Lanzarote Holiday Apartment Rental

The island of Lanzarote is situated 70 miles off the coast of Morocco, about 4 hours flying time from the UK. It is 37 miles long and 12 miles wide and very different from the other Canary Islands. It enjoys a great year round subtropical climate, due to its location in the temperate zone of the Tropic of Cancer where the warm winds of the Sahara meet the Gulf Stream.

The average temperature from November through to March is 25°C rising to 28°C during July. August is usually in the low to mid 30's. Daily hours of sunshine range from 6 hours during November and December through to 11 hours during July and August. Rainfall is almost non-existent during the summer and all year only amounts to a few inches or so. The weather is said to be the best in the Canaries with daytime temps rarely below 70°F even in midwinter. In the summer it is hot, but never unpleasantly so, due to cooling sea breezes.

As part of the Spanish owned Canary Islands, which are said to be the mountain tops of the lost continent of Atlantis, Lanzarote has been described as a "mystical" place probably because of it's unique volcanic landscape. Though the last eruptions were in the 1740's, the "Mountains of Fire" are a must - a real lunar landscape. However there is much more to the island than volcanoes. It has beautiful beaches ranging from golden to black sand in the south, and rugged dramatic scenery in the north.Thanks largely to the influence of local artist, Cesar Manrique, Lanzarote has avoided the excesses of some Canary islands.

There are no high-rise developments, overhead power lines or roadside advertising hoardings. It is ideal for families & couples seeking a laid-back sunshine holiday at any time of the year. It has many attractions and has also been declared as a United Nations World Biosphere Reserve.

Of course there is the sunshine to soak up and enjoy and there is no shortage of beaches on which to do this. At the southern most tip, next to the resort of Playa Blanca, there are the secluded bays of beautiful fine white sand beaches and the crystal clear waters of El Papagayo. The beaches are usually quiet due to the fact that they are only accessible via water taxi or an un-made track. There are no services so take your supplies with you. There is also a short climb down to the beach, but definitely worth it.

Further north there are more beaches of Playa Blanca and Los Pocillos, situated in Puerto del Carmen - these beaches are ideal for families as swimming is safe here. There are toilets and showers on the beach and the restaurants and bars are never more than a 5 minute walk away.

Moving north again there are amazing beaches around the fishing towns of Arrieta and Orzola. These beaches lack the facilities offered by the beaches of the main resorts but if peace and tranquillity is what you desire, away from the usual tourist flow, then these beaches are a must for you to visit.

Around the coast there is Playa de Famara, a vast expanse of golden sand with the Famara cliffs offering a stunning backdrop. Due to the strong undertow and the crashing waves a red flag usually flies at this beach; the only people entering the water being experienced surfers.

El Golfo is also famous for its black beaches, contrasting with the lagoon of spectacular deep green appearance. This flooded volcanic crater is connected to the sea from underground. Only part of the volcano remains, the rest having been swept into the sea.

If you enjoy sport, action and adventure then Lanzarote is the place for you. Lanzarote has excellent facilities for the extreme sports fans including surfing, windsurfing, hang-gliding and mountain biking to name but a few. One of the great things about Lanzarote is that whether you're an absolute beginner or you're an old hand, the conditions here cater for all levels.
Lanzarote can offer you some of the best scuba diving in the world, with the majority of dive schools catering for the beginner through to the advanced diver. Water skiing, jet skiing and para sailing is also available. A surfer's paradise lies to the north of the island. There is also the opportunity to try your hand at deep-sea fishing

WATER SPORTS
Water sport in the form of Jet ski rental, speedboat and banana boat rides. All within minutes walk from the apartment. Open every day from 10am to 6pm.

Paracraft
Experience parascending, flying along the beautiful beaches of Puerto del Carmen.

Diving
Experience the thrill of seeing the spectacular underwater lava flows up close, swim amongst the many varieties of fish. There are a variety of diving Schools all within minutes of the apartment in Puerto del Carmen, which dive to the wreck within sight of the apartment.

Princess Ico Catamaran
Cruise by catamaran along the coast and across to Fuerteventura, dolphin watching.
Princess Ico operates from the harbour and tickets are available from the kiosk located in the harbour.

Aquascope
Dive beneath the waves and see the spectacular underwater landscape.

Aqua Park
Situated on the outskirts of Costa Tequise. The water rides will entertain the family - whatever the age!! - 20 minutes from apartment

OTHER SPORTS
Go Karting - Situated on the outskirts of Puerto del Carmen
Golf - Club de Golf Costa Teguise. This Golf Club is situated at the foot of an old volcano in the middle of a lava flow with superb views of the island and out to sea. There is also a driving range, pitch and putt greens, club and trolley hire, pro-shop, bar and restaurant. It is open all the year round.
Horse Riding is available at Lanzarote a Caballo.
Lanzarote is also popular with long distance runners and road cyclists, many of whom go to the island during the winter months to train.

