Things to Do in Lanzarote

Get a taste of Lanzarote in more ways than one at LagOmar, where its museum, restaurant, bar and cottages are all wrapped into one magical lava-rock landscape. Once a private home, the structure was built into a volcanic quarry, lending to an oasis-like setting filled with caves, spectacular island views and unique gardens and architecture.

The private property was conceived by local artist and architect César Manrique, designed by José Soto and later completed by other architects. Perhaps more famous than LagOmar’s creators is the story of its once owner, actor Omar Sharif, who came to the island to film a movie, fell in love with the property and purchased it. But alas, rumor has it that he owned it for only one day before losing it in a bet over a bridge game.

Whatever the history, today’s property can be visited and enjoyed in a variety of ways. Go there to check out its museum, where you can learn more about LagOmar and also view revolving art exhibitions. Or just come for dinner and drinks; by night, the property becomes awash in magical lighting that takes its caves, cocktails and Mediterranean meals to an altogether otherworldly level. Then, you can stick around even longer if you wish, as the Lanzarote getaway also offers two-person cottages.

Back in the 1400s, Villa de Teguise sat at the heart of Lanzarote life, serving as the island’s capital until the 19th century. Its location was especially advantageous: Mount Guanapay, upon which the town was built, made for an ideal lookout point, providing views of nearly all sides of the island’s coasts, and therefore protecting it from pirates.

While La Villa (as it is known by locals) is no longer the capital, it remains one of the best-preserved old villages in the Canaries. A wander through its whitewashed building-lined streets provides a glimpse into the past, via sights such as the 15th-century Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church and Santa Barbara Castle. The tower-turned-fortress now houses a Pirate Museum, which offers up history as well as phenomenal views.

These days, however, Villa de Teguise is undoubtedly most famous for its flea market, which is held each Sunday morning. At the weekly event, the stalls completely take over town, selling items ranging from crafts and art to food.

The Janubio Salt Pans are the island’s most famous, created in the early 20th century by Victor Fernandez and consisting of over 440,000 square meters of pans, making it the biggest salt refinery in the Canary Islands. Today, the area is a protected National Heritage site and produces up to 10,000 tons of salt each year, harvested by hand during the summer months. The historic site has also become a tourist attraction, and the gigantic patchwork of salt pans makes for a unique view, set against a backdrop of the black sand Janubio beach and attracting an array of native birds.

Built in 1968, Manrique’s creative vision centers around a series of collapsed lava tubes, or ‘Jameos’, where pressure build-up had caused the roofs to fall in, making an atmospheric location for an open-top swimming pool. Additional highlights include a series of underground galleries devoted to the island’s volcanic history, a concert hall that makes use of the natural cave acoustics, and an underground lake, famous for its endemic population of blind Albino Crab (a species found only on Lanzarote).

Squeeze in some sightseeing while you shop by heading inland to the

Teguise Market. It's located in the center of Lanzarote and in a sweet village called La Villa de Teguise. The whitewashed, emblematically Canarian pueblo used to be Lanzarote's capital and the heart of island life, and these days is considered one of the best-preserved towns in the archipelago.

Every Sunday, it's also the center for island market shopping, with loads of stalls cropping up to sell everything from bargain wares to more treasured

goods, including crafts and artisanal food. Apart from shopping, you can get a dose of culture here as well by checking out the market's traditional song and dance. Or, if you're keen to escape the crowds, consider visiting other town sights such as the 15th-century Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church, and Santa Barbara Castle, which now houses a Pirate Museum.

Benefiting from consistent winds and world-class reef breaks, the beach is also a hot spot for water sports, with popular activities including surfing, windsurfing and kiteboarding, as well as hang-gliding from the coastal cliffs.

Cactus gets its due respect at this wildly prickly Lanzarote garden, which was inaugurated in 1990. The Jardín de Cactus is the final brainchild of beloved island native César Manrique, the painter, sculptor and architect whose work famously balanced both art and nature. The cactarium, which occupies a former quarry, is home to 7,200 cactus plants and 1,100 different species, all originating from far-off places such as the Americas and Africa.

While there, you can wander the various levels of the amphitheater-shaped garden by traversing its many paths, all lined by peculiar rock formations, various water features and of course, the thorny plants themselves. Spy the giant Don Quijote-style windmill that tops the garden, then take a garden-break by visiting the artisanal goods-filled shop, or by grabbing a bite to eat at the restaurant and terrace.

You can smell the salty air as the edges of white waves crash into the black sands of Playa del Janubio. Beside the beautiful beach, historic salt ponds sit that have been used to collect and extract salt from the seawater for centuries. Water evaporates in the shallow lagoons, leaving the salt behind. In the days before refrigeration, salt was even more prized for its food preservation qualities. Remnants of the old salt production and trade here, including a small windmill, remind of the area’s past.

Today the beach, formed by the breakdown of black volcanic rock, is still a lovely place to stroll by the sea. Depending on the season you may see a variety of local birds as well. Currents are often quite strong on the beach, and the powerful waves are beautiful to watch from the shore.

Art and architecture meet nature at the César Manrique Foundation. Situated in Manrique’s former home, the foundation melds into a landscape of lava rock and provides a visually stunning glimpse into the Lanzarote native’s craft.

Manrique, an artist and architect, left an indelible mark on the island, and not just through his creations—he even impacted the Lanzarote skyline. Indeed, thanks to his efforts, he helped to ensure that growing tourism didn’t result in growing skyscrapers. It’s a mission that continues to this day via the foundation, which aims to not only preserve Manrique’s work, but to also advance the environmental and artistic causes he valued.

