Lanzarote – Playa Blanca

……Lanzarote!

Over the past few years we’ve abandoned all things Xmas in favour of some winter sun. It seems a fair trade to me and the whole family feel the same. Last two years we’ve been to Tenerife and this year fancied a change so we plumped for Lanzarote. Like Tenerife, I visited for a day on a schools cruise when I was a teenager before the days of mass tourism. It would be fair to say its changed a bit!

We stayed on the southern tip at Playa Blanca. I’d heard a few disparaging remarks about the island “Lanzagrotty” being common but hopefully if you read the posts it has a beauty and charm all of its own and we loved it.

First post dedicated to our immediate surroundings before some further posts on our explorations and hikes

We had a very nice apartment in a tasteful and quiet complex set a few yards back from the cliffs

TJS and TBF sunning themselves by the pool (which was very cold!)

And TBF enjoying the late afternoon sun on the patio

The seafront was just a minutes walk away and was really well done. Traffic free with a very nice paved walkway along the cliffs

I went out there most mornings and evenings to take in the views

You can walk past the new marina complex all the way along the coast into the main town which was always a very pleasant stroll. Flat and with no cars unlike our base in Tenerife the previous year. Also unlike Tenerife, Lanzarote has outstanding beaches. This is the main beach of Playa Dorada and its a beauty

We took a stroll on our first morning and the beach was quiet, protected from wind and waves, with clear calm blue water

There are endless places to sit or to climb down to the rocks and various fishing platforms

This is the Rubicon Marina complex, upmarket with loads of bars and restaurants

Three of my favourite views from the locale

Across the Marina to Montana Roja

The bigger island of Fuerteventura across the water

The mountains behind the resort from the rear of the apartment

Walking the other direction takes you to more great views although the buildings here are older and in need of some TLC

Eventually you pass into the open desert-like landscape and towards the wonderful beach at Papagayo. More on that stunner in a later post

The sunsets were always great and the headland near the apartment was always a great place to sit down and watch the show

The small tower is the Castillo del Águila o de las Coloradas which made a great setting for many a photo

Sunrise on the morning we flew home was pretty good as well

Now I’ve shown you around our Xmas home from home its time to explore the rest of the island