Here Are 13 Of The Best Things To Do In Lanzarote
Lanzarote, one of Spain’s Canary Islands, is a wonderful place to enjoy a holiday. Like many places in Europe there are pockets of the island for those looking for a relaxing beach holiday. If you want to get out and about a bit though, there are so many things to do in Lanzarote if you want an afternoon away from the pool. You can soak up some of Lanzarote’s culture or explore the out-of-this-world landscape which makes you almost feel like you’re on another planet.
Whatever you want to get out of your Lanzarote trip, here are some ideas for the best things to do in Lanzarote.
Read More: This Is The Ultimate Itinerary for 4 Days In Lanzarote
Cycle Around Volcan el Cuervo
There aren’t many places where you can cycle around a volcano. Lanzarote is one of those places though and cycling around Volcan el Cuervo, or the Volcano of Crows, is one of the coolest things to do in Lanzarote.
You can rent a bike from somewhere like Papagayo Bike to specifically cycle the perimeter of Volcan el Cuervo. Or you can do 4-hour bike tour of the volcanoes in Lanzarote which start from one of Lanzarote’s many vineyards.
Go Surfing At Famara Beach
Famara Beach is one of the coolest beaches I’ve been to. Not only is it au natural and bordered by the mountains on one side, it’s also great for surfing!
Famara is a cool small town towards the northern end of Lanzarote and is full of cafes, surf shops, beach bars and surf schools. You could probably spend a whole week here if you wanted to.
Take a surf lesson with one of the many surf schools in Famara including Red Star Surf or Surf Canarias. You’ll be up on a board and riding those waves in no time!
If you don’t want to surf, Famara is the perfect place for a chilled out day by the beach. If you’ve hired a car, there’s plenty of parking right next to the beach near the dunes – just take a towel to lie on as I didn’t see any sunbeds when I was there.
Visit Cueva de los Verdes
The Cueva de los Verdes is an impressive sight. Yes, there are many caves you can see all over the world but this one is something special.
Climb down into the depths of Cueva de los Verdes, part of a volcanic tube created after the eruption of La Coruna volcano over 4000 years ago. This cave is bone dry and you can see remnants of the lava flow as you walk through the tunnel. This dry atmosphere creates great acoustics within the cave, there are even concerts here in the cave that you can go watch.
The end part of the Cueva de los Verdes is something spectacular too. So spectacular that I can’t even tell you about it. You just have to go and see it for yourself.
Visit Jameos del Agua
Jameos del Agua is another creation that came out of the eruption of La Coruna. Cesar Manrique transformed the lava tube and openings in 1977 into what it is today. You’ll find a restaurant, an auditorium and aquatic habitat and a swimming pool in Jameo Grande. Unfortunately you can’t swim in this pool, no matter how tempting it looks in the hot weather but it is so striking against the black lava.
Jameos del Agua is great for a morning or afternoon visit, especially combined with lunch!
Eat A Cactus Burger at Jardin de Cactus
Jardin de Cactus is the last piece of work by Cesar Manrique, the brainchild behind much of Lanzarote’s architecture and how the island looks today. With the Jardin de Cactus, he created a place that is home to 4500 specimens of cactus which stand out against the volcanic landscape.
One thing you do have to do while you’re here is try the cactus burger. That’s right, a burger, made out of cactus. Don’t worry, it’s not prickly like many of the plants in the garden and is even served in a bright pink bun!
Take In The View Of La Graciosa From El Mirador del Rio
La Graciosa is one of Lanzarote’s neighbouring islands – you can even take a day trip here if you want to! One of the most incredible views of the island is from El Mirador del Rio.
Another piece of architectural work by Cesar Manrique, El Mirador del Rio is 500 metres above a cliff giving unparalleled views of Lanzarote and La Graciosa. Just hold on to your sun hats because it can get really windy up at the top!
