From its desert-like southern expanses, dotted with volcanoes, to the pine-forested north, “La Isla Bonita” – protected as a Unesco biosphere reserve since 2002 – is a place for escaping into the wild.

This process is labour intensive (everything has to be done by hand), plus the vineyards need lots of room per vine, compared to regular rows of vines you see in other countries. As a result, the wineries can’t produce huge quantities, so I’d recommend drinking as much as you can while you’re on the island! There are five beaches in Costa Teguise, all comprised of golden sand. The main ones, such as Playa Cucharas and Playa Bastian offer good facilities, such as WC´s, sun loungers and umbrellas. Whilst others such as Playa Ancla are a little more all natural. Read our guide to beaches in Costa Teguise to find out more. Local Tourist Attractions

Costa Teguise is well situated to explore the many tourist attractions in the North of Lanzarote, such as the Cueva de los Verdes, Jameos del Agua and the Jardin de Cactus. All of which were created by local artist César Manrique, whose former home and studio is also just a ten minute drive away in Tahiche. So if you are planning to combine sunbathing with sightseeing Costa Teguise is an excellent choice. Things To Do Puerto del Carmen is the oldest and largest resort on Lanzarote and the spot where modern tourism first took off. Originally built around the old town harbour it has now extended along six kilometres of golden, sandy beaches.

With some stunning views, bracing walks and a selection of nice — if simple — restaurants, it has much to offer if you want to chill out for a while. Arrieta This is also another great place to visit for sunset. Take in Lanzarote’s best panoramic views at Mirador del RioThe market in Costa Teguise could currently be described as pretty flat. It remains a good place to invest in a holiday villa or apartment for rental purposes and plenty of ex-pats choose to relocate here. But if you´re looking for serious capital gains then hold tight, as many local observers believe that prices could still fall further here. This is evidenced by the fact that there are quite a few unfinished developments around the outer reaches of the resort. Whilst some developers have been unable to fill units that were thrown up in the heady days prior to the credit crunch. Estate Agents As well as a few outdoor terraces for unobstructed views across the water, there’s a café inside the building. We grabbed coffees here and sat looking out at the views. It’s one of the best views from a café I’ve ever experienced!I’ve written a handy guide to visiting Mirador del Rio which I’d recommend reading before your visit. Cool architecture inside Mirador del Rio. You can see Manrique’s influence! Enjoy the Sunday buzz in Teguise

As it’s just a short drive from the coastal resorts in the south, and is a standard stop on coach tours, it gets extremely busy. I felt this took away from the enjoyment, as even on a Monday morning in December, it was swarming with tourists! It’s a cool spot to see for yourself, but if you didn’t make it there, you wouldn’t be missing much! Dive to Europe’s only underwater museum Not everybody wants to stay in a holiday resort, and Lanzarote offers two great alternatives for those people – Arrecife and rural Lanzarote. Examples of Manrique’s design are everywhere on the island, but perhaps the most perfectly realised is his former home, now the César Manrique Foundation. In this semi-subterranean maze of lava tunnels and volcanic caves you’ll find trees growing through the roofs of rooms filled with sleek 1960s furniture, shimmering plunge pools and a dancefloor. There are plenty of the latter to suit a range of budgets at the big three resorts. Puerto del Carmen is the largest and closest to the airport, with everything from affordable apartments to high-quality hotels. The nightlife is lively and the beaches bustle, but those seeking peace or authenticity will be better off elsewhere.

César Manrique Foundation — Volcano House in Tahíche

Arguably the most beautiful of the Canaries’ capitals, Santa Cruz de la Palma has a 16th-century core filled with traditional balconied homes, renaissance architecture and the glittering Iglesia del Salvador. With a volcanic beach, it makes a characterful, convenient base. The bathrooms were particularly cool in terms of their style and décor. I also really enjoyed seeing the separate studio where he painted, and the pool area shaded by palm trees. Play dinosaur themed crazy golf Costa Teguise scores highly when it comes to eating out. Most of the best restaurants are located inthe PlayaBastian area of the resort, with Oscars, El Navarroand Isla Bonita all ratedhighly. Read our guide to restaurants in Costa Teguise for more in depth information. Transport The Biosphere shopping centre is located at the entrance to the Old Town on Calle Juan Carlos 1, and offers many high street brand shops, cafes and a children’s soft play area. A relatively new installation is an open air cinema on the roof – great in the summer. There is a Lidl supermarket further along Call Juan Carlos I, on the outskirts of town and a reasonably big Superdino Supermarket on the nearby Calle Reina Sofia. There are many smaller Hiperdino Express tourist supermarkets located throughout the resort, though these are more expensive. Getting there and around