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Tourist guide: what to do and see in Lanzarote
A geological marvel
The third most populous of the Canary Islands is home to some spectacular nature, with more than 100 volcanoes creating imposing lunar-like landscapes both above ground and underwater. Its excellent year-round climate makes it possible to enjoy its beaches virtually any day, from Haría, with the island's whitest sand, to Famara, the ideal choice for surfing and other water sports. You'll love nature parks such as Timanfaya, a volcanic environment listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The local take on Canarian cuisine will tickle your taste buds, too, from the fresh local catch to classic Canarian "wrinkled potatoes". And its towns and cities offer some impressive history, culture and shopping - Exhibit A being capital Arrecife with historic defense fortresses San Gabriel and San José (the latter of which is home to the superb International Museum of Contemporary Art, established by a figure whose work you will see all over the island, artist/architect César Manrique).
- Sights
- Shopping
- Leisure
- Dining
- Open air
- Museum
- Sights
- Shopping
- Leisure
- Dining
- Open air
- Museum
Deiland Shopping Mall
Take a break from the beach in Playa Honda
More retail therapy
Another of Lanzarote's shiny shopping centres, located on Playa Honda's Calle Chimida, offers a great change of pace from the usual sun, sand, and surf that most visitors come for. The Deiland Centro Comercial carries a wide variety of goods, such as clothing, accessories, shoes, and perfume, along with a good selection of eateries, from fast-food outlets to more formal sit-down restaurants.
Reinaldo Dorta Déniz
Visitors can watch traditional crafts being kept alive, and buy some to take home
Reinaldo Dorta Déniz Crafts Workshop
The town of Haría encourages the maintenance of traditional trades and crafts, which are in danger if the know-how is not handed down to new generations by the old-timers. To that end, the town hall has opened the Taller Reinaldo Dorta Déniz on Calle Barranco de Tenesía, next door to the town's main food market, and open to the public Tuesday through Saturday. Here the venerable arts of pottery making, macramé, weaving, basket weaving, and others are taught and demonstrated, using traditional techniques to produce both traditional and contemporary designs. You can, of course, also browse a fine selection of all the above at the on-premises shop.
Artisans' Promenade at Pueblo Marinero
If you're looking for an original memento or gift, head to this Costa Teguise market on Wednesday afternoon
A top market for local handicrafts
Taking place every Wednesday afternoon at the Costa Teguise's Pueblo Marinero, the Artisans' Promenade was created in 2011 under the aegis of the Association of Artisans of Lanzarote as a space to promote small businesspeople who create marvelous products in their respective areas and media. These products include leatherwork, jewelry, decorative items carved from lava rock, ceramic fertility figures, and musical instruments such as timples, a kind of small Canarian guitar. You're sure to find an absolutely original memento or gift here.
Vega de Yuco Winery
Lanzarote wines, like its cheeses, are something special, and this winery is a top producer
Volcanic wine, anyone?
More than 2,000 hectares (eight square miles) of Lanzarote's volcanic earth is covered by vineyards, and its special properties yield extraordinary wines, including one that's unique in the world: volcanic Malvasia (malmsey). One of the very best is Vega de Yuco (est. 1997), in the village of Masdache near César Manrique's Monument to the Farmworker. It runs guided tours of the vineyard and winery by advance reservation, including tastings, and there's a shop where you can buy not only the house reds, rosés, whites, and Malvasias, but also liqueurs distilled from grapes, blackberries, herbs, and coffee.
Biosfera Plaza Shopping Mall
One of the prides of Puerto del Carmen, this enormous complex has something for everyone and every age
One of Spain's best shopping centres
Lanzarote's top shopping destination, located in Puerto del Carmen, is a 25,000-square-metre (six-acre) open-air collection of some 70 shops, restaurants, cafés, and pubs. Many of the shops focus on fashion and accessories, of course, and include the flagships of many upmarket international brands. There are play areas for kids, as well as a roof with splendid views. Be sure to come back at night, too, for the extraordinarily cool lighting here. The Biosfera Plaza is such a big deal that back in 2004 it was voted best shopping mall in all of Spain.
El Faro Cheese Dairy
Lanzarote cheeses are something special, and here's one of its top producers
Blessed are the cheesemakers…
Whether with herbs, figs, smoked, farm fresh, cured, reddish with peppers, mixed with olive oil and typical local gofio grain - the cheeses of Lanzarote are an exotic world unto themselves. If you're a cheese lover, or perhaps have sampled some at breakfast in your hotel that you fell in love with, make one of your on-island stops the award-winning Quesería El Faro, located along the road from Teguise to Mozaga. Among its ten varieties - which it exports throughout Europe - perhaps its top speciality is goat cheese. Yum!
Teguise Open Air Market
Sunday morning is the time for foodies and shoppers to flock to downtown Teguise
The most popular in the Canary Islands
Even more popular than Haría's Saturday market, its Sunday-morning counterpart in Teguise is quite popular with locals and visitors alike (not to mention the occasional pickpocket, so have a care) for its selection of all manner of products from Lanzarote's artists, artisans, and artisanal food producers. In fact, it may well be the largest and most popular of its kind in all the Canary Islands. Here, of the non-edible type, you'll find exquisite leatherwork, ceramics, and products made from local cactus and aloe vera. On the comestible side, of particular note are the delicious local wines and cheeses.
