Vacation Home Rental

Costa Blanca is a massive region located on the Spanish coastline and believe it or not there are so many things to do in the area that it can be very hard to get bored, here are just a few things you may want to try out when you are out there.

Enjoy the coast

Of course the clue is in the name and one of the best things you can do during your time there is to enjoy the beach. You really do need at least a couple of days on these fantastic beaches, make sure you spend some time in the water too!. To make sure that you are getting the most of the day get there in the morning and spend the day there. White coast is what Costa Blanca stands for and this is why you need to go there.

Wildlife

There are so many things to do when it comes to wildlife in the area that is Costa Blanca and this is what you should head off to do next. If you like your undersea animals then the place you should look into going to should be the Mundomar theme park because you get to see dolphins and things like this. If you are into your Safari animals then perhaps you could go to Aitana because you will see animals such as tigers and elephants. Of course if you are up for something a little bit more daring then you can go on a driving safari because you will spot wolves and lions roaming free.

There are so many other things to do including markets and expeditions which of course is great and you should think about staying in a Villa in Moraira. If this is not something for you then look no further than Torquay hotels and self catering Torquay as these will satisfy your needs in the United Kingdom.

Over the last ten years booking holidays abroad has become much easier thanks to the advent of the Internet.  Enabling tourists to arrange their own breaks direct online to holiday islands such as Lanzarote without resorting to the services of travel agents or tour operators.

Lanzarote is located in the Canaries – an autonomous region of Spain comprised of seven main islands, the best known of which are Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Both of which became saddled with a slightly downmarket image during the 1980´s as package holidays really took off there.  But today there are little signs of the Club 18-30 crowd and plenty of more upmarket options for anyone seeking a good quality holiday in the sun.

On Lanzarote for example there are now six good quality 5 star hotels for visitors to choose from. With the Sol Melia group boasting two of these establishments.  One, the Gran Melia Volcan is located in Playa Blanca in the south of the island – right next to the Rubicon Marina.  Whilst the other, the chains flagship on the island, the Gran Melia Salinas is situated in Costa Teguise.  And is still widely regarded as one of the best hotels in Lanzarote.

Arguably the best known hotel on the island though is the Arrecife Gran.  As this occupies a building which was a notorious landmark on Lanzarote during the 1990´s.  As it was originally built by flouting local planning laws – which prohibited high rise constructions taller than a Canarian palm tree.  So for many years this building lay burnt out and derelict right on the seafront.  Eventually though the island government took the pragmatic approach and granted permission for creation of a luxury hotel.  Which spans 17 floors and is the tallest edifice on the island.

Visitors seeking four star hotel accommodation will find a wide array of choice in Playa Blanca.  As here four-star establishments line the shoreline.  Giving guests direct access to the delightful seafront promenade that unites the three main beaches and bays of this fast growing resort.  During the winter months hotels in Playa Blanca such as the Hesperia Playa Dorada are especially popular as the weather here is better at that time of the year than elsewhere on the island.

Anyone looking for better value hotel accommodation in the four star bracket should concentrate their search on Playa Blanca in the south of the island.  As the islands fastest growing resort is home to a great selection as well as some of the best holiday villas in Lanzarote.  Often at prices much cheaper than on comparable holiday islands.  Whilst anyone seeking really good value accommodation should book apartments in Lanzarote.  As these offer breaks in the sun from as little as €180 per week.

You can find details of Lanzarote luxury hotels and additional Lanzarote holiday accommodation on the Lanzarote guide book website.

You’ve managed to buy that dream house in one of the Spanish South resort towns, all seems to be ready to enjoy a new lifestyle but still you cannot be 100% relaxed. After a hard day of work in the garden, you feel that exhausted that you can harly pick up your food to order a takeaway.. You look at those takeaway leaflets on the floor but you are not sure if that is the good quality food you want to reward yourself with. Your language skills confine you but you don’t want to order again from those touristy takeaways that none of the locals would ever try, you deserve something more. You try in Google using plain english but the results you get make you wonder whether you are doing something wrong or not.

The key phrases are ‘comida a domicilio‘ and ‘comidas para llevar‘. There is even a ‘takeaway finder‘ that you just have to type the city where you live and that will list all the available options with a lot of useful information such as ‘type of food’, whether it is open, whether there is a delivery service etc. but what is really useful is finding out about the opening times and how to get there. A great capability is that you can choose that cuisine you prefer e.g. Chinese and within a few seconds you can choose your favourite Chinese plate.

