With the all the snow we have had recently and not much sign of spring arriving any time soon I needed to get some Vitamin D. My parents travel to Lanzarote several times each year and absolutely love it, it’s their home from home. When they told me they had booked up to go again at the end of March I decided to join them. With a short flight time of just over 4 hours and good weather almost guaranteed it was an easy decision to make. 

Lanzarote is such an affordable holiday destination with sun all year round almost guaranteed however I think sometimes there is a negative perception around the Canary Islands and a lot of people are put off by this. I wanted to share my experience of Lanzarote with you all so that you can see that there’s more to this Spanish island than meets the eye.

Where to stay:

Whenever I visit Lanzarote I always stay in Playa Blanca. Here are a few recommendations of luxury hotels to stay on the resort.

• Princesa Yaiza Suite Hotel– Elegant 5* hotel right on the beach
• Lanzarote Princess – Stylish 4* hotel just 5 mins from the beach and another 5 minutes to the restaurants and bars
• THB Tropical Island – A large family friendly resort boasting 15 pools and lots of activities daily

Breakfast:

These are my favourite spots to start the day.

• Ona Las Brisas – Do a traditional English breakfast to make you feel at home
• Ice House – Offer a wide range of breakfast options to keep everyone happy 
• Princesa Yaiza Suite Hotel – Even if you don’t stay here they will be more than happy to welcome you for a fancy breakfast – treat yourself!

Places to grab lunch:

Grab lunch at these casual restaurants with a great choice of food.

• La Katedral – Tapas to pick and mix with different flavours
• One bar Marina – Traditional Spanish dishes to experience local cuisine
• La Gondola – A family feel restaurant with all the traditional Italian dishes

Places for dinner:

The following restaurants I have suggested all deliver lovely food, wine as well as a nice atmosphere to enjoy your evening.

• La Flamenca – fine dining restaurant with a mixed menu covering most cuisines
• Brisa Marina – they are known for their seafood and I recommend the Paella
• Restaurante Volcan De Timanfaya – its won’t be too everyone’s taste but if you can face it their speciality is the bull chop – beware, its huge!

Bar/ Entertainment:

Carry on the night at my preferred bars all with different vibes.

• Blue Note – A jazz bar for great cocktails and soulful sounds
• The Galeria Bar – Enjoy the view of Lanzarote here while you sip your drink
• Café 34 – Chilled bar when you just want a casual drink 

Places to visit:

There are so many different things to do on the island but I have selected my top 5 places to visit to make sure you make the most of your time in Lanzarote. 

• Timanfaya National Park – Visiting the volcanoes here is such a surreal experience. It feels so weird to be stood over the, I kept thinking they were going to erupt. You can also hire boombuggies to travel around the park as well as go and meet the camels – this one was called Dorris.
• El Lago Verde – Translated as the green lake, that’s exactly what it is. There isn’t much to do here but the colour of the lake is stunning so definitely worth the trip.
• Rancho Texas – There are various animals to see at the park as well as shows throughout the day– the dolphins were my favourite!
• Puerto Del Carmen – the place to go for a bit of everything. There’s shopping, bars and nightlife all in the same area so you can easily spend a full day here. Just down the road from here is Puerto Colero which is a luxury marina surrounded by cafes and restaurants. 
• LagOmar – I left the best to last. Omar Sharif lost his unique property made out of molten lava for the volcanoes in a game of bridge. It is now home to a museum, restaurants and bars all open to the public.

Spanish Phrases:

Although most of the people on the island speak English I always think it’s nice to have few Spanish phrases up your sleeve just in case.  I drop these into conversation when speaking to locals and they really appreciate it – although I don’t always understand what they are saying back!!

Good Morning – Buenos Dias (bway nos dee ahs)

Good Evening – Buenas Noches (bway nahs noh chayss)

Please – Por Favor (por fah vohr)

Thank you – Gracias (grah cee ahs)

Do you speak English? – Habla Ingles (ahblah een glays)

I would like the bill please – Yo quiero la cuenta por favour (Yo kee ayr oh lah cwayn tah por fah vohr)

 

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