Lanzarote is one of the most popular islands in the Canaries. This isn’t suprising as the island has top class resorts, sandy beaches with crystal clear blue waters and an all year round warm sunny climate. Located north of Fuerteventura and close to the coast of Africa, Lanzarote boasts a beautiful lunar landscape with volcanoes and beautiful colourful rock formations. If you are looking for something a bit less touristy then you should try the

Arrecife

 islands capital Arrecife. This small and very friendly city is centred around a beautiful natural harbour.

You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to Lanzarote beaches. The island’s capital Arrecife has a lovely lively beach whilst near Playa Blanca you will find wild unspoilt beaches at Papagayo. There are also excellent beaches at Puerto del Carmen and at the quieter resorts of Playa de los Pocillos and Matagorda. Watersports are on offer at all the beaches in Lanzarote, especially in the Costa Teguise area where you can enjoy scuba diving, windsurfing, parasailing, kitesurfing and much much more.

Timanfaya National Park

Lanzarote offers much more than just beaches and beautiful surroundings. Timanfaya National Park is home to amazing Volcanic landscapes and there are fascinating lava caves at Cuerva de los Verdes and Los Jameos del Agua. There are no end of quaint villages to visit including the inland villages of Yaiza and Tias with their charming traditional whitewashed buildings and the fishing villages of Arrieta and Orzola in the north of the island. Not forgetting something for the children to enjoy, there is the waterpark at Costa Teguise and the Rancho Texas theme park near Puerto del Carmen which both make a great day out for the whole family.

There are lots of different ways to explore Lanzarote when on your

Lanzarote camels

holidays. Take a hiking tour and discover the mountains, National park and volcanic caves, make the most of the perfect all year round conditions for cycling, enjoy the beautiful countryside on horse-back, experience a camel tour across the desert landscape or discover off-the-beaten track beaches and villages. A popular way to explore the island whilst on your direct holidays is by boat with many different types of trip on offer. These include glass bottom boat trips, tours by submarine, catamaran excursions and if you want a touch of luxury, private yacht charters.

With more than 300 days of sunshine every year you can’t fail to enjoy one of the late deals to the island of Lanzarote where you can relax and enjoy the beautiful sun blessed beaches, along with everything else the island has to offer.

Puerto Mogan is a small resort on the Canary Island of Gran Canaria. Situated 20 minutes from Maspalomas, 45 minutes from Las Palmas and just

Puerto Mogan

10 minutes from Playa Taurito, this attractive little town is an ideal resort in which to spend a glorious family holiday.

The town’s central canal is transversed by Italian type footbridges, hence it is often referred to as the Little Venice of the Canary Islands. There is a great diversity in the style of buildings here, from old whitewashed villas and quaint fishermans cottages to modern buildings. In the heart of the town is the church of Saint Anthony which is home to magnificent carvings and statues.

If you enjoy sailing you won’t fail to be impressed by the 225 mooring

Puerto Mogan town

 marina where you will see all different types of yachts and sail boats.

The town itself is a labyrinth of tiny streets and alleyways all waiting to be explored. After exploring the town you can take a leisurely walk around the harbour and enjoy a nice peaceful meal in one of the many restaurants, cafes, bistros and tavernas. Puerto Mogan has some of the best fish restaurants on the island along with restaurants serving traditional and international cuisine.

Puerto Mogan beach

Made from beautiful golden sand imported from the Sahara Desert, the beach here is ideal for all the family to enjoy the suns rays, swim and snorkel in the lovely warm waters.
Puerto Mogan has a dive centre that provides lessons, equipment for hire and diving excursions that include reef, cave and wreck dives.

There are lots of excursions on offer including underwater trips in a yellow submarine, dolphin spotting cruises and tours of the outstanding Gran Canaria mountains.
A must for the family is a trip to the nearby resort of Meloneras where you will find not only beautiful beaches and a promenade but also the Holiday World roller coaster theme park and the adventure waterpark Aqualand.

Puerto Mogan is home to the Anfi Tauro 18-hole golf course with it’s stunning views, lakes, waterfalls and gardens.

