Lanzarote is a popular holiday island, located in the Canaries. Which are the seven strong Spanish owned island group situated off the coast of West Africa. On the same line of longitude as parts of Mexico and the Bahamas. Enabling visitors to enjoy great weather whatever the time of the year. This clement climate has helped to establish the Canaries as one of the most visited destinations in Spain. And during the course of 2008 alone over 1.5 million foreign tourists enjoyed holidays in Lanzarote – the fourth largest and most easterly island in the group.

So lets find out why holidays in Lanzarote have become such a popular choice and picking one of the many Lanzarote villas and apartments that the island offers has become almost the most popular self catering accommodation accommodation choice amongst holiday makers.

Like all of the Canaries Lanzarote boasts a unique charm and character. Visitors expecting a lush green island will be disappointed though. As it is much more barren than the rest of the Canaries. As a result of experiencing very little rainfall. Whilst also boasting an arid terrain forged by volcanic eruptions centuries ago.

Fast forward to today though and this whole area, which dominates the interior of the island, has become the most popular attraction on Lanzarote. Thanks to the surreal scenery which is really out of this world. So much so that it has been used as a location for numerous big budget movies. Most recently Broken Embraces, the latest release from the Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, which stars Penelope Cruz.

Lanzarote´s tourist industry has been operating for over forty years so there are plenty of god quality places to stay. Ranging from cheap apartments through to luxurious Lanzarote villas and hotels. With most of the accommodation located in the three main tourist resorts of Costa Teguise, Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca. Demand for rural holidays has also started to grow over the last few years.

Lanzarote offers more than just sunshine and volcanoes alone though. There are over ninety beaches for visitors to explore. The best of which can be found in traditional coastal villages such as Playa Quemada, Famara, Orzola and Arrieta – which all remain largely unspoiled. Whilst each resort boasts a good selection of beaches too – although many of these are man made, created by using sand from the nearby Sahara desert.

Many first time visitors are surprised by the wide range of cultural attractions on offer too. After all isn’t this supposed to be Lanzagrotty? There’s an abundance of fascinating museums, such as the Emigration Museum which charts what happened to islanders after the volcanic eruptions as they fled to create new lives abroad. A wealth of historic towns such as Teguise – the island capital until 1852. And the various works of the local artist Cesar Manrique – who had a huge influence on the development of tourism on Lanzarote.