Haría Crafts Market
Saturday mornings, this is the place to browse for local foods and handicrafts
A town and its open-air market
Every Saturday morning, the centre of the town of Haría is invaded by foodies and shoppers thanks to the open-air Mercado de Artesanía held in the Plaza León y Castillo. It's acclaimed for its focus on products manufactured on Lanzarote, such as cheese, farm products, and liqueurs, as well as non-comestibles such as palm basketry, aloe vera cosmetics, and a variety of craft items created from glass, wax, wood, and leather.
Paseo de la Moda
Spanish and international brands shine at this Puerto Calero shopping enclave
A glam collection of boutiques
The glamorous shopping quotient on Lanzarote shot up considerably with the opening of "Fashion Promenade", an enclave of fancy boutiques hawking the likes of Armani, DKNY, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, and Ralph Lauren, as well as Spanish brands such as Custo Barcelona. It's right alongside the laid-back waterfront avenue, which means you can stop for refreshment at a variety of outdoor cafés in between giving your credit cards a good workout. Fashion shows are also held here on a regular basis.
Art and Antiquities Emporium
A Teguise shop specialising in extraordinary décor and artwork from the Far East
Exotica-o-rama
Lovers of exotic (especially Far Eastern) décor, furniture, and objets will particularly not want to miss this exclusive Teguise shop which has for more than a decade specialised in the import of such things from places like Tibet, Mongolia, Burma, and China. The Emporium Arte y Antigüedades also carries small artworks including paintings, Asian eroticism, exotic textiles, and carvings of wood and bone. You can even buy an authentic Mongolian yurt for installation in your back yard (camel not included).
LagOmar Museum
Funny story behind this spectacular contemporary multi-use venue, and it involves actor Omar Sharif
Finding your quarry
On Lanzarote to film The Mysterious Island in the early 1970s, actor Omar Sharif was so impressed by this grand modern compound in the town of Nazaret, built in a former volcanic rock quarry by the firm of (who else) César Manrique, that he went and bought it. And then, the story goes, Sharif proceede to lose it in a game of bridge - after which he left Lanzarote forever. Now all comers can see what all the fuss was about - whitewashed modern architecture, gardens and pools running through the quarry and its caves. Today it's a multi-use venue, with exhibition and performance space, restaurant, bar, and guest cottages. In fact, it's become something of a cultural centre and magnet for events attracting artists, writers, and musicians.
Tanit Ethnographic Museum
Housed in a historic manse, it will help you get a real feel for what Lanzarote is all about
Canarian culture, traditions, and history
The Canary Islands has a very distinct culture and traditions, and for those interested in learning more, the Museo Etnográfico Tanit in the town of San Bartolomé is a fantastic way to get up to speed on much of it. Occupying the basement of a onetime aristocratic manse (you can still see the original cisterns), its rooms are organised as a progression through time, from the development of the earliest Lanzarote settlements atop wind-whipped volcanic rock. It's the perfect spot to get a comprehensive feel for the island's history as well as culture, as well as early Guanche influence, displaying traditional furniture, tools, clothing, and crafts. The permanent collection is complemented by temporary exhibitions as well as conferences. The museum is open Monday through Saturday 10 am to 2 pm.
Aloe Vera Museum
Aloe vera thrives on Lanzarote, and here you can learn more than you ever thought you wanted to know about this remarkable medicinal plant
Say 'ello to aloe
Lanzarote's arid regions have proved fertile ground for the cultivation of aloe vera, the spiky green plant touted for its medicinal properties as far back as the time of Alexander the Great, Aristotle, and even ancient Egypt, but rediscovered by science only in the 20th century. This museum in the town of Haría is a full-featured centre of interpretation which covers everything from the cultivation to harvesting to processing to the science and history surrounding aloe vera. Open Monday through Saturday 10 am to 6 pm.
De la Guerra House
On a hill in the town of San Bartolomé, a window into history and out over the island
How the mighty once lived in Lanzarote
The town of San Bartolomé is worth visiting in part because it's home to this 19th-century upper-class manse. The Casa de la Guerra was built by local military commander Francisco Guerra Clavijo y Perdomo, on a hilltop overlooking the port of Arrecife as well as Mina and Guaticea mountains. It's a typical traditional Canarian affair of whitewashed adobe, with a red-tile roof, central courtyard, outdoor breezeway, basement with a cistern, and various period-furnished rooms open to visitors and also containing panels describing the history of the town. Open Tuesday through Sunday 10 am to 5 pm.
