Travel Spain – Magnificent places to visit in Lanzarote

In 1993, UNESCO declared Lanzarote a »World Biosphere Reserve«. Thousands and thousands of tourists visit the northeastern of the Canary Islands every year. They come for all-year-round warm weather and sunshine and for black, white, and golden sandy beaches. Lanzarote offers more than 300 days of sunshine per year. On average it rains only 16 days in Lanzarote, that is per year, not per month. There is more than magnificent beaches and superb weather: Pretty places to visit in Lanzarote.

 

Collage of photos announcing article Travel Spain - Pretty places to visit in Lanzarote

The volcanic eruption on Lanzarote between 1730 and 1736 covered the island with a thick layer of lava and ash and changed the landscape forever. On Lanzarote, you can get lost in a through and through mystical scenery. The landscape formed by severe magma eruptions is rather inhospitable. Think of Lanzarote as starkly archaic and at the same time refreshingly eccentric. A visit to Lanzarote is highly recommended.

Lanzarote - starkly archaic and refreshingly eccentric

One side of Lanzarote is mass tourism, and the other is tranquillity. I divided places to visit into two categories. One chunk is about places that everyone wants to visit (the popular highlights). The other chunk is about places that focus on spending time in the great outdoors.

Ten gorgeous and impressive places that are on every Lanzarote tourist's itinerary

Lanzarote is a special place and is loved by many. The island is easy to reach. With cheap flights from mainland Europe, Ireland and the UK, and the lure of all-inclusive hotel resorts, mass tourism is a thing on Lanzarote. Here are ten gorgeous and impressive places that are probably on every tourist's itinerary. These places are popular for a reason, and I recommend visiting all of them. Visit slightly off-season or in the early morning or in the late afternoon and try avoiding the biggest crowds that way. Have you actually been to Lanzarote if you haven’t visited these?

1. Jameos del Agua: Art centre built in and around a lava cave with a swimming pool that could easily be a favourite of the villain in a James Bond movie.

2. Fundación César Manrique: The museum located in the artist's former home in Tahiche tells about his vision and work on the island.

3. Mirador del Rio: Spectacular viewing point designed by Cesar Manrique.

4. Cueva de Los Verdes: When nearby Monte Corona erupted 3,000 years ago this cave was created by its lava flow.

5. Playa de Papagayo: Everyone goes wild for these secluded five beaches in a national park, Playa Mujeres, Playa de la Cera, Playa del Cangrio, Playa Papagayo, and Playa Puerto Muelas. Needless to say, slip, slop and slap. Bring your own water and food. To be reached via a gravel road.

6. Jardín de Cactus: 450 species of cactus and Cesar Manrique’s last project.

7. La Geria Wine region: Vines grow in small hollows in black lava ash. This designed landscape, so surreal as unique, has been announced a work of art by the Museum of Modern Art in New York in the 1960s.

8. Teguise Market: Come Sunday morning, you find everything from handicrafts to food.

9. Arrecife: With a population of about 61,000, the capital of Lanzarote is the commercial hub of the island.

10. Janubio Salt Flats: Here the salt is harvested from ocean water that filters through volcanic rocks. Janubio, 35570 Spain.

 


Twelve places for Lanzarote visitors who love to spend time in the great outdoors

Here come further twelve places in Lanzarote that are just as magnificent to see. In most cases, there are no facilities of any kind at all. It is more about spending time in nature and looking at the stunning scenery.

1. Famara

The great outdoors. What is better than spending time outside? Only one thing is better. Spending time on a beach. Famara beach is six kilometres long. One has a view of the impressive Famara Cliffs. There is glorious soft sand and of course, there is lots of it. And of course, there is wind, sometimes lots of it and at other times none, as in none at all. That is the beauty of being outdoors. The weather is ever-changing. With the ever-changing conditions, think of cloudless days and bright blue skies. Cloudy days with slow travelling big clouds. Cloudy days with fast travelling fluffy clouds. Overcast days that become brighter in the course of the day. Foggy days that are slightly chilly. It also is different depending on what time of day you visit. Go at sunrise. Visit at sunset. At low tide, there are many rock pools, and you get to see sea birds. When there is no wind, the cliffs of Famara, plus all surfers and beachgoers mirror perfectly in the slightly wet sand. At high tide, you can walk through waves crashing on the beach. When the sun sets over the North Atlantic the whole area is, depending on the weather, bright orange for a few moments. Take deep breaths and enjoy the experience.

