Lanzarote

The different island

Lanzarote is synonymous with volcanoes, lava fields, impossibly shaped rocks, black and reddish earth that contrasts with the typical white houses, the blue of the sea and the azure of the sky. The landscape of the easternmost of the Canary Islands is completed with austere mountains of gentle relief, beautiful beaches of white and golden sand, lush palm groves... and silence, which is also part of the enigmatic landscape of Lanzarote.

This Biosphere Reserve island is home to lively tourist resorts and small villages where you can breathe in the tranquillity. The large hotels and bungalows of the coastal centres coexist with the rural houses, villas and boutique hotels of the charming inland villages. A complete and first class offer to guarantee the best holidays at any time of the year, enjoying the extraordinary climate. Unbeatable conditions which, together with quality infrastructures and services, have been found on this island by enthusiasts and professionals of all kinds of sports for their training.

Lanzarote is the first destination in the world to obtain the Biosphere Responsible Tourism certification.

The development of Lanzarote has been realised in a sustainable way and in harmony with the environment, thanks in particular to the tireless work of the universal artist César Manrique who, in addition to intervening in the landscape with his enormous talent, knew how to transmit to his countrymen the love and respect for his land. A land where tourism, art and nature go hand in hand.

As well as the breathtaking scenery, which sometimes reminds us of the surface of Mars, Lanzarote is also fascinated by the miracle that emerges from its volcanic soil. Although it may seem impossible, it is here that life makes its way, making the production of its famous wines with Designation of Origin feasible.

Is it or is it not a different island?

Sun and sea, the perfect revitalisation

In addition to touring the volcanic landscapes, in Lanzarote You can also find the perfect revitalisation in its marvellous beaches, relax on the white or golden sand, and cool off in the crystal clear turquoise waters. Many of them are ideal for the youngest members of the family as they are sheltered from the waves and currents, as are the natural pools that have formed in the shelter of the tongues of lava that reached the sea after the eruptions.

There are also for those who enjoy the waves or long walks along the shore, for those who seek solitude or, on the contrary, prefer lively beaches and marinas with all the leisure services, restaurants and shops to complete a perfect day.

Parrot

In the south of Lanzarote is one of the most popular beaches of the island: Papagayo, a cove of white sand, small dimensions and enormous beauty. In the shape of a bay or shell (as some residents prefer to call it), Papagayo seduces with its transparent emerald waters that remain still all day long as if it were a swimming pool. It is ideal for beginners to snorkel and enjoy the richness of its seabed or let the children splash around without any worries.

Famara Beach

In the northwest of the island of Lanzarote stretches along more than five kilometres of blond sand, the beach known as Famara beach. It is located within the Chinijo Archipelago Natural Park, between the fishing village of La Caleta de Famara and the base of the impressive Famara cliff.

Many of the island's beaches are ideal for the youngest members of the family as they are sheltered from the waves and currents.

Travelling through inspiring volcanic landscapes 

The volcanic landscapes of Lanzarote They awaken unique sensations in us. They are inspiring, enigmatic, mysterious... They trap us in an intimate connection that is difficult to explain, they fill us with energy. Why is this? Is it because they show us the power of nature? Because they take us back to our origins? 

Questions that are answered instinctively when we are in the Timanfaya National Park, the highest expression of volcanism on the island and one of the most representative of the Canary Islands archipelago. A harsh, forceful, wild landscape, where the most sepulchral silence also takes on a special role. The Fire Mountains can be visited on a guided bus tour, during which you will be overwhelmed by a variegated horizon, occupied by volcanic cones, lava fields, rocks of capricious shapes... A landscape for which nature has chosen a special palette of colours, mixing reds and oranges with ochres, browns and blacks.

Very close to the entrance of the National Park is the Echadero de camellos, the place where it is possible to get on the back of this extraordinary animal and experience a route through the volcanoes feeling the breeze and the crunching of the lava fragments, surrounded by a thrilling landscape.

And that's not all, because volcanism manifests itself in every corner of the world. LanzaroteThe islanders have been able to make the most of a seemingly barren land, but despite the extreme conditions of the environment, several generations of islanders have managed to make the most of it. However, despite the extreme environmental conditions, several generations of islanders have managed to make the most of an apparently barren land. Yes, only apparently, because this island holds many surprises beneath its volcanic mantle.

In the El Diablo Restaurant in Timanfaya, food is cooked with the heat that comes from inside the earth. At a depth of just a few metres the temperature is extreme, a heat that rises to the surface in the form of small geysers that always surprise visitors.

At Lanzarote We can also delve into the fascinating underground world created by the eruptions. Caves and volcanic tunnels that can be visited thanks to the respectful and sustainable actions carried out. Spaces such as the Jameos del Agua, in which the hand of the brilliant artist César ManriqueThe Cueva de los Verdes, or the Cueva de los Verdes, are clear examples that offer us the opportunity to discover the secrets of the bowels of the earth.

Timanfaya National Park

If it weren't for the intense blue of the sky, many photos taken in Timanfaya could pass for landscapes from the planet Mars. The volcanoes and untouched lava fields of this 5,000-hectare national park off the west coast of the island of Lanzarote are one of the most picturesque visual spectacles of the Canary Islands. Unaltered by human hands, neither vegetation nor climate have had time to modify the pure beauty of this red and jet land included in a Unesco Biosphere Reserve.

