Where will holidaymakers find the best selection of holiday villas in Lanzarote? The island’s southern most resort of Playa Blanca offers the best microclimate on the island, fabulous beaches, top quality restaurants and a wide range of top end holiday accommodation.
Playa Blanca may be Lanzarote´s newest resort – but it has rapidly evolved over the last decade, transforming what was once a small fishing village into the second largest destination on the island. Quadrupling the town’s population in the process.
Playa Blanca is basically formed from three small coves that are set within one larger sheltered bay. Growing rapidly from the village grouped around the central beach of Playa Blanca which still lies at its core. To today etxend from Papagayo in the east through to Faro de Pechiguera in the west.
This rapid expansion can be largely attributed to the fact that Playa Blanca enjoys the best weather Lanzarote has to offer. Delivering higher temperatures and more sunshine hours per day than the rival resorts of Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise to the north. Which were developed a decade or so earlier during the 1970´s and 80´s. Factors which are obviously of paramount importance for anyone planning to spend their holidays in Lanzarote.
In addition Playa Blanca boasts some of the best beaches on the island – such as the breathtaking set of coves and bays at Papagayo. Which are widely regarded as some of the most beautiful stretches of sand in Spain. As well as enjoying an enviable location just 8km across the Bocaina Straits from the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura. Providing an atmospheric backdrop, especially come nightfall. When the lights across the water twinkle like diamonds.
As Playa Blanca was developed later than the other resorts planners were able to learn from the evolution of the islands other resorts. Placing luxury holiday villas right at the core of the blueprint. And over the last ten years or so many of these villas have been snapped up by British and Irish investors, keen to secure their very own slice of the Lanzarote property market.
As a result tourists are presented with a wide choice of villas in Playa Blanca at competitive prices. For example, a standard two bedroom villa with private pool can be rented for as little as £295 per week. Whilst at the other end of the market large luxury properties accommodating larger parties of up to twelve people are available from around £900 per week.
January 6th, 2009
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Thousands of British and Irish tourists will be enjoying holidays in Lanzarote this festive period. As the fourth largest Canary Island is just four hours flying time from the UK and Eire. So what can they expect from their winter un break on the Island of Fire?
Location & Climate
Lanzarote is the most easterly link in the Canary Islands chain and is situated seventy nine miles off the coast of West Africa, on the same line of latitude as parts of Florida, Mexico and the Bahamas.
As a result the island enjoys a great year round climate that is characterised by very low rainfall – on average just 9mm per month. Along with average year round temperatures of 20 Celsius.
During the winter months temperatures can reach as high as 24C – and it is common for many visitors to the island to enjoy Christmas Day on one of Lanzarote´s 90 plus beaches. However, the island has a desert like climate (the Sahara for example isn´t that far away) – which means that temperatures can fall sharply come nightfall.
Volcanic Geography
Lanzarote was famously submerged beneath a sea of molten lava back in the 1730´s. When the island endured a six year long volcanic eruption – which forced many Lanzaroteños to flee for a new life abroad in places such as Latin America and Cuba. Whilst also enlarging the size of the island itself by around one quarter.
Today however the volcanoes are Lanzarote´s best known and most popular tourist attraction. With the Timanafaya National Park attracting around one million visitors every year.
Arriving In Lanzarote
Tourists will find themselves touching down at Arrecife airport (ACE) – which is based 4km outside Lanzarote´s capital city of the same name. Whilst there are flights to Lanzarote available from major UK airports five days of the week Mondays and Thursdays are the main days for British arrivals.
Over the last few years a number of cheap flight operators – such as easyJet and Monarch – have entered the fray. So ensuring that it is usually possible to fly to the island for around £200 return.
Airport Transfers
There’s no public bus or airport shuttle service to transfer visitors to and from Arrecife. So tourists will either need to queue for a taxi on arrival or arrange to hire a car.
Lanzarote Holiday Accommodation
As you´d expect from a well established tourist destination Lanzarote offers a wide selection of good quality and competitively priced holiday accommodation. Whilst rural tourism has been growing in popularity in recent years the vast majority of all tourist beds are located in one of the three main resorts on the island – namely Costa Teguise, Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca.
