Things to Do in Lanzarote

Art and architecture meet nature at the César Manrique Foundation (Fundación César Manrique). Situated in Manrique’s former home, the foundation melds into a landscape of lava rock and provides a visually stunning glimpse into the Lanzarote native’s craft.

Manrique, an artist and architect, left an indelible mark on the island, and not just through his creations—he even impacted the Lanzarote skyline. Indeed, thanks to his efforts, he helped to ensure that growing tourism didn’t result in growing skyscrapers. It’s a mission that continues to this day via the foundation, which aims to not only preserve Manrique’s work, but to also advance the environmental and artistic causes he valued.

The house itself sits on the aftermath of an 18th-century volcanic eruption that vastly changed the Lanzarote terrain. But it isn’t just built on the frozen-in-time lava, but among it, with the bottom living space occupying five volcanic bubbles. The whitewashed exterior, by contrast, is inspired by traditional island architecture. From a funky room with volcanic rock pouring through a window to a garden bordered by a rainbow-colored mural, every detail of the former home is a visual delight. While there, visitors can peruse all of the house’s unique corners, and also check out the various exhibitions and make stops at the café and shop.

Get a taste of Lanzarote in more ways than one at LagOmar, where its museum, restaurant, bar and cottages are all wrapped into one magical lava-rock landscape. Once a private home, the structure was built into a volcanic quarry, lending to an oasis-like setting filled with caves, spectacular island views and unique gardens and architecture.

The private property was conceived by local artist and architect César Manrique, designed by José Soto and later completed by other architects. Perhaps more famous than LagOmar’s creators is the story of its once owner, actor Omar Sharif, who came to the island to film a movie, fell in love with the property and purchased it. But alas, rumor has it that he owned it for only one day before losing it in a bet over a bridge game.

Whatever the history, today’s property can be visited and enjoyed in a variety of ways. Go there to check out its museum, where you can learn more about LagOmar and also view revolving art exhibitions. Or just come for dinner and drinks; by night, the property becomes awash in magical lighting that takes its caves, cocktails and Mediterranean meals to an altogether otherworldly level. Then, you can stick around even longer if you wish, as the Lanzarote getaway also offers two-person cottages.

The design of Lanzarote’s Aqualava water park pays tribute to the island’s volcanic landscape with its geothermal-heated pools. The saltwater wave pool (the only on the island) gives the feel of the beach, while the smaller kids' areas are perfectly themed for play. There's a winding lazy river, as well as five waterslides.

A 1.8-mile-long stretch of golden sand fringed by soaring sea cliffs, the picturesque setting of Famara Beach (Playa de Famara) has earned it a legion of fans, among them renowned local artist César Manrique and Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar. The dramatic surroundings make the beach extremely popular among locals, and there are ample opportunities for exploring, like walking in the sand dunes, hiking across the cliff tops of El Risco (Lanzarote’s highest peak) or tucking into fresh seafood in the traditional fishing village of Caleta de Famara.

Benefiting from consistent winds and world-class reef breaks, the beach is also a hot spot for water sports, with popular activities including surfing, windsurfing and kiteboarding, as well as hang-gliding from the coastal cliffs.

The largest on Lanzarote, the Teguise Market sees a range of artisans, food stalls, performers, and more descend on La Villa de Teguise every Sunday. You’ll find everything from clothing and accessories to artworks and housewares, while live music accompanies the proceedings.

You can smell the salty air as the edges of white waves crash into the black sands of Playa del Janubio. Beside the beautiful beach, historic salt ponds sit that have been used to collect and extract salt from the seawater for centuries. Water evaporates in the shallow lagoons, leaving the salt behind. In the days before refrigeration, salt was even more prized for its food preservation qualities. Remnants of the old salt production and trade here, including a small windmill, remind of the area’s past.

Today the beach, formed by the breakdown of black volcanic rock, is still a lovely place to stroll by the sea. Depending on the season you may see a variety of local birds as well. Currents are often quite strong on the beach, and the powerful waves are beautiful to watch from the shore.

Admire hundreds of marine species, including clown fish, hermit crabs, sea cucumbers, and more at Lanzarote Aquarium, the largest in the Canary Islands. With more than 30 fish tanks, several interactive pools, and a dedicated underwater shark viewing tunnel, there’s plenty for animal lovers to enjoy.

Located in Timanfaya National Park (Parque Nacional de Timanfaya), the Fire Mountains (Montañas del Fuego) are one of the most vivid, untamed areas of the Canary Islands. Formed in part during a series of violent 18th-century eruptions, the park’s Mars-like topography has captivated generations of visitors.

Salt has played an important role in Lanzarote since the late 19th century, accounting for a large percentage of the island’s industrial income and even making its mark on local culture – during the traditional Corpus Christi festival, brightly-dyed salts are used to decorate the street with large colorful artworks. Today, the salt industry has fallen into decline, but a number of the island’s traditional salt pans remain in use – manmade flats where the sea water is channeled and left to crystalize, allowing the sea salt to be harvested.

The Janubio Salt Pans are the island’s most famous, created in the early 20th century by Victor Fernandez and consisting of over 440,000 square meters of pans, making it the biggest salt refinery in the Canary Islands. Today, the area is a protected National Heritage site and produces up to 10,000 tons of salt each year, harvested by hand during the summer months. The historic site has also become a tourist attraction, and the gigantic patchwork of salt pans makes for a unique view, set against a backdrop of the black sand Janubio beach and attracting an array of native birds.

One of Portugal's most famous writers and Nobel Prize winner, José Saramago spent the last 18 years of his life in Tias, Lanzarote in Spain's Canary Islands. The Jose Saramago House Museum (A Casa José Saramago) preserves his modernist home, including a study, library, kitchen, sea-view garden, and the bedroom where he died.

Back in the 1400s, Villa de Teguise sat at the heart of Lanzarote life, serving as the island’s capital until the 19th century. Its location was especially advantageous: Mount Guanapay, upon which the town was built, made for an ideal lookout point, providing views of nearly all sides of the island’s coasts, and therefore protecting it from pirates.

While La Villa (as it is known by locals) is no longer the capital, it remains one of the best-preserved old villages in the Canaries. A wander through its whitewashed building-lined streets provides a glimpse into the past, via sights such as the 15th-century Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church and Santa Barbara Castle. The tower-turned-fortress now houses a Pirate Museum, which offers up history as well as phenomenal views.

These days, however, Villa de Teguise is undoubtedly most famous for its flea market, which is held each Sunday morning. At the weekly event, the stalls completely take over town, selling items ranging from crafts and art to food.