Lanzarote Island

Lanzarote is the fourth largest island of the Canary archipelago. It has an area of 836 km² and a population of 86,000. Lanzarote is an amazing place, symbolizing the triumph of civilization over a hostile environment. UNESCO has declared the island a biosphere reserve. Lanzarote is particularly rich in traces of volcanic activity, for as a result of eruptions in 1730-1736 and 1824, towns and villages were buried under lava flows. Most of all, the island, which is 60 km long and 20 km wide, resembles the lunar surface. Lanzarote has more than 300 volcanoes, but onions, potatoes, tomatoes, melons and grapes grow well on the black ash. But the island’s most unusual product is cochenille, a natural red dye used in making campari and lipstick. Tourists discovered the island later than Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Lanzarote has learned from the problems of neighboring islands. The small, beautiful island prioritizes environmental protection.

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Video: Lanzarote

Contents

South Lanzarote

Arrecife, the main port and capital of the island of Lanzarote, is not particularly beautiful, despite the redevelopment in the late 1990s. There are only two historical landmarks here. The first is the castle of San Gabriel XVI century (open: Fri 10.00-13.00, 16.00-19.00, entrance is free), located near the city center. There is a small archaeological museum in the castle, which is not of particular interest. But it is still interesting to walk along the suspension bridge and fortifications. The castle was built to protect the island from pirates.

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San Jose Castle, built a few kilometers to the north, is much more attractive. The castle was erected in the 18th century to protect the harbor and is beautifully preserved. Today the fortress houses the small but very interesting Museum of Modern Art created by Cesar Manrique (open daily 11.00-21.00, entrance fee, bar and restaurant open 11.00-24.00). The museum houses works by Picasso and Miro, as well as Manrique himself. The contrast between the modern exhibits and the ancient walls of the fortress is impressive.

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Lanzarote’s main resort, Puerto del Carmen, is about 10 km south of Arrecife. The long beach of golden sand stretches for 5 km and is very convenient for tourists. The sea here is shallow and ideal for children. A variety of bars, stores and restaurants are concentrated on Avenida de las Playas, the main shopping street of the island.

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The old town is located to the west of the beach. It retains a beautiful small harbor with traditional bars and restaurants. There are pleasure boats leaving from the port, including glass-bottom catamarans and boats for sea fishing trips.

At the next intersection, turn left onto Puerto Cayaero. The main attraction here is a modern yacht club with good restaurants. The town is built up with expensive apartment complexes. Boat trips and submarine rides are available from here, including an excursion to Papagayo.

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The main road to the west passes through the picturesque town of Yaisa. The brightly colored houses are decorated with even brighter colors. This town is home to a farm that Man-rique turned into the famous La Era restaurant. Between the towns of Uga and Jaisa, there is an entrance to Timanfaya National Park (open: daily 9.00-17.45, entrance fee, stops at 17.00). The park covers the region called Montañas de Fuego (Fiery Mountains). Just north of Yaiza is the site of Echadero de los Camellos (open: daily 9.00-16.00), from where you can hike to the volcanic slopes of Timanfaya on camelback. This region was formed by a series of eruptions in the 1830s, when volcanic activity persisted for six years. Eleven towns were then buried forever.

Continue on and turn left to Montañas del Fuego. Familiarity with Lanzarote’s mountains leaves no doubt that at least one of these volcanoes (the one you’re standing on) is still not extinct, but simply sleeping. At depths of less than 10m the temperature reaches 600°C and on the surface in some places 120°C. The guide will demonstrate this to you in the most graphic way. In the local restaurant “Isolote de Hilario” meat is fried using the heat of the earth – a kind of natural barbecue.

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It is forbidden to enter the park by car. To see the unusual scenery, you have to take a special bus. The wastelands you see on the way to the national park are just an appetizer before the main course. There is only one word to describe this landscape – “lunar”. Without having been here, it’s impossible to imagine what awaits you. The last time the volcanoes in the area awoke in 1824, the period of volcanic activity lasted for ten years.

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The most impressive example of enarenado dry cultivation is the vineyards in the La Jería Valley. Each vine is planted in a miniature crater. A semicircular wall of lava rocks protects the plant from wind and scorching sun (so do other plants). Horseshoe-shaped defenses cover the entire plain and rise up the mountainsides, extending into infinity.