Holiday studio’s and apartments offer the best value option for anyone on a budget. As prices start from as little as £230 per week for a studio apartment sleeping two people in the islands main resort – Puerto del Carmen.
Playa Blanca is the best choice for those seeking more in the way of luxury. As Lanzarote´s newest resort boasts the biggest and best section of hotels and holiday villas in Lanzarote.
Culture vultures should head for Costa Teguise which is located in close proximity to all of the main attractions on the island.
Getting Around Lanzarote
Whilst Lanzarote´s main resorts are served by a decent local bus service the same cannot be said of the island interior. Which is where most of the main sightseeing attractions are located.
As a result tourists are best advised to hire a car – with prices starting from around €20 per day. Or book themselves on to one of the many island excursions that are available.
December 18th, 2008
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Despite darkening economic skies British consumers are still refusing to relinquish their holidays in the sun. As the latest figures just released by the Spanish airports operator AENA reveals that visitor numbers from the UK to Lanzarote have in fact risen by 6% so far this year versus 2007. With the Island of Fire welcoming 708,506 British tourists across the first ten months of 2008. News that makes welcome reading for the owners of apartments and holiday villas in Lanzarote.
Ever since package tourism first took off on the island in the 1970´s Lanzarote has in fact been a hot favourite with British tourists – who comprise over 50% of total foreign visitor numbers to the island. So firmly establishing the UK as Lanzarote´s number one market place. A position of popularity partly created by the ready availability of cheap package holidays and flights to Lanzarote. Making the island a relatively inexpensive alternative to competing winter sun, short haul destinations such as Egypt and Morocco.
And despite the fact that Lanzarote is located just 70 miles off the coast of Africa the island is Spanish owned – providing a degree of stability and familiarity for British holiday makers. Who visit Spain in greater numbers than any other holiday destination in the world.
Regardless of the growing international economic crisis other nationalities are also refusing to surrender their holidays abroad. As the AENA figures also indicate that Irish visitor numbers have risen across the same ten month period. Up 1.39% versus 2007 with a total of 186,759 visits. Again confirming Lanzarote´s position as the most popular destination in Spain for tourists from Eire.
Lanzarote is also experiencing a real resurgence of popularity in Scandinavia. In the early days of tourism on the island in the 1970s and 1980´s this was a large and important market for the island. And now tourist numbers from the region are rising once more. With Swedish visitors up by 35.07% year on year, followed by Norway (up 19.6%) and Finland (up 14.33%).
The only negative note in this other wise rosy picture is the news that German visitor numbers continue their long term decline. Down 13.23% to 226,088 visits. Despite repeated attempts by island tourist authorities to woo back the missing German tourists.
Overall however total foreign tourist numbers remain positive – albeit by just 1.01% versus 2007 with a total of 1,341,556 visits recorded. Suggesting that the credit crunch may not have as negative an impact on holiday travel as has been predicted in some media.
December 6th, 2008
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The eastern most Canary Island of Lanzarote is one of Europe´s hottest winter sun destinations. Boasting a whole range of cool attractions that offer visitors to the Island of Fire much more than just the usual water parks and golf courses common to other Spanish sunspots. And with flights to Lanzarote lasting just four hours the island is the closest winter destination to the UK too.
Back in the 1960´s and 70´s an island born artist and architect called Cesar Marnique campaigned for the controlled evolution of tourism on his beloved island. And in order to illuminate an alternative path for development created a unique range of tourist attractions – which have helped to cement Lanzarote´s position as the cool Canary Island today.
During the 1730´s Lanzarote was subjected to the modern worlds longest ever volcanic eruption. Which buried around one quarter of the island beneath a sea of molten lava. A cataclysmic event that caused enormous disruption and spurred the emigration of thousands of Lanzaroteños to Latin America and Cuba.
But today the volcanic region of the island has been declared a National Park and is one of the most popular visitor attractions in all of Spain. Drawing in over 900,000 tourists during 2007 alone.
