LANZAROTE: The Complete Island Area Guide

If you’re thinking of buying a holiday property in The Canary Islands, or indeed making your full-time home there, the toughest part initially might be trying to decide which island to choose. While this may seem a tough task at first as each one has its own special charms, the fact that there is so much diversity between the islands might just make your job a little easier. There’s something for everyone!

Tenerife has its heavily developed touristic south and its more ‘authentic’ north with a spectacular national park with Spain’s highest mountain in between, plus one of the biggest carnivals in the world.

Fuerteventura is almost desertic with volcanoes and spectacular beaches particularly popular with German and British tourists as well as surfers and windsurfers from all over.

Gran Canaria has a lot of diversity for just one island with sandy beaches, rugged mountain scenery, subtropical forests, hiking trails and buzzing nightlife.

La Palma is often referred to as “The Beautiful Island” and has been declared a UNESCO biosphere reserve for its amazing volcanic scenery as well as its rainforest. Some of the best views of the whole archipelago can be seen from here.

Mountainous La Gomera is especially popular amongst hikers, as well as those who wish to escape the more developed tourism of the other islands.

El Hierro is the least touristy of all the islands so if you want to get away from it all, and maybe take in some scuba-diving while you’re at it, this is the place.

Lanzarote has a huge amount to offer too - and that’s the island we are going to focus on in this introductory guide. But first let’s start with a little background:

A brief history of The Canary Islands

Although pre-colonial history of the islands is a little vague, there were indigenous people living on Las Canarias before European sailors from Castile, Majorca, Portugal and Genoa started visiting in the early 1300s. It is reckoned that these were almost certainly descendents of Berbers from nearby North Africa and they came to be known as Guanches. In 1402, Jean de Béthencourt with a band of Norman and Gascon adventurers, under the crown of Castilla (basically ‘Spain’ but before it became the country it is today), arrived in the Canaries and began their conquest, beginning with Lanzarote and then Fuerteventura. Meeting no resistance they enslaved much of the population, but it would be 1496 though before they managed to subdue the Guanches on the other five islands and incorporate them into the Kingdom of Castilla. From this point on the islands became a stopping point for Spanish ships on their way to the recently “discovered” New World and, as a result, became quite wealthy. This newfound of Las Canarias wealth attracted pirates and privateers and the islands were raided a number of times by the Ottomans in the 1500s as well as by the Dutch in 1599. Barbary pirates captured and enslaved 1000 inhabitants of Lanzarote in 1618 and in 1797 the British attacked under Nelson but were repulsed, Nelson losing his arm in the fighting.

Sugar cane had been the main crop since the arrival of the Spanish but in the 19th century las Canarias faced severe competition from plantations in the Spanish colonies in the Caribbean and many thousands of Canarians emigrated to the Americas, especially to Venezuela and Colombia and also to Puerto Rico and Cuba where the Spanish crown expected they would adapt better than others to life on the islands.

Franco took control of the archipelago at the start of the Spanish Civil War in 1939, despite some resistance, and although there was no actual fighting on the islands there was severe suppression of any dissent in the post-war era with resistance only beginning to form again in the 1950s. After Franco’s death in 1975 there was a Canarian independence movement based in Algeria for a while until, in 1982, under the new constitutional monarchy in Spain autonomy was granted to Las Canarias with two capital cities: Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Lanzarote - The Island

Lanzarote is the fourth largest and third most populous Canary island. It is also the most northerly and easterly and is only 125km from the coast of Africa. Emerging from a volcanic hotspot ‘only’ 15 million years it is the youngest of the seven main islands. It measures 60 km from north to south and 25 km from west to east. Of its 213 km of coastline 16.5km are beach and 10km are sand.

The Climate

Lanzarote’s subtropical-desert climate means that the little rainfall that does fall does so during the very mild winters with around 16 days with precipitation between December and February. That means average temperature in summer is 25c and in winter 18c.

Demographics & Population

There are almost 150,000 inhabitants on Lanzarote, around 115,000 of whom are Spanish. Of the rest, there are approximately 5,600 British residents (down from around 8,000 in 2016), making them the second largest group, with significant numbers of Germans, Italians, Irish, Colombians, Moroccans and Ecuadorians. The U.K. also provides by far the highest number of holiday-makers, followed by Germany and Ireland, with France, Italy and the Benelux and Nordic countries making up most of the rest.

