“Everyone tells me I ought to get some exercise, that it’s good for my health. But, I have never heard anyone telling a sportsperson they ought to do some reading.”  This statement by Saramago prompted me to emphasise here the importance of striking a balance between tourist or sporting hyperactivity while travelling, and living out the experiences of others. Yes, friends, this is the advice of a hyperactive person – it does no harm to occasionally plan rest periods into one’s journeys, or to deploy a few good phrases as a mantra for competing. Indeed, Mr Saramago, you were dead right – you can also travel through reading, when your mind can find some rest, while in sport, not everything is physical. But, why Saramago in a post about Lanzarote? I found out – and high time it was too, for someone who has travelled to the island so often – that the Nobel prize-winning writer had spent his final years on Lanzarote. There, in the village of Tías, you will come across “A Casa” as he liked to call his home. Lanzarote was Saramago’s other homeland. “A whole lifetime to get here”, he announced, when he settled on this southerly island. The landscape of Lanzarote, the volcanoes, its warm nights, the peacefulness and the island’s inhabitants led him to write many of his articles, novels and diaries at his home in the Tías municipality. As the illustrious writer asserted, “This is not my land, this land of mine”, a phrase shown on the sculpture as a homage to him in front of “A casa” and “La Biblioteca”, as his house museum is known. Each and every object in “A Casa” has a special meaning – an olive tree to recall the country of his birth, or the clocks all set to 4 o’clock, as it was at that time he met his widow, Pilar. They all go to make this museum a happy, special place.

We cannot summarise all his work here, but we can choose three phrases that come in handy as motivating mantras at training sessions and competitions:

- There is something inside us with no name, and that is what we really are.

- There is something positive in defeat – it is never lasting. Triumph, however, has something negative – it is never lasting.

- We always end up arriving where someone is waiting for us.

After this short introduction about Saramago and his ties to the island, I must report that I flew to Lanzarote in March to compete in the tri122 de Costa Teguise. This is a triathlon I had advised you to consider, together with the Challenge Fuerteventura (April), as possible warm-up races for the Ironman Lanzarote, which is held in May each year, starting and finishing in Puerto del Carmen. The tri122 event went off well, without incident, although it was windy. The swim took place off the Playa de las Cucharas (where we went windsurfing the next day); the bike course had been altered from previous years, while the foot race was along the esplanade. My advice for this race would be very similar to the pointers I gave you in the Ironman Lanzarote post, so I won’t go into any detail there. For accommodation, I decided to stay at the Barceló, which is right on the Costa Teguise. I was pleasantly surprised to learn first-hand that they would soon have a better, specific programme for sportspeople in their facilities, given that, unlike the opposite side of the island, which we visited on the previous trip, here you can do open-water swimming, something we triathletes appreciate. In short, if you’re looking for wind and waves, the area of Famara is great and, to swim, windsurf and enjoy the beach, Costa Teguise would be the best option.

On a gastronomic note, this time I would choose two proposals:

- Before the race, a good choice for stocking up on carbohydrates is Portobello. Listen up – this is a markedly family setup based on homemade Italian food. Noteworthy is the fact that the owner was kind and helpful.

- The second proposal, for after the race, is La Bohemia. I believe it’s the best place in the Costa Teguise area. Their meat and roast are delicious and the service is excellent and friendly. Don’t worry, if you don’t eat meat, there are many other dishes to choose from on the menu.

As for the visits listed in the previous posting, we overlooked some of the island’s “great hits”, which I can reveal here – Playa de Jablillos, Playa Mujeres, Playa de Papagallo and Lago Verde. They are all splendid options for strolling and switching off, and even for reading! Also, if you like diving, there are facilities to discover scuba diving on the same beach where we went windsurfing.

You might ask: if I’m interested in sport in Lanzarote, are there any other interesting competitions on the island? Well, yes – there is the 70.3 Lanzarote on 19 September, and the 4 stage Mountain Bike and La Santa Duathlon in January. After these recommendations in two different Lanzarote posts, we’ll soon be hopping to another island, as I’m starting to get curious about hiking trails. Both Trans Gran Canaria, which takes place from 4 to 6 March 2016, and Transvulcania en la Palma, in May, are important enough on the international running calendar to be considering them when planning for next season.

Did you sign up for Ironman Lanzarote in the end? Book your ticket here if you’ve enrolled, or go for another date if you want to find out why everyone is training or competing in the Canary Islands.

Text by Raúl Casañas

Images by Ginés Díaz, Jules/Lanzarote InformacionTabayesco, Idoia Núñez

They happen to be the best beaches for doing all sorts of watersports, especially windsurfing. Apart from the island’s fine seaboard, it also has other spots worth discovering, notably the Lobos islet, its age-old towns and its coastal villages, where you can taste fresh seafood.

150 Kilometres of Beaches To Choose From 

Fuerteventura is sand and sea in their pristine state. Huge beaches and small, solitary coves, some completely wild and virgin; others, sheltered and safe for all the family… a vast array to choose from. The Jandía peninsula features the endless Playas de Sotavento, with some of the most popular and celebrated seaside resorts: Morro Jable and El Matorral, Playa Esmeralda and Playa Barca. On the leeward side we find the stunning beach of Cofete – kilometres of solitary sand lashed by the powerful Atlantic. The north side is surprising for its Grandes Playas, and the immense Corralejos and dune system. The area also features family beaches such as El Cotillo and La Concha with their calm waters, thanks to the nearby horseshoe-shaped natural reef. Stretching out under the sun on any of those beaches, and bathing in the crystal-clear turquoise waters, is capable of giving anyone a new lease on life.