Please note: Swimming is not allowed because of strong currents. Please make sure to stay between the flags and to watch out for red flags. Caleta de Famara, 35558 Lanzarote, Spain.

Feather patterns formed in a thin layer of sand on the beach in front of a mountain range next to a white village.

Beachgoers and surfers with surfboards in front of a high mountain range under a stark cloudless blue sky, all reflected in a thin layer of seawater on the beach.

Beach walkers and their shadows in a bright orange-red coloured landscape during sunset. 
 

Three beachgoers in the far distance next to the blue ocean on a sandy beach, parts covered in big round pebbles under a light blue sky. Directly next to the beach is a high mountain range with a cloth of white clouds all along its top.

Silhouette of two beachgoers in a bright orange-red coloured landscape during sunset reflected in a thin layer of seawater on the beach. The sun sits atop a volcano crater in the distance.

Beachgoers on a sandy beach in front of a tall massive mountain range.

 2. Corona Volcano

Park next to the pretty stark white church in Yé and hike through vineyards until you reach the base of the volcano. The volcano's name is Corona. Yes, really that is its name, obviously it is not named after the virus though. Let’s go back in time, a few thousand years. Volcan de la Corona together with four others erupts along a rift that runs from the south-east to the north-west of the island. So much lava flows everywhere that the size of the island nearly doubles over the years. Wide spaces are covered in ash, not much grows here. With time more volcanoes erupt, and et voila, there it is, the island is born. Hike up the path that leads directly to the crater rim. This is where you will find yourself in a rugged grey, green, red-brownish landscape. There are dots of bright green plants and something resembling moss, here and there. One can see the volcano from pretty much everywhere in Lanzarote. A truly fascinating place. Start your hike in Yé, 35541 Lanzarote, Spain.

A white village surrounded by agricultural fields next to a large volcano crater..

Prickly pear cacti on a lava field divided by stone walls with a mountain range and a white church lined by palm trees in the distance, under a light blue sky.

Four hikers on a steep wide field which is dotted with green plants and moss and large brown-red and black boulders, close to a rocky rim.

White church lined by tall green palm trees in front of steep black-red lava fields.

Lavacrusted and green moss-covered red-brown massive rocky boulders.

3. El Golfo

Think green, red, black, blue, brown. It is a stark landscape, with views that will stay with you for a long time. In the white village perched on a North Atlantic beach, you also find restaurants and cafés. Find a quiet spot on the black beach. Sit down and look over the ocean. Realize once more what a beautiful place this world is. The green lagoon in Lanzarote is like the blue lagoon in Fiji, only different. El Golfo, 35570 Lanzarote, Spain.

An oval shaped green lagoon and the blue ocean divided by a black lava beach surrounded by red cliffs under a blue sky.

Waves crash on a black lava beach surrounded by red cliffs; silky droplets of ocean spray fills the air.

4. Caldera Blanca

Start the hike in Mancha Blanca. Plan a full day to go on this little hiking trip up a volcano. The trail is unpaved and hence uneven, you will come across a lot of sharp stones big and small. From Mancha Blanca, you will walk over a sea of lava. Please wear shoes that allow hiking.

Before you reach Caldera Blanca you pass Montaña Calderata, which is the little sister of Caldera Blanca. Walk inside, it is beautiful. Caldera Blanca - the white cauldron - was formed about one million years ago. It sits like an island in the black-blue-red-brown sea of small and big ​​lava chunks. To reach the crater rim you have to overcome 300 metres in altitude - a narrow trail leads all the way up. You can just hike up to the rim, and it is fairly easy to reach (after about two hours from the starting point). From the rim, you can enjoy a grand view. Look over the 300 metres deep crater with a diameter of 1,200 metres. Gaze over the rock-strewn landscape, towards the Atlantic, a few other volcanoes here and there and white villages.

The exciting part starts when you start hiking along the rim. That hike is slightly tough. It can even get rough at times. Check the weather forecast before you leave and avoid hiking along the rim on a day with strong winds.

Carry enough water and bring your own snacks. Start the hike in La Mancha, 35560 Lanzarote, Spain.

A hiking trail leading all the way along the steep walls inside the caldera of a volcano.

Trails cross through a wide-open rust red-brown plain dotted with only a few volcanoes, in front of the blue ocean and under a light blue sky.

A winding trail in a wide-open rust red-brown plain leads to a volcano and a white village, more volcanoes on the horizon under a light blue sky.

