Discovering Lanzarote in a week
A random choice for a July summer vacation took us to the northernmost and easternmost of the Canary Islands – Lanzarote. Unlike any other trip we do, with this one we booked our tickets first, and did the research later. It turns out that the volcanic origin of the island provides excellent photo opportunities. The name of the island in the native language was Tyterogaka or Tytheroygaka, which may mean “one that is all ochre” due to its dominant colour. The best part was that since Lanzarote is quite small, we would manage to drive around it in a day. That would allow us to only book one hotel for the whole week without having to pack and move our luggage every day. So after some reading, we put together an itinerary that covered the best places to visit around Lanzarote in a week.
Day 1: The arrival
Upon our arrival, we made our way to the car rental where we treated ourselves with a cute little beetle cabrio. We thought that would be the coolest way to enjoy a sunny road trip. As exciting as it sounded, we only had the roof down the first few hours of our journey. This was the time it took for the winds to drag an entire sand dune in our car, and for our shoulders to get sunburnt. I guess the hardest lessons you learn come through experience.
Day 2: Try dive and beaches
In the next morning we were picked up from our hotel by the dive center guys. They took us out for a refresher dive at Playa Chica in Puerto del Carmen in preparation for our next day dives. After the dive we washed our gear and left it at the dive center, after which we headed to a beach bar for a beer and lunch enjoying the first day of our holiday.
Playa Quemada
It was still quite early and were not tired at all, so after a short break we headed out to the next stop on the list – Playa Quemada. Playa Quemada is a small village located between bigger resorts. Unlike the resorts, however, it is not crowded, and seems like tourists just generally do not stay there. We made our way down to the rocky black beach and I instantly regretted not putting my shoes on. Apart from a couple of people fishing, there was nobody else on the beach – I had not seen such a peaceful beach in a very long time.
Playa Papagayo
Nevertheless, we had other plans, so we did not spend much time in Playa Quemada, but instead headed out to the more famous Playa Papagayo.
To get there, we got off the main road and drove on an unsealed road for a while, and paid a parking fee for it as well. Legend has it that certain car rentals don’t like having their vehicles driven there. They would fine their vehicles if found on the Papagayo parking. Others just don’t cover damage to the car on that road.
Since it was afternoon, the beaches were all packed, and all the good spots were taken. They are also very exposed. There is no way to hide from the sun unless you find a hole in the rocks nearby or bring your own shadow. And it was hot! To give the sun some time to move around, we took shelter in the bar near the viewpoint higher on the cliff. Once people started heading home, we managed to get a nice spot on the beach. Then we had a good hour of snorkeling, which was awesome!
There were so many types of fish swimming around the rocks and around me I did not want to get out of the water. Eventually when I did, we drove back to our hotel to get some rest for next day’s adventure.
Day 3: Diving Museo Atlantico and Las Coloradas
At 8 am the next morning we were picked up by the guys from the dive center again. We drove to a marina near Playa Blanca where we got in our gear and on a boat. Then we headed out for our reef and underwater museum dives. The visibility was not great, but that kind of added a bit of suspense to the whole underwater museum experience.
During our quick descent towards the museum, the bottom appeared as if the sand was constantly shifting. Once we got close enough it turned out to be thousands of small fish swimming around the artificial reef. The museum is represented by over 300 statues which are constantly being transformed by the marine life. The ideas behind the sculptors are inspired by current threats and divisions within the modern society. We started from the Rubicon – 35 people headed to the point of no return. A swim around the Raft of Lampedusa – a reference to the refugee crisis. Through the hybrid garden featuring several half person – half cactus sculptures. There we found one of the museum’s permanent residents according to our guide – a small shy octopus. It had camouflaged itself at the base of one of the statues. This was truly an unforgettable experience.
Day 4: North East Lanzarote
With our dives out of the way, we could start driving around and visiting the island’s main attractions and beaches along the way. And there were plenty of things to see.
The plan for day 4 of our stay in Lanzarote was to drive on the east coast all the way up to the northmost part of the island and do some sightseeing on the way.
Jardin de Cactus
The visit at the cactus garden took us less than an hour, although I can see how it could take more. We walked around a selection of many different kinds of cacti. They were photogenically spread across the terraced garden overlooked by a small moulin. At the ticket office there we bought vouchers for six CACT Lanzarote centers, the first one being the cactus garden itself.
Jameos del Agua
Our next stop was Jameos del Aqua – another one of César Manrique’s works of art. It is a utilization of an arch remaining from a collapsed lava tube. It features a small pool in the middle full of blind crabs and an artificial pool outside under a palm tree. While I did not quite see what all the fuss was about, many others did – the place was crowded!