What you hate the most though, is that your girlfriend/boyfriend love Chinese food and you want to make surprise them but how?. You are definitely not in the mood ending up in the main square where all those bloody tourists go. It’s not true that all nice things in life take time, especially if you have a bit of time to look at what other people suggest. Living in a new city is great feeling but finding the right places for lunch or dinner, especially if you don’t know anyone around, can be a a bit of mission impossible. Let the tourists be, you are not a turist anymore.!

Lanzarote in the Canary Islands is home to three main holiday resorts.  Along with the Millionaire’s Marina of Puerto Calero.  Which boasts two upmarket hotels and a host of expensive yachts and craft as well as plenty of good quality restaurants.

Each resort has its own history, character, attractions and plus points. With all of them offering high standards of accommodation and boasting an excellent selection of Lanzarote villas and hotels.

So where can you find some of the best holiday resorts renowned for a wide selection of self catering Lanzarote apartments and villas.

Puerto del Carmen

Puerto del Carmen started life as La Tiñosa before becoming Lanzarote´s most popular holiday destination during the 1970´s.  Thanks to an abundance of good value holiday apartment complexes…  Accommodation choices have evolved along with the resort and visitors can now select from a wide range of hotels and holiday villas too.

Puerto del Carmen is an ideal location for all types of holiday makers.  As the resort is perfect for families with young children. Thanks to the fine quality of the resort’s blue flag beaches.  Whilst also offering lots of child friendly attractions such as the Rancho Texas Theme Park – which offers kids an abundance of Wild West themed fun and games.

Villas In Costa Teguise

Situated just fifteen minutes north of Lanzarote´s international airport at Arrecife Costa Teguise was initially designed as the island’s upmarket resort.  And during the 1980´s it proved very successful at attracting moneyed visitors from countries such as Germany, Sweden and Denmark.

Costa Teguise´s excellent beaches and wide open plan feel helped to establish this as the second most popular spot on the island during the 1980´s.  But that crown slipped somewhat during the 1990´s as the resort rival of Playa Blanca was developed at the southern end of the island.  However it still remains an attractive destination and there’s plenty of hotels and holiday villas in Costa Teguise for visitors to choose from.

Playa Blanca

Playa Blanca was the last of the main resorts on the island to be developed during the 1990´s.  And has quickly emerged to become the second most popular destination on the island – thanks to a winning combination of great beaches and fantastic weather.  As well as a fine range of hotels and holiday villas.

There are three main beaches within the resort itself in the form of Playa Dorada, Playa Flamingo and Playa Blanca.  Whilst the famously picturesque coves and bays of Papagayo are around a fifteen minute walk away from the town centre.

Visit here for the best accommodation in Lanzarote help.

Lanzarote is a popular holiday island, located in the Canaries.  Which are the seven strong Spanish owned island group situated off the coast of West Africa.  On the same line of longitude as parts of Mexico and the Bahamas.  Enabling visitors to enjoy great weather whatever the time of the year. This clement climate has helped to establish the Canaries as one of the most visited destinations in Spain.  And during the course of 2008 alone over 1.5 million foreign tourists enjoyed holidays in Lanzarote – the fourth largest and most easterly island in the group.

So lets find out why family holidays in Lanzarote remain so popular and choosing one of the villas in Lanzarote that the island has to offer is fast becoming the popular holiday accommodation  choice amongst travellers.

Lanzarote is very different from the other islands in the Canaries.  As they are all greener and more lush, whilst Lanzarote is dry and barren.  Which can be attributed to the fact that Lanzarote experiences very little in the way of rainfall and has a very arid terrain created by volcanic eruptions over 250 years ago.

Today this region of the island occupies about a quarter of Lanzarote´s total land mass.  And is a hugely popular visitor attraction, known locally as The Fire Mountains or Timanfaya.  Where visitors can view a lunar like landscape that has served as a backdrop for a number of science fiction films and most recently the latest release from Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, Broken Embraces.  Which stars Penelope Cruz and which was shot on location around the island.

