The Western Isles are an archipelago situated not too far off the Scottish West coast.  The isles of the Inner & Outer Hebrides have been inhabited since the Mesolithic period and throughout their history the language and culture has been immensely influenced by various races and today the culture of the Hebrides is a blend of Norse, Celtic, Scottish and English influences. The majority of people speak in the Gaelic language and although many talk in English, it is commonly their 2nd language. Not too many years ago visits to the Inner and Outer Hebrides were only for folk with plenty of money and those who could afford plenty of time. These days it is far, far to get to the Western Isles/Outer Hebrides, you can travel by car and ferry or take a flight to a number of destinations on the islands. Regrettably it is not possible to get all of the way by train but it is possible to travel coast and then travel by coach for the rest of the journey. Often the only problem that can turn up is sorting out accommodation especially if  you are searching for accommodation for groups on the Isle of Harris which is more often than not booked up twelve months in advance.

One of the most common factors in attracting visitors to the Outer Hebrides is that the the landscape and the culture of the Isles are dramatically unique.  On the Isle of Harris are to be found some of the most breath takingly beautiful golden sandy beaches in all of Scotland, and many folk say the U.K. Here and there you will notice a standing stone on the Harris coastline however it is on the Isle of Lewis that you will discover the best stone circle at Calanais not a huge distance from the town of Stornoway the only town in the Outer Hebrides. The Calanais standing stones is said to be second only to Stonehenge in England.

Deciding which island, Harris or Lewis, to stay on is often a difficult decision and more and more people are settling to spend a short time on each. B&B accommodation on Lewis is frequently available than Isle of Harris accommodation, so you should try to book as early as possible.

Bed and breakfast in Stornoway is is far easier to book but again to be certain book well in advance. Virtually all accommodation in the Hebrides is of a very high standard and the hospitality is the best you are likely to witness and the folk friendly and helpful.

Besides the Isle of Lewis and the Isle of Harris there are a few other inhabited isles that are easy to visit. The most popular are North and South Uist, Barra and Benbecula and you will find a ferry which runs from North Uist to Harris at Leverburgh, a small village on South Harris.

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As the summer season comes to and end across Europe there’s one southern outpost where the sun continues to shine.  Although in fairness Lanzarote – and the rest of the Canaries – are in fact located many hundreds of miles south of the Iberian Peninsula and mainland Europe, off the coast of Africa.  Whilst retaining European Union membership as part of Spain.

As a result the Canaries welcome visitors throughout the year and after Catalonia are the second most popular holiday destination in Spain.  Arrivals have fallen by around 20% during 2009 thanks to the current economic crisis.  But millions of tourists will still be booking holidays in the region this autumn, despite the downturn.

The Canaries are just four hours flying time from the UK.  Making these islands the closest winter destination to sun starved Northern Europe.  And this year the cost of flights to Lanzarote are set to fall – thanks to growing competition on this route between the big guns of the low cost flight world, easyJet and Ryanair.  The latter has firmly switched their focus to the Canaries this winter and will be operating 16 new services to Lanzarote from airports across the UK. 

What sort of weather can visitors expect to enjoy during the winter months?On Lanzarote the temperature averages at around 20 degrees Celsius.  With hardly any rainfall at all.  The days are also longer than back in the UK – with the sun not setting before 6pm at the earliest.  Whilst the Trade Winds that normally buffet the island from March through to August have dampened down. 

The island offers high standards of accommodation too.  Covering all of the bases from high quality hotels through to simple studio apartments.  A growing number of visitors now prefer to book their own accommodation online too – thanks to the growth in internet usage.  And as result interest in – and bookings for – Lanzarote villas have increased enormously over the last decade.

Naturally as in any service business the increase in holidaymakers requiring Lanzarote holiday apartments and villas is good news for visitors to Lanzarote as villa owners are being driven to ensure presentation is up to par, and all mod cons and traditional extras are now included gratis

Playa Blanca is the resort to head for if you’re planning a winter break on the island.  As thanks to it’s southerly location it enjoys the best weather and most sunshine hours.  As well as boasting some of the best beaches on the island.  There’s a decent selection of villas in Playa Blanca for holidaymakers to choose from too.  With high quality rental properties available in areas such as Rubicon Marina and Costa Papagayo.  And with prices starting from around £400 per week for a standard two bedroom villa with pool.

The island is a exceptionally well visitied all year holiday destination with many outstanding resorts. Follow the links for even more information about Playa Blanca holiday villas in particular or other Lanzarote villas and apartments.

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