🇪🇸Spain · Places to discover
What to see in Lanzarote?
27 places selected by the community - landmarks, nature, hidden restaurants and activities.
Lanzarote's distinctiveness comes from brutal geology: solidified lava flows, aligned craters and a palette of blacks and ochres unlike anywhere else in the Canaries. The architect César Manrique managed to work with this landscape rather than against it, leaving works like Jameos del Agua and Mirador del Río that blend seamlessly into the rock. The island is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, which has restricted high-rise development and preserved a rare visual coherence.
March to May offers the best window: the heat is mild, winds manageable and beaches less crowded. Three to four days by hired car covers the essentials-the only real way to connect Timanfaya National Park with the northern villages. Skip organised coach tours to Timanfaya: you can drive through the park yourself, avoiding the bus queues and looped commentary.
Landmarks & heritage
6 places
1Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Landmark
Jameos del Agua
Lava tunnel transformed by César Manrique into a unique cultural space, harbouring an underground lake with endemic blind albino crabs. The auditorium carved from volcanic rock is breathtaking.
2Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Landmark
Cueva de los Verdes
Volcanic lava tube stretching 2 km, formed during the Corona eruptions 3,000 years ago and amongst the longest in the world. Clever lighting effects and a final optical illusion make this an unforgettable experience.
3Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Landmark
Mirador del Río
Spectacular viewpoint designed by Manrique at 479m altitude overlooking the El Río strait and the island of La Graciosa. The integration into the cliff face is so perfect that the building is virtually invisible from the sea.
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Landmark
Landmark
Village of Teguise
Former capital of Lanzarote with whitewashed streets and beautifully preserved colonial houses. Sunday mornings see its artisanal market spill across every plaza whilst maintaining its authenticity.
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Landmark
Landmark
Village of Yaiza
Considered among the Canary Islands' most beautiful villages, with white-washed houses shuttered in green and impeccably flowering lanes. The natural gateway to Timanfaya, just 5 km from the lava fields.
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Landmark
Landmark
Fundación César Manrique
Studio-residence of the Lanzarotenian artist built across five natural volcanic bubbles, a true manifesto of his art-nature integration philosophy. The garden and interior spaces perfectly illustrate his vision.
Museums
1 place
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Museum
Museum
Castillo de Santa Bárbara - Museo del Emigrante Canario
16th-century volcanic castle perched atop the Guanapay volcano overlooking Teguise, now a museum dedicated to Canarian emigration. The walk up from Teguise offers panoramic views across the entire island.
Castles & fortresses
1 place
8Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Castle
Castillo de San Gabriel
16th-century fortress built on an islet connected to Arrecife by the Puente de las Bolas, now housing the archaeological museum. Commanding views over the lagoon and historic centre.
Nature
7 places
9Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Nature
Dunes of Corralejo
A natural park encompassing 2,700 hectares of golden sand dunes, designated a nature reserve and facing the island of Lobos. A breathtaking Saharan landscape best explored early in the morning before the crowds arrive.
10Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0Nature
Charco de los Clicos - El Golfo
An emerald-green lagoon formed by a semi-submerged volcanic crater in the Atlantic, its colour derived from Ruppia maritima algae. The contrast between black lava, verdant lake and azure ocean is visually stunning.
11Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0Nature
Isla de Lobos
A deserted islet 2 km off Corralejo, an integral nature reserve teeming with seabirds. An hour's ferry ride away, it offers complete escape: crystalline lagoons, volcanic trails and absolute silence.
12Wikimedia CommonsNature
La Geria - Wine Route
Unique vineyard where each vine is planted in a crater dug into volcanic ash and protected by a semi-circle of black stones. The striking black and green landscape yields Malvasía, the local white wine.
13Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Nature
Los Hervideros
Volcanic coastline where the sea surges through lava tunnels with spectacular force, creating natural geysers and an impressive symphony of sound. Accessible on foot along a coastal path.
14Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Nature
Salinas de Janubio
The Canary Islands' largest salt pans, with their geometric basins shifting in colour to reflect the sky throughout the day. Artisanal salt, still hand-harvested and sold directly on site.
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Nature
Nature
Montana Corona - Sentier du Volcán de la Corona
Hiking trail circling Corona volcano with views across Jameos del Agua and the wild northern coast, remarkably untouched by tourist crowds. The path traverses recent lava fields and spectacular geological formations.
Parks & gardens
2 places
16Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Park
Cactus Garden
Cactus garden designed by Manrique in a former rofe quarry, housing over 1,400 species from around the world. The restored windmill at the entrance has become an island symbol.
17Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Park
Timanfaya National Park
Lava field from the 1730–1736 eruptions that engulfed a third of the island, a lunar landscape of rare intensity. Natural geysers and subterranean heat just centimetres below the surface remind visitors the volcano remains active.
Viewpoints
1 place
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Viewpoint
Viewpoint
Mirador de Haría - Valle de los Mil Palmeras
Viewpoint overlooking Lanzarote's lushest valley, carpeted with Phoenix canariensis palms and framed by mountains. A striking contrast to the island's arid landscape elsewhere.
Activities
5 places
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Activity
Activity
Windsurfing and Kitesurfing at Flag Beach
A world-renowned spot for windsurfing and kitesurfing, with schools offering tuition for all abilities. The consistent north-easterly trade winds blow 300 days a year, guaranteeing ideal conditions.
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Activity
Activity
Risco de Famara Hike
A trail tracing the Famara cliff ridge with vertiginous views over La Graciosa and the Atlantic Ocean. One of Lanzarote's wildest and least-trodden panoramas, accessible from Haría.
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Activity
Activity
Diving - Centro de Buceo Calipso (Puerto del Carmen)
A professional diving centre offering access to Lanzarote's volcanic underwater sites, including the renowned Museo Atlántico by Jason deCaires Taylor. Year-round exceptional visibility thanks to Atlantic currents.
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Activity
Activity
Ferry Orzola - La Graciosa (Líneas Romero)
A 30-minute crossing to La Graciosa, the eighth inhabited Canary Island and a protected marine reserve. Hiring a bicycle upon arrival to explore the island car-free is one of the archipelago's finest experiences.
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Activity
Activity
Surf School Famara - Caleta de Famara
Surf and kitesurf school on Famara beach with multilingual local instructors. Nearly permanent wind and swell conditions make it ideal for beginners and experienced surfers alike.
Beaches
3 places
24Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0Beach
Playa de Famara
Wild 6 km beach beneath the spectacular 600m Famara cliff, a paradise for surfers and kitesurfers blessed with near-constant winds. The village of Caleta de Famara behind retains an end-of-the-world atmosphere.
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Beach
Beach
Playa de las Conchas - La Graciosa
Pristine beach on the island of La Graciosa, accessible only by ferry from Orzola, with a striking red volcano rising behind. No tarmac roads on the island—only 4x4s and bicycles are permitted.
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Beach
Beach
Playa de Papagayo
Collection of golden-sand coves beneath ochre cliffs in the Los Ajaches nature reserve, reached by dirt track. The turquoise waters are exceptionally clear, favoured by locals who know where to park.
More to discover
1 place
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Place
Place
Mercado Municipal de Arrecife
A daily covered market in Arrecife where fishermen sell the morning's catch and local producers hawk vegetables and cheeses. The capital's most authentic spot, untouched by tourist affectation.
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