Summer holidays 2020
Discussion
aaron_2000 said:
Is motorhome/camping travel still permitted in France and Spain?
Can't speak for France but road tripping in Spain across regions now is far from straight forward. We have a curfew in place nationwide at night, and various regions are closed for entry or exit.Details can be found here:
https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2020/10/25...
0a said:
Any tips for Gran Canaria? Where to stay etc.
Playa del ingles if you like sports bars and a party. Maspalomas if you like it classy.Although they're quite close so you can flit between the two with a short cab ride if you can't make up your mind. Car hire is cheap.
Both of them lead on to one of the best beaches in the world.
The only resort on Gran Canaria where you're rather less likely to be mixing it 24/7 with hordes of the usual British and Irish beer, bingo and chips morons having it large in the Canarian sunshine is Puerto de Mogán in the far south of the island. Unless your budget stretches to a really good quality hotel like the Cordial Mogan Playa I'd avoid the big resorts altogether, hire a car and a villa and go self catering somewhere remote well away from the crowds.
Inland GC is probably the prettiest of all the Canary islands. There's some great driving roads along the west coast and round the mountains and valleys in the middle. Maspalomas is a beach apart from all the rest - which are nothing special at all and always crowded - and certainly worth a visit but it's got quite a reputation for some pretty unsavory activities in the more remote areas of the dunes you certainly wouldn't want kids to see.
Like all the other Canary islands GC can be seriously windy on the east coast and the better weather is usually toward the south. The Spanish tourist board is desperate to get visitors back to the islands and I'm told are currently offering complimentary travel insurance including Covid cover.
Inland GC is probably the prettiest of all the Canary islands. There's some great driving roads along the west coast and round the mountains and valleys in the middle. Maspalomas is a beach apart from all the rest - which are nothing special at all and always crowded - and certainly worth a visit but it's got quite a reputation for some pretty unsavory activities in the more remote areas of the dunes you certainly wouldn't want kids to see.
Like all the other Canary islands GC can be seriously windy on the east coast and the better weather is usually toward the south. The Spanish tourist board is desperate to get visitors back to the islands and I'm told are currently offering complimentary travel insurance including Covid cover.
Would always chose Tenerife over GranCan unless you want to do gay bars of Playa de Ingles.
And no, it's nowhere near one of the nicest beaches there (but admittedly lots of sand).
And the harassing (physically too, at least before Covid) African women in Maspalomas are vile (unless they have been locked for harassment, doubt it).
And no, it's nowhere near one of the nicest beaches there (but admittedly lots of sand).
And the harassing (physically too, at least before Covid) African women in Maspalomas are vile (unless they have been locked for harassment, doubt it).
We have stayed here quite a few times in Gran Canaria
https://www.lopesan.com/es/hoteles/espana/gran-can...
There are a few bars and shops (posh watch shops) outside of the hotel but to be honest we spend most of the time behind the closed doors of the hotel on a HB basis. We tried Tenerife once and hated it, possibly because everytime you went out time share touts hunted you down.
https://www.lopesan.com/es/hoteles/espana/gran-can...
There are a few bars and shops (posh watch shops) outside of the hotel but to be honest we spend most of the time behind the closed doors of the hotel on a HB basis. We tried Tenerife once and hated it, possibly because everytime you went out time share touts hunted you down.
stevemcs said:
We have stayed here quite a few times in Gran Canaria
https://www.lopesan.com/es/hoteles/espana/gran-can...
There are a few bars and shops (posh watch shops) outside of the hotel but to be honest we spend most of the time behind the closed doors of the hotel on a HB basis. We tried Tenerife once and hated it, possibly because everytime you went out time share touts hunted you down.
This why I go to Fuerteventura. No pushy touts, none of that two for one crap, no pushy restaurant greeters. They can all just feck orf.https://www.lopesan.com/es/hoteles/espana/gran-can...
There are a few bars and shops (posh watch shops) outside of the hotel but to be honest we spend most of the time behind the closed doors of the hotel on a HB basis. We tried Tenerife once and hated it, possibly because everytime you went out time share touts hunted you down.