There are plenty of places to stay on the island.  With visitors able to choose from a large selection of Lanzarote villas, hotels and apartments.  The bulk of which are located in the main resorts of Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise.  Whilst rural tourism has also started to grow in popularity over the last few years.

There are over ninety beaches for visitors to explore.  Many of these are man made in the resorts – using sand imported from the Sahara.  So tourists should head for coastal villages such as Famara and Arrieta to experience the best all natural stretches of sand on the island.

Many first time visitors are surprised by the wide range of cultural attractions on offer too.  After all isn’t this supposed to be Lanzagrotty?  There’s an abundance of fascinating museums, such as the Emigration Museum which charts what happened to islanders after the volcanic eruptions as they fled to create new lives abroad.  A wealth of historic towns such as Teguise – the island capital until 1852.  And the various works of the local artist Cesar Manrique – who had a huge influence on the development of tourism on Lanzarote.

For holiday bargains and villa offers go to our holidays and apartments travel website.

Summer may be over in mainland Spain but there are outposts where the season never ends.  Such as the Canaries – the seven islands which are situated just off the coast of West Africa, many hundreds of miles south of the Iberian Peninsula.  A location that creates a great climate all year round.

As a result the Canaries welcome visitors throughout the year and after Catalonia are the second most popular holiday destination in Spain.  Arrivals have fallen by around 20% during 2009 thanks to the current economic crisis.  But millions of tourists will still be booking holidays in the region this autumn, despite the downturn.

The Canaries are just four hours flying time from the UK.  Making these islands the closest winter destination to sun starved Northern Europe.  And this year the cost of flights to Lanzarote are set to fall – thanks to growing competition on this route between the big guns of the low cost flight world, easyJet and Ryanair.  The latter has firmly switched their focus to the Canaries this winter and will be operating 16 new services to Lanzarote from airports across the UK. 

So what can visitors expect from their winter holidays on these volcanic islands?  On Lanzarote the temperature usually remains in the early 20´s Celsius – even during the darkest days of December.  With very little rainfall and plenty of sunshine hours.  The sun doesn’t set here until 6pm at the earliest either.  Making it a great destination for those who hate the dark winter afternoons of the UK. 

Accommodation standards are high – as the island has been welcoming tourists for over forty years.  Choose from chic rural hotels, budget apartments and luxury villas in Lanzarote.  With the bulk of holidays now booked direct on online thanks to the growth in internet usage over the last five years.

Naturally as in any service business the increase in demand for Lanzarote apartments and villas is good news for long and short stay visitors to Lanzarote as property owners are being driven to ensure accommodation is well furnished, and all mod cons and traditional extras are now included gratis

Playa Blanca is the resort to head for if you’re planning a winter break on the island.  As thanks to it’s southerly location it enjoys the best weather and most sunshine hours.  As well as boasting some of the best beaches on the island.  There’s a decent selection of villas in Playa Blanca for holidaymakers to choose from too.  With high quality rental properties available in areas such as Rubicon Marina and Costa Papagayo.  And with prices starting from around £400 per week for a standard two bedroom villa with pool.

The island is a great all year holiday destination with many outstanding resorts. Follow the links for even more information about Playa Blanca villas in particular or other Lanzarote villas and apartments.

The Costa del Sol or Sun Coast in Spain is known for its clement weather, picturesque beaches and spectacular scenery – all of which you can enjoy if you spend your holidays in Nerja, one of its towns. You can sample many exciting activities, too, especially if you book a Nerja apartment and stay for a few days.

Spelunking at the Caves of Nerja

The approximately five-million year-old cave complex of Nerja is a must-see attraction for tourists on holidays in Nerja since it offers natural wonders such as the largest calcite column in the world and various remarkable stalactite and stalagmite formations. It also has a show gallery with exhibits of the skeletal remains that were unearthed inside the caves, although most of them are displayed at the museum outside, as well as prehistoric wall paintings, many of which can be seen by joining special tours. There is also a concert hall, where a summer music festival and various concerts and ballet performances are held each year.

Watersports at Burriana Beach

It goes without saying that one of the things to do in Nerja is to relax or have a splash at its idyllic beaches. In fact, many tourists rent apartments in Nerja just for this purpose. The most popular beach is Burriana Beach, which is also the largest in town, as well as the most commercialized. This means that you can easily find sun beds, palm umbrellas, shower facilities and restaurants on this beach or take advantage of its watersports centre and go surfing, jetskiing or scuba diving.