Cueva de los Verdes
Once we made our way out, we basically moved our car to the other side of the road. We went on to queue for the Cueva de los Verdes. It is a volcanic cave where lava flowed from the volcano Monte Corona about 3000 years ago. The cave was once used by the locals to hide and protect themselves from European pirates. We stood there queueing for a very long time until it was our turn to get the tour. Despite the queueing in the sun, I enjoyed the visit – it was informative, and the cave itself is magnificent.
Mirador del Rio
On the way to Mirador del Rio which was the last of Manrique’s creations we were going to visit that day, we stopped at a random restaurant for lunch. One of the things I loved the most about Lanzarote was the food. We stopped at several random local restaurants in small villages. They did not have the glamour of the touristy eateries in the resorts, and it was all just brilliant.
Anyway, we got to Mirador del Rio. It lies at about 400 meters height on a cliff over the ocean facing the small island of La Graciosa. Unfortunately, our luck had run out and the weather did not grant us a clear view. And because of that, they let us into the building for free. It was still possible to catch a glimpse of La Graciosa, but it was not great – it was way too foggy and windy to enjoy.
Caleton Blanco
On the way back to Puerto del Carmen we stopped at one of the most famous beaches in Lanzarote – Caleton Blanco. We were lucky to get there at low tide and see the beach in its most stunning appearance. Small forts from black lava rocks scattered all over the bright white sand provide shelter from the wind (yes, these are much needed). People were sunbathing in their tiny volcanic fortresses and thankfully we found one for ourselves as well. The lava forms a pool of shallow warm water protected from the currents of the ocean. Because of that it is a perfect family friendly beach.
Day 5: Central Lanzarote and Arrecife
Volcan el Cuervo
We dedicated the next day to the central part of Lanzarote and Arrecife. Our first stop was the parking near Volcan el Cuervo – a simple crater which you can enter. People often compare the landscape of the area to the surface of the moon. And once you see it, you understand why. The walk to the volcano is short and flat, and there are information points on the path which explain what you are looking at. When walking most of Lanzarote’s lava fields, you should stay on the marked path. That’s because the lava can be fragile and break under a person’s weight if there is a hollow area underneath it. Falling into a lava tunnel sounds painful.
El Grifo Wine Museum
On to our next stop for the day – the El Grifo wine museum.
One curious thing about Lanzarote is how grapes are being grown there. Most wine lovers will say that growing grapes on soil comprised of ash and lava makes no sense. It turns out the volcanic soil is great for some types of crops. It acts like a sponge – it absorbs water quickly and can retain it for a period of time without allowing it to vaporize. The ash also helps keep the temperature of the soil consistent. Bottom line, grapes thrive on post-eruption Lanzarote. And they taste great too!
After going through the museum and vineyards, and having tasted several types of wine, we bought a couple of bottles for the evening, and headed to the town of Teguise.
Teguise Market
Teguise is a town in central Lanzarote which is very famous for its Sunday market. So many people visit the market, that they had to build additional car parks at the town entrance and have people stand on the street to let the new arrivals know if there is room for their car. You can buy all sorts of stuff from the market – from souvenirs to food and clothes. We even managed to get a table and have lunch in the town square.
Museo Lagomar
Museo Lagomar was our next destination. It’s a private residence built in and from volcanic rocks. Natural caves are turned into rooms connected by a labyrinth of lava tunnels. I could see myself living in a place like this.
Telamon Shipwreck
On the way to Arrecife we spotted the Telamon shipwreck, which was not originally on our plan, but made for a great detour. Later I found out that the front part of the ship which broke off and is completely submerged is actually a dive site, and because it is pretty shallow it can be visited by snorkelers too. So that’s one thing on the list for next time. We did not stop there at first but came back later that day to take a few pictures.
Castillo de San Jose
Castillo de San Jose is transformed into the International Museum of Contemporary Art. And that is why we did not go inside. Nothing against contemporary art, it was just not something of interest to us at this point. We did, however, circle around the back to see the statues in the water.
Playa Chica
It was decision making time. We could either go see the rest of Arrecife or go to a beach. So, we went to a beach. Playa Chica was the easy option because it was close to where we were staying. After a bit of snorkeling we went back to our apartment and enjoyed a delicious glass of the wine we bought from El Grifo.
Day 6: Volcanos
Los Hervideros
The next day we drove to Los Hervideros early in the morning. The weather was good, and we timed it perfectly with a high tide. Nevertheless, the waves were not giving the show that was promised by all these articles I read about it. To top it off, we also perfectly timed our visit with the visit of four big tour buses which dropped off what seemed like thousands of tourists. There are several viewpoints carved in the rocks which we ended up queuing for just to peek at the ocean below us and take a couple of pictures.
