The popular holiday island of Lanzarote in the Canaries is home to three main resorts. As well as the emerging marina of Puerto Calero – where visitors will find two upmarket hotels and an abundance of expensive yachts and craft from around the world.

Each resort has its own history, character, attractions and plus points. With all of them offering high standards of accommodation and boasting an excellent selection of Lanzarote villas and hotels.

So here is a sneak peak of some of the best resort desinations renowned for a wide selection of holiday villas in Lanzarote to rent.

Puerto del Carmen

Formerly known as La Tiñosa Puerto del Carmen emerged to become Lanzarote´s leading resort during the package holiday boom years of the 1970´s. And is still the most popular destination on the island today.The resort boasts a large number of apartment complexes – reflecting its position as the best spot for a booking a budget holiday. But there are also plenty of decent hotels and villas in Puerto del Carmen for rent too.

Puerto del Carmen is an ideal location for all types of holiday makers. As the resort is perfect for families with young children. Thanks to the fine quality of the resort’s blue flag beaches. Whilst also offering lots of child friendly attractions such as the Rancho Texas Theme Park – which offers kids an abundance of Wild West themed fun and games.

Villas In Costa Teguise

Situated towards the northern end of the island Costa Teguise is just a short hop away from Arrecife airport. And started life as Lanzarote´s upmarket resort. Designed to attract moneyed Scandinavian and German tourists during the early boom years of the 1970´s.

However its sheen has faded a little since then. Partly due to the development of Playa Blanca in the south of the island. Which has snatched the slot of number 2 destination away over recent years. However Costa Teguise remains an attractive holiday hot spot – boasting wide avenues and a spacious open plan feel. Whilst the resort is also home to some great beaches, such as the main stretch of sand at Playa Cucharas.

Playa Blanca

Last but not least Playa Blanca was developed during the 1990´s and offers a winning combination of great weather and fantastic beaches. Allied with an excellent selection of hotels and holiday villas.

The resort is dominated by a sea front promenade that unites the three main beaches of Playa Dorada, Playa Flamingo and Playa Blanca (from which the resort takes its name). Whilst the striking set of bays and coves of Papagayo are around a twenty minute walk from the town centre.

As the summer season comes to and end across Europe there’s one southern outpost where the sun continues to shine. Although in fairness Lanzarote – and the rest of the Canaries – are in fact located many hundreds of miles south of the Iberian Peninsula and mainland Europe, off the coast of Africa. Whilst retaining European Union membership as part of Spain.

As a result of this great climate the Canaries have become the second most visited region in Spain after Catalunya (with its star attraction of Barcelona).Attracting over 9 million visitors a year. So despite the current economic climate thousands of travellers will still be booking holidays in Lanzarote and the Canaries this autumn.

The Canaries are just four hours flying time from the UK. Making these islands the closest winter destination to sun starved Northern Europe. And this year the cost of flights to Lanzarote are set to fall – thanks to growing competition on this route between the big guns of the low cost flight world, easyJet and Ryanair. The latter has firmly switched their focus to the Canaries this winter and will be operating 16 new services to Lanzarote from airports across the UK.

What sort of weather can visitors expect to enjoy during the winter months?On Lanzarote the temperature averages at around 20 degrees Celsius. With hardly any rainfall at all. The days are also longer than back in the UK – with the sun not setting before 6pm at the earliest. Whilst the Trade Winds that normally buffet the island from March through to August have dampened down.

The island offers high standards of accommodation too. Covering all of the bases from high quality hotels through to simple studio apartments. A growing number of visitors now prefer to book their own accommodation online too – thanks to the growth in internet usage. And as result interest in - and bookings for - Lanzarote villas have increased enormously over the last decade.

Due to the increase in holidaymakers requiring Villas in Lanzarote is fantastic news for long and short stay visitors to Lanzarote as villa owners have had to ensure that clients requirements are met, and those extras and traditional add ons are now included in the price.

