Scouring the supermarket aisles for fluffy bed socks is not my idea of a fun holiday pastime. But that’s where I found myself last April on an early sun-seeking trip to (actually very chilly) Costa del Sol. On another occasion, on a Corfu boat trip one October, I remember sheltering under my rain coat as the guide pointed out the “turquoise shallows” of Canal d’Amour – which looked like puddle water to me.
But the most disappointing shoulder season holiday I’ve ever taken was to Crete. I took particular offence at its drizzly autumn weather because this southern Greek island markets wall-to-wall sunshine – and since getting there involves relatively lengthy, expensive flights (up to 4.5 hours from the UK) that run from March all the way to November, I got the impression it’d be a surefire hot spot. It was not.
Sun almost guaranteed in autumn – and beyond
Just as the UK climate is changing, so too is Europe’s, and many destinations that are sold as reliable shoulder-season sunspots often aren’t. Which is how I discovered Lanzarote. In fact, I first visited one January and enjoyed 24°C temperatures while many hotels still had their Christmas decorations up. The same balmy weather applies to Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Tenerife, all four hours’ direct flight away and with zero time difference.
© Getty ImagesThe Canary Islands are just off the north-west coast of Africa and on the same latitude as Orlando and Delhi, so the gorgeous climate makes sense. Air fares tend to be cheaper than to destinations such as Greece and Turkey, too, because the Canaries have year-round tourism, more frequent flights and aren’t trying to squeeze every penny of profit out of spring and autumn visitors.
The cool Canary
So why is Lanzarote my favourite Canary? Style. You might laugh – especially if you’ve heard Lanzarote’s (unfair) nickname of “Lanzagrotty” – but the island is utterly unrecognisable from its overdeveloped neighbours thanks to a man called César Manrique. An artist, architect and a contemporary of Andy Warhol’s, César returned to his native Lanzarote in the 1960s, and worked with local planners to make sure the island didn’t follow the same path as the other Canaries.
This means you’ll see no high-rise hotels, nor ugly coastal motorways. César then sprinkled the island with his own art: wind sculptures, abstract statues and cactus gardens. He turned natural subterranean caves into a spectacular music venue and bar (Jameos del Agua), built a hip holiday house called Lag-o-Mar for the actor Omar Sharif (which is now a gallery) and designed La Era, a rural restaurant and B&B in the village of Yaiza, where guests stay in whitewashed cottages set around a courtyard.
Surprisingly stylish
With César setting the tone, artists and creatives were drawn to Lanzarote – you’ll recognise its modernist architecture and volcanic landscapes in countless Zara fashion campaigns, and in the Pedro Almodóvar film Broken Embraces, starring Penélope Cruz. There’s an artisanal market somewhere on the island daily, but the biggest is on Sunday in Teguise town, where you can buy modern art, chic beach kaftans and delicate hand-made jewellery.
© Getty ImagesBut if it’s shoulder-season sunshine you’re here for, you’ll want to know the best beaches. My personal favourites are in the south, within the Los Ajaches national park. The remoteness, lack of facilities and park entrance fee means the idyllic sandy bays – Papagayo, El Pozo, Caleta del Congrio – are never busy. Or, if you’re a surfer, windswept Famara in the breezy north is your best bet.
© Getty ImagesFamilies, meanwhile, will like gently shelving Playa Blanca, with its cafes and playgrounds.
A place in the sun
Now that I know the island top to bottom – I’ve visited almost every year for the past 25 – and stayed in countless accommodations, I prefer to rent a villa. The cool cubic low-rise homes give you a chance to live like a local on Lanzarote, and I always rent a car to explore. Villa Panorama is one such stone finca among tropical gardens in the village of Tías, with a casita (which can be taken separately) taking groups up to 10 people. It also boasts a ravishing, remote position among Lanzarote’s lava fields, stunning sea views, a private pool, hot tub and barbecue.
© Photo by:Ana Belen DominguezIf you don’t have a car or you’re in a couple, you might prefer Finca de Arrieta, an eco-retreat of yurts and cottages owned by the same independent group, Lanzarote Retreats. This finca offers privacy and space, but also hotel perks such as a solar-heated swimming pool, yoga sessions and a small farm and shop – kids also stay for free. Wherever you stay, and whenever you go, just don’t forget the suncream.
© Getty ImagesHow to book it: TUI flies direct to Lanzarote from Gatwick, Bristol, Belfast, Glasgow, Manchester and Newcastle, among many other UK airports. Finca Panorama starts from £255 a night, and an Eco Yurt at Finca de Arrieta from £99 per night; both bookable with Lanzarote Retreats.