Charco de los Clicos
The next step on our list was Charco de los Clicos – a gorgeous green lagoon formed by a submerged volcano. The crowds were significantly thin there, although by the time we got back to the car, the buses had caught up with us. There is a viewpoint overlooking the lagoon, which is great for photos, and if you want to go down to the beach there is also a path which in our case was closed temporarily.
Timanfaya National Park
With a bit of a head start from the buses we headed to the Timanfaya National Park. As we planned this only a week before our trip, we could not book the walking tour which takes you on a walk among the craters using service roads. It is a limited number of people guided tour and it needs to be booked in advance. So, we were left with the obvious choice of doing the bus tour like everybody else. Once we took a turn into the park, we immediately stopped facing the infinite queue of cars. It took us more than an hour on the queue to actually get to the parking. That’s how busy it was. We then queued for the bus, and after that – for the restaurant. I definitely don’t regret that visit though. The bus tour was very interesting, and the food was great too. Roast chicken has a different taste when you know it was cooked in a volcano. Well, not really in a volcano, but on steam coming from the ground. Before we left we made sure we stepped outside the restaurant for a few final shots and to watch the demonstrations of the volcanic power where we saw a bunch of sticks catch fire just by being on top of a vent, and a vent shooting water that was poured in it far up.
Playa Famara
Back on the road and off to the beach of the day. Famara beach is a beautiful beach in the west part of the island and the best place for water sports in Lanzarote. Unfortunately for us it was so windy that we could not stay there to wait for the sunset. It was a great place to take pictures though.
Day 7: The departure
Every journey has to come to end at some point and this was it for our short stay in Lanzarote. We stuffed our clothes, wetsuits, souvenirs and all that stuff we brought with us but didn’t really need back into the suitcases and made our way to the airport.
Looking back, it was wonderful and very relaxing trip. A perfect budget friendly, short break from the busy work life.
Lessons learned
As a conclusion, here are some tips:
- Hire a car – First of all, road trip. Second, it gives you the flexibility to visit whatever you want, whenever you want. If you get a 4WD you could even visit places such as remote beaches which are not otherwise accessible. Make sure you get the appropriate insurance as the winds may drag small rocks that can leave scratches on the paint.
- Get a CACT voucher – this will make your visits to some tourist attractions cheaper and you wouldn’t have to queue to buy a ticket. Not everywhere at least. You can get it from any CACT center. For more information visit the CACT website.
- Clothes – the first couple of days we witnessed a Calima, which is hot wind coming from Sahara and dragging sand from the desert with it turning the sky gray. Even after it passed, it was still very windy, and it could get cold in the evening.
- Shoes – if you are going to be spending your days on the beach, you probably don’t need shoes. However, if you are planning a more thorough visit, you need good hiking shoes to keep the lava rocks off your socks.
- Don’t walk on lava – if you are planning to visit some volcanoes, do not stray away from the marked path as there can be lava tunnels underneath and you could fall through the lava rocks and that could be very painful and dangerous.
Finally, enjoy the island! We certainly did.
If you are interested in visiting Lanzarote, you can find our one-week itinerary here.
Thank you so much! I love this island, so many good memories! Next time I am there I will definitely try a few of your tips 😉
Hi Nicolle, I love this island, too! I adore its simplicity, the food, its charm, its volcanic landscapes, its calmness – everything 🙂 It’s wonderful that you’ve had the chance to have a great time there.
Wow, so many good looking and interesting museums. I love the look of the underwater museum. How unique! I’m a big fan of the volcanic areas and the beaches are just completely different to your typical beach. Very beautiful
Hi Emma, the underwater museum really was something else entirely. There are a few more underwater museums scattered around the world. The one in Cancun (Museo Subacuático de Arte) is brilliant!
Wow, beautiful photos! I love visiting volcanoes and this looks like an amazing trip. Thank you for all of your useful tips.
Thanks, Erica! I too have a preference for volcanic landscapes, and Lanzarote is so far one of the best examples why 🙂
These beaches look so beautiful! I will need to go one day!
Hi Gabby, the beaches in Lanzarote are indeed beautiful, and so diverse! There is a beach for anyone’s taste 🙂
This week-long itinerary in Lanzarote looks incredible!! Such a beautiful location! I would love to visit one day.
Thanks, Alisha! Lanzarote is definitely worth a visit 🙂
Incredible! I can’t believe I’ve never come across this before. So glad you had a wonderful time there!
Thanks, Jamie!
Such a great post! Beautiful photos and lots of useful information! I hope I will have the opportunity to visit this beautiful island soon. Thanks for sharing
Hi Bozena! Thank you very much 🙂 It’s good fun, I hope you can visit.