Lanzarote - Island of Nature, Food and Music

Lanzarote is my all time favourite place.  Not only just my favourite holiday destination but my favourite place on earth bar none.  The climate is just right and the island has a mystique that surrounds its preserved natural beauty.  Its a place that draws me back time after time.

When your flight starts to descend over Lanzarote, the first thing you will notice (usually out of the left hand window of the plane) is the volcanic landscape.  The view of crater, after crafter is truly amazing and the colours of the mineral rich landscape set off against the blue of the sky and the sea are a real sight to behold.  You will also notice how sparse Lanzarote appears from the air.  Its only a small island and yet is not overrun with high rise developments.  It really has the mix of tourism and nature spot on.

When the Plane touches down and you make your way out of the airport the landscape may appear quite literally, bone dry.  Lanzarote doesnt get much rain (it is off the coast of the Sahara Desert).  The landscape on Lanzarote has been likened to that on the moon and whilst this might not be for everyone it certainly has its hold on me.

There are three main tourist resorts on Lanzarote.  Puerto del Carmen (the largest and just minutes from the airport), Playa Blanca and Costa Teguise.  Each resort has its own appeal to different age groups but the one thing they all share is great food.  When it comes to dining out Lanzarote sets the standards.  Go into any restaurant that lines the sea front of the resorts (and they are a few) and you will, more often than not, be presented with a wide selection of outstanding dishes.  And the portions dont come small!  The price you pay for eating out in Lanzarote does vary.  You can basically pay as little or as much as you want, but the average price usually gets you a really nice meal.  A couple can easy have a nice meal for around €50 including starter, main, desert and drinks.

Finally, the music.  I dont know what it is about Lanzarote but the live music on offer tends to be so much better than anywhere else I have been.  It really seems to blend in with the island and provides a great nights entertainment.  Not only that but the musicians tend to be accessible so it easy to get to know them if you are a regular visitor to the island.

All in all, Lanzarote is the perfect place.  The climate, the nature and the tourism all seem to sit together so well.  Its not over commericalised and there is a real sense that whilst Tourism is very important to the island that it will not be forced into destroying the identity that has created the island we have come to know and love.

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.

Lanzarote Attractions - Admissions figures for May 2011

Attractions in Lanzarote are enjoying a healthy year as Tourism on the island continues to grow. May 2011 enjoyed an increase of 7.88% across all attractions against last years figures.

The Timanfaya National Park remained the most popular attraction with 54,049 visitors during May. This was followed by Jameos del Agua, recording visitor numbers of 42,747.

Other key attractions on Lanzarote continued to admit improved visitor numbers.

The Green Caves admitted 22,097 visitors, Mirador del Rio 20,616 visitors and Jardin de Cactus 18,486.

In total, the attractions admitted a combined total of 162,061 visitors which took the total for 2011 to 973,412 to date. Compared to last year when 869,112 admissions where recorded - an increase of 12%

Lanzarote - An Island of Natural Treasures

Most people recognise Lanzarote as a year round holiday destination thanks to its ever spring climate. The temperature very rarely drops below 16 degrees at any point during the year and can hit the late 30's in the summer. It goes without saying that the weather is a huge pull for both summer and winter holidays in Lanzarote.

What people might not realise is that the island of Lanzarote is home to some wonder, natural attractions that stem back thousands of years. It's easy to see how many of the attractions on Lanzarote are definitely influenced by the volcanic activity that took place in the 1700 and 1800's. Add to that a talented artist by the name of Cesar Manrique and you have the perfect blend to create some inspiring visitor attractions.

Lets's start with the Timanfaya National Park - after all this is where the main focus on volcanic activity lies. Between 1730 and 1736, the area to the east of the island was completed devasted by volcanic activity. Whilst no deaths were recorded villages were destroyed and the area was left baron and sparse. In 1968 the area was declared a national park, now known as Parque Nacional de Timanfaya (The Timanfaya National Park). Manrique stamped his mark on the national park by designing the 'El Diablo' restaurant which sits overlooking the magnificent views out over the park and the Atlantic Ocean. The restaurant is also home to a natural volcanic grill where you can watch the food cooked by the natural heat that lies just a few feet under the ground.

