Renowned for its beaches and blissful sunshine, you can pack so much more into a trip
to Lanzarote than just lazing around on the golden sands.
This Canary Island boasts cultural attractions and sights of scenic natural beauty to melt
the heart of even the most hardened beach lover.
“When you’re in Lanzarote, you’re not
short of places to see or activities
to entertain yourself.
The island simply spoils you!”
Here are a few to check out.
Visit Timanfaya National Park
You simply can’t set foot in Lanzarote and not visit Timanfaya National Park, situated in the west
of the island.
This volcanic landscape is a quintessential part of any visit to the island, and why not?
You have volcanic landscapes offering up superb photo opportunities, and you can dine at El Diablo
restaurant, which cooks its food with a unique twist: the food is cooked using the heat from a volcano.
Note that you should book in advance to eat at the restaurant, as it’s immensely popular.
See the César Manrique Foundation
Pay a visit to the César Manrique Foundation, which is established in Taro de Tahice, in the home
of the late artist and architect César Manrique.
A concern and respect for Nature and the environment was at the center of Manrique’s work.
The objective of the foundation itself is to study and preserve the work of Manrique and spread
awareness of it, as well as to run activities that encourage respect for the environment.
Manrique’s house itself is built on top of the resultant volcanic trail from an eruption that occurred
in the 18th century.
Visit Arrecife
While you’re staying on the island, you should visit the island’s capital, Arrecife, which is just
15 minutes from the popular resort of Puerto del Carmen and only 35 minutes from the resort
Playa Blanca.
If you’re looking for cultural attractions, and if you have a good level of Spanish, as the exhibits
are presented in Spanish only, then you can visit the Museo de Historia de Arrecife, the city
history museum.
This is situated in the 16th century San Gabriel castle and provides insight into pre-Hispanic life
on the island as well as on Lanzarote’s geology, wildlife and flora.
For further culture in Arrecife, take a wander around the Museo Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo,
a contemporary art museum.
The museum charges a small admission fee and rewards you with access to works by eminent artists
such as Eusebio Sempere, Antoni Tàpies and Joan Miró, as well as by César Manrique, of course.
Originally, the museum was a castle, built in the 18th century to fend off pirates, and was then
converted into the museum it is today by the César Manrique Foundation.
Punta Mujeres
If you find yourself in the north of the island, pay a visit to the village of Punta Mujeres.
Here you’ll find some lovely, natural, little rock pools that are perfect (and popular) for bathing in,
and run along the southern bay of the village.
The good news is the climate is a little milder and there tends to be a bit of a breeze, so you will
always feel hot and sticky while you’re in Lanzarote.
Why not give the pools a try?
“This Canary Island boasts
cultural attractions and sights
of scenic natural beauty
to melt the heart of even
the most hardened
beach lover.”
One thing’s for sure: when you’re in Lanzarote, you’re not short of places to see or activities to
entertain yourself.
The island simply spoils you!
What do you like most about Lanzarote?
Are you ready to add Lanzarote to your vacation list?
Share your thoughts and comments with us.
Image credits:
Image bysalomon10 <https://www.flickr.com/
Timanfaya National Park wikipedia By Andreas Tusche – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=178676
César Manrique Foundation http://guardianlv.com/2014/12/lanzarote-art-in-nature-a-visit-to-the-cesar-manrique-foundation-video/
Image byikerlaes <https://www.flickr.com/
Punta Mujeres https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Punta_Mujeres_on_Lanzarote,_June_2013.jpg
The Canary Islands look stunning, I have always wanted to go there. Unfortunately the cost of flying there from western Canada is extreme. I really enjoyed the read though. Thanks for posting.