Lanzarote is one of 8 islands of the Canary archipelago and it is undoubtedly the most original and particular. Despite being in all respects Spanish territory (yes, here you pay in euros, Spanish is spoken and even for your telephone operator you will be in Europe), the Canary Islands are located much further south of the Strait of Gibraltar, just 100km from the coasts of southern Morocco, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Lanzarote was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1993 and takes great care of its natural heritage. It is one of the few islands in the archipelago to have very strict rules regarding the environment and tourist exploitation and still retains completely unspoiled landscapes. Many areas of the island were covered with lava from the eruption of Timanfaya volcano between 1730 and 1736 and 1824 and this created some fascinating scenarios. If you are a lover of volcanoes and outdoor sports like myself .. it is definitely the island for you!
Health insurance is recommended
Being in Europe, as Spanish citizens we have the right to health care, but there are specific conditions and ceilings. My advice is to still take a classic medical-luggage insurance that can cover you during the trip, even for Covid-19. I am very happy with many insurance companies, a site that compares the policies of different companies and proposes the most convenient policy for that particular trip. To do this you will have to enter the data relating to your trip and they will send you an email with the best proposal that you can then buy directly online (!!!). All travel insurances also cover medical assistance in the event of a coronavirus infection, including testing if necessary. There is also coverage for the extension of the stay in the hotel due to the quarantine. Likewise, the trip cancellation guarantee includes coverage for illness or death of the traveler or a family member due to COVID-19.
How to get to Lanzarote
From Spain it is possible to reach Lanzarote with direct flights from various cities with Ryanair, Easyjet and Wizzair. The airport is located south of Arrecife, the capital.
Being very close to Fuerteventura, if you find cheaper flights to this other island, you can then reach Lanzarote by ferry. The latter depart from Corralejo (north of Fuerteventura) and arrive in Playa Blanca (Lanzarote) in about 30 '. The route is covered by 2 companies Naviera Armas e Fred Olsen (each with 3-4 trips per day) and the ticket costs 28 euros (one way).
When to go to Lanzarote: all year round!
Thanks to its geographical location, the climate here is much more similar to the African climate than to the European one. The Canaries have a subtropical climate, with long hot summers and non-existent winters. Temperatures can vary between 15 ° C minimum and 20 ° C maximum during the winter, and 22 ° C minimum and only 28 ° C maximum in summer. The excursion is very limited both between the minimums and maximums and between summer and winter. In addition to a perfect temperature, rain on this island is quite rare: even in the wettest periods such as winter you will have a risk of rainfall of only 7%, practically you risk having more rain in a single day in Milan than in a whole month in Lanzarote.
As far as the wind instead, you will quickly discover that it can also be very strong on some days, perfect if you want to kite, windsurf or other sailing sports, but less pleasant if you want to relax on the beach. On the other hand, however the wind is fairly stable and predictable and almost always comes from the north, so the beaches of the south coast, for example, are almost always sheltered and calmer.
For the water temperature, despite being further south, the ocean reaches slightly lower temperatures than the Mediterranean in midsummer: the best time for water temperature is in late summer, from August to October (when it is around 22-23 ° c). The good news is that during the rest of the year, on the other hand, it doesn't drop much and even in the middle of winter it never goes below 18 ° C.
Where to sleep in Lanzarote: the best areas for every need
After spending a month on this island, I realized that there is no single answer to this question. The answer is .. "it depends on what you are looking for" and what kind of life you want to do during your vacation.