Cesar Manrique was instrumental in the transformation of this region into Lanzarote´s most popular and best known attraction. Island legend has it that he divined the optimum route for sightseers through the park by walking across the lava fields naked. Whilst also creating the breathtaking Devils Diner restaurant which enjoys panoramic views across the spent cones and peaks and where visitors can enjoy seeing their food cocked by the heat from the volcano below.
Visitors to the Timanfaya National Park are able to witness the eerie lava fields up close and personal on tour buses that wend their way through the Park. And visiting Lanzarote without taking the time to take the tour is akin to traveling to Egypt and ignoring the pyramids.
Elsewhere on the island Manrique teamed up with fellow architect Jesus Soto and continued to fuse art with nature by transforming a collapsed 6km long lava tube into an underground grotto – complete with bars, restaurants and beautifully planted gardens.
The Jameos del Agua is this site is known is also home to a species of blind albino crab, entirely unique to Lanzarote that glow in the water like jewels. The scale of the site here is such that visiting Hollywood legend Rita Heyworth declared the Jameos the 8th wonder of the world.
Looking for a Natural High? The Mirador del Rio at the Northern tip of the island was built by Manrique on the site of a former naval gun battery. Which overlooks the neighbouring island of La Graciosa – reputedly the real life location of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic book, Treasure Island.
Visitors here can enjoy a bird’s eye view across the El Rio strait to La Graciosa whilst also enjoying all of the usual flourishes that have become so closely associated with Manriques work. Located in a former quarry the Cactus Garden celebrates the plant world’s spiniest species – with over 10,000 different types of cacti on display.
The Cactus Garden is located right in the heart of what used to be cactus country on Lanzarote. As this is the spot where local farmers harvested the cochineal beetle that feeds on the tunera cactus. And which they then transformed into a dye stuff that had many uses – such as colouring the red coats of English infantrymen during the 19th century.
November 25th, 2008
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Could Puerto del Carmen become the Puerto Banus of the Canary Islands? Unlikely as this scenario may seem to anyone who has visited Lanzarote´s most popular resort in recent years this transformation could well come to pass. As island authorities press ahead with ambitious plans to reinvent tourism in the resort. A project that will have massive implications for both visitor numbers and the Lanzarote property market in years to come.
Before the advent of package tourism in the 1970´s Puerto del Carmen was just a small fishing village, known to the locals as La Tiñosa. Today the area is the most popular destination on the island – and is packed all year round with holidaymakers enjoying the islands clement climate and excellent beaches.
Traditionally, Puerto del Carmen has also long been the engine of the islands property market too. With thousands overseas buyers attracted to investing in apartments and holiday villas in Lanzarote thanks to the resorts buoyant tourist trade.
Over the years however Puerto del Carmen has become a victim of its own success. As thirty years of tourism have had a deleterious effect on the resorts infrastructure and facilities.
This impact is most apparent on the Avenida de las Playas - Puerto del Carmen’s main, 6km long beachfront strip. Where pedestrians are forced to vie for space on cramped pavements whilst cars whiz by just a few inches away. Creating a rather downmarket image – especially by comparison with newer and fresher holiday destinations around the world.
Mindful of the negative impact that this could have on their most important industry, island authorities have now pressed the button on a multi million euro project to upgrade and improve amenities. In a bid to ensure that Puerto del Carmen retains its popularity for decades to come.
Work has already started on the part pedestrianisation of the Avemida del las Playas. Which will be followed through with the imposition of uniform shop fronts and fascias for all units on the Avenida de las Playas. Replacing the current garish sea of neon. So creating a more aesthetically pleasing overall impression for visitors.
More ambitious still though are plans to transform the Old Town harbour area into a stunning new marina – with moorings for luxury yachts and cruisers. A project that is designed to attract a more affluent type of tourist whilst also emulating the success of nearby Puerto Calero. The luxury marina just a few miles south along the coast where property prices already command a premium.
Work on the project is expected to take at least twelve months. But in tandem with other initiatives such as the opening of the new golf course just outside Puerto del Carmen is expected to have a positive impact on tourist numbers over the coming years.
November 5th, 2008
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