The house itself sits on the aftermath of an 18th-century volcanic eruption that vastly changed the Lanzarote terrain. But it isn’t just built on the frozen-in-time lava, but among it, with the bottom living space occupying five volcanic bubbles. The whitewashed exterior, by contrast, is inspired by traditional island architecture. From a funky room with volcanic rock pouring through a window to a garden bordered by a rainbow-colored mural, every detail of the former home is a visual delight. While there, visitors can peruse all of the house’s unique corners, and also check out the various exhibitions and make stops at the café and shop.

Aside from the wine tasting, it’s the vineyards’ moonlike landscape that is La Geria’s biggest attraction. Unlike the tiered vineyards more typically associated with grape growing, here each vine is planted in a "zoco" - an individual three-foot-deep pit, protected from the elements by a semi-circular stone wall. The atypical design makes the most of the fertile volcanic soil, while drawing and maintaining moisture in the pit, but it also makes for a striking landscape – the pock-holed surface dotted with vines and stone arches appears almost extraterrestrial and learning the secrets of the protected agricultural area offers a fascinating insight into Lanzarote’s unique topography. 

While the unique landscape makes for some remarkable photo opportunities, the real highlight of visiting Los Hervideros is watching the waves crash against the coast. Looking out from the cliff top, visitors can witness the all-natural spectacle as the waves explode against the rocks and the water funnels through the spillways, sending spurts of sea water roaring into the air – a fitting example of how the cliffs got their name - Los Hervideros is Spanish for "boiling waters."

Looking down over the beach from the surrounding cliff tops is the best way to view the site, an otherworldly landscape famous for its startling contrasts of colors and shapes. The lime-green  waters of  the  crater lake (the  result  of  the Ruppia Maritima algae that  lives in the waters) appear almost luminous against the black sand beach, itself a peculiar blend of black volcanic sand and green Olivine stones, and the small bay is framed by a rugged chain of eroded volcanic rocks.

Did you know that Canarians founded San Antonio, Texas? Indeed, they did,and the majority of them were from the island of Lanzarote. This park, situated in Puerto del Carmen, pays homage to that history, but not with a museum, and instead via some Wild West fun and entertainment made possible by its zoo, water attractions, and, of course, cowboy-style good times.

But first, those animals: the park is home to a range of creatures, including sea lions, bison, pumas, armadillos, snakes, turtles, and a flock of exotic birds - among other critters. You can learn more about many of these animals during one of the various shows, which feature birds or sea lions, or during close-encounter experiences. Then, of course, there’s the water park element, including a splash pool and water games. Finally, for those looking to get in touch with their Country Western-meets-Canarian side, there’s a twice-weekly, celebration-filled cowboy show during which you can dine on BBQ, down unending drinks, and get involved in some old-fashioned country line dancing.

If white-sand beaches are your thing, look no further than Playa Blanca (White Beach) on the island of Lanzarote. This former fishing village offers several small sandy coves and white beaches on Punta del Papagayo, as well as harbor-front restaurants, a buzzing nightlife scene, and a twice-weekly arts and crafts market at Marina Rubicón.

White-sand beaches are Playa Blanca’s main draw, and you can visit them on a day trip from neighboring Fuerteventura, along with other island attractions such as Montañas del Fuego (Fire Mountains), Ruta de los Volcanes (Route of the Volcanoes), and the vineyard Bodega La Geria. 

Playa Blanca also serves as a base to explore the surrounding region, with day trips departing for the rolling sand dunes and volcanic landscapes of Fuerteventura just a short boat ride away. Timanfaya National Park, Salinas de Janubio (Janubio salt flats), and El Golfo Lagoon all lie within a few minutes of Playa Blanca.

The nearest airport to Playa Blanca is the Lanzarote Airport in Arrecife, about a 30-minute drive away. It’s also possible to arrive by ferry from nearby Fuerteventura.

The best times to visit Playa Blanca are spring and autumn, when the weather is cool enough for outdoor activities and exploring island attractions yet still warm enough for a day at the beach. Visit on a Wednesday or Saturday morning to shop at the arts and crafts market.

Visitors to Playa Blanca have no shortage of beautiful beaches to choose from. Dorado Beach and Flamingo Beach are the most convenient to the main resort area, but the crown jewels are the white-sand coves of Papagayo, best visited by bike or car.

A visit to Papagayo Beach is easily combined with exploring the five neighboring beaches - Playa de Afe, Playa de Mujeres, Playa Pozo, Playa de Afe,] and Playa de la Cera – often collectively referred to as the ‘Papagayo beaches’. The beaches are linked by a coastal walk, which runs all the way from Punta Papagayo to Playa Blanca, and are famous for their fine sands, warm, clear waters and abundance of exotic fish.

Visitors pay a small fee to enter the park, and it includes a guided coach tour — but lines can get long during busy season. You can avoid the wait and get round-trip transport from elsewhere in Lanzarote by booking a half-day or full-day tour in advance. Many of these tours take you through the park on a coach bus and make stops where you can get out to walk or hike the volcanic landscape, while others also include options to ride a 4x4 or take a camel ride through the lava fields. To see what kinds of flavors the volcanic earth can produce, pick a tour that celebrates the area as a wine region and includes wine tastings too.

Today, the mountains are classed as dormant, but an anomalous magma chamber still remains under the surface, leaving a geothermic area riddled with steaming vents and fire pits. Due to the intense heat and geothermal activity, hiking around the Fire Mountains is prohibited and the best way to take in the views is on a guided coach tour around the scenic Route of the Volcanoes.