About Lanzarote

The most easterly of the Canary Islands, Lanzarote basks in almost constant sunshine and is very distinct from its sister islands, for a variety of reasons.

Extraordinary Climate

As far back as 40BC, the Roman writer Pliny is said to have named the Canaries "The Fortunate Islands" because of the amazing year-round climate they enjoy. Just 70 miles off the coast of Africa, Lanzarote is the most eastern of the islands and basks in almost constant sunshine.

The extraordinary climate and unspoilt beaches are still Lanzarote's most popular feature and they continue to attract visitors all year, every year.

No guide to Lanzarote can fail to remark on the incredible landscape. Just 37 miles long and 12 miles wide, this small island is dominated by the Montañas del Fuego (Fire Mountains) - a series of volcanoes that first appeared over 250 years ago, devastating several local villages in the process. The landscape remains mostly unchanged since the eruptions and maintains a peculiarly lunar appearance set against impressive mountain ranges. No trip to Lanzarote is complete without a visit to the area, now a national park (Parque Nacional de Timanfaya), which still shows evidence of volcanic activity.

Unique Architecture

Due to the tireless work of local artist César Manrique, Lanzarote maintains a unique blend of architecture and ecology, resulting in an unspoilt, traditional feel. Visitors will notice that the majority of buildings rise no more than two storeys and are built to strict guidelines on design and finish - mostly whitewashed exteriors with green or blue windows and doors.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the newest, developing area of Playa Blanca, where a traditional village atmosphere is retained in the town centre, amongst one of the best settings for family holidays on the island.

Perfect Holidays

An abundance of clear, sandy beaches makes Lanzarote the perfect destination for relaxing holidays: sun-worshippers will not fail to enjoy a holiday here.

A lively nightlife is on offer in the main resorts of Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise, although Lanzarote has a more sedate approach to entertainment and is better suited to families and couples (the island is notable for never having suffered the excesses of mass tourism).

For the more active holidaymaker, Lanzarote offers some great watersports, notably for surfers, windsurfers and divers. Lanzarote is venue for some of the best surfing in the world (Famara being "surf centre") and even non-surfers should enjoy watching the experts play.

A place to live?

With such a temperate climate and relaxed approach to life, it is no wonder so many foreigners have chosen Lanzarote as their permanent home.

European Union membership has made it very easy for expatriates to settle in Lanzarote, and they now number over 10,000. The British and Irish make up the largest contingent, whilst Lanzarote is also popular with German and Scandanavian residents.

For those thinking of taking the plunge and moving to Lanzarote permanently, we highly recommend A-Z Paperwork. Specialising in the legal side of residency, this company can make the move a whole lot easier for non-Spanish speakers by holding your hand through the legalities. The authors of this website used the service and we can't recommend it highly enough! www.a-zpaperwork.com

More Lanzarote resources:

• Things to do in Lanzarote
• Booking holidays in Lanzarote independently
• Useful contacts in Lanzarote