The White Houses of Lanzarote

There was very little in the way of tourism to Spain in the aftermath of WW2 with Franco’s dictatorship not exactly helping to make it an attractive destination. Ironically it was Franco himself who tried to encourage tourism in the 1960s by doing away with the need for a visa for foreigners to visit Spain, but it was really after his death that tourism took off. And take off it did! The costas of Spain and its islands experienced huge growth in package tourism and construction struggled to keep pace with the demand for hotels and holiday homes. Unfortunately, in many parts of the country this rush to build resulted in poor planning and many very unsightly high-rise buildings that are still with us today.

But not in Lanzarote. Enter César Manrique!

About César Manrique

Born and raised in Arrecife, César showed a keen interest in art and architecture from an early age. At the age of 20 he volunteered to serve on Franco’s side at the start of the Civil War and saw action in different parts of Spain, but upon his return three years later he refused to speak about his experiences, instead taking off his uniform and stamping on it, before setting fire to it. He then studied and became a professor of art and painting. After a brief stint in New York he returned to Lanzarote for good and became involved in the developing tourist industry and was involved in many artistic and architectural projects on the island.

Having lived in New York he argued strongly that there be no high-rise buildings on the island - “nothing higher than a Canarian palm” - and today there is only one “skyscraper”, a five star hotel in Arrecife that was built before his return from New York. Manrique worked tirelessly to preserve the island’s traditional architectural style and one particular way in which his influence can still be seen in Lanzarote today is that almost all the houses are white with green shutters (representing the countryside) and blue ones by the coast (representing the sea). In keeping with his philosophy of integrating architecture with nature and avoiding over-development, new building projects are still subject to strict control and even billboards are prohibited. Return to top

THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN LANZAROTE

THE BEACHES

Beaches top the list of attractions for many Lanzarote’s visitors so in this guide we’ll take you on a tour, starting in the capital Arrecife and working our way clockwise around the island to give you an idea of what you can expect to find.

Playa El Reducto

Despite being in the capital this golden sand blue flag beach tends to be quieter than others nearby and is popular with families, mainly due to the safe swimming and relatively shallow water provided by an offshore reef. Facilities include parking, toilets, showers and bars.

Playa Honda

Located right by the airport this long golden beach has less in the way of facilities but does have parking and restaurants and is also popular with families.

Playa Los Pocillos & Playa Matagorda

Heading towards Puerto del Carmen, these two golden sand beaches are effectively one and offer all the usual beach facilities one would expect. They are also adapted to cater for people with disabilities.

Playa Grande

In Puerto del Carmen proper is Playa Grande (Big Beach) which is very popular with families because of its calm waters. The sand here is also golden and the beach is monitored by a lifeguard.

Playa Chica

The aptly named Playa Chica, or Little Beach, is located beside the old town with all the facilities you could need, making it a popular choice for everyone, including divers.

Playa Quemada

The name of this beach would translate into English as Burnt Beach and, guess what, the sand is not golden. In fact it’s a pebble beach but there is parking here and a number of restaurants.

Playa El Paso

There is no transport or even a road to this small black sand beach so unless you have an off-road vehicle you’ll need to walk to get here. If you want to get away from the crowds this is the spot!

Playa Caleta del Congrio

At the southern tip of the island on the eatern side of Punto Papagayo is this quiet, sandy naturist beach. If you’re after facilities this might not be the place for you - it’s all natural!

Papagayo beaches

On the other side of the headland the first beach is Playa Papagayo, a sheltered white sandy beach with calm crystal-clear water, making it one of the most popular on the whole island, both for families and for snorkelers. There are a couple of chiringuitos (beach bars) here too.

Next is Playa de la Cera which, despite its small size and location at the end of a dirt road, is extremely popular for its turquoise waters and can get crowded. The same two chiringuitos are within walking distance.

The following four coves, Plaza del Pozo, Playa San Marcial, Caleton del Cobre and Playa Mujeres are secluded and especially popular with naturists. There are no facilities here but from Playa Mujeres it’s a fairly short stroll to the “civilisation” of the resort of Playa Blanca.

Playa Blanca resort

Continuing clockwise around the island we next come to the resort of Playa Blanca with two man-made fine white sand beaches, Playa Dorada and Playa Flamingo, connected by a seafront promenade. In between is the small Playa Blanca right at the centre of the town. Needless to say, these beaches have all the facilities of a resort and are typically very busy.