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The Heria Valley is home to several wineries (bodegas) where you can taste the excellent local malvasia. Just outside San Bartolomé is the El Grifo Wine Museum (open: daily 10.30-18.00, free admission; www.elgrifo.com), which houses a library of vintage books. In front of the entrance to the oldest bodega in the Canaries there is a monument to Manrique. Wine has been produced here since the 18th century. You can learn about the wine-making process, walk through the vineyards and taste the local produce. San Bartolomé is also home to the Tanit Ethnographic Museum (open: Mon-Sat 10.00-14.00, www.museotanit.com), which tells the story of the island’s past.

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The geographical center of Lanzarote is located near San Bartolome. Here Manrique erected a stark white sculpture called “Monument to the Peasants”. Also of interest is the Peasant House Museum (open: daily 10.00-18.00, admission free), which has a restaurant serving traditional Canarian cuisine.

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Return to the main road and head west, past Yaissa. A right turn will bring you to the fishing village of El Golfo. An emerald green lagoon spreads out beneath a cliff that resembles a petrified giant wave. This is the inner edge of a volcanic cone, half of which is hidden by the sea. El Golfo is a place of breathtaking beauty. It is impossible to approach it from the main road. You have to leave your car in the parking lot, from where you can walk down a steep path to the village. El Golfo is famous for its excellent fish restaurants.

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Move further south to the natural lagoon of Hanubio and the salt flats of Las Salinas de Hanubio. The coarse salt mined here is used in Arrecife for preserving fish. Today, the need for salt has noticeably decreased, but mining has not stopped. Local artists paint the salt in different colors and use it for street paintings to commemorate the feast of Corpus Christi in Arrecife.

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The modern resort of Playa Blanca on the south coast is Lanzarote’s third largest tourist center. From here there is a ferry to Fuerteventura (travel time 40 minutes). There is a small port, a good beach with golden sand and many hotels and restaurants. Just a few kilometers to the east are the best beaches on the island. The three beaches are called Playas de Papagayo (Parrot Beaches). The road is good at first, but soon becomes very rough and rocky. There are no facilities on the beaches, so you’ll have to bring everything with you. You won’t need much though, as it is customary to swim naked here. On the beaches there are boats that bring vacationers in the morning and take them away in the afternoon. It is possible to organize a circular route from Puerto Calero.

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Lanzarote North

On the island of Lanzarote, whose fate depended largely on the work and creativity of one man, a must-see is the Cesar Manrique Foundation (open: Mon-Sat 10.00-18.00, Wed 10.00-15.00, entrance fee) in Taicha, about 12 km northwest of Arrecife. Manrique lived here, and his house, as you might expect, looks rather unusual. The house was built in 1968 on a lava flow that formed after eruptions in the 1730s. Five volcanic bubbles formed at the bottom of the flow, where the artist set up his dwelling.

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Go to La Santa, home to the timeshare resort Club La Santa. World-class athletes come here to train and relax. All conditions for practicing almost all kinds of sports are created here. The windswept seashore overlooks the picturesque cliffs of the Famara massif, where the Del Rio observation deck is located, and the island of Graciosa. Windsurfing is good on the beaches, but the currents are quite dangerous, so it’s best to use caution.

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You can go the other way: from Manrique’s sculpture “Monument to the Peasants” north to Teguise. This pretty little town with narrow streets and elegant mansions was the capital of the island until 1852. The 15th-century parish church of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe is the oldest in Lanzarote. Opposite it is the sixteenth-century Monastery of San Francisco, which now houses a contemporary art gallery. On Sundays there is a handicrafts market, where among other things you can buy a timple, a small folk musical instrument resembling a ukulele. Several old buildings have been converted into antique stores and restaurants. At the top of the ancient volcano Montaña de Guanapay is the 16th century Santa Barbara Fortress-Museum. The view from this windswept summit is spectacular and you won’t regret the effort. Today the fortress houses the Ethnographic Museum of Canarian Emigrants (open Mon-Fri 9.00-16.00, Sat, Sun 10.00-15.00, entrance fee). Yellowed photographs tell the story of mass emigration to South America – at one time it was the only way for many Canarian families to survive.

