Lanzarote Holidays Guide

Right now, as the wind howls outside, it seems fitting to talk about the weather in Lanzarote. Here it is in a nutshell: warm, sunny and clear. Have you booked a flight yet?

There are several key factors that contribute to this amazing weather. First, it is one of the lowest of the Canary Islands. It lacks the high mountains of other islands, like Gran Canaria. That means that the temperature doesn’t vary as much and it’s drier overall. The mountains are not high enough to convert the moist air into rain.

Photos of Lanzarote

The other big factors are the fact that Lanzarote sits on the North-East Trade Wind’s route and secondly it benefits from the cool Canary Island ocean current.

The trade winds blow most frequently in the summer. July is the time when they are at their most consistent.
If you look at a map, you can see how close the island is to the equator. Hot air over the equator rises add flows North. It cools as it travels and that causes it to sink (hot air rises, right?). Generally it sinks around the Azores and then it blows South towards the Canarys.
This explains why Mirador del Rio tends to have higher winds than Playa Blanca, at the Southern tip, which is protected — somewhat — by the landscape in the middle of the island.

Photos of Lanzarote

The second cooling effect around Lanzarote is the Atlantic ocean itself. Again, the Trade Winds bring this gift, which drives the water to the Southwest along the coast of Africa. As it moves against the continent, the current races until it meets water flowing North. They mingle and this colder water cools the islands. And that allows the island’s temperature to stay consistent.

All of this weather guy talk means that Lanzarote is a golfers dream, a surfers dream and beach bums dream. Have you booked that flight yet? No matter your ideal holidays, Lanzarote holidays can be many things to many people. I think that’s why I always see multi-generational families there. Grandpa can do his thing while grandson is doing his thing. Perfect!

I do have to come clean and say that the weather is not always perfect.  We once had the un-fun of being there during a Calima. This is the name for when hot Saharan air (and sand) blow into Lanzarote. The Calima effect is known scientifically as the Saharan Air Layer. And luckily it usually just lasts a couple of days. Once you’ve been in one, you’ll recognize the next one. Hazy days, gritty wind (how could sand blow that far?) and hot, hot days.

As you know, I love to travel. Lately we’ve been all about the island paradises — Lanzarote holidays being at the top of that list, of course. But there are so many destinations to visit, so many roads to travel that it’s hard to know where to go.

I’m always looking for travel ideas. And that’s one reason why I love to read other people’s blogs — see where they’ve been and if I want to got here, too. I’m a thematic person — I like to group things into general categories (what would a shrink say, I wonder!) So when it comes to thinking about travel destinations, I tend to think “Romantic” or “Family”,  “Wine” or “Exploration” as ways to narrow down the scope. Some places can encompass several ideas –  Slovenia and South Africa both come to mind immediately as great wine countries and adventure/family places as well.

So where are we going in 2010? We’ll have to see how the budget looks, but definitely a road trip. The kids love those and so do we. A week is probably all we’ll be able to spare so we won’t go far. Maybe the fossil beds east of here…. the kids would love it!

It’s funny to even think about travel by car. When Kyle was posted to the Sydney branch (before baby #2) we did a lot of driving. But what I remember, of course was the flying.

We’d search for cheap flights to london so we could visit the grandparents, which, by the way is how we first discovered Lanzarote. But that’s another story. Now that the kids are getting older, it is easier to fly with them. I loved the long car trips my family took as a kid and I don’t want my children to miss out on that. The good and the bad parts!

So who knows? Maybe we’ll be able to get away for a romantic weekend to the coast. The Inn at Manzanita is our favorite. If Mom can watch the kids, of course. And for our big trip — who knows? I’d like to go somewhere new. I promise you’ll be the second (after Kyle and the kids) to know!

Golden Sands Dubai is a unique hotel apartment complex that can house people for a few days, a few weeks or much longer. It can be found near the main shopping area in Dubai and is also close to the leisure areas of town. It is conveniently located to many great activities in the area.

There are many different types of accommodations to choose from including studios, and rooms with 2 or three bedrooms. Rooms are decorated nicely some having normal hotel type furnishings on a budget and other rooms that have ornate and beautiful furnishings that cost more. There are also apartments that have no furniture if you wish to stay for a time and bring your own. The Sands can accommodate a single person to a family visiting for a short time for pleasure or for business purposes.

The Golden Sands created the apartment spaces and introduced them to people visiting the area as well as those that make their home in Dubai. They made both long and short term apartments available in the same area. Many people permanently live in the hotel but many more come to spend just a few days to a few weeks. The hotel is comprised of over 750 apartments and they usually have vacancies most of the time for those short term visitors.

Bedroom apartments also offer living areas that are spacious and they also provide kitchens that have a refrigerator, small stove, a convenient dishwasher and a clothes washer and drier. If you are a long term resident you can hire on the housekeeping staff for cleaning weekly or other periods of time. There is a swimming pool and a gym with a sauna. Also available are squash courts and an area for children to play on swings and other equipment. Long term residents have available security and maintenance for things that need to be fixed.

