Montaña Roja:
Los Sueños lies in the western part of Playa Blanca, to the southeast of the extinct volcano known as Montaña Roja, which provides spectacular mountain views and a pleasant walk round the crater: the excellent guidebook Landscapes of Lanzarote describes it as “a short leg-stretcher to start or end your day”. The residential area of Montaña Roja is quiet, and the villa is on a no-through road, with its south-facing gardens surrounded by walled boundaries for privacy and protection. There are also many attractions (see below) to tempt visitors away, if they have a car (and perhaps a bottle of water and wine in a cold bag). Car hire is not essential at Los Sueños, but we recommend it because it is very good value, fuel is cheap and the roads are mostly easy to drive. For those who prefer to travel more slowly, there are camel expeditions on the volcanic slopes of Timanfaya, horse riding from several ranches and many excellent walks on the mountains, cliff tops, valleys and beaches.
Playa Blanca:
Because it is situated in the extreme south of Lanzarote, Playa Blanca enjoys less wind and more sunshine than resorts in the north of the island.
In addition to three beaches within the village itself, Playa Blanca lies next to the world-renowned golden beaches of Papagayo, the most beautiful on the island. There is an attractive marina development on the eastern edge of the village and many water sports are available, including diving, sailing and wind-surfing.
Other attractions within easy reach include the crashing waves of Los Hervideros, the bizarre green lagoon of El Golfo, the volcanic National Park of Timanfaya and the Salinas (salt pans) of Janubio, which at one time produced one-third of a million tons of sea-salt per year and are a prime site for bird watchers to observe migrant waders. And, at the cultural end of the spectrum, there are regular art exhibitions and concerts.
Lanzarote:
Lanzarote is highly rated in holiday guidebooks, because its guaranteed winter warmth is only a short flight from northern Europe, and it has two advantages over the other Canary Islands: first, its mountains are lower, so the weather patterns are more moderate; secondly, the influence of the artist Cesar Manrique has ensured that the island’s natural state has been preserved while facilities have improved - there is no building on the island higher than a Canarian palm tree, advertising hoardings are banned, and local traditions are respected. If you need a third reason for Lanzarote’s pre-eminence, it makes the best wine in the Canaries – much of it from the malvasia grape, known to Shakespeare as malmsey and allegedly much loved by Falstaff.
The landscape is varied and spectacular: over 300 volcanoes, with caves, cliffs and sculpted rock formations; beaches (both golden and black); and a wide range of plants and shrubs (the mountains are covered with wild flowers in Spring).