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From here you can head up the coast to Costa Teguise – about 10km north of Arrecife. This is a modern resort where expensive hotels and apartment complexes sit alongside timeshare apartments. The resort was originally built by Manrique, but later buildings are not so refined in taste. The resort has many excellent sandy beaches. Water sports and windsurfing are best practiced on Playa de las Cucharas. There is also a world-class golf course and water park “Ocean” 2 km from the coast (open: daily 10.00-18.00, entrance fee).

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The road to Lanzarote’s east coast goes through the town of Guatiza, where cacti are grown and the beetles that produce cochineal are still bred. Cesar Manrique has created a huge Cactus Garden here (open: daily 10.00-18.00; entrance fee). The garden has a working windmill that produces its own gofio. Manrique’s work can be appreciated at the Jameos del Agua Caves (open: daily 9.30-19.00, wt, pt-sb also 19.00-2.00 (for concerts); admission paid). The caves opened in 1966 and were Manrique’s first significant work. He turned a visit to the cave with its underground lake into a fantastic journey. The descent into the cave is accompanied by ethereal music. Extraordinary plants with lush foliage are installed everywhere. Descending to the black lagoon, you can see very rare blind albino crabs Munidopsis polymorpha. Don’t drop your coins into the crystal clear water – metal corrosion kills the crabs. From the cave, you enter a true South Seas paradise – with a swimming pool and picturesque terraces.

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You can learn about the history of volcanoes in the local museum “House of Volcanoes” (open: Mon-Fri 9.00-17.00). There is also a restaurant and a bar.

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The Cueva de los Verdes Cave (open: daily 10.00-18.00, entrance fee) is located behind the main road and is part of the same system. It was formed by exploding lava. You can take a guided tour of the cave. Sound and light effects remind you of when the volcano was active here.

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At the northern tip of Lanzarote is the small fishing village of Oreola, from where the Lineas Maritimas Romero ferry goes to the tiny island of Isla Graciosa. The island has beautiful beaches and virtually no tourist development. It’s a great place to spend a whole day.

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To admire Isla Graciosa from the beret, head to the mirador del Rio (open: daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m.). The viewing gallery carved into the rock is another stunning creation by Cesar Manrique. It is probably the most impressive mirador in the Canary Islands. Mighty cliffs slope down to the beach and the island can be seen beyond a strip of water called El Rio (the river)

Graciosa and two small islets, Montaña Clara and Alegranza. These islands, together with a small section of the northwest coast of Lanzarote, form the Chinijo Archipelago National Park. Here reigns complete silence, only the wind whistles over El Rio. In addition to the shaped windows of the mirador gallery, you can see Manrique’s sculptures in the bar and restaurant.

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To discover the local flora, ride donkeys and play with pets, you can visit the magnificent gardens of the Las Pardelas Recreational Natural Park (open: 10 a.m.-6 p.m., entrance fee; tours: tel: 928-842-545), which are located near Gumnate, just south of the mirador del Rio (Oreola-Ye road, 1 km).

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Interesting facts

  • Building materials and exterior paints in Lanzarote have only three colors – brown, green and blue. It is in these colors that all the wooden parts of the white houses are painted.
    • On the island of Lanzarote, where rainfall is rare and underground springs are extremely scarce, agriculture is surprisingly well developed. The secret lies in the quality of the soil: the porous volcanic particles are useless on their own, but act like a sponge, effectively absorbing night dew and providing agricultural plants with moisture even without rain. The seeds are covered with volcanic soil and they grow beautifully. The only thing to do is to change the soil every 20 years. The dry cultivation method is called enarenado, and it is only used on Lanzarote.
  • Cesar Manrique was born on Lanzarote in 1919 and remains the best known local artist, designer, landscape architect and ecologist. He died in a car accident in 1992. There is not a single landmark on the island that is not in some way associated with his name. The artist himself called his works “dreams that capture the elusive natural beauty of Lanzarote”. The artist tried to make sure that tourism did not disrupt the unique look of the island. Cesar Manrique’s main principle is simplicity: white walls, natural building materials and local water.
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