Visitors that will stay only a few days can get a room with a fully stocked kitchenette. The apartments are air conditioned and also are set up with a satellite television, Internet, and telephone. You can get a variety of beds from Queen and King to single beds for the kids. All visitors staying a short time can use the gym, pool, and playground. There are several restaurants in the area that you can go to get something to eat if you do not have a kitchen in your room. Costs from rooms run from a budget USD $90 all the way up to about $250 each night for one person.

Reviews from visitors going to the Golden Sands in Dubai say that the rooms are very comfortable and they enjoy the low cost for rooms. Reports are that the hotel is clean and tidy and the staff will get you anything you need. They make it a point to satisfy both long and short term guests. There are many restaurants and even a few stores that sell groceries in the immediate area so you will not have to travel far to get food.

The hotel is made up of eleven building that all look similar. You should know the building number to which you are going as taxi drivers will need to have this information to get you to the correct location. Building number three is the main building and this is where visitors check in. Either visiting for a short time or staying as a resident, the Golden Sands is a great place to reside.

The resort town of Cervia, Italy is a popular vacation destination for tourists across the globe. Located in the province of Ravenna, on the coast of the Adriatic Rivera, the seaside town is home to 28,252 year-round residents, but is likely to host an equal number of visitors at any given time, owing to its ten kilometers of fine sandy beaches, multiple tourist attractions, and excellent recreational sport opportunities.

Accommodating its popularity as a tourist destination are dozens of Hotel Cervia options, and close to 260 beachfront establishments. One such establishment is the Cervia Hotel Universal, a well known and popularly sought out hotel di Cervia option. According to the guest reviews on TripAdvisor.com, this hotel boasts spotless accommodations in a convenient location. Its amenities include a health club, sauna, and fitness facility. For groups traveling on business, it offers conference facilities and meeting rooms, and for families, there is even a children’s club, making it easy for parents to treat themselves to a quiet and luxuriant afternoon at one of the town’s many spas, or a romantic evening without the kids.

For additional highly recommended hotel options, there are numerous websites available that not only list the details of said hotels, but also facilitate online bookings. The website TripAdvisor.com lists 36 Cervia hotels, many of which are offered at under $100.00 USD per night, with guest reviews and all listed amenities. It even has a search option that will locate only hotels with specific features, such as hotels with on-site fitness facilities, or hotels that are best suited for families.

Cervia is a very popular city to visit while on vacation in Italy, and there are all kinds of activities for the whole family.  There are plenty of outside sports including golf, swimming, tennis, windsurfing, and more.  You can explore the city on mopeds or scooters you can rent all over the city.

When people are planning Lanzarote holidays, they might feel resigned to limited golf choices. For nearly 30 years Lanzarote has had only one golf course. Well, that’s changed now – a new course opened in 2009. If you’ve been considering a vacation to the Canary Islands and hadn’t even thought about golfing, give it a thought now. The weather in Lanzarote is almost always perfect for golf. It’s dry and warm all year round. The landscape might seem odd at first. Lava flows don’t normally lend themselves to golf course design, but the blue skies, open vistas and the local flora all combine to create an unforgettable experience.

Golf Costa Teguise, Sands Beach Hotel, Lanzarote

The original Lanzarote golf course is the Costa Teguise, which opened in 1978. It’s an 18 hole course, par 72. John Harris designed the course, which sits at the foot of a volcano. He designed it to be both smooth and varied. Costa Teguise has plenty of doglegs, so players will need to bring all their clubs into play. A sign of great course design, it’s both challenging to skilled players and enjoyable for someone of my (lower) skill level. It’s just a beautiful place. Adding to the beauty are the over 3,000 palm trees scattered throughout. If you’re looking for hotels close to the course, there several, such as the Occidental Oasis, the Gran Melia Salinas, and the Coronas Playa.

This past summer the Lanzarote Golf Resort opened just outside Puerto del Carmen. It’s an 18 hole, 72 par course designed by American golf course designer, Ron Kirby. The location is amazing. I can understand why they picked it. The course is nestled in the hills overlooking Puerto del Carmen. Golfers have the Atlantic ocean as their background. Like Costa Teguise, the Lanzarote Golf Resort has wonderful landscaping. They used the latest in eco-technology to keep the water usage minimal. As you would expect, the resort has a friendly bi-lingual staff, as well as a golf pro if you need lessons. Golfing lessons are even available for kids. They’ve thought of everything!

As golf becomes more popular on Lanzarote, more courses are in the works. More courses mean more choices for all of us. Playa Blanca is getting its own golf course. It will be close to Faro Park, which has large, amazing villas. We might get one near the marina of Puerto Calero. That’s kind of close to the new course, Lanzarote Golf Resort, but I don’t think anyone will complain. No matter how you view it, golf has really arrived in Lanzarote. Let’s tee off!