A green plant on a hiking trail through a mountain range under a sunny light blue sky.

 5. Playa de la Canteria

Playa de la Canteria, popular with everyone who loves high waves and nature, is located in the north of Lanzarote. The about 300-metres long beach has soft golden-ish sand. When you drive towards the beach you see a warning "Playa Peligrosa." The scenery with the beach surrounded by sheer cliffs is simply fantastic. Due to the strong current, this is not really the best beach for swimming. There are no lifeguards, and no cafés or further facilities. A nature lover's dream. Check the tide before your visit. You reach Playa de la Canteria via an unpaved road from Orzola either on foot or by car. Orzola, 35541 Lanzarote, Spain.

A long curved sandy beach with light green to blue coloured water lined by black rocky boulders on the left and a huge mountain range on the right under a soft blue sky.

A few swimmers and a stand-up paddler in a blue ocean surronded by black rocks and a huge mountain range.

6. Volcán del Cuervo

This is the first volcano that formed after the eruption of 1730. Can you imagine that the eruption lasted six years? There is a circular walk around the base. At one point you can leave the trail to easily hike inside the caldera - and yes, it does feel like walking on the moon. The landscape looks different almost every few minutes, depending on how fast the clouds travel. Lanzarote is a UNESCO Global Geopark, and you find information along the trail. Please do not pick up stones and do not climb the crater or leave the trails. Tinajo, 35560 Lanzarote, Spain.

A rocky trail through the crater of a volcano with grey, green, yellowish, black rocks strewn all over the place, under a light blue sky.

A grey rock-strewn lunar landscape with craggy red-brown coloured volcano craters under a dramatic cloudy blue sky.

A grey rock-strewn lunar landscape with craggy red-brown coloured boulders under a dramatic cloudy blue sky.

7. Teguise

There is this popular market once a week on Sundays. True. If you visit on another day you can wander through Teguise's lanes and squares almost by yourself. Centuries ago, Teguise was the island’s capital. It suffered several pirate attacks. During one of the attacks, so many people were murdered that blood was running down the lanes. Today one of them is known as the alley of blood. Think about how many get murdered all the time and over the course of time. Isn’t it so strange that people just love to hate each other, and that often, they love to murder each other without even thinking twice? Decades or centuries later tourists come and visit and wonder how this could happen. There are enough lovely tapas bars and cafés in Teguise. Teguise, 35508 Lanzarote, Spain.

Large red, blue, and green glass baubles decorated in a row in a beige fishing net, hanging on the white door of a white cottage that is built with large grey boulders on its corners.

A weathered pale green wooden door and window in the same colour on a rustic whitewashed flat-roofed cottage under a blue sky.

A lane between white-washed houses with green doors and window frames and flower pots.

A street sign of an arrow that points to the left, between a green wooden door and a window in the same colour on a whitewashed flat-roofed cottage under a blue sky.

A terracotta pot planted with succulents in front of a white cottage on the corner of a lane with another white-washed house and a brown wooden garage door overgrown by a pink bougainvillaea.

A lane with whitewashed houses that sport green doors and windows on one side and a with a white-washed wall overgrown by a huge pink bougainvillaea on the other, under a blue sky.

A wide cobbled lane through a village with whitewashed houses.

A weathered pale green wooden door on a narrow white-washed building with a cross above the entrance.

8. Punta Mujeres and Punta del Burro

This is the cutest white village. Wander through its lanes and along the pretty promenade. Punta Mujeres is named after the wives and girlfriends of local fishermen. They met here to spend time together while their partners and husbands were out at sea. Keep on walking, once you leave the village, walk all the way towards Punta del Burro. It is secluded and picturesque. When the waves are high and the swell is right, it is exciting to go surfing or watch the surfers. Bring your own water and snacks. There are no facilities on the beach. Nature lovers unite. Punta Mujeres, 35542 Lanzarote, Spain.

Cubic shaped whitewashed cottages with green and blue front doors and window frames standing on the cliff edge of a blue ocean surrounded by massive black rocks, under a soft blue sky.

A grey-black massive stone wall on the edge of a large plain covered in green plants and succulents. A volcano on the horizon under a blue sky.

Silhouettes of two surfers carrying their surfboards under their right arms standing on the shore of the ocean. Waves crashing on land in the twilight.

