It’s that time of the year. You can feel summer in the air. Shop racks are laden with swimsuits, billboards advertise holiday wear, and everybody seems to be talking about their summer getaway. All we can think of is swimming in azure waters and sipping on delicious concoctions by the beach 🙂
We usually head to Spain for our summer holiday. We’ve been to almost all parts of Spain and explored them at leisure. But we have a massive soft spot for the Canary Islands. Hidden coves, turquoise beaches, amazing food, and warm people – what’s not to like.
We usually rent a car on reaching the Canary Islands and try to explore all they have to offer. So far, we’ve discovered volcanic craters, surreal beaches, and hidden tapas bars. A number of budget airlines offer direct flights to the Canary Islands from Gatwick. Since we live in South London, it’s usually the most convenient airport for us to catch a flight from. Sometimes when drive to the airport, we make use of Gatwick airport parking with BCP. It is far more convenient and cheaper (well most of the times) than taking the trains to the airport.
Once in the Canary Islands, we spend our days wining, dining, and spending inordinate amounts of time doing “nothing” at the beach. Then again, isn’t that what holidays are for. Here are some of our favourite things about the Canary Islands
1) The Canary Islands have a number of hidden beaches and coves sheltered by volcanic hills. The hills have segregated these beaches into sections, so it’s possible to get yourself a natural “room” to spend your day. The rural nature of these hidden beaches means there are few stalls and kiosks around, so make sure you pack yourself a picnic and some local Canarian wine. The last time we visited the islands, we made it a point to visit all the hidden beaches, away from the civilisation and the crowds that throng the main resort areas. It was bliss !
2) The Islands boast of surreal panoramas. Gran Canaria has amazing hikes while Lanzarote has volcanic craters, volcanic caves, and houses made out of lava bubbles. You can easily spend a week or two exploring the offerings of each island. Our favourite out of the lot is Lanzarote – we can spend days driving around its volcanic landscape and watching mesmerising sunsets from the Mirador Del Rio.
3) Canarian food is as impressive as its wine. It is easy to spend langurous days hunting for hidden tapas bars and enjoying extended meals. Al-fresco dining is almost the norm on the Canary Islands and that’s what makes them special. Make sure you try the Boccadillo (Spanish baguette), Tortilla (Spanish omlette) and the Barraquito (coffee-based drink) on your holiday. And to top it all, the people are so warm and friendly that the attention you get when being served will make the meal even more special. Canarian food will definitely have you hunting for quaint tapas bars in London 🙂
The end of a holiday is just another excuse to plan yet another one 🙂 If you fly out from an airport other than London Gatwick, then do look at the options for airport parking with ParkBCP. We hope that we’ve tempted you to visit The Canary Islands. If you need more information, check out our Sample Itineraries for Road Trips in Lanzarote .