Playa Blanca is a popular vacation spot in Lanzarote, and one of the most popular hotels in Playa Blanca is the Lanzarote Princess.  It’s a huge complex – in fact, it’s the largest one in the area with over 400 rooms. The complex sprawls comfortably and you don’t feel like you’re in a huge hotel.

The hotel is about 45 minutes from the airport. It’s a pleasant drive from the airport on LZ-2.

Photos of Lanzarote

You get a taste of the island since Playa Blanca is at the far Southwestern end of the island and the airport is in about the middle of the island coastline.

We’ve only stayed there one time so far. It seemed like it would be great for the kids. The amazing pool, or I should say pools, the miniature golf course, pool tables…. But, the thing that really drew us is the kids club activities. We didn’t expect that they’d go every day, but it was nice to think that we could have an afternoon (or two!) to ourselves knowing that the kids would be doing crafts or playing games with adult supervision.

The Lanzarote Princess is ideally situated. It’s just a few minutes walk to the beach and the town is very close, too, about five minutes. There are all sorts of restaurants and shops. It seemed like every day there was a day trip planned. It was a fun and very different sort of vacation for me. Each day could be like its own mini vacation — holidays to Lanzarote are like that. If you’re into golf, Lanzarote Golf Costa Teguise is only about 30 minutes from the hotel. It’s an amazing course – at the foot of a volcano. So one day, golfing among the cacti and lava flows, another day spent lounging at the pools. A day for shopping and sampling restaurants. A day for swimming in the ocean. But really, it was a little bit of each every day!

The hotel does have its flaws. It’s an older hotel. In fact it may be the oldest in Playa Blanca. The management is updating the hotel, but slowly. I’ve read online that we were lucky to have gotten newly updated rooms. The rooms were clean and serviceable. Nothing amazing about them, certainly. But then, we didn’t have a suite or anything expensive. Our thought was, How much time are we going to spend in the room anyway?

I was really pleased with the food. Not a whole lot of choices for vegetarians, but overall I thought it was a good variety. I love breakfast anyway, and they really do breakfast well. There’s a piano bar that was really wonderful. I like the low key atmosphere, very romantic. Before the kids, I would have loved the Papagayo bar which seemed to be busy every night, and the Cocoloco bar – which is in the middle of the whole pool area.

It is OK if the family disagrees about how to spend their Lanzarote holidays. It’s pretty common these days to need to please several different tastes. And you can’t go wrong with the Lanzarote Princess. I saw several multi-generational families vacationing together and I plan on suggesting that to my parents. It would be a fun way to relax and spend time with them and everyone gets to have time to do their own thing, as well. It was a great vacation and it’s already time to plan the next one!

The best way to enjoy the full splendor of Lanzarote is to rent a villa. The villas in Lanzarote, like many vacation spots, are a mixed bag. There are great villas and not so great villas. I hope this post will help you make a good choice so that your first Lanzarote holiday (because you will want to come back) is perfect.

First, here are a few questions before you begin to shop for a place. Are you bringing the kids? Some villas are really kid friendly and some are decidedly not for kids. There are city villas and rural villas. If exploring the countryside is your thing (the bicycling is great in Lanzarote, by the way) then you should choose a rural villa. Everything is so close on the island that you won’t be far from restaurants and shops. What’s your budget? Trust me you can go cheap and be happy, but would you rather be on the beachfront?

Rural villas in Lanzarote are very popular. You can feel like a movie star for about $1,000 a week. Villas that are closer into town will actually run you about the same amount of money. Again, with the size of Lanzarote, you really aren’t far from anything, no matter where you stay. Most villas are going to include a pool, television, computer access and garden. Before you rent, you should check several points.  

1. Is the pool heated? A night swim is wonderful, but cold water isn’t. If the pool is heated, who pays for the electricity? If you pay a rate for your stay, you could be in for a nasty extra bill come check out time.

2. If the ad says that there is computer access, is there an extra fee for that? You don’t want to feel like the meter is running every time you want to check email or the kids want to play online.

3. Lastly, make sure the rental agency gives you an emergency contact in case something happens at the villa. You don’t want to be dealing with a broken stove yourself. It’s your vacation! 

One more thing: Don’t let the price tag shock you. A $1,000 a week villa could easily accommodate two families. Most rural villas in Lanzarote are going to sleep 8 comfortably.  The price will probably increase slightly for the maximum number of guests, but not enough to keep this option from being an amazing way to vacation.

If you want to stay in town you can rent an apartment or duplex in the capital city of Arrecife for about $300 a week. Many of the apartments offer access to community pools. The number of English and Irish tourists means that you have a pretty good chance of having access to English-language television in your apartment. Double check carefully to see if the apartment or duplex is kid-friendly. Many complexes cater to an adults-only sort of crowd with pool parties and such.

Lanzarote is a magical place and renting a villa can be a great way to feel connected to the island and its people. I hope these tips will help you pick the perfect spot for your Lanzarote holiday!