Which is the best resort on the island during the winter months? That title has to go to Playa Blanca – located right at the southern tip of Lanzarote. Which enjoys the best microclimate on the island – whilst also boasting a great selection of beaches, such as Papagayo which is just a fifteen minute walk from the centre of the resort. Along with Playa Dorada, Playa Flamingo and Playa Blanca – which are all located within the resort itself. The island’s leading tourist attraction of the Timanfaya National Park is also just fifteen minutes drive for anyone who tires of relaxing in the sunshine.

The island is a popular all year holiday destination with an excellent range of places to stay. Follow the links for more information about villas in Playa Blanca in particular or budget flights to Lanzarote

The popular holiday island of Lanzarote is located in the Canaries. The group of seven Spanish owned islands located off the coast of Morocco close to the Tropic of Cancer. Where tourists can bask in warm weather all year round. 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 always seem to be such a popular choice and choosing one of the many villas in Lanzarote that the island offers is fast becoming the popular self catering accommodation accommodation choice for travellers.

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.

Today this region of the island occupies about a quarter of Lanzarote´s total land mass. And is a hugely popular visitor attraction, known locally as The Fire Mountains or Timanfaya. Where visitors can view a lunar like landscape that has served as a backdrop for a number of science fiction films and most recently the latest release from Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, Broken Embraces. Which stars Penelope Cruz and which was shot on location around the island.

There are plenty of places to stay on the island. With visitors able to choose from a large selection of Lanzarote villas, hotels and apartments. The bulk of which are located in the main resorts of Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise. Whilst rural tourism has also started to grow in popularity over the last few years.

There are over ninety beaches for visitors to explore. Many of these are man made in the resorts – using sand imported from the Sahara. So tourists should head for coastal villages such as Famara and Arrieta to experience the best all natural stretches of sand on the island.

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.

Surreal scenery and beautiful beaches. Lanzarote in the Canary Islands offers the perfect blend of ingredients for a sunshine holiday with a difference. Basking in great weather all year round Lanzarote can be enjoyed at any time of the year. And is just a four hour flight from all major airports in the UK.

Spanish conquistadores first seized the island during the 1400´s before going on to subdue the rest of the Canaries. And Lanzarote then evolved to become a staging post between the New World and the Old. As Spanish galleons ferried Inca Silver and slaves from Africa across the Atlantic. Today the majority of visitors are from the UK, Eire and Germany. The bulk of whom arrive by air – with a further 250,000 tourists visiting the island as part of a cruise.

Most visitors will find themselves staying in one of the three main resorts on the island; Costa Teguise, Puerto del Carmen or Playa Blanca. All of which are well contained and offer plenty of modern amenities and facilities. Along with high standards of accommodation. Such as a large selection of Lanzarote villas, apartments and hotels.

The standard of Lanzarote holiday villas and also Lanzarote apartments has always been maintained but more and more competition means that standards have been raised even higher for the most part.

Costa Teguise is located in the north of the island – just a short fifteen minute transfer from Arrecife airport. And was first developed ruing the 1970´s as an upmarket coastal resort – initially proving very popular with German and Scandinavian tourists. Costa Teguise is set out on wide open boulevards – creating a spacious feel. But as a man-made resort it lacks a natural organic heart. A role which is only in part played today by the Pueblo Marinero. Costa Teguise does however boast a great selection of beaches. As well as some excellent accommodation options.

Puerto del Carmen is the largest resort on the island, located a twenty minute drive south of Costa Teguise. Boasting great beaches and excellent value accommodation. In the form of numerous affordable apartment complexes which are located in both the New and Old Town areas. Local tourist authorities have just spent over 16 million Euros improving and renovating the resort. With a new luxury marina in place and the main beachfront strip now pedestrianised. So further enhancing Puerto del Carmen´s appeal as a holiday destination.

Playa Blanca is located right at the southern end of Lanzarote. Just across the Bocaina Straits from the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura. And is the most modern resort of the three - constructed during the 1990´s. There’s a wide range of villa accommodation here – along with a large choice of five and four star hotels. Many of which line the shoreline – creating great views for guests.

Find more good information about villas in Lanzarote here.