Just three and half hours from the UK winter by plane due South, the gay-friendly Canary Islands – a clutch of seven isles rising up out of the mighty North Atlantic - seem a million sunny miles away.

Lanzarote
Seemingly barren Lanzarote - fourth largest and northernmost Canary - is, in fact, rich in interest.

Capital Arrecife boasts a wonderful waterfront with two cute castles and the stunning little El Reducto beach – often far less crowded than those in the island’s three main resorts. Costa Teguise, just north of Arrecife, is especially popular with families; Puerto del Carmen, just 15 minutes south of Arrecife by regular bus service, caters more for a younger clubbing “Eng-er-lish” crowd; and Playa Blanca, on Lanzarote’s southernmost tip is arguably the quaintest, classiest option.

Yet, if sun and sand aren’t your every thing, other equally natural attractions abound.

Seven sites stand out managed by Lanzarote’s Centres of Art, Culture & Tourism, in no small part preserving and promoting the work of arguably the island’s greatest son: aritst, architect, planner and visionary, César Manrique (1919-1992), who persuaded the powers that be and, most significantly, the local people themselves of his philosophy that man should build low and design aesthetically, so as to maintain an essential harmony with nature. His fantastically conceived public gardens and spaces can be reached independently by hire car or via regular coach tours from resorts.

You can hardly miss where’s good to stay. Arrecife Gran Hotel (Parque Islas Canarias, Arrecife, +34 928 800 000) is by far the tallest building on the island, offering staggering views out over the bay, beach and pulsing heart of Lanzarote’s capital. It also boasts one of the world’s great spas – press every button and the whole joint explodes with water - plus classy top-floor gay-friendly Stars Bar and Altamar eatery.

Black & White (Centro Atlantico, Puerto del Carmen) is Lanzarote’s only official gay bar, located in Puerto del Carmen’s sprawling seafront Atlantico Centre. Oopen from 9.30pm-4am daily it is busiest after midnight and the video room is particularly popular. Flanagan’s Showbar (Calle Juan Carlos 1-6 Old Town, Puerto del Carmen) is not officially gay but this drag den is camp as they come!

It’s scarce 10 minutes by high-speed ferry from Playa Blanca on Lanzarote’s southern tip to Fuerteventura, the second largest of the Canaries and closest to Africa. Of note are the northern town of Corralejo and the nearby sand dune system which is blown over from the Sahara.

Gran Canaria
A little bit of Spain off the coast of Africa, Gran Canaria is a mini continent in its own right, boasting cliffs, dunes, mountains, valleys and lush forests. Third largest of the Canaries, it also claims quaint villages, historic towns, fine resorts, glorious year round weather and – famously - hoards of queers, mainly German and English, constantly and habitually flocking and migrating to its sunny southern shores, notably to Playa del Ingles and adjoining, tad classier, Maspalomas.

Palm Beach Hotel (Avenida del Oasis, Maspalomas) is the self-proclaimed only design hotel on Gran Canaria and the Canaries. This luxuriously revamped 70s retro-chic 5* gem is set amidst palm shaded pools and gardens, featuring three excellent restaurants (Gran, Trattoria and Orangerie), regular poolside barbecues, bars and terraces, plus gym, sports, spa and naturist sauna and steam zone – all next to the sultry Sand Dunes of Maspalomas and conveniently close to the Playa del Ingles, the Yumbo Centre and the more common queer vibe.

Of course you might want to just lounge about on a beach or at your hotel, but – for the more discerning tourist - there are many other attractions on this well-nigh circular, once volcanic isle.

Stroll or camel trek through some of the hectare upon hectare of Las Dunas (Saharan sand dunes) of Maspalomas - a designated national park on the Atlantic’s edge - segueing effortlessly into Playa del Ingles. Apart from notoriously attracting gay males of the human species, the dunes are also famously home to many rare birds, including the ringed plover, Argentinean parrot and hoopee! So tread carefully!

Take a coach tour, or hire car, through the island’s spectacular Central Highlands, peaking at a giddy 2000m with rock formations including 'King Kong' and 'The Monk', perhaps taking in the quaint village of Tejeda and noting how the pine trees to the north 'milk the clouds' for moisture.

Explore island capital, Las Palmas, on the north eastern tip to shop in designer boutiques, sip in gay bars around Parque Santa Catalina or gorge on authentic local tapas overlooking the sea and fine beach. Columbus stopped off here en route to reaching the New World, presenting his credentials at what is now the fascinating Columbus Museum. Tenor Alfredo Kraus was born here and Agatha Christie wrote The Mystery of the Blue Train whilst here in the 1920s!

There is simply no room to mention any but a tiny fraction of the dozens of gay bars, clubs, saunas, shops and eateries in Playa del Ingles, mainly in the infamous central Yumbo Centre plus a smaller smattering in the nearby Cita Centre. Just enter a complex, stroll around and flit from joint to joint - no  doubt bumping into numerous familiar, albeit tad-tanned, faces from local scenes back home!

Amongst the best in the Yumbo are bars Adonis, Centre Stage, Fiction and Mykonos. Beach 7, Dunas de Maspalomas is a popular gay nude beach, complete with handy kiosk!

Low fares airline Monarch offers a range of great value flights to Lanzarote and Gran Canaria. Book at www.flymonarch.com or on 0871 225 3884. Other useful sites include www.turismolanzarote.com and www.grancanaria.com. For general info on Spain visit www.spain.info/uk or request a brochure via 08459 400 180 (24 hrs).

Read Part II Of Our Queer Guide To The Canaries »
Click to find out more about Tenerife and Fuerteventura.