Already had enough of the cold and grey skies in the UK this winter?  Then jet off to the Canaries and the sunshine island of Lanzarote.  Where you could swap sweaters for swimwear and bask on the beach in temperatures that reach well into the 70´s F.

There are lots of winter sun choices around the world but none are also closer to the UK in terms of distance and flying time as Lanzarote.  As here the sunshine is just four hours away.  Flights to the island are available with most low cost airlines such as Monarch and easyJet so it´s also cheap to travel to Lanzarote, making it the ideal choice in these recession hit times.

Once on the island tourists will find that Lanzarote has loads to offer, boasting over 100 beaches and some of the most fantastic scenery, forged by volcanic eruptions during the 18th century.  The southern end of the island tends to be warmer than the north at this time of the year so if optimising your sunshine hours is key book a break in Playa Blanca which is about forty minutes drive from the main airport at Arrecife.

Here there´s a wide selection of over 200 hotels to choose from, as well as a number of well appointed apartment complexes.  Playa Blanca is also home to some of the best value villas in Lanzarote, expect to pay as little as €450 for a seven nights stay in a standard two bedroom property with pool here.  Some of the best villa bargains can be found by visiting the www.holidayvillasinlanzarote.co.uk website, where tourists can browse over 250 rental properties in all locations across the island.

As well as great beaches and weather Lanzarote is home to plenty of picturesque towns and villages, such as Teguise, which was the capital of Lanzarote until 1852.  The town is home to the most historic buildings on the island such as the Palacio Marquez which dates back as far as the 1450´s.  As well as the fascinating house museum The Palacio Spinola, which recreates the life of a 17th Century nobleman.

Just down the road lies the far more modern residence of one time island resident Omar Sharif.  He had a luxury house built in Nazaret back in the 1970´s, but promptly lost the property in a high stakes game of bridge.  Today LagOmar is home to one of the most upmarket restaurants in Lanzarote.