To the north of the island sits Mirador del Rio. This lookup, again one of Manriques creations, sits built into the cliff face overlooking the small island of La Graciosa. There is a small bar / cafe on site along with a gift shop. It's not expensive to get in (around €4.70) and the views really are spectacular.

On the East of the Island are two attractions that have been built around a lava tunnel that stretches as long as 6km with a further 1.6km that goes out to sea. Most of the tunnels have been closed off for research and only around 2km are open to the public.

Close by you will be Jameos del Agua, which is built around a collapsed part of the lava tunnel. This attraction is also home to a species of Blind Albino Crab that is found nowhere else in the world.

The natural attractions on Lanzarote are wonders in themselves, and just by visiting them you can get a sense of what live on the island was like thousands of years ago. If you are going to Lanzarote on your holiday I would highly recommend either taking an excursion to these attractions or hiring a car, even if just for a couple of days.

Lanzarote - A tale of three resorts

Lanzarote is a popular, all year-round holiday destination. Thanks to its close proximity to the Sahara desert, the temperature rarely drops below 16 degrees Celsius at any part of the year. Add to that, the 16 days of rain a year and its easy to see what the appeal is.

There is plenty to do on the island of Lanzarote, wether its lying on the beach soaking up the sun, visiting one of the many natural attractions such as the Timanafaya National Park, enjoying the night life and huge selection of restaurants,bars and clubs or even taking part in some adrenaline sports such as kite-surfing up at Famara.

When people visit Lanzarote, its highly likely that they will stay in one of the three main tourist resorts - Puerto del Carmen, Costa Teguise or Playa Blanca (although we hope we are not giving too much discredit to Arrecife, the capital of Lanzarote).

The three resorts are actually all quite different. Puerto del Carmen (also known as PDC to those in the inner circle) is probably the most popular resort, especially with the British. The long sea front strip of bars, clubs and restaurants means that there is something for everyone, not forgetting the huge beach that runs virtually all the way down the front of the town. Puerto del Carmen has quite recently undergone some renovation work along the sea front strip, including new lighting and a new one way system. We find that Puerto del Carmen is the ideal resort for young adults or groups / parties that are looking to let their hair down whilst on holiday.

Costa Teguise, on the East of the Island is a smaller, quieter resort ideal for families or couples that prefer to take things a little slower. There is a good choice of bars and restaurants here although as there is no real form of shelter it can get a little windy at certain points in the year. There is also an aquarium in Costa Teguise and a water park nearby so there is plenty to do for all ages.

Playa Blanca, sitting on the south-west tip of the island and sheltered by Mountains, is a little more refined. The once small fishing port has grown into a small holiday resort that seems to be more popular with the Germans. The small strip and sea-front walkway which is lined with some excellent restaurants (and yes, I have sampled virtually every one of them) and the Rubicon Marina is host to a bi-weekly craft market which is a must visit. There are three small beaches in Playa Blanca, all of which can sometimes get a little crowded so some holiday makers make their way over to Papagayo which is a larger beach to the east of Playa Blanca.

So which resort is the best for you? It really depends on your tastes and what sort of holiday you are looking for. All resorts have their positives so before you book your Lanzarote holiday just sit back and think about what you want to get out of your vacation before you commit to anything.

Lanzarote to lose its biosphere status?

Thanks to its year round warm climate, Lanzarote attracts many tourists looking for a relaxing and lazy holiday in the sun. Perhaps what many tourists don’t realize is that Lanzarote is a Unesco biosphere site, one of only 564 in the world!

With pioneering use of land a large part of the western coast of Lanzarote has been declared a nature reserve, the volcanic Timanfaya National Park, which is largely intact except for a tour-bus route, camel rides and a restaurant where food is cooked over a naturally lava-heated barbecue pit.

However, thanks to the so called ‘illegal’ building of 24 hotels in coastal resorts such as Playa Blanca the island is in danger of losing its biosphere status. The Canary Island Supreme Court has ruled that these hotels have been built illegally, with EU grants – issued partly with thanks to the islands biosphere status!

The biosphere status was issued to the island based on its development plans to promote sustainable tourism that respected the environment. The Cesar Manrique Foundation, named after the late artist Cesar Manrique himself, fights the development of large concrete buildings such as hotels on the other Canary Islands.