International Museum of Contemporary Art
Adapted by the inevitable César Manrique, it shows off some top modern-art maestros
Another old castle turned new museum
Another of this island's old defensive fortresses, the 18th-century Castillo de San José, like others of its ilk, was turned into a museum, in this case the Museo Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo (MIAC), established in 1976 by - you guessed it - artist/architect César Manrique. The draughty old spaces were modernised and adapted with an eye toward emphasising both art and nature - and it's a fascinating experience from an architectural and design standpoint as well as artistically. The collection stars the likes of Francis Bacon, Eduardo Chillida, Antoni Tápies, Julio Le Park, and Antonio López, to name just several. It's open daily 10 am to 8 pm, and you can also grab a bite at an extraordinary on-premises restaurant with lovely ocean views.
Arrecife History Museum
History both human and natural
Time capsule in a castle
One of Lanzarote's coolest cultural attractions is the Museo de la Historia de Arrecife, in the 16th-century San Gabriel Castle. Its aim is to bring visitors back in time as far back as prehistory and the very volcano-created origins of Lanzarote. It includes multimedia and sometimes interactive displays on its unique fauna and flora, as well as the beginnings of human habitation up through the medieval period and into the present day. The visit includes an exploration of the castle itself, with its impressive views out over the island, coastline, and ocean.
Museum of Piracy
Housed in a fortress that once protected Canarians against pirates, a museum about the era of bucaneers, privateers, and freebooters
Arggh!
Over the centuries, one of the downsides of Lanzarote's and the other Canary Islands' location was that it made them the target of invasions and most especially raids by pirates and privateers, especially from North Africa's Barbary Coast, in search of booty as well as slaves - to the point where the Canaries' still existing Guanche population had to take refuge in fortresses and caves in the 16th through 18th centuries. One of those fortresses, Santa Bárbara, is now home to the Museo de la Piratería de Teguise, which recreates the histories of some of the more notorious, such as Francis Drake and Robert Blake, as well as displays of firearms, swords, maps, scale models (such as an 18th-century Spanish galleon) and information about Canarian militias and defenders. Other material includes cartoons and crafts of the period.
Santo Domingo Monastery Art Gallery
A taste of history and culture in Teguise
Old building, modern art
In 1698, Captain Gaspar Rodríguez Carrasco donated a portion of his land holdings for the building of a church and Dominican monastery - whose whitewashed façade bears the Rodríguez family crest. Inside, a pair of naves are unified by four rounded arches and ceilings in the neo-Moorish style known as Mudéjar, and also feature a polychrome, gold leaf altarpiece in Baroque style. Santo Domingo no longer functions as a church, however, but as an exposition of international contemporary artists. It's open daily except Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm.
José Saramago House-Museum
One of the literary greats of the past half century loved Lanzarote, and you can see it in his last home
The final harbour of Portugal's Nobel Prize-winning novelist
Inland west of Arrecife, another of Lanzarote's most representative house-museums besides César Manrique's is dedicated to the Portuguese Nobel laureate for literature José Saramago (1922-2010), who spent his final years here enjoying the climate and quiet, from which he drew inspiration. His Casa Abierta (Open House) is, said Saramago, "a house made of books", where literature is in the very air and the writer's extraordinary book collection lines the walls from floor to ceiling. His personal effects, photos, manuscripts, writing study, bedroom, living room, and gardens are all now open to lit fans interested in learning more about the author and the man. There's also something of an art collection, including a Manrique engraving and signed drawings by Spain's illustrious 20th-century poet Rafael Alberti.
César Manrique Foundation
Lanzarote literally wouldn't be the same without this groundbreaking architect/artist
The epicentre of Lanzarote's most famous figure
César Manrique (1919-92) was an environmentally minded architect and artist who before his death in a car crash had become Lanzarote's best known figure of modern times. He used his vision of art and nature as two very complementary forces, in creating many Lanzarote landmarks, and also influenced tourism development on the island in a more sustainable, lower impact direction. The Fundación Manrique promotes his legacy and preserves and operates his home/studio at Taro de Tahíche as a museum. Just north of Arrecife, it was built on lava rock in the 1960s and includes a gallery of work by Manrique and other artists including Picasso and Miró.
Risco de Famara Cliff
A happy place for birders, adrenaline junkies, and sunset fans alike
Watch the birdies - or fly yourself!
One of the foremost refuges for native Canarian ecosystems as well as its top birding destination, these imposing cliffs also make a superb vantage point for Lanzarote's spectacular sunset. Adrenaline junkies can let it rip paragliding and hang gliding down to wild beaches like Playa de Famara (which, by the way, while a bit dicey for swimming is simply smashing for surfing). Plus, fun fact: recent investigations have uncovered fossilised eggs of a Canarian ancestor of the ostrich in Risco de Famara (the big question remains, along with why they went extinct, how they got to the island, given that they were flightless birds).
Cactus Garden
A cactus cornucopia mixing local species with others from across the world
A prickly panorama
Many regions of Lanzarote, as the other Canary Islands, are arid, and this of course provides a congenial environment for desert plants such as cactus... and this park is the perfect example. The last project of iconic Lanzarote architect/artist César Manrote, in 1991, the Jardín de Cactos is an amphiteatre-like complex of more than a thousand square metres (just under 11,000 square feet), with more than 7,000 specimens of more than 1,000 species of cactus from all over the world. It's open 10 am to 5:45 pm, and there's a café for pit stops.
