Hot Holidays On The Cool Canary Island
Lanzarote is located just seventy miles away from the coast of West Africa. Making it the most easterly of the seven islands in the Canary Islands chain. On a similar line of latitude to parts of Florida, Mexico and the Bahamas.
And as you’d expect from an island that is located in such close proximity to the continent of Africa and the Sahara desert, Lanzarote enjoys very little rainfall – with a total precipitation averaging out at just 11 centimetres a year. Whilst temperatures on the island stay at a minimum of 20 Celsius all year round. Climatic factors that combine to make Lanzarote an ideal holiday destination.
The UK is Lanzarote´s largest market place and the island is especially popular with British tourists. Who take advantage of cheap flights to Lanzarote to flock to this small speck of Spain in serious numbers. This year alone for example over 800,000 British tourists are expected to enjoy a holiday on the island. Along with around 200,000 visitors from the Irish Republic.
Lanzarote was once thought to be part of the lost continent of Atlantis. Phoenician traders dubbed it the Purple Island – as a lichen called Orchilla was once grown here, which was used as the basis for a purple dyestuff. In the Middle Ages Lanzarote was referred to as one of the Fortunate Islands – thanks to the spring like year round climate.
More recently Lanzarote has been known as one of the Fortunate Islands – thanks to the clement year round climate that has helped to make it such a popular holiday destination. Whilst today Lanzarote is probably most commonly referred to as the Island of Fire. Thanks to the volcanic eruptions of 1730-1736 – along with a later major eruption in 1824.
Today, the islands volcanic region – located in the Timanfaya National Park – is by far and away the biggest tourist draw on Lanzarote. With over one million visitors enjoying the moon like lava scape left in the wake of the volcanic eruptions. Elsewhere on the island the Jameos del Agua, another major tourist draw, has also been created from the remnants of volcanic activity. Thanks to the efforts of the island born artist and architect Cesar Manrique.
The bulk of visitors opt to stay in apartments or holiday villas in Lanzarote during their stay. As hotel accommodation only accounts for around 40% of the islands total tourist capacity. Many visitors also go on to purchase a property on the island from local estate agents. Which they are then able to enjoy as a holiday home whilst also renting it out to other tourists for the rest of the year. A potentially lucrative business given Lanzarote´s year round rental calendar.
For great deals on hotels in Lanzarote and Lanzarote property visit the Lanzarote guide book.