The must-see places in Lanzarote (or almost)

It would be a shame to visit Paris without going to see the Eiffel Tower, don’t you think? Are you going on a trip to Lanzarote? There are inevitably some tourist monsters not to be missed, it is an integral part of its culture and its heritage. So let’s discover together the unmissable places of Lanzarote.

Due to their notoriety, they are certainly frequented, but inevitable to better understand the cultural heritage of the island.

This article perfectly complements another where I give 3 ideas for itineraries to do by car on Lanzarote , to take in the view and at a very low price.

And in between 2 visits, why not let yourself be tempted by the various activities I have to offer, such as catamaran sailing to Papagayo or Lobos, buggy riding, diving and much more…. Click here to find out what you can do.

TIMANFAYA, the mountain of fire.

It’s more than just a change of scenery.

A desert landscape, ravaged by lava and left as it is, this is what you will find when going to Timanfaya Park.
It’s hard not to imagine what a volcanic eruption must look like, because you find yourself circulating around the craters, aboard a bus specially designed for this purpose, with the authorizations to go to the heart of this natural park. from Lanzarote.
For some, the fact that it is by bus and therefore in an organized tour, puts a brake on the desire to make this visit, but know that the landscapes you will see are unique in the world, and that just for that, you would be really missing something by sulking this outing.

The bus tour lasts 35min, the audio guides are in Spanish, English and German, ask the driver if he doesn’t have a French version, if he can’t, he will tell you to download an app to get the comments in our language.
In addition to this visit, there are also some animations where guides show us how much the volcanoes are still active, by creating a kind of geyser, and by making you observe the spontaneous burning of dry bushes put in a hole of shallow depth in the ground.

In addition, you will also find a restaurant which offers specialties cooked in a natural barbecue operating thanks to the heat of the bowels of the volcano, do not expect haute cuisine, but go there if you just want to eat a dish cooked in an original way.

Crazy Canary tips:

– During the busy vacation season, the site can be a victim of its own success, and there can be a long wait to get in. Try to arrive a little before 9am to avoid the day’s rush.
– You can easily integrate this visit into itinerary 1 or 2 suggested in this
this article
.

– You can also take a free walking tour of the park. Just be sure to book well in advance, as places are very limited. Click here
– Open every day, even public holidays, from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

GARDEN OF CACTUS, which rubs there is pricked there.

In life…. There are cacti…

Inaugurated in 1991, this is César Manrique’s last major project, it almost feels like being in a Roman amphitheater…. But surrounded by thorns!
Without even being a particular fan of botany, it’s hard not to fall in love with the place and to take an interest in all the varieties found there, they come from all over the world, and sometimes some really seem to come all the way right from another planet.

There is no guided tour, or particular tour to follow, simply stroll through the alleys, with as a landmark, in height, the old mill which was previously used to grind gofio, a typical Canarian dish.

The unexpected surprise was to find on the menu of the restaurant on site, a whole bunch of dishes with as an ingredient, guess what? Cacti! As a burger, nuggets or juice, it’s perfect for really soaking up the theme of this visit!

Crazy Canary tips:
– You’re in a walled enclosure, so if you’re worried about the heat, avoid going there on sunny, windless days.
– You can easily integrate this visit into itinerary 3 proposed in this article.
– At the ticket office, you’ll be offered to buy a package of entrance tickets to different sites like this one, so you’ll get a small discount.
– Open every day, even holidays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

JAMEOS DEL AGUA, enter the world of César Manrique.

When volcanic chasms become artistic highlights.

Originally intended to be a nightclub, Jameos del Agua has finally become a must if you want to know more about Lanzarote and the artist who has influenced this island so much, César Manrique.

The contrasts between white, black and green give an absolutely magnificent result, and when you know Lanzarote a little, you immediately understand why César Manrique chose to play with these 3 colors, because they are quite simply the ones that represent at best the island, with the white reminiscent of the lime on the houses, then the black and the green, which immediately make me think of the fields, where the green leaves of these, marry with the black layer of picon, a type of volcanic sand, which everyone uses because it helps hold moisture underground for crops. Seeing these 3 colors together, we immediately think of Lanzarote.

You will enter through a first chasm, where there is a bar, very nicely decorated, and the dance floor of the initial project, to then walk along an underground lake where a unique species of tiny albino lobsters live. Be careful, for their survival, do not throw coins into the body of water.

Following this, you will discover another bar and dance floor, open to the sky this time, to end on a magnificent pool, with turquoise water and a magnificent enamelled white which contrasts the black and green, it’s a treat for eyes.