Los Ajaches Mountains
Head to the hills (the mountains, even) for some great hiking and birding
The hills are alive…
Down in Yaiza township, the Los Ajaches mountain range provides outdoorsy types with some great hiking and ecotourism opportunities. Its trails, well marked and accessible from the pictureqsue town of Femés, cross a protected ornithological protection zone, and so birding is boffo; along the way hikers will find informative signs. Visitors can choose among various levels of difficulty, altitude, and length. Keep in mind, though that many of the trails also include segments running through the arid and tree-sparse Femés Valley, so in addition to comfortable footgear you'll want to make sure you have plenty of water and sunscreen.
Los Hervideros Cliffs
The interplay between the crashing Atlantic and this towering solidified lava is a wonder to behold
Impressive craggy and splashy
Some of Lanzarote's most dramatic scenery can be found on its southwestern coast below Timanfaya Park in the form of spectacularly craggy cliffs, formed by magma then eroded by wind and water, their holes and crevices creating equally spectacular spray when pounded by the Atlantic surf (in fact, its name comes from the Spanish word for boiling, hervidero).
Graciosa Island
Unspoiled beaches, spectacular snorkelling/diving, a simpler way of life
Nearly a castaway experience
For outdoor fun that's a switch from Lanzarote's usual beach resort scene, consider a boat ride from the port town of Órzola out to very lightly developed Isla Graciosa, off Lanzarote's northwest corner. It has a handful of houses and shops, but no paved roads and no automotive traffic. It is rich, however, in unspoiled beaches and snorkelling/diving riches (thanks in part to one of the world's most abundant fish banks, off which the islanders still make most of their living). Various boats offer service between Órzola and Graciosa throughout the day.
Janubio Salt Ponds
Discover where artesinal sea salt comes from at this venerable family-owned business
NaCl a go-go
Ever wonder where sea salt comes from? If you've never visited salt pans, the Salinas de Janubio, on a saltwater lagoon just off the beach near Yaiza in Lanzarote's southwest, makes for an interesting stop. Making a dramatic contrast of white alongside black earth and blue ocean, this family-run enterprise has been in business for more than a century extracting salt from seawater, with the hot African sun concentrating and solidifying the sodium chloride in the water, and producing high-quality salt that makes its way to tables and kitchens all over Spain, as condiment and for use in cooking. The best time of year to visit, with the most activity here, is when that sun is at its strongest, in summer. Any time of year, you can also participate in salt tastings as well as take some home for yourself or as gifts.
Los Verdes Cave
The world's largest lava tube, some 1,500 metres down - it a breathtaking experience
Journey to the centre of the earth
Visiting the Cueva de los Verdes, at seven kilometres (three miles) long, Lazarote's largest lava tube, is a real Journey to the Centre of the Earth kind of experience. Named after the Verdes family on whose land it's located, some 1,500 metres (nearly a mile) underground, the so-called Tunnel of the Atlantic displays the extraordinary erosive power of the magma that erupted from the La Corona Volcano 5,000 years ago. During the 16th and 17th centuries, it also served to shelter the local population during pirate attacks.
Jameos del Agua
A spectacular cavern and tiny blind albino crabs
Manrique meets nature
Carefully adapted by César Manrique from a subterranean lava tube created by the La Corona Volcano, Jameos del Agua is a truly unique recreational area featuring gardens, passageways, delicate spiral staircases, an auditorium, and a lagoon full of jameitos, tiny, blind albino crabs (rust kills them, so throwing coins in the water is prohibited). You won't see another place like this anytime soon.
Timanfaya National Park
A testament to dramatic forces of nature
Mountains of fire
Did you know that at least a full quarter of Lanzarote was buried by the lava that erupted from the ground in the 18th century, destroying towns wholesale? Covered with solidified magma and ash, Timanfaya National Park (aka Montañas del Fuego, Mountains of Fire) is testament to the awesome forces of nature that have reshaped these islands. On a visit to the park, which costs less than 10 euros and lasts an hour, you'll see geysers and "geothermal anomalies" such as unusually high temperatures that are the fruit of convulsive eruptions from 1730 to 1736. The Route of Volcanoes extends for 14 kilometres (nine miles); one classic experience is to do it by camel.
Green Lagoon
Dramatic colour contrasts on the west coast
A cool crater indeed
On Lanzarote's west coast near the town of Yaiza, the Charco Verde, aka Charco de los Ciclos (the latter name originating from the small crustaceans that live here) is a volcanic crater filled with emerald green water connected via underground caves and tunnels to the ocean. The landscape out here is some of the island's most admired thanks to the dramatic contrasts between the green lagoon, the black volcanic rock, and the blue sea. You can't swim here, but it's worth a visit not just for the view but also the chance to pick up some olivine, the semiprecious green stone typical of Lanzarote.