Playa Blanca
Despite being in the far south of Lanzarote, Playa Blanca has the advantage of having many beautiful, wind-sheltered beaches within a 5 'drive or even on foot. Playa Blanca is a tourist resort, with many residences and hotels, not particularly charming per se, but well organized and very convenient especially for families with children. From here, however, a dinner in the center or in the north is always feasible. The cons of Playa Blanca is that if you are looking for a bit of nightlife, you won't find it. Here are many beautiful villas with swimming pools like these (I stayed at Luxury Villa Lanzarote):
- Villas Costa Papagayo : villas of various sizes with swimming pools
- Luxury Villa Lanzarote : very comfortable and comfortable villa with pool 20 'walk from the beach
Costa Teguise
Costa Teguise is located in the center of the island and can be a good compromise for those who want to be close to the sea and equipped beaches and also want to do a minimum of nightlife. Architecturally it is very similar to Playa Blanca, but is livelier in the evening and more convenient for exploring the rest of the island. Here too there are many beautiful villas with swimming pools and several nice hotels.
- Oasis Lanz Beach Mate: nice resort right on the beach
- Villa Golf Club : very nice villa within Costa Teguise
Teguise or Haria
If you are not interested in being by the sea but are looking for a town with a bit of character and charm, I definitely recommend Teguise, the ancient capital of the island. Teguise is also one of the oldest cities in the Canaries and in its historic center, all pedestrian, you can see the carefully restored ancient buildings, all rigorously white (as in the rest of the island). Every Sunday (except in Covid times) the largest and most characteristic market in Lanzarote takes place here. If you are looking for a little local life, a trustworthy bar where you can relax in the sun and excellent restaurants..it is the perfect place. Also Would do, which is further north, may be a similar choice; here you will find beautiful rural houses (typical houses) and the landscapes are very beautiful. The only flaw is that there is always a few degrees less than the rest of the island and more clouds.
Boutique Hotel Palacio Ico (Teguise): beautiful and historic 4-star hotel in Teguise
Famara or Arrieta
If you are young and maybe even surfers, Famara is your place. This long beach is famous for its waves and has a very nice village full of bars and restaurants where you can also have an evening. The cons is that, of course, it is one of the windiest areas of the island (the wind usually comes from the north) and there may be some more clouds. Also Arrieta it is a very popular place for surfers (especially beginners) and has a beautiful seaside village.
- Casa Bogo (Famara): very nice design detached house
- Pure House (Arrieta): nice holiday home right by the sea
- Eco Village Finca de Arrieta (Arrieta): very nice eco-yurts near the beach
Quemada Beach or El Golfo
I close with 2 places that I particularly loved on the island and that can be the perfect base for those who are not looking for nightlife but want to stay in a very nice little seaside village, with excellent restaurants and surrounded by beautiful landscapes. Quemada Beach is located on the southwest coast, while The gulf on the south-east coast, and is one of the most beautiful places to see the sunset in Lanzarote.
- House on the seafront (Playa Quemada) : the house of dreams, sooner or later I come to stay here (but must be booked well in advance!). It's the one pictured below
- Rural House Caleton del Golfo (El Golfo): beautiful apartments and studios with sea view
Getting around in Lanzarote
If you don't have a driving license or don't want to drive, there is one in Lanzarote bus network which covers the main locations (here you will find all the info, timetables, etc.), but to be able to explore it better I recommend renting a car. Fortunately, in the Canaries it costs very little, as well as petrol. When I travel I normally use the site of Rentalcars, but for Lanzarote the companies with the best value for money are cicar e Cabrera Medina. They have offices almost everywhere (airports, ports, main and minor cities) and allow you to rent a car without blocking your credit card and with the Kasco without deductible. The cost for a week is around 120-130 euros. The cheapest company ever, however, is More Car; they do not have physical offices but you will fill in an online form where you will indicate the point where you would like to start the rental and they will bring the car there. It is a little more inconvenient, but it saves a good 20-30% on the rental.
Another alternative can be that of rent an equipped van and move with it in total freedom, sleep where you want (free camping is allowed everywhere in Lanzarote) and enjoy the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets on the island. I had this experience for the first time in my life with Banana Camper and I loved it !!! Falling asleep lulled by the sound of the waves and waking up with a sea view is priceless. If you decide to do so, I also recommend that you download theWhatsapp Park4night to find the best spots to stop and sleep.
