This is a guest post by Charlotte Kay.
Whenever I’ve been to Lanzarote I’ve returned somewhat wind-swept, even in July, but I didn’t care, because I’d had such a good time “and the bonus of it all was that the wind helped my tan no end!
Costa Teguise is a great destination for those that don’t want hustle and bustle, but want to be close enough to experience it. I visited nearby Puerto Del Carmen for night-life on a few evenings, but found the more chilled-out vibe of Teguise a refreshing change.
Sitting on the north-east coast, flights land in Arrecife, and the transfer is mercifully short, at around 20 minutes. What I found quite amazing, was the changing landscape on the transfer coach. Really quite breathtaking.
In my opinion Costa Teguise is the ideal spot for a family holiday, with plenty to do for the kids. These days you can get good value package deals, with airport extras reducing the price even further. Stansted Airport parking. Alternatively, Heathrow Parking was really good value, and the shuttle to the terminal door was really handy. If you book in advance you can often get yourself a much better price, why not invest this in an overnight airport hotel to get yourself truly relaxed before you fly, one of my personal favourites is the Comfort Hotel at Heathrow Airport.
So what is there to do in Costa Teguise? Well I always start my holiday on the beach – at Las Cucharas. Thanks to the ever-present wind, there are lots of water-sports to try, including parasailing, which I found great fun. I’d recommend heading to Puerto Del Carmen and jumping on one of the glass bottom boat-trips. Not only is it fun to sail around the coastline, but you’ll stop at varying points and head downstairs to look through the glass at the colourful marine life. I really enjoyed my half-day at sea.
On dry land, if you’re into golf, you’re quite in luck – with several golf courses available, alternatively the palm-lined promenade provides the perfect backdrop for people-watching – my guilty pleasure.
The island’s bus network is really efficient, but if you want more independence, hire a car and explore a little further. Timanfaya National Park is a must visit. I was amazed at the landscape. There is the option of heading up into the volcanic park on a camel, which I didn’t do, but it looked fun. The national park is like landing on the moon, with huge craters and dark sand, amongst mountains “it has to be seen to be believed. The visitors centre includes a restaurant where food is cooked with the heat from the volcanoes “which thankfully are extinct!
Teguise’s Sunday market is popular, with visitors coming from afar. I love walking around the markets in resorts, the colours and items on sale are often unique and in my opinion, the best gifts for those back home. Alternatively, for something a little more mainstream, there are many shops around the resort, and La Cucharas shopping complex offers a bit of everything. Shop guilt-free with the money saved from pre-booking airport parking “which as far as I’m concerned, is a great excuse to hit the shops! Edinburgh Airport parking offers great rates.
When the moon makes an appearance, it’s up to you how you spend your evening. I found night-life in Costa Teguise a little more sedate, yet still fun. Hotels usually offer nightly entertainment, and there are bars and restaurants, however I headed over to Puerto Del Carmen for the huge range of karaoke bars, Irish pubs, bars and night-clubs.
I found the laid-back vibe in Costa Teguise really intoxicating, and I truly felt like I’d been on holiday. I’d definitely recommend getting a little wind-swept this summer!