I think Lanzarote is one of those destinations that you either love or hate. I remember when I first told a friend that I was going there and she said it was a ghastly, barren place. I guess, at first glance from the air it does look rather barren, but then since it was volcanic activity that shaped the island in the 14th century, that is precisely what vast tracts do look like, and it's what has given Lanzarote its haunting beauty and spectacularly different look and feel, that makes it so special.

When you go for the first time, then it is absolutely obligatory that you “do” the island's sights. Like any tourist destination, there is a 'must do top ten' and in Lanzarote, they do them very well. You have to visit Timanfaya National Park and the Fire Mountain, where the volcanic activity has left a legacy of absolutely spectacular topography. It is topped with a spot where the ground is still too hot to stand for too long and where water thrown into a hole shoots back as steam (like a mini Ole' Faithful) and bundles of bracken burst into flames. Elsewhere, see the amazing panorama of Mirador del Rio, both sets of caves at Jameos del Agua and the Cuevo de los Verdes, the curious beach and green lake of El Golfo, Teguise market, the Cactus Garden and the Fundacion Cesar Manrique, to name but a few.

If like me, you want to get far from the madding crowd, then go walking! There is a brilliant guide book I bought before I left called “Walk! Lanzarote” which details all sorts of brilliant walks. Some of my favourites are circular walks above Femes, where you will walk all day without seeing another soul, coastal promenades and deserted coastal tracks, plus a couple of quite short walks where you can even get right inside an extinct volcano! Brilliant if you are travelling with or without kids. If you like walking, want to avoid the crowds and enjoy the peace and solitude that this pastime brings, then take your walking boots - and get walking in Lanzarote!