Playa de Montaña Roja

If you decide to walk to the end of the promenade and continue along the coast you’ll come to this sandy but mostly rocky beach at the end of Playa Blanca resort. There are some nice restaurants here with lovely views

Playa de Janubio

On the southwest coast you’ll find this unusual strip of silky black sand beach where you have the strong waves of the ocean on one side and on the other a lagoon from which sea salt is harvested. Surrounded by volcanic rock, there are some great views and photo opportunities here. Although there is parking here it tends not to get too busy.

Playa del Golfo

Located inside the Timanfaya National Park is this small but beautiful pebbly volcanic beach with its own green lagoon right behind it. It’s not the best place for swimming because of currents but the views are spectacular and there are a few restaurants nearby.

Playa de San Juan

Moving on up the coast we come to Playa San Juan with its impressive cliff views. This beach is both sandy and rocky and is popular with surfers, but normally doesn’t get too crowded.

Playa de Famara

This 5km fine golden san beach is extremely popular with surfers and bodyboarders but the strong currents mean it’s best to check the beach flags or ask the lifeguards before going swimming. There aren’t many facilities at the beach itself but it’s situated right beside the village of Caleta de la Famara.

Playa del Risco

This hidden gem of a beach can only be reached by boat or by a roughly one hour walk down a trail from the clifftop, but it’s worth the effort as you’ll most likely have the place to yourself. Don’t forget the hike back up afterwards though! Great views of the island of La Graciosa too.

Playa de la Cantería / Playa de Orzola

Almost at the “top” of the island and about 1.5km along a dirt road from the fishing village of Orzola (from where the ferries to La Graciosa depart), this beach is perfect for just chilling out and enjoying the beautiful views but is not suitable for swimming due to strong currents.

Caletón Blanco

A short distance to the other side of Orzola is the undeveloped Caletón Blanco with its clean white sand and natural swimming pools of clear turquoise water, ideal for families with children.

Playa de la Garita

The northern end of this long sandy beach is right next to the village of Arrieta where you’ll find all the facilities you need, including a few chiringuitos specialising in mojitos! At the village end the sand is golden but as you go south along the beach it becomes blacker. Popular with both swimmers and surfers.

Playa de los Charcos

Continuing down the eastern side of the island we come to Playa de los Charcos, the first of the beaches of the La Costa Teguise resort. This beach has a promenade all along its length and is hugely popular with windsurfers.

Playa las Cucharas

A short walk away, in the town proper, this white sand beach is also favoured by windsurfers but you can also surf, scuba dive or even rent a paddle boat - or just a deck chair. There is a promenade here too with access for the disabled and there are plenty of bars, restaurants and shops.

Playa del Jablillo

Next beach down is the equally busy Jablillo beach which, apart from its promenade and the usual facilities, also has a breakwater ensuring the calmness of the water, making it especially suitable for families with kids.

Playa Bastian

The last beach before we arrive back in Arrecife is the both sandy and rocky Playa Bastián with a promenade running along its length and quite a few restaurants to choose from.

Beaches of La Graciosa

If you want to get away from the more developed and busier beaches on Lanzarote itself you could do worse than take the short trip across to the much smaller island of La Graciosa and its superb beaches of Playa de las Conchas, Playa de Francesca, Playa de la Cocina, Playa del Ámbar/Playa Lambra, Caleta de Arriba, Playa del Salado and Playa de la Laja right beside Caleta del Sebo where the boat from the “mainland” will drop you off.

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WATER SPORTS IN LANZAROTE

Surfing

Because of its location, waves almost always hit Lanzarote from one of four directions, W, NW, N or NE. Without having to understand the why, this ensures that it is particularly ideal for surfing and bodyboarding with fantastic locations all over the island, especially on the west coast. Surfing World Championship surfing events have been held there in recent years including the Quemao Class, strictly for the professionals.

Windsurfing and Kitesurfing

For windsurfers and kitesurfers the fact that there is almost always wind guaranteed from one direction or another makes Lanzarote an ideal base. The four most common winds, depending on the season, come from the S-SW, N-NW, N-NE (Trade Winds) or from the Sahara (the unpredictable Sirocco) and enthusiasts can chase the best conditions on a given day with the island being so easy to get around.

Sailing

For sailors conditions are good throughout the year but summer is probably the best time with the trade winds guaranteeing ideal conditions. A number of regattas take place annually.

