Top Sights and activities on Lanzarote

Lanzarote is one of the Canary Islands in Spain. It lies North-East of Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Lanzarote is a nice island to visit with pleasant towns, interesting geological features and a year-round good climate. On this page I’m sharing the top sights and activities on Lanzarote.

Rent a car

I recommend that you rent a car during your stay on the island. Lanzarote is quite compact and most sights are easiest to reach by car. It’s a volcanic island so even just driving around with no goal would already make it worthwile.

Arrecife

Arrecife is the capital city of Lanzarote and a pleasant town to pay a visit. There’s a small port, a castle and a lovely beach called Playa del Reducto.

Diving

If you have your PADI diving certificate and you want to go for a dive of if you want to take a diving course on Lanzarote, I recommend Aquatis Diving center. I went on two diving trips with them. They’ve been around for years and are very reliable. They’re located in Costa Teguise, North-East of Arrecife.

Fundacion Cesar Manrique

One of the top sights on Lanzarote is Fundacion Cesar Manrique. It’s the former home of Manrique and now an art gallery. Manrique build this house into the lava fields of Lanzarote. There’s an art gallery devoted to Manrique but it also has art from Picasso and Miro. But the main attraction for me was the house itself. The interior feels straight out of a James Bond movie and the rooms below ground are actually made in huge air bubbles created by flowing lava. The picture at the top of this page is the garden at Fundacion Cesar Manrique.

Cueva de los Verdes

Cueva de los Verdes is a stunning cave to visit. It’s formed by lava and you can walk about 1km of it. There are guided tours that’ll lead you through the caves and will tell you all about the amazing geological features. There’s one wonderful aspect of the cave in particular. But I won’t tell you what it is as it would ruin the surprise. And I think you shouldn’t spoil it for anyone after your visit either.

Mirador del Rio

In the North of Lanzarote you can find Mirador del Rio. A wonderful look-out point designed by Cesar Manrique. It has a bar and a souvenir shop. And from the look-out point you’ll have wonderful views of old lava flows and the ocean.

Haria

Haria is a lovely little town to visit. It’s almost like a movie set when you see the town from a distance. The white houses surrounded by lush green fields with palmtrees. You can find Haria in the North, you’ll probably pass it on your way to Mirador del Rio.

Puerto del Carmen

Puerto del Carmen is a beautiful beach town in the South-East of Lanzarote, close to the airport and capital city Arrecife. The beach of Puerto del Carmen is probably the most popular of the island, and it’s understandable why. It’s big, clean and has soft yellow sand. The town itself is also nice with several shops and restaurants.

Like Spanish islands? Click here for my blog on Formentera, one of the Balearic islands.