Ninety three miles from the north west coast of Africa lies Gran Canaria one of seven islands in an archipelago situated in the Atlantic Ocean. The island came under Spanish rule in the fifteenth century when it was conquered by the Kingdom of Castile and its capital Las Palmas de Gran Canaria was established. As with the other islands in the chain this one is also volcanic but perhaps is most distinctive because of its round shape, as seen from the air or on a map. Good road systems make the island accessible and these also include motorways and dual carriageways, which is a good indication as to the size of the land area. So getting from the Gran Canaria airport to your destination is no problem and touring around the island likewise is trouble free. The airport here is said to be the busiest in Spain, which shows how popular a destination it is for tourism and no doubt it will increase because of the cheap Gran Canaria holidays that have become available right now.

What can be said about the climate there? Well, people take their holidays there because Gran Canaria is well noted for its micro climates, which simply put means that the atmosphere can differ depending on the location. So for instance being beside a body of water has a cooling effect and differs from a location inland where it may be hot and dry. Nevertheless, in general the peak daytime temperatures range between twenty and twenty six centigrade from winter to summertime. Winter nights can see low temperatures but rarely will it go below ten degrees on the coast. Off the coast winter is still mild with occasional snow and frost in the mountains and this period is the most likely time for the rain that has an annual average of two hundred and twenty eight millimetres. Hence you can pick your ideal time to go on vacation, so book soon to take advantage of those cheap Gran Canaria holidays that are available right now!

Ask anybody where they consider to be a great place to take a vacation and it is likely that most will respond with a location somewhere in the sun, where the climate is hot and the area is just right for sunbathing. In contrast those who would choose to go on arctic holidays are most likely to be those who are absolutely keen on winter activities and sports. Of course the two could not be more opposite, one in the heat of the summer with the other in the freezing cold of some wintry landscape. Just what is it then that has people going off time and again on arctic holidays? The answer, when all is considered, has to be that there is something really special about the winter wonderland scenery that is to be viewed by tourists on vacation there. Some visitors go because they want to do something out of the ordinary, a kind of once in a life time experience for themselves. Whatever the reason though, most have good things to say about their adventures on arctic holidays.

The Arctic of course is a vast area taking in the ocean, islands and glaciers that lie to the north of the Arctic Circle. Parts of Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Siberia come into it as well as the Svalbard archipelago. There certainly is much to see and there are plenty of activities for the very active and not so active types of people. Depending on the choice made and the region visited it could include an Arctic cruise high up in Canada, Greenland or Spitsbergen. A more adventurous voyage to the North Pole is also possible to see the Arctic wildlife while exploring the ice channels. As can be seen it really is a holiday with a difference and there are a lot more activities to engage in besides those mentioned.