Arrecife is centrally located on the south coast of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. This small city is the capital of the island and is set around a natural harbour, surrounded by small islands and reefs. With beautiful sandy beaches, Arrecife offers an authentic experience of the island and is much less ‘touristy’ than other resorts on the island. At the centre of the city is the

Charco de San Gines

Charco de San Gines, a saltwater lagoon surrounded by quaint fisherman’s houses. Arrecife has town houses which are open to the public, nice parks and the main street of the city has a good choice of restaurants, cafes, bars and shops. Don’t forget to visit the street market where you can buy all kinds of traditional souvenirs which are designed and made locally.

With an EU Blue Flag for cleanliness Arrecife beach is the perfect place for lazing on the beach and enjoying a refreshing dip in the sea. Of all the

Arrecife

 Arrecife beaches, El Reducto is regarded as one of the best beaches on Lanzarote. With golden sands, crystal clear water, a shady promenade which links to El Cable beach, cafes and an abundance of water sports on offer this stretch of beach is perfect for families. Other beache resorts within easy reach of Arrecife include the quiet Playa El Cable, Puerto del Carmen, Playa de Porcillos, Matagordas and Costa Teguise.

Away from the beaches there are lots of things to do and see by using Arrecife as your base. To the north of the city are the amazing volcanic lava

Cuerva de los Verdes

caves at Cuerva de los Verdes and Jameos de Agua, and the quaint fishing villages of Orzola and Arrieta. Travel inland to the town of Tahiche and the village of Tias and enjoy the traditional Canarian restaurants and bars. Teguise is the former capital of Lanzarote and is well worth a visit as is the cactus garden at Guatiza. The coastline of Arrecife is dotted with small islands which offer a great escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and it’s beaches. Take an island boat tour and enjoy some snorkelling, swimming, fishing at the beaches of the islands you visit and exploring their little villages. For history enthusiasts Arrecife has museums devoted to a range of subjects including archaeology, science, art and crafts.

Holiday packages to Arrecife should include a visit to the old city quarter where there are historic churches and beautiful traditional stone houses which have remained unchanged for generations.  

The city plays host to many lively festivals which you may be lucky enough to encounter on your bargain holidays to Lanzarote.

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.

The purpose built resort of Costa Teguise is located on the south coast of lanzarote, 3miles from Arrecife and 20 minutes from Lanzarote airport.

Costa Teguise

The second most popular resort on the island of Lanzarote, Costa Teguise is home to five beautiful beaches. Las Cucharas is a crescent-shaped stretch of sandy beach with calm clear waters and is the main beach in the resort. Famara is quite wild and vey popular with surfers. Bastian beach is the most protected and popular with families, especially those with young children. Jablillo beach and Ensenada beach are a lot smaller compared to the other three beaches in the resort.
Because of it’s excellent conditions for watersports, enthusiasts are drawn to

Las Cucharas beach

 Costa Teguise. Windsurfing is the major watersport here as the area has a windy climate. There are some windsurfing schools in the resort, making the sport available to beginners and experts alike.
Many of the resorts hotels are on the beach, making Costa Teguise an ideal location for families on a beach holiday.

Children will not only enjoy the wonderful beaches here, they will also love the local waterpark and the Rancho Texas theme park which is located near Puerto del Carmen.

Cuerva de los Verdes

Costa Teguise makes a good base for exploring the whole of Lanzarote. In the north of the island there are the fishing villages of Arrieta and Orzola and the fascinating volcanic lava caves at Cuerva de los Verdes and Jameos de Agua. Inland from Costa Teguise are the former capital of Lanzarote, Teguise and the new capital Arrecife and also the town of Guatiza which has a brilliant cactus garden.

For golf enthusiasts there is Lanzarote’s best known 18-hole golf course.

There are a few night spots here but most evenings are spent relaxing at one of resorts restaurants, cafes or bars.

Costa Teguise enjoys good all year round weather but the beaches here are windier than those on the other Canary islands. Temperatures here are stable all year round, rarely dropping below 20C and hitting highs of around 28C in July, August and September, and with betweeen 7 and 9 hours of sunshine a day.

Winter last minute holdays to Costa Teguise are as enjoyable as summer holidays because of the resorts stable weather conditions.

For a vacation that all the family can enjoy, look-out for the great cheap holidays to Lanzarote that can be found on the internet.

The beautiful Canary Islands are home to four of Spains ten national parks.

