Is the name given to the Canary Islands, these islands off the west coast of Africa are blessed with an almost ideal year-round climate due in the main to the warming influence of the Gulf-Stream and favourable trade winds.

Lanzarote is the most northerly and easterly of archipelago and is some 68 miles off the African coast. A number of other smaller islands cluster around Lanzarote's northern coast. They consist of La Graciosa, Alegranza, Montaña Clara and Los Roques. With the exception of La Graciosa, they are uninhabited.

Some stats
1. surface area 846 square kilometres.
2. maximum altitude 668 metres.
3. average temperature - 24.6 degrees in August / 17 degrees in January.
4. average rainfall 5 inches per year.
5. population about 100,000
 
The island is divided into seven municipal districts:
* Arrecife (the capital of the island)
* Haría
* San Bartolomé
* Teguise (includes the northern island of La Graciosa, with it's 500+ inhabitants)
* Tías
* Tinajo
* Yaiza (includes Playa Blanca)
 
The Island of terrible beauty
A series of volcanic eruptions took place in the south west of the island over a period of 6 years from 1730 to 1736. The area in which these occurred is now a national park (Timanfaya National Park). This is a beautiful and unique park, one which we would certainly recommended you explore.

Although all of the islands of the Archipelago are of volcanic origin, it is Lanzarote which is referred to by the others as 'the volcanic island'. This gives some idea of the nature of this unique island, which consists of about 300 extinct volcanoes. It's landscape is one of volcanoes and scattered lava fields edged by beautiful beaches. Also worth exploring are its many caverns, grotto's and craters.

Some of these natural phenomina have been turned into places of great beauty. Outstanding examples are Jameos del Agua (the 'water grotto') and Cueva de los Verdes (Greens' cave).