They have all been owned by Spain since the early 1400´s and played an important role in the growth of the empire.  As they provided a useful staging post for the galleons that used to criss-cross the Atlantic, laden with Inca silver and African slaves.  A trade that also attracted the attentions of numerous buccaneers and privateers such as Raleigh and Drake – both keen to undermine the Spanish crown’s main source of income.

Today visitors arrive from countries such as the UK and Germany in serious numbers.  Lanzarote welcomed over 1.4 million visitors last year and in the past this figure reached as high as 2 million tourists.  However the arrival of other destinations on the scene such as Egypt and Turkey have eroded the islands popularity a little.

There are loads of great places to stay – visitors have their choice of over 200 Lanzarote hotels.  Most of which are in the four star category, although there are six 5 star hotels too.  Lanzarote holiday villas and apartments are also popular with those seeking self catering accommodation and can often be rented surprisingly cheaply.  For example a seven night stay on a centrally located complex in the heart of one of the largest resorts costs from just €180 per week.

There are three main holiday resorts to choose from.  The largest of which is called Puerto del Carmen – which can be found just ten minutes away from the sole island airport at Arrecife.  Puerto del Carmen started life as a little fishing village called La Tiñosa before evolving into the large destinations that it is today. With life in the resort revolving around the main beach of Playa Grande and the harbour area in the Old Town.  Which is a great spot for dining outdoors.

Playa Blanca is the second largest resort on Lanzarote and is about a thirty minute drive south of Puerto del Carmen.  It was developed more recently so all of the hotels and villas in Playa Blanca are only a few years old.  Providing plenty of modern comforts and amenities for guests.  Such as heated swimming pools and Jacuzzis and high speed internet connections.

Thanks to its incredible year round climate the island can be enjoyed at any time of the year.  So book your flight today and discover Lanzarote.

1. Ferries, cruise ship and sailing ships destination…
2. Island connections Gran Canaria, La Palma, El Hierro, Lanzarote,
   Fuerto Ventura by boats or flights from Los Rodeos or Los Christianos…
3. Special Tenerife is even less than 4 hour flights from Frankfurt/Main and countless other European cities opposed to only 4 hours from the UK…
4. You enjoy a West African sun, while you are very close to the Sahara during summer as well as in winter.
5. However, no suffering of excessive heat in Tenerife; that’s why it is a favorite travel destination for Madrid.
6. Above all, holidays packed with endless thrills, such as orcas shows, and variety are guarantied on time limited vacation,as long as you have a rented car which saves you enormous time.
7. Seeing the essential of multi faceted Tenerife is in your reach because of good infrastructure with freeways and motorways.
8. The biggest of all Canary Islands has a wealth of hotels for young and
   old, for golf, wellness, wheel chair travelers, sports and holiday fans
   and for business ventures.
9. Countless holiday homes, some of which are Canary houses, are waiting for you to suit any budget
   to fulfill any dreams
10. Tenerife is a small island packed with parties, festivals, culture and trendy events.
11. La Orotava flower carpets of Corpus Christi holiday made the Guinness book of records.
12. Agatha Christie, Hemingway and the renown aristocrat Humboldt declared the island of the Guanche piramids as unique.
13. Escape for adventure to world famous Mount Teide with its Cañadas for snow and sun walking as well as hikes…
14. Lets you get away from tourist spots with para gliding, explore a Teno mountain range with cliffs that rise 800 meters above the ocean in Los Gigantes and study a precious ecosystem.
15. Allows you to discover pristine beach shores for fishing, some of which are hardly known.
16. Gives you the experience of Masca with its pirate legends…
17. Encountering of 6 million year old Anaga hills with ancient Pine and Laural forests…
18. Has options of rare whale watching by organized trips or on
    chartered sailing boats…
19. Diving schools and deep sea diving for the advanced to underwater caves…
20. Alluring restaurants for all tastes with Bodegas, Guachinches, Tascas for Tapas and good, cheap take away are abundant.

To have so many options and more to discover for even short holidays is what is special about Tenerife. Learn more about the holiday home in Tenerife and an island full of surprises.

You will also find a number of larger vehicles available at the airport which is ideal if you are travelling with family and have kids and luggage in tow.

By driving a car in the Costa Blanca you will be able to unravel and discover some of its sightseeing hotspots and drive along the coast to marvel at its beautiful beaches and ocean views.

Alicante city itself has a number of historical points of interest that are well worth visiting whilst you are there, with Castle of Santa Barbara being one of the main points of interest and the Castle of San Fernando being another. However the golden beaches situated close by are really the main wow factors that attract thousands of tourists each year.

By heading North of Alicante you will encounter some very unique and attractive villages that offer some very nice coastal eateries, and the beaches there are much quieter in contrast. For this reason El Campello and Villajoyosa are well worth visiting if you prefer the less crowded tourist destinations such as Benidorm, which shouldn’t be crossed off your list if travelling with the family as they offer great entertainment for all of the family.

If you continue on route North of Alicante and follow signs to Denia you will eventually arrive at Calpe, where you will discover the finest beaches along the coast characterised by the iconic rock formation ‘Penon de Ifach’. You can also take a break from the beach and visit the archaeological museum and walk around some of the idyllic churches found there.

After Calpe you will reach Javea, which is characterised by its spectacular harbour and the views from it, wait until sunset and you will be mesmerised by this harbour. You will find an array of restaurants and bars here and if you are feeling energised you can take a hillside walk to the ‘Cabo de Nao San Martin’ where you will be rewarded with a superb panoramic view of the coast.

Finally one other destination well worth visiting is Denia which isn’t too far from Alicante and doesn’t take too long to get there. The 11th century castle found there overlooks the city, which beholds numerous shops, cafes, restaurants, bars and boutiques.

If you don’t fancy driving north or you have more time, the drive south opens up a couple of other options. You can either stick to the coast and take in more ocean views and visit Torrevieja, or drive inland a little and visit the historic city of Murcia. At Torrevieja you will find more beaches, shops restaurants and water parks and in Murcia you have more historic landmarks and museums to meander around.

What I like about this statement is that it couldn’t be any closer to the truth, as a kid spending many weeks each year digging holes on its sandy shores and collecting hermit crabs in a small yellow bucket, it has long been instilled in my mind that Spain is a place to go to the beach and nothing more.

It seems many others share this viewpoint and when people think of beautiful beaches and overcrowded holiday resorts they think of Spain.  However, if you are like me and don’t want to sit around all day basking in the sun, Spain offers much more. Spain is abundant in world heritage sites and can boast about having the largest number of cities listed as heritage sites by UNESCO.

Below are some must see Spanish cities and points of interest:

Madrid

If you like cities then where better to start then at the heart of the Spain in Madrid.  By starting in the capital city you are able to look on in awe and behold the beauty of the Royal Palace and walk through its parks and plazas that give this capital its unique identity. You can grab a bull by its horns, literally, and visit Spain’s largest bullring and witness a bullfight if that is your thing.

Toledo

After visiting Madrid you can drive 70km south to Toledo. Positioned within the hills, Toledo is rich in different architectural styles bringing together, Gothic, Mudejar and Visigodo styled buildings making it an architectural haven for sightseers.   And if you are there for sightseeing you must see Toledo’s Cathedral that dates back to the 14^th century, Mosque of Cristo de la Luz and Santo Tome Church, each reflecting a different style.

Realted & Useful Resources

Car Hire Madrid
Find the cheapest deals for car hire at Madrid airport using the easy to use car hire comparison site, absolutely free.

You might also like to read about Lanzarote one of Spain’s Canary Isles.