Enjoying a sub-tropical climate, the Canary Islands are the ideal location for holiday packages in the sun for the whole family.

During the summer months Puerto Mogan enjoys average temperatures of around 26C to 28C, an average of 10 hours sunshine a day and very little rainfall. During the winter months the temperature varies between 14C and 21C with around 6 hours of sunshine a day which makes the resort a great place to book one of the last minute holiday deals to at any time of the year. Add to the great climate sea temperatures which rarely go below 19C and you have an ideal all year round destination for the whole family to enjoy.

Situated on the beautiful island of Fuerteventura, Costa Caleta is the perfect resort in which to spend your family holidays in the Canary Islands.

Costa Caleta

The purpose-built resort of Costa Caleta is located on the east coast of Fuerteventura, just 8 miles from the island’s capital Puerto Del Rosario and 5 miles from the airport. Known locally as Caleta de Fuste (cove of the fishing boat) or El Castillo de Fuste (which refers to the watchtower which looks down on the harbour), Costa Caleta is great for families and couples alike who are looking for rest and relaxation in a friendly atmosphere.

The horseshoe shaped cove here is man made from fine golden imported sand and provides a safe, sheltered place for all the family to enjoy the shallow, clear, warm waters. There is a safety barrier in place to prevent children from swimming out too far. At low tide rock pools teaming with fascinating marine life form, making this a great place to explore for the whole family. The temperature of the waters here very rarely fall below 19C (even in the winter) and average around 29C in August. It is always sunny here with the temperature rarely dropping below 21C.

Apart from it’s beautiful beach, Costa Caleta has a harbour, marina,

Costa Caleta marina

 restaurants, bars and a shopping village to keep the whole family happy. There is a great Oceanarium in the harbour which is home to some very unusual sea life. For the more energetic there are watersports on offer from the harbour, including scuba diving, snorkelling, jet skiing, windsurfing and parascending. There are also two 18 hole golf courses in the area.

To take in the beautiful scenery there are lovely coastal paths where you will be greeted by the friendly local chipmunks who will welcome you feeding

Costa Caleta chipmunk

them by hand. A walk along the coast is particularly inviting after a hectic day of laying on the sun soaked beach!

To explore more of the island it is a good idea to hire a jeep and enjoy a great family exploration day out.

If you are looking to spend your family holidays on a beautiful, ‘sunny all year’ island then look no further than the wonderful Canary Island of Fuerteventura.

There are always great late deals to this warm, friendly island available for you to book all year round.

Puerto Rico is a popular resort on the south coast of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. Originally a fishing village, Puerto Rico has now become a major tourist resort on Gran Canaria.

Puerto Rico

The resorts main beach is covered with sand from the Sahara desert. As the beach is quite small it can become fairly crowded but this does not stop visitors returning to the resort year after year. For those who prefer something a bit less crowded, there are two swimming pools which are situated in beautiful tropical gardens near the beach. The smaller resort of Playa Del Cura is about 2 miles from Puerto Rico and has a much quieter sandy beach which is located in a peaceful cove. For the more energetic there are lots of watersports on offer here, including scuba diving, parasailing, wind surfing, jet skiing, sailing and deep sea fishing.

Next to the beach is the resorts marina where you will find pleasure boats, yachts and fishing boats. From here you can take a glass bottom boat trip or go on a whale or dolphin watching trip.

The resort has a promenade which is lined with restaurants, cafes and bars

Puerto Rico

 and has three great shopping malls. Most of the eateries cater for the European market but some do offer traditional food and tapas.

Puerto Rico is regarded as the busiest resort on the island, with clubs and bars coming to life at night for the all-night revellers.

Puerto Rico offers excellent weather conditions all year round, with winter temperatures averaging between 18C and 23C and very little rainfall. In the summer temperatures average around 26C with 9-10 hours of sunshine a day.

For a relaxing break with all year sunshine why not take advantage of one of the many bargain holidays on offer to the Canary Islands.

If you are looking for direct holidays, there are always great offers throughout the internet.

