Lanzarote

Shop

Get even more with a Lonely Planet guide.

Spain

$28.99

Shop Book

Getty Images

Overview

Intimately intertwined with the legacy of 20th-century lanzaroteño artist and environmentalist César Manrique, Lanzarote is an intriguing island with an utterly extraordinary geology of 300 volcanic cones, eerie blackened lava fields and the occasional bucolic, palm-filled valley.

01 / Attractions

Must-see attractions

Fundación César Manrique
Lanzarote
Upon returning definitively to Lanzarote, César Manrique built his spectacular house and creative centre, Taro de Tahíche, into the lava fields just…
Parque Nacional de Timanfaya
Lanzarote
Lanzarote's most spectacular sight, the eerie 51-sq-km Parque Nacional de Timanfaya sprawls around the Montañas del Fuego (Mountains of Fire) formed by…
Cueva de los Verdes
Lanzarote
A yawning, kilometre-long chasm, the Cueva de los Verdes is the most spectacular segment of an almost 7km-long lava tube left behind by an eruption 5000…
Jameos del Agua
Lanzarote
When molten lava seethed through this volcanic cavern around 5000 years ago, the ocean leaked in slightly, forming the startling clear azure lake that…
Museo Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo
Arrecife
Converted into an art gallery in 1976, on César Manrique's wish, the well-preserved 18th-century Castillo de San José houses one of the Canaries' major…
Casa-Museo César Manrique
Lanzarote
Frozen in time, complete with Manrique's clothes in the cupboard and personal art collection adorning the walls, the palm-shaded final home of the island…
Piscinas de Punta Mujeres
Lanzarote
One of the most magical swimming spots on Lanzarote, this cluster of glittering turquoise natural pools dots the coast in the tranquil whitewashed fishing…
Playa del Papagayo
Lanzarote
Hemmed in by the punta's craggy cliffs, deliciously unspoilt and protected Playa del Papagayo is one of Lanzarote's loveliest beaches, with pale-gold sand…