However, as you will see from the larger hotels that have been built on the sea front in resorts such as Playa Blanca there is reason for concern with regards to the biosphere status of the island.

Maybe the saving grace is that it is the Cesar Manrique foundation who have in fact ‘whistle-blown’ on these developers which may give the island a fighting chance in retaining the biosphere status.

There is no doubt that some of the larger hotels, such as those in Playa Blanca have helped the towns tourism trade, but at what cost? Playa Blanca, one a small fishing port is now a vibrant tourist destination enticing people from all over Europe.

The island has proven that, for years, it has been able to sustain repeat tourism through natural, low-key visitor attractions and it would be a tragic shame to see the Manrique legacy and biosphere status fall over the sake of corrupt property development.

Lanzarote - A tale of two islands!

Lanzarote is a very popular all year round holiday destination and a favourite with northern Europeans who escape to find a bit of winter sun. Unlike some of the other Canary Islands Lanzarote remains largely unspoilt by tourism and is a natural beauty created by volcanic eruptions up to 5000 years ago.

The landscape of Lanzarote is split, very much, into two different sides in the east and the west (some would argue also the north which is much greener and damper).

The west of the island is home to the Timanfaya National Park, the most popular tourist attraction on the island. The park is home to Fire Mountain which caused complete devastation to the island during a 5 year eruption. The Montanas del Feugo, created between 1730 and 1736, are a formation of nearly 100 individual volcanoes and form the landscape of the baron, west side of the island. Today the Timanfaya National Park is visited by tens of thousands tourists every year.

The northern and easterly side of the island tend to be greener than the west, more so in recent years. Around the villa of Haria the land tends to be surprisingly green and agriculture plays a large part in the way of life. Many people think this is due to the altitude of the northern part of the island and the low clouds which form over the cliffs around Famara. Famara is often known to be quite damp compared to the rest of the island.

The area between the north and west of the island (towards the centre) is famous for it’s vinyards and wine production. The ‘soil’ is perfect with the minerals from the volcanoes and lava fields.

Although the island has a lot to offer in terms of its landscape and natural beauty it is unfortunate that many people do not get chance to witness it as they stay within the towns of their accommodation. I would always recommend that you hire a car for a couple of days and get to see some of the amazing natural sights that the island holds. Some of the natural attractions aren’t advertised that well so check out a guide to Lanzarote before you visit and prepare your schedule well.

Things to do whilst staying in Lanzarote

Whilst it is true that most people visit Lanzarote for the all year round sun, there are plenty of other things to do on your holiday on the island, although some of the attractions are not so well known.

The first port of call, especially if you haven’t been to Lanzarote before has to be The Timanfaya National Park. The park is made up of numerous Volcanoes, now thankfully all extinct apart from one. A small entrance fee allows you up to Fire Mountain where you can take a bus trip around the national park and sample good food cooked on a grill powered by natural heat from the volcano.

Just around the corner on the coast you can find El Golfo. A small fishing town on the eastern side of the island. It is at El Golfo where you can find a green mineral water lake at the foot of a half eroded volcano. The waves at El Golfo can become quite rough at time and we have spent many an afternoon eating at El Golfo whilst looking out to sea.
To the North of the Island you can find Mirador del Rio. This lookout was one of Cesar Manriques’ attractions and looks out of the cliffs towards the island of La Graciosa. On a good day the view is stunning with the sandy island and the clear blue sea.

Not far from Mirador del Rio is the small, but entertaining Guinate Tropical Park, home to many birds, reptiles, fish and our favourites, the Meerkats!

On the west side of the island you can visit the volcanic tunnels of Caeva do los Verdes (The Green Caves) and see the blind crabs across the road at Jameos del Agua. These natural attractions were also sculpted by the late Cesar Manrique and provide fascinating attractions build into the natural origins of the island.

If you prefer to do things a bit more upbeat there are plenty of shops, bars and restaurants on the island, not to mention the sandy (both black and golden) beaches that you can find at most resorts. If you are a sports fanatic you can find windsurfing and kite surfing up at Famara, towards the north of the island.

For a small island, if you know where to look, there really is so much to do on Lanzarote.