The only downside in my opinion is that if you don’t linger anywhere, the visit is done quite quickly, which makes the entrance price a little too high from my point of view, but that would be a shame to miss this discovery because it is 3-4€ too expensive.

Crazy Canary tips:

– You can easily integrate this visit into itinerary 3 suggested in this article.
– At the ticket office, you’ll be offered the chance to buy a package of entrance tickets to different sites like this one, so you’ll get a small discount.
– Open every day, even holidays, from 10 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.

CÉSAR MANRIQUE MUSEUM HOUSE, welcome to the world of the artist.

You would think that nothing has changed since his departure…

Not to be confused with the César Manrique Foundation, the casa-museo is located in the small village of Haria, inside this old farmhouse, restored by the artist, everything has remained original, the furniture, the accessories etc…. Something to feel a bit like having the privilege of entering into his private life, because you will also find there, for the really intimate side, a whole set of his personal objects, clothes, brushes etc… And at the bottom of the garden you will discover, half buried, his studio with drawings and unfinished works, as if time had suddenly stopped.

I really like visiting house museums, because everything comes together to really put you in a retro atmosphere, almost reminiscent of a trip to the past, and allows us to see one of the last places Manrique saw, before his tragic accident in car…

And since we are diving into the world of the artist, thanks to whom Lanzarote is what it is today, why not go to where he rests, in the cemetery of Haria, pay homage to him and see his grave both very sober (at his request), but still original.

Crazy Canary tips:

– You can easily integrate this visit into itinerary 3 proposed in this article.
– Open daily, 10:30 am to 6:00 pm
– Do not miss to visit the small shops of the village and to go to its watchtower at the same time.
– Haria also hosts a Saturday morning market, which is undoubtedly the most authentic on the island.

CUEVA DE LOS VERDES, 5000 years of history.

The longest lava tube in the world.

Born from the last eruption of the Corona volcano, this place has served as a refuge for centuries, first for the aborigines of the island, as for the Spaniards in order to protect themselves from the regular attacks of North African pirates during the 16th and 17th centuries. centuries.

The term is not the right one, but it is in fact a cave, with its lava formations and stalactites, the visit lasts 50min and is done exclusively with a guide.

Sometimes concerts are held inside as the features of the cave give great acoustics, and you will also discover a secret at the end of the tour.

From my point of view, if you have already visited caves before, and you enjoyed it, you will not be disappointed with the cueva de los verdes, on the other hand, if like me, even as a child, visiting a cave does not forever thrilled more than that, I don’t think you’ll find anything more with this one, although it’s clearly still a well-organized and interesting tour.

Crazy Canary tips:

– You can easily integrate this visit into itinerary 3 proposed in this article.
– At the ticket office, you’ll be offered to buy a package of entrance tickets to different sites like this one, so you’ll get a small discount.
– Open every day, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (last visit at 4 p.m.)
– Expect it to be around 18 degrees inside, and bring closed shoes to get there

THE CÉSAR MANRIQUE FOUNDATION, from the spitting image of Manrique

Another place steeped in the artist’s DNA.

The building is a residence that belonged to him, and where he has perfectly succeeded in merging architecture, nature and volcanoes, we fully find his style with a mixture of enamelled white, volcanic rock, and vegetation that sometimes grows in unlikely places.

You will find small caves, tunnels, stairs, which combine with side lighting, and art deco furniture, you are in the world of the artist!

The architecture and layout are very nice, but I expected to see a lot more work from him, except that apparently in 2019 (date to be confirmed), the managers of the foundation changed the presentation of the foundation, for the 100th anniversary of his birth, and since then they have filled all the walls with photos of him, painting, riding a horse, cutting grapes, walking etc etc etc…. Which gave me the impression of dealing with a narcissistic character when it is not…. It is by talking with other regulars of this place that I learned that.

So, as long as it stays that way, I rather want to tell you not to classify this visit as a top priority of things to do in Lanzarote, unless you really want to discover more about Manrique and his works.

Crazy Canary tips:

– You can easily integrate this visit into itinerary 3 suggested in this article.
– Open daily, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
– Not far is the casa museo campesino that I quote in my itinerary number 1 of the same article , which is very interesting.

To conclude :

Lanzarote is brimming with cultural treasures, both man-made and natural, and I haven’t been able to list all the island’s tourist attractions, but at least the main ones, there are others that I’ll let you discover for yourself, et between 2 visits, why not let yourself be tempted by the various activities I have to offer, such as catamaran sailing to Papagayo or Lobos, buggy riding, diving and much more…. Click here to find out what you can do.