October 27, 2024, 9:03 am | Read time: 6 minutes

Lanzarote, with its pretty villages, traditional white houses, and spectacular volcanic landscape, is a wild beauty among the Canary Islands. It was shaped by the island’s most famous son and all-round artist, Cesar Manrique, who for a long time ensured that the island was largely spared mass tourism and was able to retain its charm. TRAVELBOOK has the best tips for a vacation on Lanzarote.

Dream beaches and white houses on Lanzarote

Of course, there are also beaches on Lanzarote that are very busy. Costa Teguise, Puerto del Carmen, and the romantic white sandy Papagayo beaches near Playa Blanca are densely populated by sun worshipers, at least in the summer. But the island has retained its own charm. Most of the houses are painted white, shutters, doors, and garden fences are blue in fishing villages and green in agricultural areas, and sometimes vice versa.

However, visitors flock to Lanzarote for more than just its sun-soaked beaches. The northeasternmost island of the Canary Islands, whose closest neighbor is Fuerteventura and which is 366 kilometers away from La Gomera, was the first entire island to be declared a biosphere reserve by Unesco in 1993, and for good reason. Its nature is impressive, and this is largely due to its volcanic past. Over the course of time, the Famara massif, the El Jable sand desert, the Fire Mountains, and the Timanfaya area, which is now a national park, were formed. In 1824, a volcanic eruption buried several villages and a lot of farmland.

Lanzarote has not only been shaped by volcanoes, but also by people. It was the first island in the Canary Islands to be settled. The Phoenicians arrived as early as 1100 BC, and there are writings by Greek philosophers who raved about a land of fertility. Whether this actually refers to Lanzarote remains unclear, but it is not unlikely.

Rugged nature and wine on Lanzarote

At first glance, Lanzarote does not look like a paradise. The landscape is rugged and dry due to the low rainfall. Only plants that can store water and cope with salt thrive here. There are 570 species, 13 of which are only found on this one island. Lichens, ferns, and the Canary Island pine can also withstand the climate well.

The thriving wine industry is a testament to the resilience of locals who cultivate vines on volcanic ash, shielded from the wind by sunken pits and stone walls. The ash warms up during the day and draws moisture from the air at night. This can be seen, for example, in the wine-growing region of La Geria, where the Malvasia grape, among others, grows. You can taste the wine in Bodegas on the side of the road.

Timanfaya National Park

One of Lanzarote’s most important sights is the Timanfaya National Park in the south of the island. It was a six-year-long catastrophe that left its mark on Lanzarote. The national park, which today shows its sublime beauty from thousands of perspectives, meant immense misery for the inhabitants of the island in the 1930s. Little by little, the earth’s interior spewed its glowing lava over Lanzarote and eventually covered a fifth of the island. In the end, 15 villages had disappeared.

Even today, the area is still hot in the truest sense of the word. You are not allowed to drive into the national park, but you can explore it on a bus tour. You can see steam fountains, which are very impressive. Advance booking for this spectacle is recommended. An entrance fee of 12 euros per person is payable at the national park border. This includes the price of a bus tour of the Fire Mountains, which departs every half hour from Islote de Hilario.

For guided hiking tours, you should book as early as possible. In the core area of the national park, it is not possible to set off on your own. There are a few routes on the outskirts, but these should only be attempted after good preparation. The restrictions are in place less for the conservation of nature and more for the safety of hikers against the untamed natural elements.

Eating in the volcano restaurant

The fact that it is still very hot in the ground here can also be experienced in the El Diablo restaurant, which heats its lava grill using only geothermal energy. Designed by the renowned island artist César Manrique, the restaurant boasts breathtaking views of the volcanic terrain.

You should still bring warm clothing, as it is often chilly in the national park due to the winds. At the Mancha Blanca visitor center, you can learn exciting facts about volcanism.

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Works by César Manrique

You should also visit the Jardín de Cactus, where you can see 1,420 different types of cacti. The garden is one of the last works of César Manrique, who died in 1992. At least as interesting are Manrique’s “Cuevas de los Verdes” in the north of the island, the longest volcanic tunnel system in the world. It is six kilometers long and has been impressively decorated with music and lighting by Manrique. The artist also designed the “Jameos del Agua” nearby. The 100-meter-high and 30-meter-high lava cavity houses an underground lake, a restaurant, and a concert hall.

If you would like to find out more about Manrique, you should visit the Fundacón César Manrique in Taro de Tahiche. It occupies the artist’s former residence, ingeniously crafted within five volcanic bubbles, seamlessly blending the structure with the natural surroundings.
Since Manrique’s death in a car accident, the house has been the cultural center of Lanzarote. You can see not only Manrique’s work, but also art by Picasso, Miró, and other world-famous artists. One thing is certain: anyone who has visited Manrique’s house will immediately start planning their own dream home in the volcanic world.