Travel Places

Lanzarote may be a Spanish island by name.  But this little speck of Spain, which measures just 58km by 35km, is located just off the coast of Africa – and combines a melting pot of cultural influences which are part European and part Latin American.

This unique blend results from the fact that Lanzarote was once an important staging post between the New World and The Old.  As Spanish galleons transported Inca gold and silver back from South America to the homeland – via the Canary Islands.  Inviting frequent raids from English privateers such as Raleigh and Drake.

Today the island is home to around 127,000 citizens – the bulk of whom reside in the capital of Arrecife.  But this population is swelled by tourists – as since the explosion of package holidays in the 1970′s the island has established itself as one of the most popular destinations in all of Spain.  Attracting around one million visitors from Britain and Ireland alone every year.

The reasons for this popularity lie in the fact that Lanzarote enjoys a year round clement climate, due to its location on the same line of latitude as parts of Mexico and Florida.  With temperatures that rarely fall below 20c even in the depths of winter.

But Lanzarote offers more than just sunshine alone.  As this little island is big on attractions and unlike other Spanish sunspots remains relatively unspoiled.  Thanks to the work of an island born artist and architect called Cesar Manrique. Who campaigned against over development and worked in tandem with the island government to ensure that Lanzarote was not buried beneath a sea of five star hotels.

Thanks to Manrique’s influence the three main tourist resorts on the island are all well contained. Advertising hoardings are banned.  And no buildings taller than a Canarian palm tree are permitted.

Manrique also sought to create a unique range of tourist attractions on the island as an alternative to the golf courses and water parks springing up in the rest of Spain.  He sought to fuse art with nature – and working with Lanzarote’s unique volcanic landscapes he created a range of cultural sites such as the Jameos del Agua - where he transformed a collapsed lava tube into a lush underground grotto.

Lanzarote’s main tourist attraction though is the Timanafa Volcano Park.  Which is the epicentre of the eruptions that buried around one quarter of the island under a sea of lava back in the 1730′s.  At the time this event obviously caused devastation.  But today the volcanoes are a huge draw for tourists,. Attracting just under one million visitors every year.  Who are transfixed by the eerie landscape which is often likened to the surface of the moon.

The island has accommodation for around 65,000 tourists at any one time.  With apartments and holiday villas in Lanzarote * accounting for around two thirds of this capacity.  Whilst the remainder of the market is catered to by hotels and apart hotel complexes.

The Hawaiian Islands have always been one of the most visited tourist spots in the United States and if you have not been to a Hawaii yet, its time you got to see the best. It’s true – the famous Hawaiian beaches are one of the best beaches in the world with all the effects of the typical holiday. You can expect smooth miles of grainy beaches, crystal blue sea water, fun resorts, and a hammock tied to palm trees with a tropical cocktail in one hand.

Hearing about the Hawaiian Islands evokes images of the perfect vacation. You can reach there either by ship or by plane but to experience the oceans is another holiday altogether so the second option is most preferred. Reaching there is not as big an issue as deciding how to spend the vacation is – one should know about the beaches and resorts to enjoy the Hawaiian Islands, completely.

Lanikai Beach is one of the most popular beaches which literally means ‘heavenly beach’. Located on Oahu Island, locals consider it as the best swimming beach. Hanalei bay Beach is another popular spot for water sport enthusiasts. One can participate in snorkelling, boating, scuba diving and much more. This beach has beautiful landscaped complete with cliffs and waterfalls.

Other than beaches, one can go on of-the-trail walks, forest hikes and bird watching and a whole plethora of activities. The Hawaiian Islands offer comfort and peace beyond the scope of other holiday spots and one must try it.

Welcome to first edition of world travel guide – TravelPlaces.biz; we will be writing about all the good places that you should visit. Some will be high profile tourist places while others will be little explored offbeat places. We will start with Greece first.

Greece and vacations are almost synonymous these days – some of the world’s oldest and most famous sites are located in the country. After all, the Greeks are one of the oldest civilisations in the world. Most people know it as the land of gods and goddesses. But for all you know, if you are travelling to Greece for your next holiday, you might as well plan it smoothly so that you don’t miss out on any of the great places. 

The Acropolis is always on the top for it has the Pantheon also known as the Temple of Athena. One should visit it early in the morning to enjoy the sun, and keep away from the crowds. The National Archaeological Museum at Athens will give you a view of ancient Greek artefacts – you can buy souvenirs and gifts too.

After this you must catch beautifully done plays and orchestras at the ancient Epidaurus theatre though the best time to visit is the summers. Mykonos Island is the ideal place to give a break from temples and civilization with its modern bars and restaurants. This is one the trendiest places in Greece and in addition to the beautiful beaches (some of which are nude), one can be sure of a merry time here. To take a small walk in history, the Island of Santorini will help to revive memories of the lost city of Atlantis for this island is said to be Atlantis.   

All in all, a vacation in Greece can be one your most memorable vacations ever.