a trip to little Los Lobos. Historic attractions nearby include the Castillo de las Coloradas watchtower at Punta del Aguila and the remains of a Norman settlement at San Marcial del Rubicon, nature lovers may wish to visit the Los Ajaches Reserve where birds and wildlife have been protected since 1991. Excellent for holidays all year long, Playa Blanca weather is mostly sunny and pleasant with less than 6 inches of rain each year. Situated quite a distance from the airport at Arrecife, it may be sensible for visitors to hire a car if other transport is not laid on, this gives the added benefit of being able to tour around the island and visit such places as the Parque Nacional de Timanfaya where volcanic lava still bubbles under the surface. Playa Blanca is about 35 km from Arrecife airport.
September 8, 2009
Haria Lanzarote
Considered by many, the most attractive town on the island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, Haria is situated in the “Valley of One Thousand Palms”, and is most noticeable for its greenness laid against the bleak volcanic vistas of most of the island. Most of the palm trees were planted during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries when it was a custom to plant a palm tree each time a new baby was born, one for a girl and two for a buy. Haria’s most pleasant square is the shady Plaza de Leon y Castillo, site of a craft market on most Saturdays. Lanzarote’s most famous citizen César Manrique, for a while lived just outside the town after getting too much unwanted pubic attention in his previous abode. The name Haria is also given over to a sizable municipality covering the northern section of Lanzarote.
September 7, 2009
Guatiza Lanzarote
A northeastern Canarian community in the Teguise municipality of Lanzarote, Guatiza has a population of around 800 and is well known for its cactus garden and cactus plantations. The cactus garden is located in an old volcanic hollow and was designed by Lanzarote architect César Manrique, it contains over 1,500 species of cactus. The large cactus plantations are grown to attract the cochineal beetle which lives on the prickly pear cactus, and the resulting cochineal has been an important product for the village for many centuries. The old village of Guatiza was sacked several times by the Moors and was moved to a safer location. Guatiza is situated 2 kilometres from the coast about nine kilometres north of Costa Teguise and Tahiche.
September 1, 2009
Canary Islands the Early Years
One of the most popular winter holiday destinations for Europeans seeking some off peak sunshine is the Spanish Canary Islands, an archipelago of islands and islets located off the north-east coast of Africa. The Canary Islands have a long and interesting past and Canary Islands history is fascinating to discover. First settled some 5,000 years ago the earliest true civilisation occurred during the second century BC when a tribal culture known as the Guanches lived in caves and built primitive villages. The Guanches were still in occupation when the Romans arrived in 40 BC, as Juba II explored the region which was then called the Fortunate Islands. The present name was probably derived from the breed of dogs which lived on the islands and met the Roman explorers, they were large and fierce and no doubt left an impression on the arrivals. The islands, to all intents and purposes, disappeared from the map for over 1,000 years after the fall of the Roman Empire and were not set foot on again until the beginning of the 14th century when a Genoese captain called Lazarotto Malocello bumped into the island later named after him (Lanzarote) and took the news of its existence back to Europe. Later expeditions led to the eventual invasion by a small force under Jean de Bethencourt, he landed on Lanzarote and built a fort on Fuerteventura before running out of provisions and heading for the Spanish mainland to muster additional support from the Castillians.
August 18, 2009
Arrecife Lanzarote
One of the largest cities in the Canary Islands, Arrecife became the capital of Lanzarote in 1852 and today has a population of 127,000, though this can increase considerably during the busy season, as Arrecife is a prime destination for tourists to this popular island. Arrecife is the location of Lanzarote’s International Airport, which I situated about 3 kilometres from the city centre in an area known locally as Guacimeta. Arrecife has a number of interesting places to visit and we shall start with El Charco (often called ‘The Puddle’), a lagoon near the centre of the city, which is a popular place to take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life. Some narrow little streets run from El Charco and from here you can reach the San Gines church sitting in an attractive square, which is also the site of many a fiesta and celebration, nearby is the fish market. Arrecife boasts 2 castles, constructed during the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries to defend the city against attacks by Barbary pirates, the Castillo de San Jose is now an art museum and the older Castillo San Gabriel also houses a small museum. The main shopping area is centred around the Calle Leon y Castillo precinct, located to the north of El Charco. Arrecife’s beach is known as Playa del Reducto and the promenade behind the beach can now be followed all the way to the busy resort of Puerto del Carmen. Arrecife enjoys a wonderful all year round climate, with the most pleasant weather experienced during the UK’s winter months. Arrecife Map.