Jonnie Bakes
Tea, clotted cream, and scones amid updated traditional décor
An excellent English tea shop and bakery
Another good example of the international bounty made possible by Lanzarote's expat community, Teguise town's Jonnie Bakes features décor suggesting a modern version of traditional English tea rooms, with cupcakes, muffins, retro chairs and armoires, and a delightful aroma of homemade baked goods which will positively make your mouth water. The tea here is the real deal, complete with clotted cream and a lovely selection of biscuits, scones, and pastries, ranging from croissants and madeleines to cinnamon buns and more.
Fantasie di Grano
Savoury pizzas and lasagna, or gelato and pastries - whatever you're in the mood for
Casual Italian in Playa Blanca
High quality yet very casual, this Italian café down in Playa Blanca is an excellent choice for pizzas, foccaccias, and homemade lasagnas, as well as yummy stuff on the sweeter side such as gelato and pastries (downed, of course, with a dark, bracing cup of expresso). Or get it all to go for a picnic on the beach. Bellissimo!
Mar Deleva
Great views, great service, great local cuisine in Puerto del Carmen
Best hits of Canary Islands cuisine
Sometimes it seems that Lanzarote's tourist areas are overwhelmingly awash in beach kiosks, pubs, fast-food spots, and English joints. But here and there you'll find some quite nice restaurants for a bit of actual Canarian cuisine, as well. One such is Mar Deleva, on Puerto del Carmen's Calle Los Infantes. Here's the Canary Islands' greatest hits, gastronomically speaking: papas arrugás ("wrinkled potatoes"); fried cheese; grilled local fish such as barracuda and white seabream; meat dishes with mojo picón (a garlic-olive oil dressing with chilies); and a great variety of salads. Throw in spectacular ocean views, impeccable service with careful attention to detail, and affordable prices, and this becomes a must-dine on any holiday.
TJ's Caribbean Tapas Bar
Jerk chicken and rum punch in Puerto del Carmen
Jamaica to Lanzarote
On Puerto del Carmen's Calle Teide, this small restaurant is another spot to broaden your culinary horizons on Lanzarote, as in addition to traditional tapas, owners Tony and Janette serve up Jamaican/Caribbean fare with a bit of a kick - the house speciality is jerk chicken that will set your taste buds a-tingle. Just watch out for the rum punch - it goes down easy, but they don't call it punch for nothing, mon.
Fazz's Indian Restaurant
Several locations in Lanzarote for a savoury change of pace
From subcontinent to archipelago
Over the years, Lanzarote's culinary scene has grown to embrace not just British but other world cuisines, as well. This local chain of Bengali restaurants (Puerto Calero, Puerto del Carmen, Playa Blanca, Costa Teguise, and ) is a perfect example. All boast excellent sea views and authentic, savoury curries, tandoori, biryani, and other Indian dishes, exquisitely presented. Fazz's caters to other tastes, as well, with pizzas, pastas, and select meat and fish dishes - all appealingly spiced. Budget watchers will want to get here before 7:30 to take advantage of the "early bird" specials of 9 euros (though even regular prices here are happily quite reasonable).
Los Aljibes
Tasty farm-to-table delights in a revived modern-architecture icon
Organic fare in a Manrique landmark
One of the cooler recent culinary additions to the Lanzarote scene is the organic, sustainable menu at a new dining spot established in the restaurant designed in the 1970s by Lanzarote's iconic architect César Manrique, utilising natural material such as local clay and volcanic ash. New owners Hernán Fondado and José Azaola specialise in traditional Canarian fare cooked in Los Aljibes' traditional oven and served in a structure set up like an amphitheatre, bordered by hibiscus gardens and including its own farm, exhibition spaces, and shop selling Canarian crafts. Menu items are created from ingredients supplied by local organic farmers, fishermen, ranchers, and beer and wine makers.
Marea Terraza Lounge Bar
Whether its cocktails at sunset or live music after midnight, this is one of the south's chillest scenes
After dark, a cool island vibe
Fancy enjoying a spectacular sunset over the Altantic from a comfy lawn chair, tequila sunrise in hand? Or perhaps chilling out with a gin tonic or piña colada amid island breezes, soothing sounds, and laid-back lounge beats? Down on Playa Blanca, near the Pechiguera Lighthouse, the strong suit of the Marea Terraza Lounge Bar is not just fruit juices and exotic cocktails such as mojitos, caipirinhas, Cosmopolitans, and Manhattans, but also its live music lineup after dark until 3 am.
Altamar
On the top floor of a luxury hotel one of Lanzarote's best fine-dining restaurants
Haute cuisine with a view
If you're an aficionado of true fine dining, you won't want to miss one of Lanzarote's top contenders. Altamar is on the top floor of the vertical beachside landmark Arrecife Gran Hotel & Spa, offering extraordinary panoramas of Lanzarote by land and sea. Like this five-star hotel, the restaurant also serves up a world-class experience at afffordable prices, with a menu of nouvel Mediterranean made with fresh, locally produced ingredients and an exclusive level of service. Its tasting menu includes delights such as langoustine crisp with soy cream and orange reduction; pork sirloin with Moscatel sauce, grilled potatoes, and sweet onion; and glazed hake with double-textured squash and creamy corkscrew potatoes. Special mention is due its platter of delicious smoked Lanzarote cheese with cranberry marmelade.
