HEAVEN'S above! Everyone's talking about it as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Neil Armstrong's giant leap for mankind and witness the longest solar eclipse in the 21st century.

Well, just like Neil and Buzz Aldrin, I've done my own little bit of moon-walking on a lunar landscape - in Lanzarote - and it ain't rocket science to see why this little Canary Island is a family favourite.

Sunshine, fantastic beaches, friendly locals and mile upon mile of amazing black lava fields - where astronauts once trained - give this volcano isle a unique character.

Throw in the comforts of the Hotel Gran Melia Volcan in the southern coastal resort of Playa Blanca and you have the ideal place to unwind in style.

Playa Blanca is Lanzarote's newest and fastest-growing tourist hotspot and is fantastic for all ages. It's also a great base from which to go hopping around Spain's six other Canary Isles.

And at just 62 miles from the coast of Morocco, glorious sunshine is pretty much guaranteed whatever time of year - though it can be a bit windy too.

Beaches

What really makes Lanzarote so popular with Brits though, particularly in the winter, is that it's under four hours with Thomas Cook from Gatwick.

Playa Blanca, meaning White Beach, has its own ferry terminal to nearby Fuerteventura and is just a 30-minute drive from Arrecife international airport.

Most of the action is centred midway along the three-mile promenade connecting the old town with the new and impressive Rubicon Marina. There are a couple of beaches and a selection of shops, bars, restaurants and pubs.

There's bowling for the kids in a complex near the marina and when they get hungry, food to suit every budget.

By the marina, overlooking the bobbing sails of yachts and fishing boats, is the excellent Gran Melia Volcan. The first thing you'll see is the faux volcano that dominates its architecture - but don't be put off.

When you've taken a trip around Lanzarote and seen its incredible landscape, the hotel's unusual design feature makes perfect sense.

Our room was spacious and secluded and my fiancée Cara was pretty impressed by the rose petals decorating the bathroom, the basket of posh smellies and the fact that a travel cot was waiting for our 14-month-old daughter, Betty. Plus, you can book child-minding.

The hotel has everything you'd expect of a five star - great pools, a well-equipped gym, and decent restaurants.

But what makes it stand out is the super-friendly staff. They help retain a real family atmosphere which is just what you want if you're staying with children.

We booked half-board in the Servicio Royale area, with access to an exclusive rooftop pool giving panoramic views over Papagayo, the jewel in the crown of Lanzarote's beaches, and Fuerteventura.

Getting around Lanzarote is easy and cheap by bus or hire car. Thomas Cook also run excursions to local attractions including the awe-inspiring Timanfaya national park.

There's no better way to witness this amazing geological phenomenon than from the top of a double decker.

Protected by UNESCO since 1993, Timanfaya is the product of six years of eruption in the 1700s and remains almost perfectly untouched.

Peaks

Its vast expanse of black meringue-like rock is so like the surface of the moon that the Apollo 13 astronauts trained there.

A special road - designed by the island's architect-in-chief Cesar Manrique - winds through its peaks and craters and is cleverly arranged so your view isn't spoiled by other tourist buses. Incredibly, in Timanfaya you're never more than a few feet above the superheated air that's still constantly escaping from the earth's crust.

And the speed with which it turns water into jets of steam - happily demonstrated by pan-wielding park guides - WILL make you jump.

On the way back to the hotel, we visited a vineyard and sampled a tipple or two. Because of its exposure to the Sirocco winds of Africa, Lanzarote's grapes - and all other crops - are grown behind low semi-circular walls.

A second stop en route gave me the chance to ride a camel. Not for me I'm afraid, I couldn't wait to get off. If it isn't your idea of fun either, there are plenty of other things to enjoy - submarine and glass-bottomed boat trips, watersports and an aqua park for thrill seekers.

Or if, like me, you prefer just taking it easy with a cold G&T and a good book, then this moon could still be the place in the sun you're looking for.

Getting there

THOMAS Cook Select offers seven nights B&B at the five-star Hotel Gran Melia Volcan Lanzarote in Playa Blanca from £749 per person, from Gatwick on October 4.

Departures available from other UK airports. Visit www.thomascook.com , call 0844 412 5970 or pop in to the nearest Thomas Cook or Going Places.

Thomas Cook Publishing offers a range of travel guides including Lanzarote. See www.thomascookpublishing.com or 01733 416477.

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