LANZAROTE RETREATS: PERFECT POST-LOCKDOWN SUN

The Canary Islands are all set to welcome visitors back this summer.  The Foreign Office has relaxed its guidelines after concluding the islands no longer poses a serious risk to travellers, removing the need for quarantining when returning to the UK.

When it comes to beaches bare is better. And that’s exactly what Fused finds in Arrieta; a white-washed little fishing village in the North East of Lanzarote.

I’ve always been drawn to this under-celebrated island off the African coast for its moonscape qualities with a Star Wars-esque feel.

Once I’d found that special place to stay that’s a far cry from island’s main tourist traps, I can really get a feel for the artist Cesar Manrique’s influence here and enjoy Spanish culture the local way. That’s exactly what I discovered in Lanzarote Retreats, a community of accommodation tucked a dusty walk north of the main beach in Arrieta, Playa la Garita.

Also known as Finca de Arrieta the self-catering resort comprises 11 eco-friendly properties, a mix of cottage-y villas and luxury yurts, all off-grid, with a communal veranda and two large sunken water tanks serving as splash pools.

A holiday at the Finca can be a bow with many arrows. Whether you choose to go in for a detox or re-tox you’ll find it here in this small community of immaculate properties. From yoga classes in the morning and massages (we visited pre-lockdown) onsite to suit; to the Cava and beers stocked onsite and the Mojito bar made loving from an old WV van just a short walk away set on the Playa la Garita beach.

Naturally, it was my hope to detox on day one of my stay so I booked in for the yoga and massages only to be lured into Mojito heaven the night before. Yoga with a hangover is never advisable, nor a cure – but I survived. And it was nice to see the sunrise at 9am combined with a good stretch.

The smugness that accompanies an hour of yoga lasts most of the day but it’s not long before the source of the hangover is discovered. La Geria – just a tour bus ride away – is the wine region of Lanzarote and covers some 13,000 acres with semi-circles of black lava stones which protect the vines used to make wine here.

So, after my yoga and massage, I relax a little deeper with a wine tasting tour.

I wake up the night after the wine tasting sesh and drown my hangover in the sea. While the nearby beach of Arrieta is just a 5-minute walk south of the Finca, it is also blissfully quiet in the week. Weekends see more locals visit for a bit more of a buzz. Take Tapas for lunch at La Casa de la Playa set along the dusty beachside with happy primary coloured tables and chairs.

We recommend enjoying the peace and quiet away from crowds of tourists and take a step out to experience calm serenity. Relax and unwind with a good book punctuated by delicious food and devilishly good locally produced wine or learn a new sport such as surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing, where social distancing is not a problem at all. Exploring the region’s attractions is also easy.The island has some amazing architecture and landscapes to offer or explore on foot, on bike or with the retreats hybrid car. The ideal post lockdown getway.

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