La Porteña
A classic Argentine/Uruguayan grill with an excellent wine list and handsome harbour views
Where's the beef?
Many carnivores these days know that an Argentine asador is a sure bet for a party in their mouths. Here on Lanzarote, that particular party's at La Porteña in the town of Puerto Calero, down the coast from Arrecife and Puerto del Carmen. With an authentic wood-burning parrilla grill, its generous portions of steaks, chops, sausages, sweetbreads and other meaty stars are paired with an expansive wine list, and served up with sweet views out over the town's port and marina. Once you've tried it, you're likely to be back before your holiday is over - and you might also want to reserve your table in advance.
Tekkers Family Bar & Restaurant
Fish and chips, pints, and footy, up on the Costa Teguise
Little Britain
Especially of interest for Brits peckish for a taste of home, at this unpretentious, welcoming Costa Teguise eatery every evening is an extended happy hour irrigated by rivers of beer and fed by tasty, affordably priced dinner specials. The fare is hearty and homely, such as fish and chips, home fries, burgers, sandwiches, roasts, and an extensive choice of natural shakes. The Tekkers experience includes frequent football and other sport-event nights (when both expats and visitors jam the place to overflowing) and live music programming as varied as Irish music or covers of the likes of Neil Diamond and David Bowie. You can also, of course, find relatively silent nights where it's just you and some good English grub.
Casa Rafa Seafood Restaurant
The village of El Golfo is the place for some of the island's best fish/shellfish, served up with memorable sea views
Sampling Lanzarote's marine bounty
Fish fresh off the boat - grilled, fried, and prepared in various other ways - in idyllic surroundings is served up by attentive waitstaff at Casa Rafa in the fishing village of El Golfo. Go for an early dinner (around sunset) to best appreciate the sweeping ocean views under a sky gorgeously streaked orange and red. Specialities include fried fish and local shellfish, as well as lobster and rice, the house paella, and non-marine goodies like fried cheeses, roast meats, and traditional island sauces and sides.
Aquatis Diving Center
On Costa Teguise north of Arrecife, snorkelling and diving galore (with sharks, even!)
Adventures underwater
Up on the Costa Teguise's Playa de las Cucharas, this dive shop is focussed on getting holidaymakers of all experience levels out under the waves in various forms, sending out boats daily on diving and snorkelling excursion through this island's rich submarine landscapes. For those who dare, they also offer a chance to dive with sharks - though not in open ocean, but rather in the tanks of the Aquarium de Lanzarote; don't worry, beforehand you get a crash course in Sharks 101, including behaviour when you're in the water with them - and we're told they haven't lost anyone yet!
Rancho Texas Lanzarote
Fun in the water and with animals at a Puerto del Carmen park
A wide variety of activities for the whole family
If you're travelling with kids, here's a fun alternative to sand-castle building and shell collecting: the multi-adventure park Rancho Texas Lanzarote on Calle Alcalde Cabrera Torres in Puerto del Carmen. It's a mix of water park (interactive pools, canoeing areas), a mini-zoo (mammals, birds, and reptiles), gardens, and play zone (including pony rides and restaurants). Tykes and parents alike will be delighted by stuff like swimming with trained sea lions, and entertaining macaws and cockatoos.
Rubicon Fishing
An outfitter in the south of Lanzarote that offers fishing expeditions and more
Exploring an angler's paradise
Do you know the difference between trolling and jigging? Whether you're an occasional angler or a pro, you'll appreciate the fishing opportunities offered by these rich Atlantic waters. Located in the south of the island at Puerto Marina Rubicón, Rubicon Fishing will put at your disposition its fully equipped boat Agua Marina, with a cabin designed for maximum comfort, for a day out on the deep with your significant other, family, or friends. Other activities offered by Rubicon Fishing include excursions to Graciosa and Alegranza islands, as well as snorkelling and kitesurfing.
Costa Teguise Golf
Golf great Severiano Ballesteros called this the best and most challenging course in the Canary Islands
Spectacular and challenging
Spain's golf great Severiano Ballesteros once called the Costa Teguise Golf Course the Canary Islands' best and most challenging. Conceived by British designer John Harris in 1978, it's lined with 3,500 palm trees, and challenges include Lanzarote's picón (volcanic sand), strong winds, and a multitude of dogleg holes. The club also offers private hourlong golf lessons (or five hours spread over a week). Facilities include padel courts and a café-restaurant with views over the volcano and sea.
