Planning a break abroad this year? Then take another look at Lanzarote – the little Canary Island that´s close to the coast of Africa and fast becomingn a hot favourite with cool, indepedent travelers.
Lanzarote used to be regarded as little more than a sun drenched package holiday destination, but that´s all changed now. Thanks to the greater availability of budget flights, which has made the island much more accesible – along with the ease of booking accommodation, such as apartments and villas in Lanzarote, over the internet. As a result more and more indepdent tourists are heading to the island than ever before, with many seeking out the more authentic Lanzarote that lies away from the main resorts.
The north of the island in particular remains largely untouched by tourism. There are no hotels or apartment complexes here, just traditional little fishing villages such as Arrieta and Orzola, both of which boast an excellent array of seafood restaurants. The north is also home to the breathtaking Valley of 1000 Palms, which is an amazing oasis on an island that is otherwise very dry and arid, reflecting the very low rainfall on Lanzarote.
Many of the main cultural attarctions are also located in the north, such as the Jameos del Agua and the Mirador del Rio, both developed by Cesar Manrique, a famous local artist who has had an enormous influence on the evolution of tourism on Lanzarote.
The Jameos del Agua is an incredible sight – it was first created as a huge nightclub and concert venue during the late 1960´s and boasts great gardens as well as a sea fed lagoon which is home to a unique species of blind albino crab. This was the creation that helped to really put Lanzarote on the map back in the late 1960´s – helping to attract monied tourists attracted to what was at the time this novel holiday destination.
The Mirador del Rio is located about 460 metres up on a cliff range that overlooks the small island of La Gracioss, often referred to as the 8th Canary Island. The Mirador started life as a gun battery which guarded the Rio Straits inbetween the two islands. But was transformed by Manrique into lookout point – giving visitors birds eye views of La Graciosa.
Lanzarote is a small island so it´s easy to explore. Car hire in Lanzarote is very reasonably priced and petrol is cheap too, so taking in these amazing sights is simple and affordable.