Go On A Wine Tasting Tour
Grapes are the last thing you’d probably expect to grow on a volcanic island. Yet they do, and they grow really well too! Well enough that Lanzarote has several vineyards which make the most delicious wine. And that only means one thing right? Wine tasting!
You can do tours of El Grifo Bodega, combine wine tasting with a walking tour, or do a tour of 3 different vineyards with Wine Tours Lanzarote. This is the one that I did and it was great to see the difference and taste several different wines from a few places! If you fancy some food on one of these tours, make sure you pick the tapas option where you also get to sample some local meats and cheeses.
My favourite wines were the dry volcanic Malvasia white wine and the Malvasia Naturalmente Dulce, a gorgeous sweet wine from Bodega Stratvs.
Take A Trip Around Timanfaya National Park
Out of all the things on this list, if there’s one thing to do, it’s this. Visit Timanfaya National Park.
You’ll more than likely have seen a volcano in Lanzarote. Whether it’s as you were coming into land on the plane, as you were driving to your accommodation or when you’ve been travelling around the island.
Going around Timanfaya National Park allows you to get up close to Lanzarote’s volcanoes and experience their force of nature first hand.
As well as taking a drive around Timanfaya National Park on one of the park’s designated buses, you can also see live volcanic demonstrations. These include watching the hot earth set fire to straw right in front of your eyes, and feeling how hot the volcanic ash is with your bare hands. If you can hold it for more than a second, you’ve got stronger hands than me!
I’d definitely recommend getting here as early as possible if you’re driving yourself. The queues can take a while to get into the park as there is limited access. Otherwise an organised tour to Timanfaya National Park is a good option!
See The Green Lake Of El Golfo
The green lake (official name is Laguna de los Clico) of El Golfo is an easy quick stop to do on your way to Timanfaya National Park. Located in a semi-circular remains of a volcanic cone, the lake is green in colour thanks to a type of algal phytoplankton.
There’s a path from the car park to the view point of the lake at El Golfo. This only take a about 5 minutes to walk so is well worth a small detour to see one of Lanzarote’s main landmarks.
If you want to extend your stay in El Golfo, enjoy lunch in one of the villages seafood restaurants!
Take A Day Trip To La Graciosa
As we’ve mentioned already, you can take a day trip to neighbouring island La Graciosa. You can do this either via an organised tour or take the 30 minute journey via ferry from the port of Orzola. There are around 8-10 ferries daily so there’s plenty of choice and when you’re on La Graciosa, you can rent a bike to explore the island and discover its remote beaches.
Visit Teguise, Lanzarote’s Old Capital
Teguise is a gorgeous seaside town in the north east of Lanzarote. It was the island’s capital until 1852 when Arrecife became the capital. The main centre of the town is pedestrainised and leads to lots of independent shops and restaurants where you could easily wile away the afternoon.
If you visit on a Sunday, there’s a market where you can buy handmade goods and plenty of local food. It’s well known as the biggest market in Lanzarote and is open 9am to 2pm – perfect for a spot of souvenir shopping.
Stroll Around Haria
Haria is another village of Lanzarote where you can spend a couple of hours wandering around, enjoying a slow coffee or two. Based in the north of Lanzarote, in the “Valley of a Thousand Palm Trees”, this pretty farming village is home to Casa Museo of Cesar Manrique and Michelin recommended Tacande if you want a special lunch or dinner.
Try Salty Potatoes
One food you have to try in Lanzarote, and that’s well known around the Canary Islands, is Salty Potatoes or Papas Arrugadas (Canarian Wrinkled Potatoes). This delicious plate is often served with Mojo Picon and Mojo Cilantro – red and green sauces perfect for dipping!
Most places serving food will serve these delicious potatoes so definitely make sure you try a portion while you’re in Lanzarote!
So there’s 13 of the best things to do in Lanzarote! Which of these will you be adding to your list when you visit this cool Canary Island?
Hey, I’m Emma!