Ironman Lanzarote
Every May, thousands of competitors, spectators, and volunteers descend on Puerto del Carmen for a gruelling testament to human endurance
An annual triathlon
If you really want to put yourself to the test physically, competing against some of the world's fittest athletes, give a thought to Puerto del Carmen's annual Ironman Lanzarote competition (in 2016, May 21st). And even if you don't compete, it makes a fascinating experience as a spectator, as well - watching some 1,800 men and women turning themselves into flesh-and-blood machines pushed to their limits on land and sea. It includes four kilometres (2½ miles) of swimming, biking around the entire island, and a road marathon of 42 km (26 mi.). This is a huge deal locally, and in addition to competitors and spectators also involves more than 4,000 volunteers working in all sorts of capacities.
Aqualava
Get wet with the kids at 70,000 square metres of wave pools, waterslides, and more
A family waterpark
Water, water everywhere in Playa Blanca's Aqualava water park, located in the Relaxia resort complex. More than 70,000 square metres (17 acres) include attractions such as wave pools, waterslides, and water castles - all of which are kid-orientated and kid-safe, without high speeds and vertiginous drops. In between rides and activities, there are also plenty of food and drink options, including exotic fruit juices and artisanal ice creams.
Mountain Biking
Three to five unforgettable days biking lava fields and other lunar-like landscape
Excursions with "Lava Pedals"
Lanzarote is a paradise not just of sand and sea, but also plenty of fun activities on land. If you're into mountain biking, for example, a programme called Pedales de Lava runs three- to five-day excursions that let you get to know some of this island's lunar landscape via a network of bike paths across lava fields as well as rock and desert landscapes; meals and refreshments are provided, as is accommodation in typical Canarian lodging. Lanzarote offers 247 kilometres (153 miles) extending up to 3,500 metres (nearly 11,500 feet) above sea level to put yourself to the test. The company also takes care of luggage transport, equipment rental, and insurance.
Paracraft Lanzarote
A watersports centre where high-speed is the operative word
Watery fun with a jolt of adrenaline
If you were thinking of your Lanzarote holidays as just one long lie in a beachside hammock, getting up only to fetch a cold one from the refreshment stand - well, why not also inject a little enjoyable adrenaline into the picture a day or two? For example, parasailing - flying high behind a motor boat for a bird's-eye view of the coast? Puerto del Carmen's Paracraft Lanzarote offers this and other high-energy options such as flyboarding (a water jetback); the high-speed banana boat; and the even higher-speed jet boat. For something a little mellower, Paracraft Lanzarote also runs fun JetSki tours.
Horseback/ATV/Camel Outings
A cool way to see parts of the island - plus the option for a rousing game of paintball!
An outdoorsy, adventurous twist
If you're of an outdoorsy, slightly adventurous bent, the tour operator Lanzarote a Caballo has a number of great options for individuals or families of all levels of experience. Horseback tours, of course, as the name implies, but also three-hour ATV excursions to the Playa Quemada fishing village, up Mount Adomada, and a visit to the port of Puerto Calero, all along dirt and salt tracks. Another option is a one- to two-hour camel trek, open to ages seven and up. Finally, if you're up for a rousing session of paintball, they've got a good course back at their home base roughly halfway along the road from Arrecife to Yaiza.
El Grifo Vineyard
Wine-lovers should make a point of experiencing a tour and Malvasia tasting
The Canary Islands' oldest vineyard
Outside the town of San Bartolomé, award-winning Viñedos El Grifo is the Canary Islands' oldest vineyard, dating back to 1775. Its speciality is the Malvasia grape (traditionally known in English as Malmsey), which mostly produces sweet wines and is protected with its own denomination of origin. Visitors can tour its more than 60 hectares (148 acres) of vineyards, culminating in a stop in the whitewashed wine cellar for a tasting, accompanied by local cheeses, breads, and olives. There's also a wine museum, housed in the old wine cellar built from lava rock, with displays of vintage fermentation equipment as well as extensive documentation of the industry's history. Vineyard tours must be reserved; open Monday through Friday 11 am to 3 pm and weekends 11:30 am to 3 pm.
Las Coloradas Castle
Down south, the smallest of Lanzarote's fortifications against pirate attacks
Small but doughty
The southern municipality of Yaiza was another coastal area of Lanzarote that for many years suffered mightily from pirate raids, and so the Castillo de las Coloradas (aka Castillo de las Águilas) was built circa 1740. It's the smallest of Lanzarote's defensive fortifications, meant for defensive purposes and to monitor naval traffic in the Bocaina Strait. Circular in form, it's built in masonry, wood, and lime; and surrounded by a moat with a drawbridge. It wasn't large enough to shelter nearby residents, but only a military detachment along with installations like a pair of cannons, a powder magazine, a brig, and a well. The inside is not currently open to visitors, but this is under active consideration as of this writing.
Lanzarote Windmills
La Mancha isn't Spain's only region with historic windmills - and here are several which can be visited
Gone with the wind
Besides sun and sea, another great natural resource of Lanzarote is wind, and therefore it's no surprise that the windmill has become a symbol of the island. But these differ from Spain's most famous windmills, the whitewashed icons of La Mancha, in that they have three and not two storeys, as well as masonry construction with conical wood-and-tile roofs. Very few are still in operation, but one of them can be found in San Bartolomé; it's been used since 1870 for grinding traditional gofio (a particular kind of local flour). Another typical historic windmill is located in Tiagua; this one is also home to the El Patio Agricultural Museum, which explains the island's farming culture and tradition and includes an exquisite tasting of local wine and goat cheese.
