What to do on the island of Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain

Some time ago, I fancied an island escape and headed over to Lanzarote, which forms part of the collection of islands called the Canary Islands in Spain.

After months of lockdown due to coronavirus, the UK started to open up to travel for a select few countries in the summer. As Spain was one of those countries, this made for a perfect opportunity to escape and visit Lanzarote for a week.

This blog post is all about my recent trip to Lanzarote, the Canary Islands, Spain.

The UK government guidelines regarding travel are continually changing so best to check the current status before flying.

Here are some of the places that I would recommend visiting around the island of Lanzarote.

Where to stay in Lanzarote: Sands Beach Resort

If you’re looking for a place to stay on the island of Lanzarote, I’d highly recommend staying at Sands Beach Resort. There are loads of different room options to choose from during your stay, and self-catering apartments are also an option if you’re travelling as a large group. Additionally, they have some nice swimming pools to jump into.

Rent a car with Cicar Canary Islands Car

The easiest way to get around the island of Lanzarote is to arrange a car rental during your stay. This way you can easily traverse around the island and visit all the attractions mentioned below. I’d recommend using Cicar Canary Islands Car that offered fantastic customer service and competitive rates on the island. I went for a 4×4 Ford, which was a little extra and perfect for exploring all corners of the island.

Explore Timanfaya National Park and its unique volcanic landscape

A trip to Lanzarote wouldn’t be complete without visiting the most popular attraction on the island, Timanfaya National Park.

This Spanish national park is made up entirely of volcanic soil and located in the southwestern part of the island of Lanzarote.

Here you are transported to a completely volcanic landscape which seems similar to that of the Moon. Nasa even used the area for training astronauts there.

Before entering the park, you will have to buy a ticket. You can park up your rental car and take a guided bus tour around the national park area, which is off-limits to other vehicles.

The restaurant is also worth visiting for lunch so you can enjoy the panoramic views of the surrounding park. It’s a great spot to learn about volcanic activity and landscape as well as the history of the area, which are all an essential part of the island’s culture.

Enjoy the viewpoint of Mirador del Río

Head to the northern part of Lanzarote and visit Mirador del Río, a tremendous 475-metre high viewpoint cafe integrated in a lava rock. The architectural creation was designed by César Manrique, a local artist, whose influence can be seen across Lanzarote.

It’s a fantastic spot to enjoy a morning coffee while you’re looking out to La Graciosa island on a clear day. Definitely worth stopping off for a visit.

Jameos del Agua and Cueva De Los Verdes

Jameos del Agua and Cueva De Los Verdes are both located in the municipality of Haria on the northern part of Lanzarote. They can be found inside a 6 km long volcanic tube, created by the eruption of the nearby volcano Monte Corona.

Jameos del Agua will transport you deep into a volcanic lava tunnel to discover a unique lagoon, palm trees, restaurant and even an encaved auditorium. It’s a fun experience to find out on the island and worth the stop.

A short distance away from Jameos del Agua is Cueva De Los Verdes (the Green Caves), which is part of a protected area, Monumento Natural del Malpaís de La Corona. It’s a stunning place with a colourful lighting system and also has a concert hall. Nice to visit if you’re in the area.

Playa de Famara, one of the best beaches in Lanzarote

Playa de Famara is one of the best beaches in Lanzarote – a great place to get some sun and relax. It’s also a great spot to enjoy some surfing lessons if you fancy it. And don’t forget to visit Restaurante El Risco for lunch to taste some of the best flavours the island has to offer.

Try black salt at Janubio salt mines

A trip to Lanzarote wouldn’t be complete without trying some of the local sea salt. At Janubio salt mines, you can find some of the traditional salt plains still in operation today. There they use the conventional methods that have been preserved in the area. I highly recommend trying the black salt, which is sulphurous in taste and pungent in smell, something unique to try on the island.

Stop off at Monumento al Campesino

Monumento al Campesino is a fusion of an underground restaurant, a monument and a museum dedicated to local agricultural history. A great spot to stop off at and enjoy a lunch with local flavours while surrounded by this incredible architecture.

Hike the volcano El Cuervo trail

Park up your rental car at the start of the trail and enjoy this hike around volcano El Cuervo. One of the highlights from my trip was circumnavigating this volcano, and you can even walk through the middle as well. A nice light hike with spectacular scenery along the way. Well worth the detour.

Take a catamaran to La Graciosa

Head on over to the island of La Graciosa for a half-day trip. Why not enjoy this journey by going on a catamaran adventure? I’d recommend booking with Líneas Marítimas Romero that offers a selection of excursions to the island including lunch and drinks. It’s a beautiful way to reach and explore the island of La Graciosa.

El Golfo and the green lagoon

El Golfo is a tiny seaside village most famous for its green coloured lagoon called Charco De Los Clicos, which is located beside the village. The lagoon was formed in the crater of an old volcano and gets its strange green colour from a type of algae that grows there.

The village itself has some rustic seafood restaurants where you can get a taste of the local flavours and admire a stunning sea view.

Thank you for reading my guide to the island of Lanzarote

Thank you for reading my blog guide to Lanzarote. I wish you a wonderful trip to the island!

If you have any questions about Lanzarote, feel free to email me, and I’ll be more than happy to help.

Hope you enjoyed this video and are looking forward to your trip to Lanzarote!

This trip was with UNWTO as part of a tourism recovery project on behalf of Travel Dudes and Travelmedia.ie, and you can read more about my travelling during Covid experience on Travel dudes.