Raw Nature Under Clear Skies

Fuerteventura is the second largest of the Canary Islands. Its stark landscape, which conveys a relaxing, soothing feeling, is the best antidote to the stress of hectic, everyday life. Listed as a Biosphere Reserve, the island is divided into thirteen protected natural spaces, from Malpaíses to the vast area of sand dunes which support endemic species. The volcanic landscape has been modelled by the passage of time into a land of gentle relief, albeit dotted with such unique elements as volcanic cones and blades. The famous Mirador de Morro Velosa vantage point, designed by the brilliant Canary Island artist, César Manrique, affords spectacular views over the landscape of Fuerteventura. The depths of the Cueva del Llano take you into the bowels of the earth, providing insights into the formation of this vast volcanic tube and the island itself. Additionally, if you cast your gaze skywards, you will appreciate why Fuerteventura was also listed as a Starlight Reserve.

Why wait to discover it for yourself? Check out our flights here.

Text: Turismo de Canarias

Images: Promotor Turismo Canarias, S.A.

Fuerteventura’s volcanic origin gives a great natural beauty, with miles and miles of white sand and turquoise sea, sun for the whole year and a very characteristic flora and fauna you’ll discover in the different natural parks. It is perfect for water sports such as surfing , diving , windsurfing and kitesurfing , with a lot of schools and training courses specilized in these sports , and it is also a good place for hiking .

Some things you should not miss if you visit Fuerteventura

Cofete Beach is located in the south of island and surrounded by mountains. It is easily reached from Morro Jable by a narrow road, though its complicated access makes it not too crowded . There are 12 miles of pristine beach , where there is no building but only open sea, has become one of the most famous of all the Canary Islands. Here takes place the traditional release of turtles to begin their new life in freedom. In the dock of Morro Jable you can also visit the turtles’s kindergarden. It opens to the public Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 13:00 h.

Corralejo’s Dunes and its great beaches in the municipality of La Oliva, running from Three Islands hotel to Barreta’s beach . They are placed within the Natural Park of Corralejo’s Dunes , which has more than 2600 acres, and forms a landscape of exceptional beauty. Feel the tingle of turquoise waters on your feet and relax with that wonderful feeling that happens when you are in these desert dunes next to the crystal clear sea. Within the park it is also the mountain Esmeralda , a natural area of ​​great historical and geological value, some call it the magic mountain.

Opposite the Dunes Park there is Islote de Lobos, a small island attached to Fuerteventura which owes its name to the ancient seals that at some point came to populate the island, also known as sea lions. You can reach it by taking one of the boats that leave from the port of Corralejo. You can tour Islote de Lobos on foot or by bicycle, visiting some of its points of interest, such as the mountain of La Caldera, its coves and swim in its natural pools or explore the wonderful deep sea.

We’ll be there. If you want to come too, check out our flights here.

From mid-July to mid-September, around 50 killer whales grouped into five families can be sighted in the Strait of Gibraltar off Tarifa. And, if you’re a lover of these giant mammals, what an adventure you can have watching whales, dolphins and killer whales in their natural environment, toying with vessels and swimming to-and-fro through this sheet of water that joins the Mediterranean to the Atlantic Ocean.

CIRCE (Conservation, Information and Research on Cetaceans) estimates that the striped, bottlenose, and common dolphin, and the short-finned pilot whale have their habitat in this Strait separating Europe and Africa. However, in mid-spring there are also sporadic sightings of sperm whales and such stunning mammals as the finback whale, measuring 20 metres long and weighing over 80 tons – one of the largest animals on the planet.

Killer whales are more on show in summer as they chase the tuna fish that head across the Strait of Gibraltar to the Atlantic at that time of year.

Tarifa is the Spot

But, the fun doesn’t stop there. Tarifa has a lot more to offer as it is one of Europe’s most attractive and cosmopolitan towns. It is a meeting point for young people from all over the world, drawn by the spectacular beaches and by the windsurfing and kitesurfing. If to that you add the entertainment provided by nature itself, the fun is guaranteed!

For those of you who prefer to be onterra firma,you can go for other activities you are sure to relish. In Tarifa, you can visit the beaches of Valdevaqueros and Bolonia, with their massive dunes which on clear days afford views of North Africa. Another essential enclave is Baelo Claudia, one of the major archaeological sites on the Peninsula. It is ideal for gauging what a typical Roman settlement would have been like, with its amphitheatre, roads, fish factories and walls. This was an important Roman settlement as it was here that the famous garum sauce was made and exported to Rome. The fish sauce was made of fermented entrails and regarded by Romans as an aphrodisiac.

Another of Tarifa’s emblematic monuments is the Castle of Guzmán El Bueno whose claim to fame is provided by the chilling tale of his preferring to hand over his son to the invaders than surrender the stronghold of Tarifa.

Make sure you don’t leave Tarifa without first trying their fresh fish, either in the bars or the beach stalls known as chiringuitos,or without tasting the delicious pastries with their long, Arab tradition in the town centre’s pastry shops.

Here you will be treated to a host of options, each with their own charm. So, take up your backpack, Vueling and fly to Jerez to enjoy one of southern Europe’s most powerful natural spots.

Text by Amparo Ortega and María del Águila Heras (Patronato Turismo de Cádiz)

Images by Patronato Turismo de Cádiz