Perchiguera Lighthouse
At the south of Lanzarote, another of the island's symbols
An illuminating mid-19th-century landmark
Built in 1856, the Faro de Punta Pechiguera is located in Yaiza, in the island's south, from where on a clear day you can see the neighbouring Canary Island of Fuerteventura. It was part of a mid-19th-century "illumination plan" meant among other things to signpost the Bocaina Strait, and was in operation for more than a century until it was superseded by a more modern lighthouse - automated and four times higher - built right alongside it. The old-time feel of the antique lighthouse is still yours for the appreciating, however - although the interior is closed to visitors due to its dilapidated state.
Santa Bárbara Castle
A 15th-century fortress built on the edge of a volcano, its pirate museum will shiver your timbers
A pirate museum in a onetime anti-pirate fort
Up the coast from Arrecife on the Costa Teguise is another of Lanzarote's fortresses to defend against pirates. The Castillo de Santa Bárbara y San Hermenegildo (also known as the Castillo de Guanapay, in honour of the volcano in the edge of whose crater it was built) dates from the 15th century, starting out as a defensive tower and growing into a full-blown fortress that would not only defend against pirate attacks - which targeted both the local population to take slaves as well as ships arriving with cargo from the Americas - but shelter the local people during said attacks. The defensive utility of Guanapay Castle fell off in the 17th century as new military installations came online, and it was even abandoned for years. Today it houses the swashbuckling Museum of Piracy - arggh!
Ajei House
Just outside Arrecife, the town of San Bartolomé is home to a distinguished residence now a Lanzarote cultural lodestar
One of Lanzarote's most famous historic manses
Designated a Canary Islands historic-artistic landmark since the 1960s, the San Bartolomé city hall's Casa Ajei dates from the 18th century, when it was built by a clan of soldiers, the Ferrers. The manse has an interior courtyard with a well, surrounded by a wooden railing and the rooms of the house. The fabled village of Ajei from which the house takes its name, is buried beneath volcanic sands. The Ferrer family descendants lived here into the early 20th century, and especially of late, it has become both a symbol of San Bartolomé and a venue for interesting artistic exhibitions.
The Bridge of Balls
An Arrecife icon with some sweet sunset views
A key symbol of Arrecife
The 175-metre (574-foot) Puente de las Bolas, one of the symbols of Lanzarote's capital Arrecife, built in the 18th century and named for the granite orbs atop the tall, doughty pillars supporting its drawbridge, which along with its cannons was key in keeping pirates and other raiders out. Today it makes one of Arrecife's most typical postcards, with its impressive sunset views and strategic proximity to San Gabriel Castle, the port, and the city's old quarter.
San Gabriel Castle
Built in the 16th century to defend against pirates and brigands
A doughty fortress on an islet
The archipelago of the Canary Islands over its many centuries as part of Spain spent many of those centuries the subject of raids by pirates and slavers - French, English, Dutch, Portuguese, North African. This spurred the building of a number of defensive installations - which on Lanzarote is this Castillo de San Gabriel, built toward the end of the 16th century on an islet just off Arrecife. It was put to the test in 1586, when Barbary Coast pirates set it to the torch, and its current incarnation dates from its 18th-century rebuilding. It saw action in the Spanish-American War of 1898, when the cannons we see here today were installed. The fort is accessed via a bridge, the Puente de las Bolas (Bridge of Balls), and inside you'll find the Archaeological Museum.
Mirador del Río Overlook
An overlook, cultural centre & restaurant also designed by the inimitable César Manrique
From guns to avant-garde
Another popular attraction designed by iconic 20th-century Lanzarote artist/architect César Manrique, this overlook was built in 1974 near the island's northernmost tip, more than 400 metres (1,312 feet) over the Atlantic and offering extraordinary views out over the Chinijo Archipelago from its windows and outside terrace. A onetime artillery battery Manrique turned into a restaurant and cultural centre, the Mirador del Río's architecture is so avant-garde that it was used as the setting for a 1984 episode of Doctor Who. Landscaped glass domes, helicoid stairways, and undulating passageways are among the features characteristic of Manrique's style.
Monument to the Peasant
An iconic sculpture and museum honouring the earliest Spanish settlers of Lanzarote
A beloved César Manrique classic
Lanzarote is inextricably linked to its most famous artist/architect, César Manrique (1919-1992), and his 1968 Monumento al Campesino is one of his signature triumphs, a tribute to the early settlers who forged an agrarian society on the island's many lava fields. Located outside the inland town of San Bartolomé, close to the centre of Lanzarote, it's actually a complex made of a sculpture called Fecundity, made out of repurposed old ships' water tanks arranged on a rock base. Alongside is a museum created by Manrique to conserve implements and other artifacts of traditional Canarian farm workers; you'll also find various exhibitions and a gourmet restaurant of Canary Islands cuisine.
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