Lanzarote

Manrique’s former home is an architectural expression of his love for the cultural heritage and the striking volcanic landscapes of his birthplace. Built on a field of solidified lava, the downstairs rooms were once bubbles in the molten rock. The house is now a gallery, showing a permanent collection of art by Manrique and his contemporaries alongside visiting exhibitions of paintings, photography and sculpture.

Phone:

+34 928 84 31 38

Opening hours:

Jul-Oct 10am-7pm daily; Nov-Jun 10am-6pm Mon-Sat, 10am-3pm Sun

Address:

Tahíche

Lanzarote’s celebrated artist and designer, César Manrique, created this stunning cultural centre out of a series of natural hollows and caverns in an ancient lava field in the north of the island. The centre includes sophisticated restaurants and bars, a concert hall, an underground lake populated by tiny crustaceans and a beautiful ornamental pool.

Phone:

+34 928 84 80 20

Opening hours:

10am-6.45pm daily; 7pm-2am Tue, Fri & Sat

Address:

Malpaís de la Corona, Haría district

Designed by Manrique as a celebration of Lanzarote’s arid environment, this is an intriguing and rather surreal botanical collection. Cactus fields are a common sight in northern Lanzarote – cochineal is made from the beetles which live on them, and jam from the fruit – and you’ll find several Canarian species here, alongside specimens from as far afield as the Americas and Madagascar.

Phone:

+34 928 52 93 97

Opening hours:

10am-6.45pm daily

Address:

Guatiza, Teguise District

For six days of the week, the small town of Teguise is a quiet place with a dignified, historic atmosphere, but on market days it becomes the busiest town on the island, lively with shoppers, browsers and buskers. Stalls selling everything from tacky clothing and souvenirs to quirky local crafts line the narrow streets and squares. At lunchtime, you can duck into one of the town’s fine bodegas for wine and tapas.

Phone:

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Opening hours:

10am-2pm Sun

Address:

Teguise

La Geria’s ingenious farmers have developed a method of growing vines on volcanic slopes by surrounding each plant with picón (lava gravel) to trap the dew, and sheltering it with a zoco, a crescent-shaped dry stone wall. Take a tour of these unusual winelands and you can sample the local speciality, malvasía wine, at the bodegas along the way.

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Yaiza District

Lying just off Lanzarote’s northernmost tip, La Graciosa is the only inhabited island in the Chinijo Archipelago, with a population of under 500 and a sleepy, untouched-by-time atmosphere. Day trippers take the short boat trip across from Orzola on Lanzarote to Caleta del Sebo on La Graciosa to tuck into lunch in the harbour or visit one of the island’s unspoilt beaches.

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Haría District

Lanzarote’s starkly beautiful volcanic national park is both a tourist attraction and an important vulcanology research centre. Included in the fee to enter the centre of the park is a coach tour of the most impressive peaks and craters. The well-designed and highly informative visitor centre is the meeting point for the highly recommended Tremesana Route walking tour of the southern lava fields.

Phone:

+34 928 84 00 57

Opening hours:

Park 9am-6.45pm daily, tours and visitor centre 9am-5pm daily

Address:

Yaiza District

Jutting out into the Atlantic in the extreme south of the island, this barren headland lies in a protected area of hilly desert. At the foot of its cliffs are a necklace of sandy coves, secluded and appealing with sparkling sea, that are great for swimming at high tide. The more remote beaches are clothing-optional.

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Near Playa Blanca, Yaiza District

This lengthy cave, part of the same volcanic tunnel system as the Jameos del Agua, is artfully lit and lined with snaking pathways from which visitors can enjoy the splendour of the subterranean rock. Deep in the heart of the cave is a hall-like space which has perfectly dry acoustics and is occasionally used as a concert venue.

Phone:

+34 928 84 84 84

Opening hours:

10am-6pm daily

Address:

Haría District

The wild, windy coast between La Santa and El Risco de Famara offers world-class conditions for surfing and kite boarding. While Playa de Famara is often calm enough for beginners, there are expert-level breaks nearby. Hardened sports enthusiasts zone in on La Santa, a centre which organises activities for all ages and hosts major athletic events such as the annual Lanzarote IronMan Triathlon.

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Opening hours:

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Address:

Teguise District