LuS1fer said:
stevemcs said:
We have stayed here quite a few times in Gran Canaria
https://www.lopesan.com/es/hoteles/espana/gran-can...
There are a few bars and shops (posh watch shops) outside of the hotel but to be honest we spend most of the time behind the closed doors of the hotel on a HB basis. We tried Tenerife once and hated it, possibly because everytime you went out time share touts hunted you down.
This why I go to Fuerteventura. No pushy touts, none of that two for one crap, no pushy restaurant greeters. They can all just feck orf.https://www.lopesan.com/es/hoteles/espana/gran-can...
There are a few bars and shops (posh watch shops) outside of the hotel but to be honest we spend most of the time behind the closed doors of the hotel on a HB basis. We tried Tenerife once and hated it, possibly because everytime you went out time share touts hunted you down.
Overall big picture carefully selected accommodation away from the resorts in Furteventura is about as good as the four large islands gets. It's generally much quieter with a very laid back vibe and the beaches beat all the other islands hands down.
Far less Brits and Irish go there too which is a bonus.
stevemcs said:
In fairness if I was in the canaries the last thing I would want is the british traveling to the islands
If I lived there I wouldn't want the Brits back either.Last time we spoke to friends who live in Lajres in north Furteventura they told us Tenerife and Gran Canaria had a far higher number of Covid cases than Lanzarote or Furteventura and most of those are in more residential areas with a particularly high number in north Tenerife. Unlike what they've seen on the UK news everyone where they live is being very careful and respectful of others and going to great lengths to prevent the spread of infection.
They also told us even though the islands economy has been devastated with the loss of tourism the general themes in conversations are worrying about friends and relatives in mainland Spain and South America and most Canarians don't want holidaymakers returning until the crisis has passed.
vaud said:
Amateurish said:
aaron_2000 said:
Is motorhome/camping travel still permitted in France and Spain?
Yes in France, but there is a curfew from 9pm to 6am. I wouldn't personally choose France at the moment...
vaud said:
vaud said:
Amateurish said:
aaron_2000 said:
Is motorhome/camping travel still permitted in France and Spain?
Yes in France, but there is a curfew from 9pm to 6am. I wouldn't personally choose France at the moment...
We contemplated a quick trip back to the UK to collect my UK car and drive it down to Spain as its been sat unused since June. We've shelved the idea as regionally it all seems a bit on the precipice of another lockdown, a regional lockdown, curfews and various measures that are enforced with more force than perhaps the UK.
LuS1fer said:
This why I go to Fuerteventura. No pushy touts, none of that two for one crap, no pushy restaurant greeters. They can all just feck orf.
Same here, the south of Fuerteventura every time for me. Laid back, no hassle, no sports bars or Full English and the best beaches by miles. Not so good for the young that may want a bit more "life" about the place but perfect for me.Could live there 6 months of the year no problem.
Jaguar steve said:
stevemcs said:
In fairness if I was in the canaries the last thing I would want is the british traveling to the islands
If I lived there I wouldn't want the Brits back either.Last time we spoke to friends who live in Lajres in north Furteventura they told us Tenerife and Gran Canaria had a far higher number of Covid cases than Lanzarote or Furteventura and most of those are in more residential areas with a particularly high number in north Tenerife. Unlike what they've seen on the UK news everyone where they live is being very careful and respectful of others and going to great lengths to prevent the spread of infection.
They also told us even though the islands economy has been devastated with the loss of tourism the general themes in conversations are worrying about friends and relatives in mainland Spain and South America and most Canarians don't want holidaymakers returning until the crisis has passed.
I know people who’ve retired to lanzarote that favour restrictions and others who are younger and working in tourism who want tourism to continue.
Remember there’s been tourism, there since July 1 from many European countries. It’s just that the U.K. has changed the quarantine rules for those returning. You could still go to the canaries from the U.K. before just that the quarantine on return put off lots of people.
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