Why I would recommend hiring a car when you visit Lanzarote

Lanzarote - a very popular holiday destination, thanks to its year round warm climate, long hours of sunshine and gorgeous beaches. The first thing you think of when some one mentions Lanzarote is the beach and the weather but with the use of a car you can see and sample so much more of the island and what it has to offer.

Lanzarote is an island with an impactful history. In the late 1800's volcanic eruptions shaped the area that we now know as the Timanfaya National Park. It is unfortunate that many people who visit Lanzarote might not even know about this magnificent national reserve. Stemming from the volcanic activity there are other attractions around the island that have been created out o lava bubbles and tunnels. These creations, made by man from natural events are very popular and you wont find anything quite like them anywhere in the world.

With a hire car you can also venture out to other events taking place around the island, such as the weekly Teguise market. This takes place every sunday morning until 2pm and you can literally spend hours looking at the local crafts, leather goods and other products that are on sale. There is local entertainment on aswell, which all comes together to make a great atmosphere.

If you or your family likes animals then you can jump in your car and visit the Guinate Tropical Park in the North of the island, where you can see all sorts of wild birds, or visit the Rancho Texas Park just outside Puerto del Carmen, where they have also just introduced a new water park area - great fun for all the family!

Of course, having a car just means that, if you want to, you can get out of your resort and go and sample the different areas of Lanzarote. Imagine that you are staying for two weeks, and one day you wake up and its cloudy. If you fancied doing something a little different you could head over to Arrecife, the capital of Lanzarote to find out how the locals really live - or simply see what the other resorts are like and how they differ from the one you are staying in.

Having a car means you can stretch your mind further afield. You can try different beaches, sample the foods of restaurants in other places, and if you are in Lanzarote at the right time of year you could even go and see one of the local carnivals.

Car Hire in Lanzarote isnt expensive, especially if you book before you travel. Whats more, the cost of diesel and petrol on the island is also very reasonable, and with Lanzarote being such a small island you could find that you experience much more without a huge additional cost.

Lanzarote - an island defined by art and nature

Lanzarote, the fourth largest of the Spanish archipelago, the Canary Islands, is a very popular holiday destination with tourists flocking from all over Europe.

Lanzarote is a tourist favorite thanks to its year round climate, thanks to its location and close proximity to the Sahara desert. Even during the winter months Lanzarote enjoys 8 hours of sunshine and temperatures that rarely drop below 20 degrees celcius.

However, whilst the tourist industry plays a major part in the economy of Lanzarote, there is much more to it than hotels, nightclubs, restaurants and beaches. Lanzarote was thought to have been named “The Red Mountains” after the it was born out of fiery volcanic eruptions around 35 million years ago! It is said that Lanzarote, along with the other Canary Islands was formed as part of the break up of the African and American continental plates.

One of the most magnificent natural attractions on Lanzarote is the Timanfaya National Park. The park that is sparse in vegetation and distinctly identifiable by air from the number of large craters on show, tells the story of volcanic eruptions that took place during 1730 and 1736. The eruptions of the 1730’s are known as the greatest in Europe and saw many residents on Lanzarote take refuge in Gran Canaria.

To this day areas around the Timanfaya park still measure temperatures of 600 degrees just 13 metres below the ground that you stand on. You can see demonstrations of how hot this is within the park, through geyser demonstrations and watch straw set on fire as it is pushed just metres underground.

Whilst the eruptions helped to forge Lanzarote’s natural landscape, in more recent times a local artist, Cesar Manrique, helped to shape Lanzarote as we know it today in terms of the style of buildings, local sculptures, paintings and genius natural attractions that are scattered around the island. You could say that Manrique used Lanzarote as his canvas.

Some of the Manrique creations that are open as visitor attractions on Lanzarote include Mirador del Rio, a lookout built into the northern cliffs with amazing views over La Graciosa (a neighboring island) and Jameos del Agua, a lava tunnel containing a natural pool that is home to albino crabs (said to be the only place in the world where they can be found). Jameos del Agua also has an auditorium / concert hall built into the lava landscape. The lava based rock formations that line the walls of the auditorium are said to creating amazing acoustics that really bring classical music alive.

The legacy of Manrique is still very much alive today. Apart from a few large hotels, there are no high rise buildings and all buildings are painted white with either blue or brown door and window frames. It is because of this, along with the barren landscape that Lanzarote stands out from the other islands that make up the Canary archipelago.

5 Tips when driving in Lanzarote

Lanzarote is a small island with few roads (although more than when we first started visiting), but the one thing you will find is that the roads are virtually empty! This makes it very easy to get around and you can travel around the entire island in around half a day.
There are a few things to consider when driving in Lanzarote, as the laws are probably different than you are used to back home.

Here are 5 tips to give you a heads up about driving in Lanzarote:

1. Drive on the right – Driving Laws in Lanzarote are the same as Spain. You drive on the right and overtake on the left. There are many roundabouts on the island so make sure you look left as that is where the traffic is coming from!

2. Carry your ID at all times – Drivers in Lanzarote can be subject to on the spot searches so make sure that you are carrying your driving license, photo ID and your car hire documents (if applicable) at all times.

3. Seatbelts - The use of seatbelts is a lawful requirement. Any Children under the age of 12 must travel in the back of the car, as they are not allowed in the front seats.

4. Drink Driving – Although this speaks for itself the laws are quite tough when it comes to drink driving or driving under the influence of drugs. If you get stopped on a spot check don’t be offended if you are asked to give a breath test – it’s standard procedure.

5. Parking – Don’t park on white or yellow lines. It’s against the law. If you find yourself parking on a blue line this means you must find a ‘pay-and-display’ machine and purchase a ticket. Also, do not park in front of any bins! The local refuge collection collects at all hours of the day and you could find yourself being towed away!

Although the roads are quiet you may find that parking in a busy resort can be quite tricky. In Puerto del Carmen there is a new one way system that has been introduced so even if you have travelled before be sure to stay alert for changes to any of the roads as they try to make them more efficient.

Driving in Lanzarote can be fun, but make sure that you take great care, especially if you are used to driving in the UK. Driving on the ‘other’ side of the road can be difficult to get used to at first.

This article is brought to you by Destination Lanzarote - Your Lanzarote Holiday Guide. For more information on Car Hire in Lanzarote visit our web site.