With Christmas and New Year fast approaching there are plenty of festive activities taking place across the island this month. Along with some unique sporting events such as the Canarian Hang Gliding Open Championship and a mouth watering classical concert at Bodega Stratvs in Lanzarote´s wine growing region.
Christmas Market – Puerto del Carmen
Between December 4th and 8th there will be a Christmas market taking place every day at the Plaza de las Naciones, by the Los Pocillos beach in Puerto del Carmen. Featuring a nativity play, live music and activities for children, the fair will also have stalls selling seasonal food stuffs and items suitable to give as presents. The fair will begin at 18.00 on December 4th, whilst on the 5th-8th it will start at 17.00 and run until 21.00.
Portals de Belén – Nativity Scenes
From around the middle of the month, intricate model nativity scenes will start appearing in the towns and villages all over Lanzarote.
Many offer a distinctly Canarian interpretation of the Biblical scene, with most villages opting to create miniature versions of their home town, with additional features, such as smoking volcanoes, electric lighting in the houses and numerous other details. These scenes go by the name of Belén in Spanish.
Head for towns and villages such as Teguise, Yaiza, Haria and San Bartolome to view the best.
Michael Abramovich in Concert – Bodega Stratvs
The lavish surroundings of Bodega Stratvs form the backdrop for a piano concert, featuring Michael Abramovich. A talented classical pianist, Abramovich was born in Bucharest, Hungary but grew up in Jerusalem. His performances at the Bodega will feature compositions by Debussy, Chopin and Schumann.
There are two concerts, scheduled for 2nd and 4th December. On the 2nd the concert begins at 19.00 and includes a wine tasting with canapés. Tickets for this event cost €40.
On December 4th the evening has been extended to include a four course dinner, with the concert beginning at 20.00. Attendance at this evening costs €75.
The mouth watering menu covers the four seasons, with a starter of bread stuffed with crudités, goat’s cheese enlivened with white truffle oil and spring fruits. The summer offering is mero baked in the oven, filled with Iberian pancetta and tomatoes, accompanied by prawns in their own jus.
This is followed by lamb cutlets, coated in herbs served with a potato gratin seasoned with autumn mushrooms. The final course pays homage to winter and is a chocolate creation, complemented by one of Stratvs’ red wines.
To make a reservation, phone: (0034) 928 809 977 or email: bodega@stratvs.com
Canarian Hang Gliding Open
Between 6th and 12th December the 13th Canarian Hang Gliding Open will be taking place. Lanzarote is a popular place to practice this particular sport, especially during the winter months, when the wind has dropped and pilots can catch the thermals as they rise.
There are two particular spots that are favoured by hang-gliders: one is the Risco de Famara, where the hills overlook El Jable and the Norwegian houses. The other is the range of hills behind Mala, the Risco de las Nieves, leading to the Presa (or dam). This allows pilots to hover over the landscapes of Arrieta, Tabayesco and Mala, with impressive views out to sea.
The Hang Gliding Club – Vuelo Libre Zonzamas has already closed inscriptions for participating in this event – but spectators should be able to catch the event itself at Famara and Mala between 6th – 12th December.
New Years Eve Nightlife
New Year’s Eve is celebrated in Lanzarote with firework displays. In particular, there will be fuegos artificiales lighting up the sky in Arrecife, by the Playa del Reducto and in Puerto del Carmen. The latter’s display explodes into life at 02.00 am in the Old Town of the resort.
For those who like to go out and party, the two main clubs in Puerto del Carmen will be going head to head to ensure revellers have a good time. Club 928 is the place to head for house, drum’n’bass and techno tunes, with the premises open until 06.00 in the morning. DJs playing 928 include Hugo Cipres and Craig Deejay Robson.
Recently opened is rival, The Bank, which has DJ sessions from Hector Rodriguez and Pedro Diaz, which was formerly Disco Ibiza. In fact, the DJs work between both clubs, as Pedro Diaz will be appearing on 5th December at Club 928, alongside Luis Pitti from Tenerife, with the night’s entertainment organised under the theme of Acid Party.
Keep an eye on our homepage for more up to date information later this month.
