Gran Canaria - Spain

Gran Canaria – Spain

Post published:28 January 2018
Post category:Europe Southern Europe Spain

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The Eternal Spring Island

As pretty much similar to what we are doing from few years ago till today, travelling to the Spanish islands, especially to the Canaries is great during out of season months between October until beginning of March. It is almost guaranteed you can find a great flight deal, and this time was not different at all. With Gran Canaria, this is another island to tick off from the list, leaving just two more left to visit to complete them all (as of January 2018). But generally finding some further “impossible” to beat deals to at least the islands we’ve already been anytime during these months, it’s impossible to resist temptation. But be quick, such fares do not last long.

This was the third time in the island, and knew this was not a beach holiday at all, but an usual for what we tend do on a weekend trip, a short city break. Back in 2016 this was to the capital city Las Palmas and the nearby villages of the central-north part of the island. Two years later, the southern half of the island making the base in Maspalomas, while now a complete circle trip. But if you are looking for a beach break middle of winter elsewhere in Europe, this is your best option. Here in the Canaries you have a guaranteed weather of 24 degrees every day, while Gran Canaria seems to be the most favourable island in the world for its climate, hence its nickname “eternal spring”. It is common to see the New Year’s celebrations in the news how people is having a bath in the sea. However, sun is not completely guaranteed. This is a very green island too, and very mountainous therefore it’s good you know the northern half of the island is the rainy one, while the southern half is the sunnier one home to the famous resorts of Maspalomas and Playa del Ingles.

It is an unusual fact to discover majority of the tourists coming to the island do never visit beautiful Las Palmas. All they seem to know is Maspalomas, Mogan and nothing else. This were good news to us to be honest, and it applies in the same way to Palma in Mallorca. With millions of tourists coming yearly, it’s great to enjoy the big city without the hordes and instead having a more laid back feeling enjoying the life as the locals do. In the neighbouring islands of Lanzarote, Tenerife or Fuerteventura for example, this is not the case because are islands that people come to visit north to south, east to west for their unique volcanic landscapes. (more…)

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Fuerteventura - Spain

Fuerteventura – Spain

Post published:29 January 2017
Post category:Europe Southern Europe Spain

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Strong Wind

Keeping on with the trend of travelling to the Canary Islands during winter (low season months) works pretty well almost every time. Air fares are incredibly cheap to the point that it is almost impossible to resist the temptation for not coming back to the islands, and especially if this is one not being before then even better. The only downside is the flight time from London, over 4 hours each way, and the very short time this kind of weekend flights really leave you there itself. There are no flights Friday evenings, therefore the earliest you can get there is around noon Saturday (does not matter which one of the islands, flights tend to be the same for one or another); the problem is the return flight on Sunday, which in this case with Fuerteventura is just after noon and not later. So this is more a day out with a night, still, great enough to be able to enjoy such a good weather and a different place for a little cost.

A rental car is mandatory if you want to see what the island has to offer if you are coming for a short time or city/nature break. So unless you are coming for longer and/or a beach holiday where you have more time and can depend on taking public transport to go to other places or getting on an island tour, you are left with no other choice than renting a car and plan your tour ahead to save as much time as you can.

The good side on any of the Canary Islands is the easiness to drive through them. Roads are generally along their perimeter towards the coast, so you can circle them easily in a day. Some sights lie off the main roads and are well marked, most of them being natural parks, and here in Fuerteventura is no different. The main landmarks are at both north and southern ends, the large sand dunes areas and impressive beaches. (more…)

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Tenerife - Spain

Tenerife – Spain

Post published:15 January 2017
Post category:Europe Southern Europe Spain

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The Island of Eternal Spring

A second time in this beautiful island, or should I say “small continent”. While back in 2013 we came here for a little longer than this time, on this occasion we spent the time to see what we did not visit the last time, which was pretty much along the west coast of the island and the northern tip Anaga Natural Park. The weather could not be better, but you need to think before coming to Tenerife if what you want is sightseeing or relaxing at the resorts and beaches. If the first, then it’s totally OK to get here for just a weekend as you can tour the entire island within the time, but if the later, then consider getting a week minimum.

In our case and as you already know by now, the first option applies. And since the island is not so big (still, it is the largest in the Canary Islands), the best and most relaxing way to explore every corner is by renting a car. If you don’t want to drive or hold a driving license, don’t worry, frequent buses take tourists to the Teide National Park and Volcano base which is the most important sight and likely to be one of the main reasons why to came to the island other than for its great weather all year round.

Santa Cruz itself is not too impressive compared to neighbouring San Cristobal de la Laguna; still, you will find very beautiful and traditional streets, old churches or the main square, Plaza de Espana, with it’s large fountain pools. For such a small city it is surprising to find out how many projects have been carried out by top class architects, being the latest its new waterfront and the ongoing construction of new apartment towers. (more…)

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Lanzarote - Spain

Lanzarote – Spain

Post published:7 December 2014
Post category:Europe Southern Europe Spain

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Tyterogaka: One that is all Ochre

Again that time of the year, completing a last weekend trip of the year right before the big winter holidays starting in merely 3 weeks time without first counting the Christmas days spent in Madrid. Almost a year ago it was the turn of Ibiza, this time is Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. The trend is clearly the same: travelling to the islands in the lowest peak of the low season as otherwise this would be impossible to get here for the ridiculous small fare we paid for the flights and hotel. If you are therefore looking to enjoy some nature and landscapes without the hordes of tourists, this is the best trick anyone can do.

It was not long ago since we went to Tenerife, although we kept returning there more often through the years. Again, it was during the low season, and honestly, it is unbelievable how different these islands are from each other. Two very different worlds. From the lush Atlantic forests that cover most of Tenerife and its huge volcano to the emptiness of Lanzarote, more appropriate nicknamed “landscapes of Mars”. The entire island is dotted with many small volcanoes, all of which formed after the last eruptions in the 1700s and responsible for the current look of the island. An incredible time capsule, nowadays a Reserve of the Biosphere and UNESCO World Heritage Site for obvious reasons.

Don’t be misjudged by the fact that Lanzarote does not really have nice beaches if that’s the kind of holidays you are looking for. If that’s the case, then this island is not the best for you. Gran Canaria or La Palma would be the ideal ones then. Instead, if what you are looking for is either a weekend break or a mix of sightseeing plus a bit of a nice resting then this place is ideal, not to mention if you are in search of nature as explained before, then this place is truly unique in Europe, with the only close example being Iceland or the Faroe Islands.

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