Look out from the Balcony of Europe

For the most breathtaking views of the town and the ocean, go to the Balcon de Europa or the Balcony of Europe, a wide promenade on the site of a 9th century castle so named by King Alfonso XII after being captivated by the scenery, or so goes the popular belief. From here, you can see the surrounding mountains or even catch a glimpse of the African coast. You can also enjoy a fine meal at one of the restaurants here or hire a horse-drawn carriage so you can have a relaxing ride through the town.

Volunteer at the Nerja Donkey Sanctuary

The Nerja Donkey Sanctuary is dedicated to caring for rescue and retired donkeys, although you will also find horses, mules, goats, pigs, dogs and other animals in the sanctuary when you visit. This is one of the most rewarding things to do in Nerja since you can get a chance to help out by feeding, grooming and walking the animals, particularly the donkeys and dogs, aside from simply petting them. If you want to help out further, you can even adopt a donkey for a year. Don’t worry, you won’t have to bring the donkey home. You just have to make a donation.

A Night on the Town

Nerja may not be known for its nightlife but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have any clubs or bars. In fact, you will find several as you go around the city during your holidays in Nerja. Most of them can be found around the Plaza Tutti Frutti and Antonio Millon, where there are occasional flamenco shows and parties that run until four in the morning, so no matter where your Nerja apartment is, make your way here for a taste of Nerja at night.

Take a Spanish Class at Nerja Language Centers

If you want to have more fun or get to know the locals better during your holidays in Nerja, you should definitely enroll in a Spanish class at one of the language centers in town. There are several for you to choose from, most of which offer both beginner courses for those who want to learn enough basic Spanish to get by and advanced courses for those who plan to stay in Spain long or become regular visitors. Many of them even offer excursions around the town or to nearby cities, like Malaga and Granada, so you can practice your Spanish while seeing some amazing sights.

The popular holiday island of Lanzarote is located in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa. And is part of the Canarian archipelago, once thought by scholars to be the remnants of the lost city of Atlantis.  In more modern times though Lanzarote has become an exceptionally popular holiday destination welcoming millions of travellers each year .

Yet these seven Spanish owned islands are by no means all birds of a feather, As each has its own separate character and culture.  A typical example of this is the governance of the islands with the eastern islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura being governed from Las Palmas on Gran Canaria.  Whilst El Hierro, La Gomera and La Palma are governed from Tenerife.

Lanzarote hasn’t only been a recent tourist destination though as the islands has been attracting British and foreign visitors since the 1900’s .  But more modern tourism was stifled for many years by the political regime of General Franco, and didn’t really start again until the 70’s As the area was in desperate need of a boost to its economy after years of restriction.

It’s amazing how the calming effect of time can change fortunes and today the island welcomes visitors that number into the millions as they arrive from all over Europe and other parts of the world, and bizarrely even tourist from the Spanish mainland.  Many of whom seek to swap the oven like heat of the peninsula for the cooler and more temperate climes of the Canaries during August.

Holiday trends have changed in recent years and with an upsurge in internet usage coupled with excellent transportation links to the Island, independent travellers are on the increase.  This has led to an upsurge in demand for apartments and villas in Lanzarote. With self catering holiday accommodation in the main resorts making up a sizeable proportion of the total amount of tourist beds now available on the island.

The most luxurious private rental villas in Puerto del Carmen can be located in areas such as Risco Prieto.  Which sits right at the top of the Old Town, overlooking the picturesque harbour area which is currently under development into a luxury marina.

Whilst travellers looking for villas in Playa Blanca should concentrate their search on the Montana Roja and Rubicon Marina areas.  As this area has a particularly wide range of quality rental accommodation at reasonable prices.

Not all holidays are cantered around the coastal resorts however, and as more tourist prefer to experience the true atmosphere of the island, rural holiday are increasing in popularity.  Visitors that take time out to tour the island are amazed to find out how unspoiled it is .  This ultimately prompts many to return time and time again to experience the real Lanzarote in countryside fincas and rural apartments.

Despite the current economic climate and the depreciation of sterling against the euro the small Spanish island of Lanzarote, in the Canaries, expects to welcome well over one million tourists during the course of 2009.  With British and Irish holiday makers comprising the largest contingents of visitors.