Thinking of visiting the Canary Islands for your holidays?
Have you considered staying on Fuerteventura, the largest of the Canary Islands?
If you are considering this island destination then why not take a look at a really informative travel article for Fuerteventura that i have just come across.

Fuerteventura is the place for the best beach holiday.

Corralejo beach

Because Fuerteventura’s economy is purely built around tourism,  it is the perfect place for any holiday maker to get exactly what they want from their holiday. There are two towns on the island, Corralejo and Caleta de fuste, each offering a different experience.
Corralejo is located on the most northern tip of the island and is based around the small fishing town which has been adapted to tend to the tourists needs.
Purpose built Caleta de fuste is much more up beat and lively than that of the sleepy town of Corralejo.

Fuerteventura is also a top choice for golfing enthusiasts. With two golf courses, one is the championship golf course of the Spanish open and the

Caleta de fuste beach

 other is situated right next to it, there is plenty of opportunity to play.

Trevor Butler set up his first ‘travel’ related business in 2004 and has written many other destination articles with tips and information. I have found these articles both interesting and helpful, hope you do too.

Playa del Ingles is Gran Canaria’s largest holiday resort, situated at the south of the island, between the smaller resorts of Maspalomas and San Agustin.

Playa del Ingles

Playa del Ingles ( the English Beach) is a fun resort, comprising of the beach, hotels, bars, clubs, shops, restaurants and fast-food eateries. Although the resort is mainly aimed at the younger market seeking cheap holidays, the climate here does attract families aswell.
The resort has several commercial centres, including the Yumbo Centre (especially for the gay scene and gay nightlife) and Kasbah, a shoppers delight.
There is also a pedestrian promenade here, the Paseo Costa Canaria, which runs all along the beach and links the Playa de las Burras to Maspalomas.

Playa del Ingles is not a cultural area, visitors come here for the beach and shopping by day, and the clubs and bars by night.

Activities on offer here include watersports (jet-skiing, windsurfing and banana boats), scuba diving, skydiving, horse riding, camel riding, golf, tennis, mini golf, go karting, water parks and amusement arcades.

CLIMATE

The average summer temperature is between 26C and 28C, often exceeding  30C.  During  the winter months the average temperature is between 22C and 24C.

Maspalomas is situated on the southernmost tip of Gran Canaria, 32 miles south of Las Palmas and 20 miles south of the airport.

Maspalomas

Maspalomas is famous for its giant sand dunes, which provide the backdrop for a magnificent fine white-sand beach. 

Maspalomas enjoys sunshine for all the year, average daytime temperatures range between 15C in January and February and 24C during July and August.

BEACHES

Playa de Maspalomas beach stretches for about 1.2 miles and is regarded as the most beautiful beach on Gran Canaria.  the island. The beach is divided into distinct areas for families and children, nudists and gays.  The south-facing Playa de Maspalomas joins the east-facing Playa del Ingles at the Punta de Maspalomas. At the western end of Playa de Maspalomas is La Charca lagoon and Faro de Maspalomas (Maspalomas Lighthouse). Further on, to the west, is the rocky Playa de las Mujeres which is a good place for surfing and windsurfing. The next beach is Playa Las Meloneras, a long coarse sand-and-pebble beach.
Watersports on offer in Maspalomas include parasailing, jet-skiing, water-skiing, and speedboat and inflatable rides.

THINGS TO DO AND SEE

Campo de Golf de Maspalomas

Golf
There are three golf courses at Maspalomas. The Campo de Golf de Maspalomas, which is surrounded by the dunes, has hosted several international events. Just outside the resort is Salobre Golf, which is set among ravines and volcanic landscapes. Meloneras Golf provides a challenge along its sea-view fairways.

Camel Trek
This is a great way to see the magnificent dunes of Maspalomas. The camel drivers pitch their tents at Faro de Maspalomas, next to the tallest lighthouse in the Canary Islands.

La Charca
This is a sea-water lagoon bordered with palm trees, which is home to many species of nesting and migratory birds.