Scuba Diving

If diving is your thing then the waters all around Lanzarote offer 20 metre visibility almost all the time and the water temperature ranges from 18c in winter to 24c in summer. There are dive centres all over the island with divers of all levels catered for.

Fishing

If you fancy a spot of deep-sea fishing there are charter boats available at just about every marina on the island. There are all sizes of boat available to suit the size and type of group (with children or without, for example) and the companies can adapt the charter depending on how far out you want to go and for how long, the type of fish you want to catch and the type of gear you would like to use. Prices vary accordingly.

You can fish from land too of course but, as is the case for sea fishing, a permit is required. Thankfully the application process is pretty simple and can be done online.

Marine Safaris

If you’d prefer to just look at the marine life rather than try and catch it then there are a number of marine safaris available in Lanzarote. Depending on which excursion you choose you can expect to see dolphins and whales, turtles, squid, flying fish and also a variety of marine bird life.

ACTIVITIES FOR LANDLUBBERS

Trekking and Running

Lanzarote offers ideal conditions for walkers and runners, not only because of its climate but also because of its network of circuits to suit all levels on different types of terrain, including earth, lava or lapilli (pebbles or gravel). Some trails such as the Haría Extreme or the Famara Total are even used for annual national-level competitions.

Biking

There is also an extensive network of cycle routes covering a wide range of unique landscapes and offering unforgettable vistas. If you don’t want to bring your own bike you can easily rent one at a number of locations across the island.

Triathlon

If you are keen on both running and cycling and don’t mind a bit of swimming either and were considering trying your hand at triathlon, then Lanzarote is just the place! In fact Lanzarote has become synonymous with triathlon over the years with many professionals basing themselves there for pre-season training every year because of the almost perfect conditions and the complementary services available. For the real hard-core there is even the international IM Lanzarote, one of the longest established ironman races in the world that attracts thousands of participants every May.

Golf

If all that sounds way too energetic Lanzarote has two beautiful 18 hole, par 72 golf courses, both complete with chipping and putting greens and driving ranges. Golf can be played all year long and professionals are available to give classes. Both courses also have restaurants with fantastic vistas and it’d be hard to think of a nicer way to spend the day for the golfers amongst you.

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Natural Attractions

Papagayo beaches

The Papagayo beaches are one of the first things to pop up in the ‘things to do: beaches’ section and here they are again in the ‘things to see’ category! Located, as they are, at the Los southern tip of the Monumento Natural de los Ajaches, a natural protected area at the extreme south of Lanzarote, and with a string of golden sand beaches and small coves with clear turquoise waters it’s no wonder either! With the spectacular backdrop of the Ajaches mountains, it’s easy to see why this is one of the most photographed places of Lanzarote.

Timanfaya National Park

Covering an area of just over 50km, Timanfaya National Park is Lanzarote’s most popular attraction and is visited by about a million tourists annually. The park is composed of a desolate, lunar, but very colourful, volcanic landscape, almost entirely devoid of life. This very singular scenery is the result of a number of almost continuous volcanic eruptions that occurred between 1730 and 1736 in what is known today as the Montañas de Fuego (Mountains of Fire). The area has barely changed in appearance since then, although the only volcano that is still active today is the one that gave the park its name; Timanfaya.

El Golfo

While you’re in the Timanfaya area of the island you should take in a visit to El Golfo and its green lagoon, located inside the semi-circular remains of a volcanic cone that has been eroded on one side by the sea. The lagoon goes by a number of different names, including El Charco de los Clicos, El Lago Verde, La Laguna de los Clicos (its correct name), or simply El Golfo. Its strange green colour is the result of an algal phytoplankton that thrives in its seawater.

Los Hervideros

Literally the name translates as “Hot Springs”, but in this case ‘Boiling Waters’ might be more apt as Los Hervidores are a series of caves and blowholes which have been eroded out of what once was a lava flow. It is possible to walk around the cliffs and watch from natural viewing points as the breaking waves crash into the caves, producing mountains of white surf and giving the appearance of boiling waters. Just south of El Golfo and on the road to the salt pans of Salinas de Janubio this is well worth a stop if you’re in the area.