This is great news for the tourists visiting the island as there are some great deals to be had on Lanzarote holiday villas and Lanzarote apartments.

This figure will still be way down on previous years however.  As island tourist authorities have already recorded a 20% drop in arrivals during the first quarter of this year.  As some consumers opt to either stay at home or journey outside of the euro zone.  But many more still find that a good value break in a destination such as Lanzarote can even work out cheaper than a holiday in the UK.

Self catering holidays on islands such as Lanzarote can in fact work out to be very affordable.  The cost of a weeks stay in many Lanzarote apartments for example starts at around €170 per week.  And this is the price per room, rather than per person.   Those looking for a really good accommodation deal should search for apartments in Puerto del Carmen.  As Lanzarote´s biggest resort offers the largest range of choice, boasting hundreds of complexes.

The bulk of these tend to be located in the New Town area.  Usually in close proximity to the beach (within ten minutes walking distance) and all of the other amenities of the resort.  Puerto del Carmen has also enjoyed a makeover in the last twelve months.  And now boasts a smart new beachfront promenade and an upmarket marina in the Old Town harbour area.  So further enhancing the resorts appeal.

There´s a wide selection of high quality Lanzarote villas available for rent across the island.  All offering high standards of accommodation with prices starting from around €400 per week.  For a two bedroom villa with private pool.  There are more villas in Playa Blanca, the newest destination on the island, than in any other resort.  Thanks to the fact that hundreds of overseas investors have snapped up property here in recent years to rent out to their fellow tourists.

Playa Blanca is an atmospheric and well appointed destination.  Boasting a delightful seafront promenade that stretches from one end of the resort to the other.  Along with some of the best beaches on the island and a fantastic microclimate.  Which tends to make this the most reliable choice for those in search of sun.  Visitors can even hop on a ferry and visit the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura, just 6km away across the Bocaina Straits.

Visitors to Spain and the Canary Islands will get a warm welcome and have a fantastic holiday regardless of their choice of destination.

Lanzarote, the popular Canary Island holiday destination, expects to welcome well over a million foreign tourists this year.  most of which are from the UK.  Despite the recent depreciation of sterling against the euro and the confidence sapping effects of the credit crunch.

Fortunately most families still refuse to cut their annual vacations and holidays even if money is tight.

The Canarian archipelago, comprising a total of seven islands, is four hours away from the UK by plane.  And some of the best known low cost airlines fly there, such as Jet 2 and Thomas Cook.which means you can usually get a flight for as little as £200 round trip.  Making it a big favourite with overseas investors – many of whom rent their property in Lanzarote to holidaymakers. The bulk of flights from the UK operate on Mondays and Thursdays.

Lanzarote only has the one international airport at Arrecife.  Which is located around 3km from the island capital of the same name.  This serves as the hub for ´domestic’ flights between the other six Canary Islands as well as the rest of Spain.  Facilities at the airport are a little limited by mainland European standards.  For example there are no bureau de change facilities or shops in the arrivals hall.

In addition, there are no shuttle buses running between the airport and the main resorts.  Which means that independent travellers will either need to take a taxi to their Lanzarote hotels or hire a car.  Taxis are available directly outside the main arrivals hall.  Although it is well worth noting that there can be a considerable queue during busy periods – such as Thursdays.  When arrivals should allow up to twenty minutes wait.

On the upside, getting to most accommodation such as Lanzarote villas or apartments is usually pretty quick.  As the island is very small – measuring less than 60km from end to end.  So transfer times are speedy.  For example, Playa Blanca, which is the furthest resort from the airport can be reached in around 35 minutes.  Whilst the other two main resorts of Costa Teguise and Puerto del Carmen are both within a ten minute radius of Arecife airport.

There´s lots of things for tourists to do on Lanzarote.  As the island boasts over ninety great beaches.  Along with a surprisingly large amount of natural beauty spots – such as the Timanfaya Volcano Park and the Green Lagoon.  Along with historic towns such as Teguise – the oldest in the Canaries.  And some unique man made attractions – created by the island born artist Cesar Manrique.  So hire a car and take time to explore this enchanting island.

Pop along to the Lanzarote villas website for the very latest availability of Lanzarote holiday villas. You can also find a great selection of  Lanzarote apartments to rent there too.