Lanzarote
This is my 5th visit to Lanzarote one of the most popular of the Canary Islands, especially with the Irish holidaymaker. There are departures from Dublin, Cork, Shannon and Knock in the summer months. The accommodation is of a very good standard ranging from your basic apartment to your 5 star hotels (very few of these are high rise).
The main resort is Puerto del Carmen with its palm tree promenade running the length of the beach. There are plenty of bars and restaurants, within walking distance you have the old town with views over the sea with fabulous sea food restaurants. There are plenty shops and it has excellent value as it duty free.
This time I stayed in the nearby resort of Playa Pocillos in the 4 star Los Jamoes Playa (this is my second time to stay here). It is ideal for couples or families, the food is excellent and they have an all inclusive option if you wish. There are 3 pools, a kids club and nightly entertainment. You can walk into main resort or hop in a taxi, which only cost us 6 euro.
The other resorts in Lanzarote are much quieter, Playa Blanca with its white sandy beaches is ideal for families, Costa Teguise which holds a weekly market and the up market resort of Puerto Calero with its marina, lined with restaurants and shops, you can also take an amazing submarine safari there. So there is plenty of choice for couples and families.
No trip to Lanzarote is complete without a trip to Timanfaya National Park to see the live volcano and amazing landscape. This year we also brought the children to Rancho Texas, a zoo with live shows, we really enjoyed it and they also do an evening show with dinner. There is also a small water park for an alternative day out.
I will always recommend Lanzarote because of the relatively short flight (usually day flights), temperatures never soar too high in the summer as there is always a breeze, so ideal for children. There are great restaurants and they offer great value. There is also still enough nightlife without been hectic for couples and singles.
