Spring still doesn’t seem to be on its way, as the UK prepares itself for another spell of freezing weather. For those desperate to see blue skies and feel the sun on their skin, it looks like the best option is to book a holiday elsewhere. Holiday prices remain at an affordable level so now is an ideal time to start browsing the holiday websites and see what’s available to break the winter blues.

Whilst only seventeen hundred miles to the south, a group of islands continues to bask in warm weather, with an average temperature of 20º C even in the middle of December. Those islands are the Canaries, which although geographically aren’t really part of Europe, are in fact the southern most tip of the European Community.

Of the Canaries, it is Lanzarote that usually has the driest climate, given its close proximity to the north African coast and the low-lying nature of the island. With no mountains over 700 metres, rainfall is kept to a minimum, falling on average only twenty days a year. The intense heat of mainland Spain is tempered by breezes straight off the Atlantic.

The range of Lanzarote holiday villas and Lanzarote self catering apartments available seems astounding to tourists coming to the island.

Most apartment complexes are set within semi-tropical gardens around a communal swimming pool. None will be more than three storeys tall, as strict rules about construction mean that buildings can only be as tall as a palm tree. A good number of these complexes have been refurbished in recent years to bring the accommodation up to date, with modern style furnishings.

For couples who just want to laze on the beach and try the local bars and restaurants in the evenings, an apartment in Lanzarote is ideal. Most have good basic facilities, so that the odd self-catered meal can be easily thrown together. This style of accommodation is also ideal for the more active, sporty types, who spend all day surfing and cycling and crash out in the evening.

Many of the quiet residential streets, lined with palms and tropical trees, also contain numerous holiday villas. And such is the choice of villas in Lanzarote, there is usually something to suit every budget and taste, whether it is for couples, families or groups of friends.

Whether that entails a day’s sailing or golfing or visiting each of the centres of Art and Culture, Lanzarote has a lot to offer. Its tourist attractions are stylishly individual, having been created by the internationally renowned artist, César Manrique. These centres range from a Cactus Garden to a Farming Museum, with each detailing some aspect of the lives that many locals have lived over the centuries.