Playa Blanca from €519pp

Lanzarote, Canaries

Located on the southern tip of Lanzarote is Playa Blanca – now the island’s third-busiest resort. Once a fishing village, it still maintains some of its laid-back vibe, though with no shortage of activities to keep holidaymakers happy.

The white beach — from which the town takes its name — has a European Blue Flag for cleanliness and is at the heart of the resort. Surrounded by bars, cafes and restaurants as well as the other shops and amenities, it has all you need for a great holiday. The coastline around Playa Blanca is essentially one large 9-kilometre, wide bay which is then broken up into three smaller, but still large, bays. From east to west these are Playa Dorada, Playa Blanca and Playa Flamingo. This basic geography means that the beaches in and around Playa Blanca are sheltered and ideal for swimming and sunbathing.

Papagayo beach is local too – its protected and now a national park. It can be reached by water taxi from the harbour in Playa Blanca. There is a smart promenade connecting Playa Blanca and Playa Dorada where you can sip an iced drink by the water or take a swim in the crystal-clear waters.