Timanfaya National Park – Lanzarote

UNESCO named the whole of the island of Lanzarote a World Biosphere Reserve in 1993. The island is home to the Timanfaya National Park which is located in the southwest of the island. The park covers an area of about 20 square miles and is made up of volcanic soil with wonderful flora and fauna.
The park was created when over 100 volcanoes erupted in the space of six years during the 1700′s, completley destroying part of the island. In 1968 this area of devastation was declared a national park, Timanfaya National Park.
The land here is like a lunar landscape, with the temperature just a few yards below the surface reaching 400-600C.
You can explore the park on your own or take a coach trip, camel ride or guided walk around the park.
The El Diablo Restaurant is situated in the park and offers meals prepared using the geothermal heat from the earth and also wonderful panoramic views across the park.

Teide National Park – Tenerife

The Teide National Park was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2007. The park comprises of Mount Teide and its surrounding area which covers about 73 square miles. Mount Teide is an active volcano and is Spains highest mountain.
The park includes a huge volcanic crater which has a circumference of 30 miles.
This vast wilderness is home to fascinating rock formations, pine forests and many species of birds, animals, insects, flowers and trees.
The park offers guided walks or you can make your own way around the park using one of the many hiking trails.
If you wish to hike to the peak of Mount Teide you will need to obtain a special permit from the National Park office, bearing in mind that there are only a couple of hundred permits granted each day.

La Caldera de Taburiente – La Palma

Designated a national park in 1954, it was originally thought that the Caldera de Taburiente, which is located in the park, was a giant crater but it is now known that it is a mountain arch with a strange crater shape. Here in the park you will find a large forest made up of the Canary Island Pine and also the Canary Islands Juniper which is an endangered species of flora.
There are lots of walking routes in the Caldera, if you prefer to walk on your own rather than with one of the organised walks you will need to obtain permission from the Caldera Information offce.
There are 25 recorded bird species here making the park very popular with bird watchers. You will also find fascinating geological formations, waterfalls and lovely flora throughout the park.

Garajonay National Park – La Gomera

Declared a national park in 1981, Garajonay was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986. The park was named after the rocky formation Garajonay which stands just under a mile high.
The park has lots of footpaths through the laurel forests which cover nearly three quarters of the park. There are lots of springs and streams that run through the park which ensure the vegetation is always green and radiant.

There are lots of travel deals available to the Canary Islands which are ideal for the whole family.

Watch out for those last minute holidays that are on offer to these beautiful islands which offer so much more than just sun, sea and sand!

The Canary Islands have over 900 miles of coastline which, together with the great weather conditions, make them the ideal location for scuba diving. The waters here are some of the clearest in the world as there is very little plankton produced in the area.

The ocean here benefits from the Gulf Stream giving the waters a low of 19C in the winter and up to 25C in the summer. The water becomes cooler as you get further away from the African Coast making it cooler off El Hierro than off Lanzarote. The difference in temperature affects the different species of marine life seen. You will see tropical and sub-tropical North Atlantic species and Mediterranean species.

Diving in Fuerteventura

With water temperatures ranging from 18C in the winter to 24C in the summer, this is the ideal place for both beginners and advanced divers. There are lots of different sites here including reef, wrecks and drop offs. Amongst the marine life here are octopus, barracudas, moray eels and sea bream.

Diving in Gran Canaria

Again an ideal location for all grades of diver as the ocean temperature stays between 20C and 24C all year round. In the east of the island is the Marine reserve at Arinaga, in the south there are wrecks, reefs, walls and caves, while in the north there are reefs and wrecks. Marine life here includes loggerhead turtles, angel sharks, rays, sting rays, bull rays, octopus, barracuda, octopus, sea horses, trumpet fish, parrot fish, groupers and puffers.

Diving in Tenerife and Lanzarote

Both of these islands have lots of sites ranging from house reef dives and wrecks, to wall dives night dives. Once more both are ideal locations for all grades of diver as the ocean temperature stays between 20C and 24C all year round. Life under the water includes octopus, moray eels, barracuda, sea bream and much more.

Diving in La Palma

With ideal visibility all year round many of the fish here swim close to the surface giving a great opportunity for snorkellers. Whilst diving in the caves, canyons and tunnels you will meet rays, moray eels, trumpet fish, groupers, barracudas and in the summer you may even see tuna and turtles.

Diving in La Gomera

There are only a few dive centres here but like the other islands there is an abundance of marine life to be seen, including rays, moray eels, trumpet fish, groupers, barracudas and in the summer you may even see tuna and turtles. Again with clear visibility all year round many of the fish here swim close to the surface giving a great opportunity for snorkellers.