Aqualand

Aqualand
Located 2 miles north of Maspalomas on the Carretera Palmitos Parque, this is the biggest water park in the Canary Islands, with 50 slides, flumes, rides and attractions including children’s and adults’ swimming pools and mini-golf. 

Holiday World
This is a large amusement park with fairground rides, ten-pin bowling, bars, restaurants, two nightclubs, gym and spa.

Ocean Water Park
This park has 15 different slides, swimming pools and a large wave pool.

Palmitos Park

Palmitos Park
Located 6 miles northwest of Maspalomas, this park is situated in a beautiful green valley, with 150 species of birds, including tiny hummingbirds, toucans, peacocks, hornbills, cranes, flamingos and macaws, a gibbon island, an aquarium, a butterfly house, a cacti garden, an orchid house, crocodiles and much more. The park also has bird of prey shows and parrot shows.

Sioux City
This Wild West theme park is a replica of a Wild West town with its typical houses, church, ranch, bank, saloon and of course an Indian reservation. There is also a small zoo here for the younger children.

From self catering summer holidays to luxurious winter hotel breaks to last minute holidays, you will get great value from a Playa de las Americas holiday.

Playa de las Americas

Purpose built, Playa de las Americas has become Tenerife’s most popular resort and boasts an array of first class facilities. 
 
Playa de las Americas is a tourist mecca built in the late 1960′s and neighbours Los Cristianos and Costa Adeje.

With row upon row of British Pubs, Fish and Chip parlours, Pizza parlours and other fast food outlets, this is a real home from home for those Europeans who don’t like Spanish Food and want to spend their nights in the coolest hot spots and their days on the beach. Away from the sand there are waterparks, spas and a casino.

Playas de Troya

BEACHES

El Barranco del Rey is the boundary between the boroughs of Adeje and Arona.
There are several golden-sand beaches along this stretch of coast.
Cuevitas and Playas de Troya are very popular beaches for their dry, sunny climate.
There are many bars, restaurants and terraces along the pedestrian promenade that has been built along this stretch of coast.
Two beaches in this area, officially known as Playa de las Americas I and Playa de las Americas II, were awarded the blue flag in 1998 by the European Environmental Education Foundation. This is an award given to beaches that comply with Community regulations in matters of cleanliness of coastal waters and other requisites.
Several water sports are available at the beaches, including wet biking and parasailing. There are also several diving clubs.
There is one stretch of the coast that is suitable for surfing.

El Hierro is the smallest of the Canaries and one of the most attractive of all Atlantic Islands. Few places in the world conserve their true nature and natural beauty like the island of El Hierro. If you want to spend your holidays close to nature,this is the place to be.

El Hierro

El Hierro has a stark contrast of very different landscapes, including lava flows, volcanic cones, green pinewoods, gentle meadows and laurel woodland (laurisilva), and rocky coasts with colossal cliffs.

On El Hierro, you can be as one with nature by, taking a walk along its pathways on foot or by mountain bike, paragliding over its valleys or potholing in the islands volcanic tunnels.

ancient juniper

For unusual sights visitors can visit the woodland of ancient junipers, the Orchilla lighthouse or the Cave of Don Justo, at La Restinga.

The island has some fascinating underwater scenery, with crystal-clear waters in an incredible volcanic setting together with hundreds of

Giant Lizard

subtropical species. Another of the island’s attractions is The Recovery Centre for the Giant Lizard (an indigenous protected species of great scientific interest), which is located in Guinea Village.

Top things to do and see on El Hierro

El Pinar – covering a long swath of the southern half of the island, the towering pines in the pristine El Pinar forest are idle for a wander or drive.
Camino de Jinama – this is one of the islands best downhill walks, offering fantastic views of El Golfo and the Atlantic.
El Sabinar – the windswept juniper trees sculpted by the wind into eerie, gnome-like shapes are a marvel to see.
La Restinga – the island’s scuba-diving capital and its major tourism centre, the calm waters here make it ideal for diving.

La Caleta – this is a natural cove with a nice promenade, and is ideal for a spot of swimming.