Discover Lanzarote: The Island of Fire

Lanzarote has long been a hot favorite with tourists.  Located just off the coast of Morocco this small Canary Island enjoys great weather all year round.  Characterised by very low rainfall and temperatures that rarely fall much below 20 Celsius even in the depths of winter. whilst boasting over 90 beaches, surreal volcanic scenery and a series of unique visitor attractions created by an island born artist called César Manrique.

Fire Mountains
During the 18th and 19th centuries Lanzarote was subjected to a number of prolonged and violent volcanic eruptions  which reshaped and remodeled around one third of the island thereby transforming villages and farmland into desolate lava fields.  Today, no visit to Lanzarote is complete without visiting the Fire Mountains – which stand at the center of this seismic activity in the Timanfaya Volcano Park.  The scenery here is so out of this world that it is often likened to the surface of the moon and has been used as a backdrop for numerous sc-fi movies.
Hail César
Elsewhere on the island this volcanic terrain has been united with the artistic sensibilities of César Manrique, who wanted to illustrate that tourist development could work with the islands topography rather than against it. 
This has resulted in creations such as the Jameos del Agua – where a giant lave tunnel has been turned into an atmospheric underground concert venue and auditorium.

Tourism on the island is concentrated in the three main resorts of Puerto del Carmen, Costa Teguise and Playa Blanca.  Visitors will find that there are no high rise buildings or advertising billboards.  This is a result of Manrique´s influence – as he successfully campaigned against the worst excesses of the hotel and property developers to ensure that Lanzarote retained as much of it’s original character and charm as possible.

Accommodation
The island has been welcoming visitors for over forty years and offers a wide range of accommodation choices encompassing everything from studio apartments to plush rural hotels.
A growing number of visitors now tend to book their own holidays in Lanzarote online, thanks to the growth of the internet.  And as a result apartments and villas in Lanzarote now account for more tourist beds than local hotels.

Best Time To Visit
Lanzarote enjoys good weather all year round.  But from March to August the island is often buffeted by the Trade Winds.  Visit in September or October to enjoy Lanzarote at its best

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