lanzarotte questions

really nice restaurant in the old town, was there 10 years ago and there again last November so that speaks volumes

Cant remember the name but its on the right hand side as you head down the hill into the old town with the roundabout at your back - just about opposite a Chinese bazaar type shop. . Think the name was flower related but cant be sure. Highly recommended for steaks, fixh etc. Salivating thinking about it actually!

Its La Magnolia. next door to it is El Golfo ( the one with all the decorated plates on the wall). Both are usually pretty full. Friends of ours going to Lanz for years swear by La Magnolia. It's menu is not over elaborate but food is always consistently good.
 
As OP is well back from his holiday now its safe enough to post this:)

Other than the fact that it is clean, PDC beach is lovely and kept spotless. What exactly is the attraction of this island? I could understand the appeal for those with young children or the elderly, for for others what is there?

I found the place devoid of culture, no feel of a local community other than ex pats, little to do in the way of activities. Is it just for those who want to drink, eat, sunbathe and bring home duty free? Nothing wrong with that by the way just wondering if I missed something 5 years ago.
 
I found the 'old town' to be extremely tacky, dirty and smelly, full of grubby looking 'Irish' bars. Can't see the attraction at all. Exception being in and round the seafront where there are some nice restaurants.

As I said, harbour area very nice. Anything else west and north of the Fariones not great. Still would go back. Slim
 
The strip along the beach is getting a bit of bad press here but it's actually quite nice now. They have worked alot on the road and pathway so it looks really good. Also there are a couple of new restaurants on the strip, one of which I thought was fantastic. Unfortunately I can't remember the name but it specialises in meat, particularly steak, duck, lamb etc. Really nice meat, cooked exactly the way the customer asks for it which doesnt always happen here. Prices are a little more expensive than the other restaurants but it's really worth it. It's always busy. It's a couple of doors down from Ruta 66.

There's nothing nicer in my opinion then heading out for a walk along the promenade about 5 o'clock then heading for a cold beer in one of the bars on the strip over looking the sea. Bliss.
 
What exactly is the attraction of this island?

Are you sure you mean "the island" and not just PDC?

There is much more to Lanzarote than PDC.

I think you have partly answered your own question anyway when you say:

...the fact that it is clean, PDC beach is lovely and kept spotless

drink, eat, sunbathe

To drink, eat and sunbathe in the vicinity of a clean resort with a spotless beach and that has little in the way of loutishness is all many people want from a holiday.

Most popular resorts simply cannot claim to provide this.
 
What exactly is the attraction of this island?

Where do we start? Ok well, post no. 16 in this same thread might be good for starters. Forget the resorts, Lanz is not the resorts, that's where you eat, sleep and get drunk. It's rather the natural wonders of this challenging environment that makes it what it is. Driving through the wine region of La Geria towards PB one can easily think of Raquel Welch and 1 million years B.C. ( as if anyone would think of Raquel Welch ;) ) when it was shot in Timanfaya. It's a barren place which the conejeros ( native Lanzaroteños ) have tried to tame over hundreds of years. UNESCO's designation of the entire island as a [broken link removed] has meant stricter development controls than other islands in the Canarian group. That and the work of César Manrique has helped keep the bulk of the island's development sympathetic with it's history and nature. Take a walk on the ( au natural if you like ;) ) and you get some feeling for the beauty of the place. You're not going to get major cultural events, it's a small place and to engage in any cultural events outside the resorts does demand un poco de Español. The regular concerts in the underground [broken link removed] can be excellent. There are some very interesting places on the island also. For most though people it's attraction is it's pretty much guaranteed good weather, short distance from IRL/UK & English widely spoken. If you like chilling out and doing nothing, with good books & good but cheap food, I could think of worse places to go.
 
I suppose I just missed having a city near by like Palma in Mallorca. I also think the Greek Islands have a lot more to offer with usually only one louithish resort on some Islands that can easily be avoided. I just found the place a bit barren and mundane but had always heard great things about it, so maybe my expectations were too high to begin with. Each to their own I guess:) It certainly has its fans.

If I ever do go back I'll bring your post Graham 07 you make it sound wonderful, it would have been a big help 5 years ago:)
 
Santorini eclipses almost anywhere else I've seen for scenery. Greece is definitely worth a visit. It's just a pity you can't get direct to any of the Greek islands from Cork.

Myself a a friend took a package holiday from cork to Crete one year (2006), we should have known by the drunkeness of almost everyone on the plane what we were in for. I definitely need to go back and see more "real" Greece cos besides the food it was a bit miserable on crete
 
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