Lanzarote, Canary Islands (Spain)

Lanzarote is a Spanish island, the northernmost and easternmost of the autonomous Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. It is located approximately 125 kilometres (78 miles) off the north coast of Africa and 1,000 kilometres (621 miles) from the Iberian Peninsula. Covering 845.94 square kilometres (326.62 square miles), Lanzarote is the fourth-largest of the islands in the archipelago. With 149183 inhabitants, it is the third most populous Canary Island, after Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Located in the centre-west of the island is Timanfaya National Park, one of its main attractions. The island was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1993. The island’s capital is Arrecife.

Its landscape includes the mountain ranges of Famara (671 metres or 2,201 feet) in the north and Ajaches (608 metres or 1,995 feet) to the south. South of the Famara massif is the El Jable desert, which separates Famara and Montañas del Fuego. The highest peak is Peñas del Chache, rising to 670 metres (2,200 feet) above sea level. The “Tunnel of Atlantis”, the largest underwater volcanic tunnel in the world, is part of the Cueva de los Verdes lava tube.

The island emerged about 15 million years ago as product of the Canary hotspot.

The island, along with others, emerged after the breakup of the African and the American continental plates. The greatest recorded eruptions occurred between 1730 and 1736 in the area now designated Timanfaya National Park.

Lanzarote is often called the “Island of Eternal Spring” because of its climate. Lanzarote is believed to have been the first Canary Island to be settled by the Majos tribe of the Guanches.

The island has an international airport, César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport, through which 7327019 passengers travelled in 2018 and
Puerto de los Mármoles’ port also used by cruise ships, which makes Lanzarote an easily accessible destination, which is one of the incentives that Iberinbound Travel, incoming travel agency, specialized in Spain and Portugal, Shorex, Groups and Groups ad-hoc by request, Luxury and VIP destinations iberinbound@iberinbound.com offers and a wide portfolio of active tourism, no matter if in the city or out in the nature.

What to visit and what to do in Lanzarote?

Puerto del Carmen (Pto. del Carmen) is the main tourist town on the island. The Avenida de las Playas, the main street/avenue in the town, extends some 7 km along the island’s southern coast, with beaches on one side and many restaurants, bars, shops and other tourist attractions on the other. Apartments, villas and hotels cover a kilometre or so inland from the coastline. The quaint and peaceful old town includes the harbour and docks, the Puerto Tinosa. Here there are a smaller variety of restaurants and bars with views across the harbour and the sea to the volcanic mountains of Papagayo beyond to views of the next island Fuerteventura.

Scuba diving

Puerto del Carmen is host to a large number of dive centres and scuba diving is one of the most popular sports there with very favourable conditions. Water temperatures vary from 19°C in the winter to 23°C in the summer and visibility averages over 25 metres to 30 metres.

Shopping and dining

The old restaurant «La casa roja» in the old harbour

Puerto Del Carmen hosts a variety of shops which sell mainly tourist-oriented products. The new town hosts bars, restaurants and tourist shops. The old town has many restaurants with outdoor terraces that overlook the marina below and the distant volcanic peaks. The Biosfera Plaza is a newly constructed shopping plaza, opened in 2002, which includes many international brands and has entertainment facilities. There are a handful of clubs in the open until 6am which are often popular with many younger tourists.

Timanfaya National Park, located in the southwestern part of the island of Lanzarote, Canary Islands. It covers parts of the municipalities Tinajo and Yaiza. The greatest recorded eruptions occurred between 1730 and 1736. The volcanic activity continues as the surface temperature in the core ranges from 100 to 600 °C (212 to 1,112 °F) at the depth of 13 metres (43 ft), which is demonstrated by pouring water into the ground, resulting in a geyser of steam which is an attraction for tourists. There is only one active volcano, Timanfaya volcano after which the park is named.

In 1993, UNESCO designated a Biosphere reserve covering the whole of Lanzarote. The national park is one of the core areas of the biosphere reserve.

Access to the park by the public is strictly regulated to protect the delicate flora and fauna. There are one or two footpaths, and a popular short route where one can visit by camel. There is a public car park from which one can tour the volcanic landscape by coach using a road that is otherwise closed to the public.

Arrecife . The capital of the island of Lanzarote . The center of Arrecife corresponds to the seafront of the city and its surroundings. It goes from the cable to the dock. El Charco, a lagoon of seawater that penetrates into the city, is the founding area of ​​Arrecife, and in its vicinity are some of the most interesting places in the city, such as the parish of San Ginés Obispo, the Castillo de San Gabriel or the commercial area of ​​Calle Real. Following the coast line to the north are the two ports of the city: the fishing, called Puerto de Naos, and the main one (commercial, merchandise and cruise ships), called Puerto de los Mármoles, third in importance of the Canary Islands. Near the latter is the other fortress of the city, the Castillo de San José, in which an International Museum of Contemporary Art is located.

The traditional culture of Arrecife is of marine origin, due to the history of the city. Despite the development and modernization of recent years, it still remains alive through folk groups such as the Parranda Marinera de Los Buches, traditional games such as “jolateros” (wafers built with tin cans) and Latin sailing regattas . Also important is the Carnival of Arrecife.