Beautiful Lanzarote sure to impress

Mar 21 2010 Sunday Sun

NESTLED in the heart of the Atlantic Ocean the island of Lanzarote is magnificent mix of surf, sand, caves and culture. LIZ LAMB smothers herself in suncream to find out more.

After hearing so much about Manrique his home in Tahiche was our next destination. His house, a blend of modern design built into the hard, volcanic rockface, really has the wow factor and you can imagine it being featured in the pages of a stylish interiors magazine.

As we “oohed” over the layout and decadent furnishings we likened it to the home of a famous rock star and we all remarked how we wished we lived in a house like this.

After our day’s excursion it was back to the hotel to get changed before heading to the capital city Arrecife, a great place for those who do want to indulge in a party atmosphere.

We dined at Castillo de San Jose, a castle that was built to protect the harbour from pirate attacks, which lay unused for decades until Cesar Manrique transformed it into a museum and restaurant.

A holiday to Lanzarote would not be complete without sampling some of the island’s many sporting activities such as cycling, surfing and diving.

The island regularly plays host to major sporting events such as the international Ironman contest and the World Surfing Championships and it is a popular destination for world-class athletes who stay at the island’s famous sports hotel (racing legend Lewis Hamilton visited the island the week before I did).

Surfing was my sport of choice and after a brief introduction to the sport I hit the waves at Famara beach, an unspoilt area of coastline that plays host to national and international surfing events.

After an hour of sun in the sea we veered off dry land again and enjoyed a boat trip to La Graciosa. It was a boiling hot day so we sought out a restaurant by the sea where we drank the local wine and watched the world go by.

For those who like to visit places off-the- beaten track then take a trip to the island as it has been largely untouched by tourism.

Later we heard about a carnival taking place in the fishing town, an annual event that encourages the locals to dress up in outrageous costumes and party all night.

Never one to miss an opportunity, my friends and I headed to the town centre where DJs and bands were blasting out music and the square was saturated with revellers in fancy dress .

We had so much fun we ended up dancing till 4am. It was a fantastic end to an action-packed trip.

5 Things to do
1: BOOK a surf or kiteboarding lesson with Costa N-Oeste surf school, Caleta de Famara, Lanzarote. www.costanoroeste.com

2: TAKE a guided tour at Cueva de Los Verdes. Visit www.centrosturisticos.com for more information.

3: VISIT the Cesar Manrique Foundation where you can tour the artist’s house and view his contemporary art collection. There is also a shop, bookstore and cafe. Go to www.fcmanrique.org for more information.

4: MAKE Jameos del Aqua a must visit. For more, go to the website at www.centrosturisticos.com

5: FOR a real pampering, book yourself a treatment in the spa at H10 Rubicon Palace Hotel.

Fact file
A SEVEN-night stay at the four-star H10 Rubicon Palace with Jet2holidays.com starts from £539 per person, based on two people sharing a double room on an all-inclusive basis, including all transfers. For more information or to book visit www.jet2holidays.com or call 0800 408 5599.

AIRLINE Jet2.com provides a direct service from Newcastle International Airport to Arrecife Airport, Lanzarote, twice a week, all year round. Flights start from £59.99 per person one way, including all taxes. Upgrade to Jet2plus for priority check-in, security fast track, VIP lounge access and premium in-flight meal from £24.99 per person. For more information, visit www.jet2.com