To think the canary isles are tacky?

I would agree with that need to avoid the tourist hotspots and explore independently in most places - but Dubai? There is literally nothing to see outside of the Tourist hotspots!

The canaries are very varied. I've been to a lot of places and they are not tacky- Puerto de Mogan and Costa teguise for example.

I've had an apartment in Tenerife for 15 years. There are touristy bits but also absolutely beautiful Canarian villages and Towns with a lot of local culture, food and some beautiful places to visit. North of the island is absolutely stunning but the weather is less reliable in Winter. You probably wouldn't want to be anywhere too hot with a baby anyway so it is definitely an option.

Lanza-grotty... Jesus Christ, thats next level snobby and privileged.

Did you really need to start a thread to realize its tone deaf and stuck up?

Blackpool
Skegness
Benidorm

Now Tenerife

God so many snobs in here!!!

Depends where you go, there are tacky places everywhere abroad. We go to Tenerife in a small resort, would avoid Las Americas like the plague though. Same with other parts of Spain, Majorca for example has some lovely small resorts, but avoid Magaluf.

I love the canaries and Lanzarote is my favourite. The landscape is very interesting and the government tour that you can do of the volcanoes is awesome. Also, look out for the architecture of Cesare Manrique. He aimed to build buildings that blend into the partivular environment of Lanzarote. You can visit most of them. They are stunning and super interesting including the oasis in the north which is very popular and does get crowded. Then there are the Wine fields. They have a unique method of using volcanic ash to protect their crop. It looks stunning. There is also a sulphur lake with an unusual toxic green colour if I remember right.

The interior of tenerife is very beautiful and you can take the cable car or hike up mount teide. The cities and the capital in the north are proper working cities and quite interesting.

La gomera is absolutely stunning. It's tiny and has no sandy beaches if I remember right but it's full of flowers.

La palma is also beautiful but I don't remember that much. Maybe because we went with the kids.

Fuerteventura was too windy for my liking but I did like the volcanoes.

Rhe food in the canaries is quite distinct and has lots of variety even for vegetarians.

YABU. I went for the first time a couple of years ago, last minute and with low expectations. I just wanted to go somewhere sunny and cheap, leaving in the next couple of days. I was honestly blown away by the people, culture and landscape. I’d never been on a resort holiday before and remember the scorn of the 90s with people calling it Lanzagrotty, but it was an amazing holiday and we had such great connection as a family. The island’s approach to tourism is interesting on its own, and there is lots to see and do.

@CheeseWisely - I'm sorry I wasn't clear. The holiday accomodation which was all inclusive although we didn't eat there much was expensive. Getting about and restaurants were not.

I have been to Dubai lots and it's great if you want to lie very still in the sun, read your book and order drinks and snacks to your sun lounger. I advise people to go for a week if that's what they crave. Otherwise don't go. There are no untouristy delights to be found.

Thats amazing!!!

😂

@EvelynBeatrice my friend's DH will only holiday in the US as he 'hates Europe' 😁

That was my experience of Lanzarote as well. There are a lot of places of interest to see. I loved all the Cesar Manrique stuff.

It isn't the cultural desert that so many people think it is.

Post reminds me of an American person I met who said that ‘they’d done Europe’ - this was after a two week cruise stopping at five port cities for a day each.

It’s also like people who go to Benidorm or Magaluf and thereafter forever after declare that ( the whole of) Spain and Mallorca are downmarket and full of drunken tourists.

If you had only ever visited the worst slums in one U.K. city, would you forever after claim that the U.K. was poor, litter ridden and full of crime with no natural or man made beauties whatsoever?

I have been to Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. I speak fluent Spanish, not your typical Brit abroad. I loved both places. The landscapes are stunning.

Yes you are being a judgy bitch about all of the destinations you don't want to go to. In some places you will find the destination that some tourists want - little Britian with sunshine. It is easy to avoid those areas and see the beauty and vibrancy of local places. I'll be back to Tunisia next year - nothing tacky about El Jem, the many medinas, the Bardo, Sidi Bou Said, Djerba, Carthage, Kairouan, the Berber villages.... there are literally thousands of fascinating places. But if you want to stay in Blackpool by Tunis, you'll miss all of that. Places are what you make them.

Yeah, stay away from Tenerife. Its full of piss heads who neglect their kids. Don't go there.

This is what I used to think but was won over and have had lovely holidays in Lanzarote, fuerteventura and Gran Canaria. I’ve found them less Brits abroad than Majorca and although there’s English people, many return year on year and it’s a bit of a community feel in the bars etc. we enjoyed it for dc who love pools and sea so I get to relax and swim (which I love) and dc swim all day long, with snorkelling being a highlight for dd3 who was blown away.

package holidays weren’t my thing but they have been good for the last few years with teens.

hopefully we’ll get back to the USA in the next couple of years but sometimes you just need a lay by the pool and sandy beach kind of holiday.

DISCUSTING!

The parents spend all their money on booze so the kids have to play with homemade toys and tea trays????

Shouldn't be allowed hun xx

You are being judgy. I have been to fuerteventura and I would definitely go to other Canary Islands in the future. They have a great range of activities, kayaking is great on fuerteventura, the walking is supposed to be fantastic on La Gomera, and Lanzarote seems to be the place to go for triathlon training. I think with many of these places you find what you are looking for. If you want a fry up, I'm sure you can find it, but you can also find other things.

Except for the beautiful beaches where you can do adventure sports (or watch people nuts enough to do them and all the wonderful colours)...

Except for the incredible moon like landscapes of Mount Teide...

Except for the incredible gardens in the Capital...

Except for incredible coastal villages and historic habours...

Except for the adventurous mountain roads that wind around...

Yeah except for, those Tenerife is a heap of shit I'd never ever want to return to.

Ive never been but I assume they were all much lovelier places before they became British tourist hotspots full of Brits wanting "English" food and moaning about any local that cant speak English etc.

Tacky Tenerife with no culture...

Except for the street festivals where children slide down hills on teatrays and run through the streets with homemade pull along toys whilst the adults drink wine and eat chestnuts...

Except for the beautiful green landscapes and beautiful buildings...

I've been to Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria & Fueteventura over the years & they all have resorts/areas that are quite British/tacky/whatever you want to call it. They also have quieter, more Spanish areas & lovely scenery & most importantly the weather! A winter break in Fueteventura is my absolute favourite 😍

The Canaries are not like Benidorm. They have stunning landscape and scenery. Some, like Lanzarote and Fuerteventura have strict laws governing building so all the hotels are low rise and white to fit in with the traditional architecture. Some of my best holidays have been in the Canaries