In March 2011, we embarked on our first family holiday to Lanzarote, Canary Islands, with our 9-month-old daughter. Trading grey skies for volcanic landscapes and sunshine, we discovered that this unique Spanish island was the perfect destination for traveling with a baby.

Why Lanzarote with a Baby?

Lanzarote offered everything we needed for a stress-free family getaway. The short flight time, year-round mild climate, and baby-friendly facilities made it an ideal choice for our daughter's first holiday abroad. March proved to be the perfect time to visit – warm enough for the beach but not overwhelmingly hot for our little one.

"Watching our daughter experience sand between her toes for the first time on Playa Blanca beach was a moment we'll treasure forever."

Family-Friendly Highlights

Despite traveling with a baby, we managed to explore much of what Lanzarote has to offer. The island's compact size meant short travel times – crucial when working around nap schedules – and we found the locals to be incredibly welcoming to families with young children.

• Beach Days: The calm, shallow waters at Playa Blanca and Playa de Papagayo were perfect for our daughter to splash around safely while we soaked up the sun.
• Timanfaya National Park: We took the bus tour through the volcanic landscapes – the otherworldly scenery was breathtaking, and our daughter napped through most of it, making it surprisingly easy.
• César Manrique Sites: We visited Jameos del Agua, where the natural caves and pools fascinated our little one, especially the albino crabs swimming in the underground lake.
• Local Markets: The Sunday market at Teguise offered a relaxed atmosphere where we could browse crafts and local products at our own pace with the pushchair.
• Accommodation: Our apartment had everything we needed – a cot, high chair, and kitchen facilities for preparing baby food, making the trip so much easier than a hotel would have been.

Our week in Lanzarote proved that traveling with a baby doesn't mean sacrificing adventure or relaxation. The island's unique blend of stunning natural beauty, excellent infrastructure, and laid-back atmosphere created the perfect environment for our first family holiday. We returned home with sun-kissed cheeks, hundreds of photos, and memories that marked the beginning of our family's travel adventures together.