Cueva de los Verdes

Staying with the colour green, but this time on the north of the island, the “Cave of the Greens” is well worth a visit. In fact the name has nothing to do with the colour green, but is rather named after the family that used to own the land, los Verdes (the Green family in English). What’s remarkable about the cave system that Cueva de los Verdes is part of is that it’s one of the world’s longest at 6km long, although 1.5km is submerged and only 2km are open to the public. It was formed, unsurprisingly for Lanzarote, by volcanic activity about 21,000 years ago; specifically by the nearby eruptions of the La Corona volcano. When lava on the surface cooled but more lava beneath continued to flow, a tunnel system was created. These tunnels were used by the indigenous Guanches, and later by European settlers, to hide from raiding Barbary pirates.

Jameos del Agua

This is part of the same 6km cave system and connects the Cueva de los Verdes to the sea, passing through the Cueva de los 7 Lagos (Cave of the 7 Lakes, although this part is not accessible by the public). The jameos in the name refer to the “holes” where parts of the lava tube collapsed due to the build-up of volcanic gases, thus creating open-air caves which were then developed by our friend César Manrique, combining, as was his wont, his art with nature, to create a very unique attraction. Once you descend into “Jameo Chico” (the little jameo) you come to a bar and restaurant beside a crystal clear pond, which you can then cross via a footpath to get to “Jameo Grande” (no need to translate that, right?), with its turquoise water and palm trees, which in turn leads on to a concert hall known for its fantastic acoustics!

Piscinas Naturales de Punta Mujeres

On the road heading south out of the town of Punta Mujeres are a cluster of natural swimming pools with irresistible sparkling turquoise water and some beautiful sun-bathing spots for lounging around in. It’s all in the name: “Natural Swimming Pools of Punta Mujeres”! There’s a tapas bar overlooking one of the pools to assist with the lounging.

Mirador del Río

If, rather than descending underground, you prefer your views from on high, then César has taken care of that too! Mirador del Río translates as “River Lookout” and was so named as it overlooks the narrow strait between Lanzarote and the tiny neighbouring island of Graciosa; so narrow that the strait was called El Río, the river. The views from the Mirador, at just under 500m high, are about as spectacular as you could hope to see, unless maybe you go for a skydive! In fact, paragliding from Mirador del Río down to Famara beach is popular, when wind conditions allow, usually between October and March. But before you glide down, spend some time taking in the vistas with a drink or snack in the visitors centre, an old gun battery adapted and redesigned by Manrique to blend into its natural surroundings.

El Jardín del Cactus

The Cactus Garden was one of César Manrique’s final projects on the island. Under his guidance it was hewn out of an old quarry into a huge amphitheatre-like bowl shape, and its terraced slopes are now home to over 1000 species of cactus from all over the world. Appropriately, it is located near Guatiza, right in the heart of traditional cactus growing country, where 300 acres are still dedicated to the exclusive cultivation of the Tunera cactus. There is a bar-restaurant from where you can take in the views of the garden and the old-fashioned windmill overlooking everything.

Lanzarote Wine Tours

After the volcanic eruptions of 1730-36, much of the formerly fertile land in the centre of Lanzarote was covered in volcanic ash and lava, known as picón, and was feared lost. Over time farmers realised that the picón actually helped to retain moisture and that if they dug hollows out of the layer of picón and planted vines (and fig trees) in the soil that lay beneath they actually flourished. They then built small crescent-shaped walls, or zocos, around the pits to prevent the picón from falling back in, and also to protect the plants from the prevailing winds. The dominant grape variety, Malvasía, was introduced from Crete, another southerly island with vines well-adapted to strong sunshine and an arid climate. For many, the black volcanic earth, with its thousands of hollows, dug out by back-breaking labour, with a zoco around each one and a single green vine planted inside, is the quintessential Lanzarote landscape that sets it apart from any other of the Islas Canarias. The La Geria wine region of Lanzarote, and its unique grape-growing techniques, enjoy a protected status and it’s a must for any visitor to the island, preferably by tour as it allows you to stop and sample some of the produce at the roadside bodegas.

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Historical Attractions and Towns

Teguise

This town owes its name to an indigenous Guanche princess who married the nephew of Jean de Béthencourt, who first conquered the island in the name of the crown of Castilla. It was the Lanzarote’s first capital from the early 1400s, with its location 10km away from the coast in the centre-north of the island and 220m above sea-level with ocean vistas in every direction, making it the ideal place to protect the town from (mostly Moorish) pirate attacks that were frequent at the time. The fortress of el Castillo de Santa Bárbara (now, appropriately, the Museo de la Piratería) was built in the 16th century atop the Gunanapy volcano overlooking the town to provide further protection but the attacks were often bloody nonetheless. A street in Teguise is still named Calle la Sangre (Blood St.) as a historical reminder!

