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LanzaroteResort Guide To:
Lanzarote :: Island Of Fire Beautiful beaches, fantastic scenery, unique attractions and wonderful weather all combine to make Lanzarote the ideal holiday destination – all year round. Lanzarote is the most easterly of the Canary Islands and lies just 70 miles off the coast of Saharan Africa. Creating an enviable year round climate that is characterized by extremely low rainfall (on average just six days per year) and temperatures that rarely fall below 20c – even in the winter months. As a result, the island is a popular holiday destination at all times of the year, attracting over one million visitors from the UK and Ireland annually. Drawn to Lanzarote´s ninety plus beaches – the vast majority of which boast fine golden sand - and the islands unique volcanic landscape. Philosophers once speculated that Lanzarote was a remnant of the lost continent of Atlantis. In pre-Spanish times Phoenician Traders dubbed it the Purple Island – as a lichen called Orchilla that was used to make purple dye was once grown here in abundance. And during the Middle Ages Lanzarote was often referred to as one of the Fortunate Islands – due to this clement climate. Today, Lanzarote is best known as the Island of Fire, as a result of the worlds longest ever volcanic eruption - lasting six years from 1730. Which covered around one third of the island in a layer of lava that today gives parts of Lanzarote the almost primeval appearance of a land that has just been formed – and is often likened to the surface of the moon. Indeed, astronauts training for the Apollo 13 space mission where shown pictures of the Timanfaya volcano park in order to prepare them for their lunar landing. For such a small island Lanzarote is also big on attractions. Offering visitors much more to enjoy than just beautiful beaches and volcanic vistas alone. Thanks in no small part to the efforts of the island born artist and architect Cesar Manrique. Who not only fought to save Lanzarote from the sort of over development that has blighted other sunspots. But who also created some of the most unique tourist attractions imaginable – such as the Jameos Del Agua, the Mirador Del Rio and his own remarkable residence - the Cesar Manrique Foundation - which is built into five volcanic bubbles. Indeed, his influence has been so pervasive that it even incorporates the invisible. For example, thanks to Manrique there are no advertising hoardings scarring the island and high-rise buildings are banned. As a result, Lanzarote was declared a UNESCO protected biosphere in 1994. The first island in the world to enjoy such status. Lanzarote also boasts enormous natural beauty and great contrasts in scenery. From the arid lava fields of the Timanfaya National Park in the South, through to the green and verdant Valley of 1,000 Palms in the North. And as the island is so manageably small it is easy to hire a car and discover Lanzarote´s many delights. Discover more about the Island of Fire and visit Lanzarote Guidebook, the in- depth Lanzarote tourist guide |
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