Lanzarote

In May 2009, I was fortunate enough to visit Lanzarote where I spent a lovely two weeks with my family and friends in a villa . This was my fifth visit to Lanzarote and it will definitely not be the last. In previous years I have always stayed in the resort of Puerto Del Carmen, however this year it was time for a change. With slightly different requirements and a 1 and half year old daughter now in tow, it was decided that Costa Teguise would fit the bill.

Costa Teguise is the islands third busiest resort and was perfect for us on holiday with a toddler. Everything is situated very close by and it was only a short walk to the lovely sandy clean beach. My daughter loved running in and out of the water and although the sea is quite choppy the water is very shallow and perfect for small children. The resort itself is purpose built and very family orientated and the restaurants and bars provide well for children. We spent many a night enjoying a glass of wine in the delightful square called ‘Pueblo Marinero’. On Friday nights the square is also host to a craft market. Another advantage was the very short transfer time from the airport which took approx 20 minutes.

Whilst in Lanzarote, we decided to visit Fuerteventura for the day. We took a ferry from Playa Blanca over to Corralejo. It is the largest resort in Fuerteventura. Once a fishing village, it still retains the air of the small port it once was. The beach there is the main attraction, which is absolutely gorgeous and behind the sands there are lots of restaurants and bars to offer refreshments and snacks when the heat gets too much. Another good day out was our visit to Rancho Texas Park. You only need half a day there, so it is worthwhile visiting the park in the morning before it becomes too hot. The park is very well presented with lots of unusual animals to enjoy, including some armadillos. There are three shows put on throughout the day – a sea lion show, parrot show and bird of prey show. The bird of prey show is fantastic, although little children will probably enjoy the sea lion show more. Rancho Texas Park also have country and western evenings, which is an all inclusive night out with free flowing drinks, food, live music and entertainment, including the chance to learn how to line dance.

Lanzarote really is an Atlantic gem and anyone visiting Lanzarote for the first time should definitely make sure they visit the Timanfaya National Park and Fire Mountain. Where you can stare wide-eyed at the lunar- like landscape and watch cups of water turn into steaming geysers as guides perform amazing volcanic experiments. I have some lovely memories of Lanzarote and I hope there will be more in the future.