Diving in El Hierro

Here you will find 25 sites and several dive centres. The main diving is from the village of La Restinga which is a protected marine park. El Hierro became a marine sanctuary in 1996 and in 2000 was also declared a UNESCO biosphere reservation.

Diving is something that can be enjoyed by all the family so why not take a look at the many last minute holiday deals that are around.

With much more to do and see please visit my Canary Islands blog for more information on this beautiful group of islands.

If you are looking for a destination with plenty to do and see then look no further than the Canary Islands, you won’t be disappointed.
Here are just a few of the many attractions of the islands, there are far too many to mention them all!

Corralejo

WINDSURFING & KITESURFING – FUERTEVENTURA

Fuerteventura has soft, golden, unspoiled beaches which are ideal for a spot of windsurfing or kitesurfing. There is Corralejo in the north and Jandia in the south, where world championship events take place.

TEIDE NATIONAL PARK – TENERIFE

The Teide National Park was declared a World Heritage Site in 2007. Here you can take the cable car up the 12,198ft Mount Teide. The cable car takes you to within 1,000ft of the summit from where you can walk to the peak of the mountain.

Costa Martianez Lido

PUERTO DE LA CRUZ – TENERIFE

Here in this old colonial-style town, you will find the Costa Martianez Lido, designed by Cesar Manrique, and the marine and wildlife park, Loro Parque.

CARNAVAL – TENERIFE

During February and March there are great colourful celebrations in Santa Cruz and Puerto Cruz.

CALDERA DE TABURIENTE – LA PALMA

Caldera de Taburiente is one of the biggest and most fertile volcanic craters in the world. Whilst taking a hike here you can also visit Mirador de la Cumbrecita with it’s wonderful views and also explore the charming capital, Santa Cruz.

Timanfaya National Park

TIMANFAYA NATIONAL PARK – LANZAROTE

The landscape here was created by a volcanic eruption that covered around a third of the island of Lanzarote. Whilst on a walking tour here you will be able to feel the heat of the dormant volcano.

TEGUISE – LANZAROTE

This picturesque colonial-style former capital of Lanzarote has great views and a castle which is built on a volcanic cone, palaces, churches and a Sunday market.

Jardin de Cactus

THE ATTRACTIONS OF CESAR MANRIQUE – LANZAROTE

Cesar Manrique, the renowned artist, landscape designer and ecological champion, has several visitor attractions on the island, including Jameos del Agua and Jardin de Cactus.

LAS PALMAS – GRAN CANARIA

Located between two bays, Las Palmas has a lovely beach and several attractions, including the Casa de Colon (Columbus House, Pueblo Canario, museums, a cathedral and market.

If you are looking for last minute holidays you will find 1,000′s of late deals on offer throughout the internet.

For more information on the Canary Islands and to view my latest articles please visit my Canary Islands Blog.

This review has been supplied to us by our reader Carol Clarke

“When we booked this self catering holiday for our family summer holidays last year, we didn’t know what to expect as we had never been self catering before. The apartment for the 4 of us was a good size with everything you need to cook with, we didn’t cook much though as we found some great restaurants in Playa Blanca, why cook when there is someone else to do it for you! Really suprised that our apartment was cleaned 4 times and the beds changed twice, thought i would have to do it all myself as we were self catering! The kids loved the kids club (hate to say it but so did we!).
Have already booked to go back again this year and it can’t come keep enough.”

Aparthotel Sun Royal

Aparthotel Sun Royal, Playa Blanca, Lanzarote

Located in a tranquil spot, just 600m from the beach at Playa Dorada, the Sun Royal is ideal for family holidays. Offering bright, clean accommodation, it is just a short stroll from the promenade and the resort centre.

Key Facts
200 Apartments
2 Lifts

Apartment Facilities
All of the apartments have a kitchenette with 2 electric rings, microwave, coffee machine/juice extractor, toaster and fridge, bathroom, satellite TV, telephone, hairdryer, balcony or terrace. The apartments have 2 single beds, a sofa bed and a pull out bed. 

Facilities
Reception, bar area, mini-market, launderette,
2 large swimming pools, sunbeds, gardens, pool table, darts, table tennis, games room, squash court, water polo, bicycle hire, tennis and minigolf available in sister hotel next door, sauna.
Daily activities organised by hotel.
Non-smoking, air-conditioned buffet restaurant and cafe/snack bar.

Children’s Facilities
2 saltwater kid’s pools, playground, playroom, cots.