Trip to Lanzarote in the Canaries
More articles about the Canary Islands:
♦ Vacation and Trips in the Canary Islands
- General information on flights, weather, and more
♦ Trip to Tenerife
♦ Vacation and Trip to Gran Canaria
♦
Trip to La Palma La Palma
General
Lanzarote is the northeasternmost island in the Canary Islands chain, smaller than Tenerife and Gran Canaria, but unique and different from all the other islands.
The island's area is 846 square kilometers (the fourth largest among the Canary Islands) and it has a population of 135,000 residents. It is the "oldest" of the Canary Islands, formed already 180 million years ago. The island is located only about 130 km west of the coast of Africa at a latitude slightly south of Eilat, making its weather suitable for travel in all seasons.
The island is built of 300 (!) volcanoes, mostly extinct, but some dormant. Its soil is mostly black/basaltic, and all the houses on it are built in a unique style specific to the island: white walls with green or brown windows, no advertising signs, and clean streets and roads.
Building on the island is low, with no high-rises, and the contrast of the white houses with the black soil, mountains, and green vegetation is breathtaking. There are places reminiscent of lunar topography and unique volcanic phenomena, such as the world's longest lava tube at 7 km long and beaches with pitch-black sand, yet alongside them, you can find beaches with soft, pleasant, blinding white sand excellent for swimming, vacationing, and water sports. The best of all is "Papagayo" Beach in Playa Blanca in the southwest of the island.
The entire island was designed by a local artist born on the island, Cesar Manrique, who designed most of the tourist sites on the island, including viewpoints and squares featuring moving sculptures with wind plays, emphasizing the integration of art and nature. It is an ecological island that relies mainly on tourism. The island abounds with cacti, but despite its aridness, it also has many vineyards grown uniquely in trenches covered with black lava soil that absorbs moisture from the air and transfers it to the vines and other crops.
Lanzarote has been declared by UNESCO due to its unique nature as a Biosphere Reserve.
An "eternal spring" prevails on the island. The average temperature on most days of the year is 22 degrees Celsius and there are always blue skies because rain is rare. The island has six visitor centers, each located at a unique natural site.
Recommended Hotels in Lanzarote:
4-star hotel located about 200 meters from Playa Blanca beach
3-star hotel located in Costa Teguise
Tours on the Island
Booking recommended tours on the island from the reliable Viator website:
♦ Day tour of the main attractions in Lanzarote -
Tour to Timanfaya, Jameos del Agua, Cueva de los Verdes and viewpoint from the cliff
Trip duration 9 hours, includes pickup and drop-off from selected hotels, includes entrance ticket to three sites, air-conditioned vehicle.
♦ Guided hiking tour in the volcanic mountains -
Volcano Trekking Tour - Timanfaya eruptions
Includes pickup and drop-off option for selected hotels, lasts about 3 hours.
♦ Day trip to the neighboring island of Fuerteventura - Day Trip to Fuerteventura from Lanzarote
Lasts 8 hours, includes transfers from selected hotels, air-conditioned vehicle, and ferry ticket.
Guided tours tailored for cruise passengers with port pickup in Arrecife:
Timanfaya National Park
The largest and most famous park of all is Timanfaya National Park Timanfaya NP In the park, guided bus tours are held in the youngest and most volcanically active area where private cars are not allowed to drive. Also, continuous demonstrations of steam geysers, burning dry bushes from the heat emitted by the ground, and other surprises are held from the bus departure point.
Do not miss a visit to "Jameos Del Aqua" in the northeast of the island: this is a section of a lava tube whose ceiling collapsed, creating a cave with a saltwater lake. The place features a short walking trail in an impressive landscape. The lake is home to white crabs that live only in this place. The site also features a unique performance hall and a restaurant.
From there, drive west for about a quarter of an hour on a road passing between lava fields to a site called Cueva de los Verdes, which is actually another section of the same lava tube but far from the sea. Here the ceiling did not collapse, and visitors take an interesting guided tour (which also includes a surprise at the end) lasting about an hour inside a section of the tube.
A short drive north will lead you to "Mirador del Rio" - an impressive viewpoint over cliffs descending steeply into the sea and the neighboring island of "La Graciosa" and the narrow passage between the islands that looks like a river.
It is recommended to visit the charming and landscaped cactus gardens Jardin de Cactus. Located near the town of Guatiza towards the town of Mala.
Artist Cesar Manrique Fundacion Cesar Manrique
It is also worth visiting the special home of artist Cesar Manrique Fundacion Cesar Manrique, which has been turned into a tourist site. The amazing house is built in a huge lava field and blends into the environment in an amazing way. Extremely impressive and inspiring even for those who are not art lovers. Highly recommended for ecology enthusiasts. An independent tour is held at the site.
You can tour independently among the various tourist sites on the island, but for those with limited time and especially those interested in learning about the nature, ecology, culture, and history of this special island, it is recommended to join one of the guided tours mentioned above from the Viator website.
Another wonderful way to tour the island and experience its unique character is on a guided walking tour among the volcanoes. The guide will take you along breathtaking scenic routes over lava paths between lava tubes and extinct volcanoes, and tell you fascinating stories about the island, how it was formed, the various volcanoes, and more. Walking is quite easy and suitable for everyone. It is not recommended to hike among the volcanoes alone without a guide because the trails are unmarked and you will find yourselves lost in an endless labyrinth of lava paths and black hills.
For those staying on the island on Sundays, it is recommended to visit the old town of "Teguise", which was the ancient capital of the island, where the largest market in the Canary Islands is held every Sunday, considered one of the largest markets in Europe. The market spans many streets in the center of town and is open between 9:00-14:00 only.
It is worthwhile to come to Lanzarote for at least three days and combine a vacation on the successful beaches. The three most popular tourist areas on the island where most hotels and plenty of restaurants and shops are concentrated are all located in the south of the island. The three largest and most popular tourist areas are: "Playa Blanca" in the southwest, "Puerto Del Carmen" near the airport, and "Costa Teguise" in the southeast of the island.
There are no direct flights from Israel to the Canaries, but you can reach them with a layover at some destination in Europe. Usually, it is most convenient and cost-effective to fly via Madrid. The flight duration from Madrid to one of the islands is about two and a half hours. If you book flights far enough in advance, the flight price is not much higher than flying to Madrid or any other destination in Western Europe. You can fly to one island and return from another.