A lot of the unique appeal of Lanzarote has to be attributed to the infamous Canarian artist Cesar Manrique. His home is now a showcase for his art and way of thinking. Manrique created this as his house, unconventionally built above and below ground level. Although the above ground rooms look like any other house on the island, the underground rooms have been created from five volcanic bubbles. The Foundation is just outside Tahiche and worth a visit.

Mirador del Rio - This is a lookout point hundreds of metres above the sea with breathtaking views over the island of La Graciosa. Slightly further south on the east coast there is Los Jameos del Agua - Situated inland, Manrique created a nightclub, bar-restaurant, and underground auditorium in a system of volcanic caves. Narrow volcanic tubes connect a seawater lagoon in the central cave to the Atlantic Ocean so that you can notice the high and low tides. The crystal clear waters of the lagoon are home to the tiny blind albino crab that is unique to the island of Lanzarote.

Casa de los Valcones - Adjacent to Los Jameos del Agua is Casa de los Volcanes. Here you can learn about the nature of volcanic activity, the eruptions that have occurred on the Canary Islands and the active volcanoes situated throughout the world. Opposite from Los Jameos del Agua are the Green caves (Cueva de los Verdes). Like its neighbour to the east it is part of a system of caves that begins at the 609-meter-high volcano Monte Corona and ends seven kilometres away, 50 meters below the oceans surface. A tour of the caves are a definite 'must-see' but are only possible if accompanied by a guide who is familiar with the vast labyrinth of caves. Another of Cesar Manrique's creations is situated in Guatiza. Jardin de Cactus is home to 1,400 varieties of species of cactus among which are examples of Manrique's lava sculptures.

Arrieta and Orzola are typical examples of Canarian fishing villages, whilst further south and inland are the neighbouring villages of Maguez and Haria. Haria is situated in a valley filled with hundreds of towering palm trees, each one rumoured to have been planted on the birth of a child in the village.

Teguise is a very historic town and it was the island's capital until 1852. Many of the buildings have preservation orders on them due to their architectural and historic nature. Overlooking Teguise is the mountain of Guanapay whose lofty heights are crowned by the Castillo de Santa B·rbara, Teguise's stronghold which dates back sometime to the 14th Century. A visit to the Sunday market is a must and is the ideal place to hunt down souvenirs and gifts.

Yaiza - Twice voted the most beautiful village in Spain is Yaiza. It is a stunning contrast of white, green and red and soothing to the eye after the starkness of the surrounding volcanic area.

Timanfaya National Park - 52 square kilometers of volcanic landscape have been created into the Timanfaya National Park - Mountanas del Fuego(Mountains of Fire) In September 1730 a huge volcano suddenly erupted covering Timanfaya and many other towns and villages under tons of red hot lava. This eruption went on for six years finally coming to an end in April 1736. This area is now one of the most spectacular areas to visit. View the scenery unchanged since the eruptions. Visit the restaurant where you can watch the food being cooked by the heat from the volcano. There are also camel rides up to the rim of an extinct cone.

Even today the whole area of the national park quietly bubbles away under the earths surface at temperatures ranging from 100 - 400°C. Travelling up the volcanic route is strictly prohibited unless you take the bus trip to the summit of the volcanoes. As you make your way up the volcano you cannot help but be amazed at the unique surrounding landscape.

La Geria - In the wine producing area of La GerÌa you will be amazed at how the local viniers have overcome the difficulties of cultivating the volcanic landscape to create a profit yielding grape growing cultivation which is also pleasing to the eye. Here you will see rows of funneled fields and rough volcanic walls protecting and encouraging the vines to grow.

Femes - Some of the best views of the island can be found in the little village of Femes. The sunsets are magnificent and from here you can see the islands of Fuerteventura and Los Lobos separated from Lanzarote by the Atlantic Ocean.

Los Hervideros - Here you can watch the power of the sea in all its glory. A solid lava mass forms a cliff edge with a sheer drop to the sea. The rolling Atlantic waves drive into narrow crevices and lava bubbles, which expel the water with tremendous force. Most spectacular at high tide, with a following wind.

Puerto Calero - Between Puerto del Carmen and Playa Qemada, is the beautiful marina designed by the Calero brothers. It is a must for boating and sailing enthusiasts. Restaurants line the jetty and there are a growing number of shops.

There are various boat trips from the harbour in Puerto, including a day trip to Fuerteventura, or you can travel further south to Playa Blanca, a larger Port with car ferries to neighbouring island Fuerteventura.

These are a few we would recommend in Old Town, Puerto del Carmen - but everyone has their favourites, and there are so many good restaurants that you will not be disappointed!! These are all within 5-10 minutes stroll of the apartment.