Canary Islands for people who dislike package holidays

[ThePartyArtist]

Please can anyone help me to find this holiday if it exists!

• Gran Canaria / Lanzarote / Tenerife in Feb half term (late Feb 2024).
• Hotel or aparthotel with swimming pool that would appeal to 6yr old.
• Ideally near beach but not essential.
• Bed and breakfast or half board.
• Near decent restaurants - by decent, I mean reasonable choice for veggies, not all chips and Brits abroad stuff. Not near Irish bars and tribute bands.
• Doesn't need resort entertainment or kids' clubs.
• Ideally near some culture e.g. museum, picturesque sites etc.
• Things within easy distance as I have limited mobility and energy.

I can find loads of all inclusive / half board resorts but we don't want to be stuck with the restaurant in an all inclusive - we want some opportunity to eat out in places we choose and get out of the hotel (within walking distance).

Please help me as I've spent ages researching and can't find anything that suits the whole family. Desperately need some winter sun as it hugely helps my health.

Have you looked at Puerto Mogan in Gran Canaria? We’ve previously stayed at the Cordial Mogan Valle apartments and they may tick some of your boxes!

I was just about to suggest Puerto Mogan! We booked the same apartments but didn’t go due to Covid. I was the same as you and wanted a town I could actually walk into rather then a resort. I think we booked b n b so we didn’t have to go out in the mornings. A student of mine went and said there were lovely restaurants

Thanks, it looks very pretty, what are the restaurants like please? Are there any museums / galleries?

There was a good range of restaurants. A few within a 5 minute walk and then the marina about a 15 minute pedestrianised walk away.

I’m not sure on galleries/museums…but they may be a tricky find within the usual holiday resorts.

We stayed in gf fanabe in costa adeje in tenerife before. Kids loved it, we did half board and the area was really nice to walk around. Sounds like what you're looking for.

Thanks all, this is really useful. Should add ideally not a long transfer time from airports.

I’ve stayed there too and it was lovely. Quite classy and a short transfer from Tenerife South. I’ve also stayed at the Cleopatra Palace in Playa de las Americas and that was lovely too.

Museums and galleries are quite limited on the Canaries. On Lanzarote there are a few places dedicated to the art of Cesar Manriqué, which are great (https://www.hellocanaryislands.com/experiences/the-art-of-cesar-manrique/)

On Gran Canaria and Tenerife I think the best of the high culture is probably found in the respective main cities. In Puerto Mogan there is a small prehistoric settlement (Cañada de los Gatos) that you can walk round, but I don't remember any museums.

Porto Mogan has great restaurants , lots along the front / harbour
transfer is prob about 40 mins

Not been myself but friends go regularly to La Gomera. Quiet and civilised according to their reports. They keep going back so must have something!

Los gigantes on Tenerife is a small resort with nice restaurants, a small beach and a harbour with whale watching boat trips
We've been a few February half teens and weather has been good. We book apartments but there's lots of variety there

I don't know your budget, but Iberostar Anthelia fits your hotel needs. It's in Costa Adeje Tenerife - not many museums around but you can do a day trip the Botanical Gardens in the North and visit La Masca ( lovely little village) and Mount Teide.

Lanzarote has quite a few places of interest to visit. We got a ticket last time to cover 6 of them. Volcano bus trip, cactus museum, some Cesar Manrique buildings and a modern art gallery. If you can hire a car it's easy to get around. We stayed at Seaside Los Jameos - half board and could swap dinner for lunch. Food was excellent- loads of seafood choices and amazing gazpacho every day. There are a few restaurants within walking distance, but if you can drive then you could eat out when you do your trips.

Oh and Seaside Los Jameos is only 10 minutes from the airport.

Or if you want to avoid hotels, then this apartment is very well situated for Costa Adeje with some lovely restaurants www.vrbo.com/en-gb/p872116?adultsCount=2&arrival=2023-10-22&childrenCount=2&departure=2023-10-29

Sorry I get confused between Beril and Veril these ones are closer elberil.com/en/

Another recommendation for Lanzarote - definitely not “ Lanzagrotty”! The Cesar Manrique side of things is really interesting & we loved the cactus garden. I can’t remember where it was but we went to a concert in some caves & there was an endlessly deep pool - I find things like that fascinating.

mogan doesnt have much cultural stuff though is very pretty. lanzarote would be better for that. what about staying in a villa if you want to eat our?