Whilst Lanzarote is a Spanish island, it in fact lies off the coast of Saharan Africa. And like the rest of the Canaries has a cultural identity that is more Latin American than Iberian. A legacy of the islands historic strategic position as a trading post in-between the Old World and the New.
This favorable geographic location – the island sits on the same line of longitude as parts of Florida and Mexico – creates a clement year round climate with temperatures that rarely fall below 20c. Even in the depths of winter.
As a result Lanzarote – along with its Canarian cousins – is the only genuine winter sun destination in Europe. And at only four hours flying time from the UK this means that the islands attract flocks of tourists – with over one million visitors from the UK and Ireland visiting Lanzarote during 2007 alone.
The cast majority come for a traditional beach holiday – as the island boasts over 90 great stretches of sand, the vast majority of which are made up of golden grains rather than the black volcanic variety. So tourism is largely concentrated in the main resorts of Puerto del Carmen, Playa Blanca and Costa Teguise.
But Lanzarote has plenty to offer beyond just bucket and spade holidays. The island is blessed with more than its fair share of natural beauty – from the arid volcanic lava fields of the south through to lush palm packed valleys in the North.
And in many locations Mother Natures work has been further enhanced by the hand of an island born artist and architect called Cesar Manrique. Who created a unique range of tourist attractions during the 1970´s as an antidote to the many water parks and gold courses that were springing up in other Spanish sun posts as tourism first took off.
Amongst the most impressive of these is the Jameos del Agua – an incredible underground grotto built into a collapsed lava tube – which was described by Hollywood legend Rita Heyworth as the eighth wonder of the world.
The Mirador del Rio – an incredible look out point giving a bird’s eye view across to the neighbouring island of La Graciosa. And The Jardin de Cactus in Guiatiza – which is a celebration of the plant worlds spiniest species. And Manrique ´s own house in Tahiche – surely the most unusual property in Lanzarote. Built into five underground volcanic chambers.
Whilst Lanzarote offers sunshine and low rainfall all year round the best times of the year to visit are during September and October. When the Trade Winds which blow across the island have died down a little, the heat of summer has eased and the sea is at its warmest.
And despite Lanzarote´s enormous popularity as a tourist destination the island remains relatively unspoiled. As development has been carefully controlled to ensure that it has not been submerged beneath a sea of five star concrete.
To find out more about Lanzarote and it’s many attractions visit the informative Lanzarote tourist guide – Lanzarote Guidebook – where you can download a free 112 page Guidebook to the island.
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