We flew with First Choice and had no problems on the flight and it actually arrived early!  We met our rep and were advised that we were staying at the Club Flamingo apartments in Puerto del Carmen.  We were very happy with this as we wanted to be in the livelier area.

Our short transfers took us to the Club Flamingo which was on the main road on Puerto del Carmen.  Here was a small complex of only 22 apartments with a small swimming pool.  We were given a two bedroom apartment which was spacious and comfortable.  In the afternoon we took a wander to the town to see what was on offer and to stock up the apartment.

There is a wide selection of restaurants to choose from, serving local and international cuisine to suit all tastes.  The evenings get livelier and the PR staff will tempt you to get to their bar.  We went to one bar which was suitable for everyone as it had karaoke and a disco.

One day we took a day trip to the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura.  On the way to the island, we were lucky enough to spot a couple of dolphins.  When we arrived, we were taken to Corralejo town and explore the shops.  We had lunch at a local hotel and then had a couple of spare hours to lay on the beach.  To be honest, it was far too cloudy and windy to sunbathe.

We hired a car for the day to explore the island ourselves, driving to the ‘Timanfaya’ volcanoes where we were taken on a coach tour of the live rock.  Here we had lunch and chicken that was cooked from the heat raised from the lava. We then went to the top of the island and then to the bottom to Playa Blanco which is a beautiful fishing resort.  When we got back to our apartments, we were greeted by the town’s fiesta.  The locals had many floats and local dance routines.

I really enjoyed our trip and would recommend it to anyone considering taking their holidays in Lanzarote.  It has something for everyone at any time of the year.

If like me you’re a horse lover you will be in paradise.  The Menorcan people love horses and it’s a big part of their culture.  A fiesta, a traditional carnival, is a must when your there in the summer. The evening start with a horse race in the streets of the town, followed by a ceremony at the town hall for the winners.  There is a funfair with stalls selling local crafts and food stalls, and at midnight there is a spectacular firework display. It really is a fun night out for all the family.

There is a water park, go-karting, horse-riding and local markets.  The markets are regular and sell local crafts, linen, leather and food.

The beaches are beautiful and plentiful.  It is best to hire a car as some of the resort beaches can get busy but there are always other beaches not far away that are practically empty. You can even take a boat trip in the afternoon, taking you to the secluded bays which are only accessible by water.

A great day trip is to the island’s capital, Mahon.  Here you can take a boat trip round the harbour where famous people once lived such as Napoleon (and even Richard Branson!).  After, visit the busy markets and grab a bargain. 

An Island tour will take you to the tiny villages where the streets are narrow and the houses are white-washed, each with coloured flowers in window boxes.  In the afternoon, you will be taken to one of the horse stables were you will be given a horse show where the horse show their dressage.

This truly is a beautiful part of the world, and I’d recommend it to young and old.

My flights were with Easyjet from Gatwick which ran smoothly and on time, and the service from the cabin crew was great. After a four hour flight we landed into Tenerife south Airport where we went through passport control and baggage collection. My friend’s suitcase did not arrive so we went to the service agent who filled out a form, took our telephone number and asked us to call at 4pm to see if they have traced this.  We called at the requested time and were advised that the suitcase had been found at Gatwick and would be on the next flight out which was the next day.  Meanwhile, we arrived at our gorgeous apartments at the top of Los Gigantos which had stunning views of the Marina and the neighbouring island of La Gomera.

My friend’s suitcase did arrive the next day as promised, and we were pleased with the service we received throughout. 

In the evenings we would walk down the hill to the main town and choose from the many restaurants available. This resort is very laid-back and traditional, which is very different to the lively resort of Las Americas.

Fiestas are a big thing in Spain, and this is no different in the Canaries.  They are held in different resorts at different times of the year, but we did not have the opportunity to experience one this time around.  At La Gomera in July locals have a race to swim to the island of Tenerife.  They also have their own language called ‘Silbo’, which is commutated by whistling. This language nearly died out at the beginning of the 21st Century but the government made it a requirement for the children to learn it at school.

We did hire a car, which a local agent in Los Gigantos which offered to us at four days for the price of three. This gave us a chance to explore the island, and what the other resorts had to offer.  We went to Playa de Las Americas during the day, where we checked out the beach at local shops. We even went back in the evening to have a ‘night on the tiles’ as they say!

We also went to Aqualand which is the island’s waterpark, where there’s a wide range of waterslides and rides and also the number one dolphin show which is spectacular and worth every penny. The dolphins are well looked after, and the tricks are amazing. You have the opportunity to pay a bit extra and get up close with them.

Finally, we went to the Jungle Park in Los Cristinos – which is an animal park with parrot shows. This is a full day but you do feel like you’re in the jungle and the amongst the animals!

Tenerife has something for everyone from families who want a quiet resort with activities at their doorstep, to 18-30 clubbers.  There are also other quiet resorts for people who want to get away from it all and see spectacular views and picture perfect scenery.