After the pirate attacks ceased the capital of Lanzarote was eventually moved to Arrecife in 1852. In the 1980s, a campaign resulted in the restoration of Teguise and the town was declared an Architectural Historic Site, recognizing it as one of the oldest towns in the Canaries where some of the most significant chapters in Lanzarote’s history took place. Today you can really feel the history as you stroll the old squares and cobbled streets, and the market on Sundays is worth checking out.

Arrecife Castles

Probably more correctly described as forts rather than castles, the San Gabriel and San José castles were built to protect Arrecife harbour.

On a little islet just off the seafront promenade, El Castillo de San Gabriel was originally built in 1574 in order to defend Arrecife Harbour from pirate attack, but then destroyed in a raid by Barbary corsairs in 1586, during which the Spanish governor of Lanzarote was captured, ransomed and eventually released. So that didn’t really work! The fort was rebuilt in 1599 and remained in military use from then until the 1950s. Nowadays it houses the History Museum of Arrecife.

Just to be on the safe side, another fort, El Castillo de San José, was built between 1776 and 1779 on the orders of King Carlos III, also to defend against those pesky corsairs. During those times the islanders suffered much hardship, with many deaths caused by hunger, thirst and disease and the fort became known as La Fortaleza del Hambre (Hunger Fortress) because of the desperately needed employment it provided the local population. Although it never saw any military action it remained in military hands as a gunpowder arsenal until 1890 and then fell into disuse. In 1974 it was converted by César Manrique (who else!) into the International Museum of Contemporary Art. It also houses a restaurant which offers a very upscale dining experience.

Arrecife Gran Hotel

While this building might not qualify as exactly historic, being built as it was in the 1960s, gutted by fire in 1994 and left derelict until 2004, it deserves a mention only because it is the only high-rise building on the island and it has a restaurant on the top floor, the Altamar, that is worth a visit for the views of Arrecife and its beaches if nothing else.

San Bartolomé

Right in the geographical centre of the island of Lanzarote is the traditional Canarian style town of San Bartolomé. Housed in one the the oldest wineries on the island in an 18th century mansion is the Tanit Ethnographic Museum, with its displays of traditional working and cultural life and folklore of Lanzarote over the centuries.

César Manrique Foundation

One of the top attractions on Lanzarote has to be the wonderful home of César Manrique, Taro de Tahíche that now houses the Fundación César Manrique just outside the town of Tahíche, keeping alive the wonderful legacy of this truly brilliant artist. This house is a work of art in itself and was his first major piece of work on Lanzarote when he returned from America in 1966 and it perfectly showcases his organic approach and his drive to create a perfect symbiosis between architecture, art and nature. Manrique chose this site while walking the lava fields surrounding Tahíche when he discovered a series of huge lava bubbles and decided to build his house on the site. The upper levels of the house are in the traditional style of Lanzarote while the subterranean rooms are built into the lava bubbles, interconnecting them. The house was completed in 1968 and César lived there until 1988.

There are too many items of interest to go into right here, suffice it to say that this is a “must see” if you’re in Lanzarote!

César Manrique House Museum

As Manrique’s work continued to grow in popularity, he began to renovate a traditional old farmhouse in 1986 in the quiet town of Haría in northern Lanzarote in order to escape to a more tranquil life. He moved here in 1988 and this was where he spent his final years until his death in 1992. While not as spectacular as his previous in Tahíche, the Casa-Museo César Manrique offers us a poignant and intimate insight into his day-to-day life. He continued his work here in relative peace until the day he died, and today the main attraction is Manrique’s sunken studio which has been preserved untouched since that day, including some unfinished projects exactly where he left them. His clothes are even still hanging in the closet. There is also a trademark stylish turquoise pool and garden and there are artworks from some of César’s contemporaries, including Picasso, hanging on the walls.

