Exploring Volcanic Lanzarote

Written by guest author Nick Ball

The Canary Island of Lanzarote is best known as a bucket and spade beach holiday destination. Thanks to its location around 80 miles off the coast of Morocco – on a similar line of latitude to the Bahamas and parts of Mexico.

This privileged position creates a clement climate all year round. Characterised by very low rainfall and temperatures that usually hit 20 Celsius plus even during the depths of December and January.

Lanzarote is only four hours flying time from its largest markets of the UK, Eire and Germany too. Making it the closest genuine winter sun destination to the European mainland. A factor that helps to attract an average of around 1.5 million foreign tourists every year.

Yet despite Lanzarote´s undoubted popularity this small speck of Spain, measuring just 58km by 38km, offers much more than just sunshine and sun loungers alone. As the island boasts a wealth of surreal volcanic scenery along with a number of unique cultural attractions – developed under the aegis of a famous local artist and architect called César Manrique.

The Timanafya National Park is undoubtedly Lanzarote´s star attraction. As the scenery here really is out of this world. Massive volcanic eruptions in the 18th and 19th centuries left much of the south of the island covered in twisted lava flows and spent volcanoes. Destroying farmland, livelehoods and villages in its wake.

Today the volcanoes are all dormant – but the region has become the most visited spot on the island. Thanks to its incredibly surreal terrain which is often likened to the surface of the moon. Indeed Apollo 13 astronauts were shown images of Timanfaya to prepare themselves for their own lunar landings. Whilst numerous science-fiction films such as One Million Years BC have been shot on location here.

A visit to the Devils Diner in the centre of the park is an absolute must. As here visitors can watch whilst their food gets cooked on massive grills by the heat emanating from beneath the earths surface below.

Elsewhere on the island Manrique fused this unique volcanic terrain with his own artistic aesthetic in order to create a series of stylish visitor attractions. Designed to serve as ecologically viable alternatives to the water parks and golf courses so common in other Spanish sun spots.

His best known creation – and his first major project on Lanzarote – was the Jameos del Agua. A massive lava tunnel which he used as a backdrop for a multi-site facility that is part nightclub, part concert venue and part tropical gardens. Featuring a swimming pool reserved for the sole use of the King of Spain – should he every fancy a dip.

This creation really helped to put Lanzarote on the map in the early 1970´s as the hot new tourist destination. Drawing in VIP visitors such as Peter Sellers, Omar Sharif and Rita Heyworth – who described the Jameos as the “Eighth Wonder of the World”.

Manrique´s trademark touches can also be found in his former home and studio – now the César Manrique Foundation. Which he built over five bubbles in the surrounding lava flow. Before going to on to create a further six similar sites around the island. Helping to earn Lanzarote UNESCO protected biosphere status in the process in 1994.

Places To Stay
There´s plenty of good value accommodation available. Opt for a simple studio apartment in one of the main resorts, where prices start at around
£170 per week. Which is the price for the apartment and not per person.

Alternatively head for the north of Lanzarote and connect with the authentic rural heart of the island. Rooms in rural fincas here cost from as little as €40 per night. Try La Quentia in Tabayasco for good quality accommodation on an atmospheric former farm, with swimming pool.

Eating Out
Fresh seafood is very much the order of the day on Lanzarote. For the best value eats plump for the Menu del Dia in any local restaurant at lunchtime.
This is a great value three course meal, often including a beer or glass of wine, that all restaurants are compelled to serve by law. Usually costing no more than €10 per head.

Whilst tapas may be a mainland institution these small snack plates have a firm following across Spain – and Lanzarote is no exception. Try the local’s favourite of deep fried goat’s cheese or papas arrugadas (wrinkly potatoes). Which are small local spuds cooked in fresh sea water. Great tasting these are served with hot local mojos and boast more wrinkled skin than your average Rolling Stone.

How To Get There
Flights to Lanzarote are available with all of the leading low cost flight operators in the UK. With Ryanair, easyJet, Monarch, Thomas Cook and Jet 2 offering the lowest returns. Fly to Lanzarote for as little as £100 return in late October.

Getting Around
Car hire is remarkably cheap – costing from as little as €13 per day. Petrol is also much more affordable than in the UK too. It’s also possible to hire mountain bikes in all of the main resorts from €10 per day. But beware – even the fittest cyclist has been defeated by Lanzarote´s rocky and mountainous terrain. Little wonder that the island is used as a venue for the testing Iron Man Triathlon every May.