A double-storeyed large white house with a green wooden verandah, decorated with a blue rowing boat, flower pots, cacti, succulents and colourful ornaments and knick-knack, under a light blue sky
 

9. Uga and Yaiza

You find Yaiza and Uga, Lanzarote's southernmost villages, in the foothills of the Timanfaya National Park. Two white villages surrounded by craters and in stark contrast to the black and brown and red tones of the volcanic earth. Tall palm trees swaying in the wind. Lazy cats taking naps in the shade of large cacti. Go for a walk, have coffee and lunch at one of the restaurants. Yaiza can get busy whereas Uga is the peaceful one. Yaiza, 35570 Lanzarote, Spain.

Green cacti in front of a white-washed flat-roofed cottage with green doors and windows under a bright blue sky.

A large white cubic shaped church with a brown wooden entrance door and a large palm tree under a bright blue sky.

A black and white adult cat wearing a red collar looks inquisitively to the right while standing next to a prickly pear cactus with pink blooms.

A green cactus tree and the corner of a rustic white-washed cottage under a strikingly blue sky.

Boiled potatoes on a black plate and salt crusted small green peppers on a white plate next to a cold glass of white wine.

A zebra crossing on an empty street in front of a cubic white church lined by green palm trees, under a bright blue sky.

 

10. Playa del Janubio

One word: black. This place is wild. It is a beach with smooth black small and large stones. Swimming is not recommended. There is no lifeguard on duty. It is the ideal place to dream, to go for a walk and to just watch the waves and enjoy the smell of the Atlantic Ocean. The spectacular beach sits right between the Atlantic and the lagoon of the salt marshes. Bring your own water and snacks. There are no facilities. Just breathe. 

 

A blue lagoon and waves crashing on the shore of the ocean divided by a black lava beach, under a blue sky.

A large blue lagoon surrounded by rugged cliffs and black lava sand and rocks under a blue sky.


11. Playa del Caletón Blanco

White sand sprinkled with black lava rocks right on the light green-dark blue Atlantic. Lava flow entered the water and created shallow coves, that turned out to be perfect to relax and swim in. Bring your own water and snacks. There are no facilities. Orzola, 35541 Lanzarote, Spain.

A yellow plant and a blue boat on a beach with white sand sprinkled with black lava rocks right on the light green-dark blue ocean.

A long curved sandy beach with clear light green to blue coloured water lined by black rocky boulders on the left and a huge mountain range on the right under a soft blue sky.
 

12. Mirador de Nahum

Visit for the perfect view over the island La Graciosa, towards Playa del Risco, and over the cliffs of Famara. Mind your step. Come for sunset to be blown away by the beauty of this spot. 

Seven people sitting on a high cliff facing the sun as it sets over the ocean.

A white and red ferry leaving the harbour of a white village that sits on the edge of a brown rocky wide plain.

A couple walking hand in hand down the slope of a steep cliff of a mountain range while the whole landscape is painted in the warm orange-red colour and glow of the sunset.

The silhouette of two people sitting next to each other on the very edge of a cliff high above the ocean while the whole landscape and mountain tops in the far distance is painted in the hot orange-red colour and glow of the sunset.

 

Visa requirements for Spain

You can apply for the Spain Schengen Visa, as a Member State of the EU Spain is a member state of the Schengen Area. Visitors from the Schengen countries do not need a passport or visa, only a valid an ID-card or passport. Visit this website to see whether you need a Visa to visit Spain. The pandemic is ongoing. Please check what is asked of tourists before you leave for Lanzarote.

How to get to Lanzarote

Public transport: Catch a ferry from neighbouring islands Teneriffa, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura.

By plane: Most European airports offer direct flights to Lanzarote. Lanzarote Airport aka as Arrecife Airport aka César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport is near Puerto Rosario, the capital of the island. This is the cultural and social centre, almost 40% of the locals live in the capital.

Best Time To Visit Lanzarote

Temperatures on Lanzarote are pleasant all year round and rarely rise above 30 degrees Celsius in summer (June, July and August). And then there is the Calima. At times the wind can be as hot and dusty as in the Sahara 100 kilometres away. When the Calima blows, it might be a good idea to stay indoors when you are a sufferer from respiratory problems. Follow local weather warnings.

Spain – Currency and how to pay

Spain is a member of the European Union. The official currency in Spain is the Euro. Exchange money on arrival at the airport, or get some cash at an ATM. You can pay in cash still almost everywhere (some shops/restaurants/cafes will only accept cash). Credit cards are widely accepted.

From Berlin with love

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