El Grifo Wine Museum

This comes under the headings of both historical and tasty! If there’s a museum devoted to wine, it’s with good reason, and Lanzarote’s Wine Museum is to be found in El Grifo, the oldest winery on the island which was built on top of solidified lava resulting from the constant volcanic eruptions that occurred between 1730 and 1736. It was established in 1775 and is in fact one of the ten oldest wineries in all Spain. It’ll come as no surprise that its logo was designed by César Manrique! Entry is free or there are guided tours of the museum and the winery, available in 5 languages. El Grifo can also be visited as part of a wine tour taking in a half dozen or so of the island’s vineyards. And of course, you can sample the wines!

Visiting La Graciosa

For many, the Canary Islands are something of a “hidden corner” of Spain, being located as they are at over 1000km from peninsular Spain and 125km from the coast of Africa - and that’s just Lanzarote; the other islands are further away again. But it that isn’t “hidden” enough for you (and in the high season it probably won’t feel very hidden!), you can always get off the Lanzarote “mainland” altogether and escape on the 35 minute ferry from Órzola across El Río strait to the tiny little island of La Graciosa which lies about 2km off the north coast of Lanzarote and which has been part of the nature reserve of Parque Natural del Archipiélago Chinijo since 1986. There are no paved roads here and the number of motorised vehicles on the island is strictly controlled. There is really only the one town on the island, Caleta del Sebo, where the population of just over 700 all live. (A little further up the coasts is Casas de Pedro Barba, a little cluster of holiday homes and a permanent population of just three!) La Graciosa has a school, a post office, one bank, a medical centre and pharmacy, a couple of supermarkets, and a handful of bar-restaurants. Such industry as there is comes from fishing and tourism and, although there are no hotels, there are holiday apartments that can be rented, plus a campsite.

La Graciosa is 8km long and 4km at its widest, giving it a total area of 29km². It is completely arid and vegetation consists solely of bushes that can grow in the dry soil. There is no fresh water source so desalinated water is piped in from Lanzarote. Although the islands of the Chinijo Archipelago come under the municipality of Teguise, La Graciosa officially became an island in its own right in 2018, making it the eighth of the Islas Canarias. The other islands in the archipelago are called Montana Clara and Alegranza and there are two islets, Roque del Este and Roque del Oeste, all of which are uninhabited. Until the 1800s La Graciosa itself was only inhabited occasionally by a few pirates - but that’s a story for another day!

Beaches of La Graciosa

We already listed the names of the superb playas of La Graciosa above in the beaches section, but to save you scrolling all the way back, here they are again: Playa de las Conchas, Playa de Francesca, Playa de la Cocina, Playa del Ámbar/Playa Lambra, Caleta de Arriba, Playa del Salado, and Playa de la Laja right beside Caleta del Sebo where the boat from Órzola will drop you off. There are plenty of daily sailings between Lanzarote and La Graciosa.

GETTING AROUND LANZAROTE

Certainly the cheapest way of getting around the island of Lanzarote is by public transport, namely the bus, or as they’re called here: guaguas! (That’s pronounced “wah-wah” by the way.) The term guagua is used to refer to buses by Spanish-speakers in the Caribbean - Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic - and on Las Canarias, but nowhere else. It must be an island thing!

When you land in Lanzarote airport there are buses serving Playa Blanca on the southern coast, and all the other popular points in between. For other destinations take the very short hop bus ride into Arrecife and catch a connection from there to just about anywhere else. Tickets cost between 80c and €3.30, depending on your destination. And if that’s not cheap enough you can also buy a bus pass in the bus station in Arrecife which works out that you end up paying around half the regular fare. There are too many bus routes to go into here but you can find all the info on this Lanzarote Intercity Bus website. If you are a small group (or if buses - sorry, “wahwahs” - just aren’t your thing) you could also look at taking a cab. Alternatively you can also book a shuttle transfer which will probably end up being more economical, especially for larger groups; but you need to organise this in advance.

If you plan to do some exploring while on the island rather than just hanging out by the pool at your resort, the best option might be to rent your own vehicle. A quick Google search will reveal a number of companies that rent out cars and/or motorbikes in Lanzarote and in general both rental and gasoline prices are lower than anywhere in northern Europe. It’s definitely worth considering..

Where to stay

If you’re coming to Lanzarote with a view to buying yourself a home here, you’ll need somewhere to lay your head while you're looking around and exploring the island. There are, of course, lots of options available in terms of type of accommodation, wherever you decide to make your base. Here are the top hotels as ranked by contributors to Tripadvisor

If you want to have a look at only the best of luxury, then try Boutique Hotels Make sure to also check on Booking.com which also includes accommodation types other than hotels.

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