A unique wine-growing landscape in the world

The landscape of La Geria is one of the biggest surprises in the area. Lanzarote. A large area covered by small fragments of black volcanic rock, expelled during the eruptions of Timanfaya, is used by Lanzarote's farmers to grow vines. This material is capable of retaining the humidity of the night, which is essential on an island where rainfall is scarce. This traditional technique is completed with the characteristic stone walls to protect the vines from the wind, thus creating a spectacular landscape that is unique in the world.

The resulting wines, with Designation of Origin, are special and internationally renowned. Best of all, they can be tasted in one of the wineries while enjoying the beauty of the surroundings.

The landscape of La Geria is one of Lanzarote's greatest surprises.

Places where art and nature merge

Lanzarote was lucky enough to have the great César Manriquea universal multifaceted artist who knew how to combine art and nature like no one else. A staunch defender of natural spaces and deeply in love with the island where he was born, he only intervened in them to improve them and turn them into places to be admired forever. 

At Lanzarote left a large part of his artistic legacy. Perhaps the greatest exponent is the Jameos del Agua, one of the most visited tourist centres on the island, where Manrique displayed all his genius. This volcanic tunnel, with its famous and spectacular natural auditorium, is home to a very unique geological formation, an interior lake caused by marine filtrations in which a small blind white crustacean, unique in the world, lives.

El Mirador del Río is another of its creations. Perfectly integrated into the surroundings, from this natural vantage point located on the impressive cliffs of Famara there are spectacular views of the Chinijo Archipelago, formed by the island of La Graciosa and four islets. In the exceptional landscape of Timanfaya, the restaurant El Diablo, cylindrical glass bodies that make us feel part of the volcanic environment, has been masterfully incorporated into the exceptional landscape of Timanfaya.

In the Jameos del Agua of Lanzarote there is a small white and blind crustacean, unique in the world, known as "jameito".

From Manrique to Saramago: a guide to the most unusual museums

A unique natural and cultural route through Lanzarote by the artist César Manrique.

To this route to admire the work of the incomparable artist we must add, in addition to the Cactus Garden, the Castle of San José and the Peasant's Museum, what was his house in Taro de Tahiche - today the headquarters of the Foundation - built on a lava flow. A visit to the House-Museum is also a must. César Manrique in Haría, an old farmhouse located inside a palm grove that he restored to live and work there until his death in 1992 in a fatal traffic accident.

Sports paradise 

The island has carved out a niche for itself in the training schedules of Europe's elite sportsmen and women, especially in the winter months when the cold of the continent makes outdoor sports impossible.

Running, cycling, golf, all kinds of water sports... There is no discipline that can resist to Lanzarote thanks to the extraordinary year-round climate, its privileged surroundings and a wide range of first-class accommodation, facilities and services, capable of satisfying the most demanding requirements. Proof of this is the fact that the island hosts important sporting competitions such as the Ironman, one of the toughest triathlons in the world.

Combining holidays with some physical exercise is an excellent plan. And if it is Lanzarote the chosen destination, success is guaranteed.

Why is the Lanzarote Ironman one of the toughest in the world?

The Ironman of Lanzarote is considered one of the toughest events on the international sporting calendar and as a result, has one of the highest drop-out rates for athletes in the world... would you dare?

Sports fans will surely have heard about the Triathlon of Lanzarotewhich is part of the Ironman championships. At world level, 37 events are held in this modality known for its great difficulty, with sporting disciplines and distances of identical characteristics: the swimming event is 3.8 kilometres long; the cycling event is 180 kilometres long; and the running event is 42.2 kilometres long. They are carried out in succession and without interruption from one to the next. However, the Ironman of the Canary Islands is considered to be one of the most difficult on the planet as it takes place in very variable and almost extreme geographical and climatic conditions. That is why it causes so much fascination as well as a desire to excel on the part of those who set themselves the goal of completing the competition. The figures speak for themselves: every year it arouses passions and has a massive participation of more than 2,000 triathletes (half of whom are usually professionals) from all over the world and more than 5,000 people - volunteers and organisers - participate in its development and ensure safety parameters.

Villages among volcanoes

As the island is different, it is to be expected that its people are different too. The successive volcanic eruptions that have shaped the current landscape have been equally decisive for the settlements where life goes on between volcanoes and lava. It has not been easy, but the result is unbeatable, both for the locals and for visitors to this unusual island territory.

In fact, in the extensive area occupied by the Natural Park of the Volcanoes there is only one population centre, El Golfo, a picturesque fishing village where you must visit to taste the exquisite fresh fish. Yaiza, the first European enclave in the Canary Islands, is located on the edge of the area buried by the volcanic eruptions of Timanfaya. This charming town stands out above all for its well-kept traditional architecture.

Another town that should be on our route is Teguise, a noble and stately village that still retains that air of splendour in the cobbled streets of its welcoming old town. This is also the site of the famous street market that attracts thousands of local visitors and tourists every Sunday. Haría is the greenest area of the island, in fact it is also known as the Valley of the Thousand Palm Trees which are intermingled with the typical white houses.

Don't leave without trying...

The wines of the Malvasía Volcánica variety, unique in the world, are of great quality due to their balance, flavour and perfume.