Where to eat in Lanzarote
In Lanzarote you can eat very well and there are restaurants of all price ranges. In the seaside resorts there are a lot of restaurants right on the beach and often there Fishermen's Guild, a kind of fishermen's club where you can eat fresh fish in an unassuming environment. Arrecife and Puerto del Carmen. However, there are also excellent restaurants (often also panoramic) within the island. In many countries, especially in small ones like Tao, Tinajo, Mazaga, etc., then there are i Teleclub, free-range trattorias where you can eat well and spend little. They are a kind of "speak-easy" (pass me the term) and date back to Franco's times, when people came here secretly to watch the games (hence their bizarre name): look for them and you will find them almost everywhere! In addition, in several museums / cultural centers designed by Manrique, there are often restaurants inside; it is so for the Monumento al Campesino, the Jameos de Agua, the Jardin de Cactus, the Mirador del Rio, the Timanfaya Park and the LagOmar. They are all beautiful of course, given the incredible location where they are located.
- Arrieta - Beach house: good and cheap fish, right on the surfers' beach
- Arrieta - The Dawn : cheap fish restaurant in the center of the village with a terrace overlooking the sea, very good fish
- White beach - Neapolitan pizzeria 7 senses: you will feel like you are in Naples, super-approved!
- White beach - Kamezi Deli & Bistro: super nice boutique hotel with infinity pool perfect for sunset drinks or dinner
- White beach - GastroBar Primary: very good hipster-gourmet restaurant in Marina Rubicon
- La Geria- Rubicon Winery: excellent wine cellar with restaurant overlooking the vineyards of La Geria
- La Geria - La Geria Winery: one of the best known winery on the island, perfect for tasting local wines at sunset, overlooking the vines (see photo below)
- The Gulf - Blue sea: good fish - average prices
- The Gulf - Bogavante: a little 50s restaurant right on the beach, very good and nice
- Famara – The risk e Dunes of Famara: same property, slightly higher end restaurants, both very good. Book in advance
- Quemada Beach - Casa Tino e The fisherman: very beautiful and very good, right on the beach
- Females - Balcon de Fémes: restaurant with panoramic terrace perfect for lunch and to watch the sunset
- Teguise – Winery: very good tapas bar
- Teguise – The Crèperie patio: very nice little place hidden in the alleys of Teguise
- Puerto Calero - Tack: good restaurant with terrace facing the port
How much does a holiday in Lanzarote cost
In Lanzarote, and in the Canary Islands in general, you spend a little less than in Spain. To sleep in a nice place you spend at least 25-30 euros each and to eat fish let's say between 25 and 35 euros. Renting a car costs very little instead (10/20 euros per day), as well as petrol.
For the various attractions, calculate between 6 and 10 euros per entry. For the cultural centers / museums designed by Manrique it is possible to do gods cumulative tickets which include 3,4 or 6 attractions including:
- Timanfaya National Park - Montanas del Fuego
- Jardin de Cactus
- Jameo de Agua
- Cave of the greens
- Mirador del Rio
- MIAC - Castillo de San José
The combined ticket allows you to save a little euro and is valid for 2 weeks. For example, I did the one for 4 with Jameos de Agua, Timanfaya, Jardin de Cactus and Cueva de los Verdes at a cost of 29 euros and I saved 9.
Lanzarote FAQ
You may also be interested in these other articles I wrote about Lanzarote and the Canary Islands:
- What to see in Lanzarote: all the places not to be missed
- The most beautiful treks in Lanzarote (Canary Islands)
- La Graciosa (Lanzarote): how to reach it, what to see what to do
- Lanzarote: the most beautiful beaches and natural pools
- Smartworking from the Canary Islands: info and useful tips for digital nomads
- What to see in La Palma: the 'isla bonita' of the Canaries
- Fuerteventura: what to see and where to go
