Guide to Lanzarote by The Fabulous Experience Company

Guide to Lanzarote

WELCOME

Lanzarote

lifestyle The climate in the Canary Islands is widely regarded as amongst the most enviable in the world. In centuries past the archipelago was often referred to as the Fortunate Islands for this very reason – and today this incredibly clement climate creates the ideal environment for a wide range of sport and leisure activities. Cycling

Contents Lifestyle.........................................3

Markets...........................................43

Attractions....................................6

Food & Drink................................45

Museums........................................22

Bards & Vineyards......................47

Mountain Look-Outs.................33

Essentials.......................................49

Resorts & Places.........................35

Transport.......................................52

Beaches.........................................38

Weather & Map...........................54

Fiestas & Festivals.....................40

Welcome to our guide to the Island of Lanzarote, where you can find out everything you need to know to get the best out of your holiday on this unique and beautiful island. There is plenty to do and to see on Lanzarote even though it’s a small island. Whether you’re looking for a taste of culture, some natural beauty or a bit of fun. Apart from a spectacular natural landscape and enviable climate, Lanzarote has managed to develop some truly stunning cultural centres, museums and art galleries.

The climate is probably Lanzarote’s biggest plus. Being so close to the African coast, the island is drier than Tenerife or Gran Canaria, the other well-known cycling destinations on the Canary Islands archipelago. The weather is a lot more predictable and unlike Mallorca, you will never be surprised by snow. The monthly average temperatures during the winter are high enough for cycling and in summer you can still enjoy your bike in the morning, although July and August are pretty hot and temperatures can reach above 40oC.

The weather, the landscape, the wind and the roads all play their part in making Lanzarote a favourite cycling destination for many riders, who return to the island year after year.

The island’s terrain plays an important part in its popularity amongst cyclists. There are plenty of flat and undulating roads in Lanzarote, but there is no shortage of climbs too. The tarmac is generally in a very good condition, many cycling routes have very little traffic and the drivers are used to cyclists, which makes them patient and courteous.

Diving It’s difficult to believe that this volcanic island has such a variety of landscapes under the sea, where most of its fauna lurks beneath its waters. It is a destination that an experienced diver will not tire of repeating. The more you dive in its waters you like it. It has more than 50 outstanding dives so you can hardly know their funds in one trip. And, with more than 100 dive sites, few people can presume to know them all.

The volcanic landscape, however, is not everyone’s cup of tea. Some describe it as dramatic, but others are not afraid to call it… ugly. Love it or hate it, the landscape is unique and offers views quite different than those on mainland Europe or other Mediterranean islands.

Andrew Williams Managing Director

Fishing

Marine Excursions

Spas, Shopping & Indulgence

Trekking & Trailing

The Atlantic Ocean surrounding Lanzarote provides excellent conditions for big game fishing and if you want to try your hand at it – or you are already an enthusiast – head for the marinas and harbours on the south coast (Puerto del Carmen, Puerto Calero and Playa Blanca).

One of the best ways to get a good view of Lanzarote is from offshore and there is a wide range of marine excursions available in almost all harbours. Perhaps you would enjoy a trip on a catamaran or on a genuine two-masted foreand-aft schooner on which you can get the authentic pirate feel? Whale watching is also possible during their migration season! Plus, you can discover Lanzarote’s stunning underwater world without getting wet. Climb on board a mini-submarine and journey to the bottom of the ocean!

If you’re more interested in a spot of pampering then Lanzarote’s growing legion of spas provide plenty of scope for some luxurious relaxation and self indulgence. As do the island’s shops – where visitors can browse the bargains in the surroundings of shopping centres such as the Biosfera in Puerto del Carmen or Arrecife’s Calle Real.

Lanzarote is an island that combines sea and mountains, but the mountains here are ideal for trekking. As well there’s a growing trend to trekking that runs through the beaches and rugged terrain of Lanzarote while affording some of the world’s most unique vistas.

Once suitably relaxed and attired you can then hit the islands bars and clubs, which offer night owls plenty of possibilities for partying long into the night.

The perfect place for a triathlon event. So perfect that the infamous IronMan event has been held here annually for over 25 years and it is recognised as one of the toughest IronMan events in the world.

All of them offer professionally equipped boats for charter, some even specialise in shark fishing. The main species caught in the waters off these ports are blue marlin, tuna (the best season for these two species is between April and November) wahoo, dolphin and bonito. As Lanzarote is renowned for its rich fishing grounds and many anglers want to try their luck, we recommend that you book early!

Triathlon

Sailing For centuries the Canary Islands have played an important role in maritime history. The seven islands of the archipelago occupy a strategically important position in the Atlantic Ocean - right in the path of the Trade Winds.

Golf Although Lanzarote has had a golf course for nearly 30 years, it has not been well known for the sport. With the newest course now two year’s old, a number of new courses in the pipeline and an enviable year round climate, that is about to change.

This once made them the perfect launching pad for naval expeditions to the New World and a vital conduit for trade between Europe, Africa and The Americas.

Christopher Columbus embarked upon his famous voyage of discovery from the Canaries. Admiral Nelson lost his arm at the Battle of Tenerife in 1797. And during the Second World War Winston This is a shame as the perfect year round Churchill, fearing the fall of Gibraltar, weather would allow golf to be played at even prepared plans for the British times when it is not possible elsewhere — invasion of the islands. at least not without some discomfort. Today, the Canaries provide a base for The advent of desalination plants, the more sedate pursuits of sports which produce abundant water straight sailing and marine excursions. Lanzarote from the Atlantic means that it is now, alone boasts four harbours and two possible to produce the rich growth of new marinas. grass needed for a top-class course. So there´s no shortage of alternatives This important fact, coupled to the for those who want to sample the seas desire of the local council to take tourism around the island. much more up-market in Lanzarote, has allowed for additional golf courses to be planned and constructed. The dry climate in Lanzarote does not naturally lend itself to the creation of lush green golf-courses.

Watersports Parascending, jet skiing, water skiing, a trip on a speedboat and other adrenalin-pumping activities are mainly offered at the major resorts. The ever popular banana boats, pedal boats and sea kayaks are also available for hire on many beaches.

Surfing Lanzarote is definitely an incomparable paradise for surfers. This magnificent island has a pleasant temperature all year round, beautiful and splendid beaches and powerful waves along a coastline of volcanic lava of singular beauty.

Windsurf & Kitesurf With a selection of the best spots for windsurfing and kite on the island you can enjoy the magnificent sailing conditions offered by this destination, classic in Europe. The geography of the island (30 minute drive at most from coast to coast) allow you to truly enjoy their conditions of wind and waves.

You’ll find spots with beach breaks, reefs, slabs and high quality waves. Every year heats for the world championships are held, but here you can surf at all levels, from beginner to expert. Lanzarote has an area of 60 km long by 35 km wide. It is very easy to move from one side to another and climate is another plus. Average temperatures range from 25ºC in winter to 31ºC in summer with water temperatures ranging from 18°C to 25°C, an absolute blast.

Lanzarote

attraCtions Timanfaya National Park – Montañas Del Fuego Raw Nature Three hundred odd years have passed since the eruptions of 1730-1736. Even though the wind and sun can take their toll, the lava fields, seas of sand and lapilli (the black fine volcanic pebbles and stones) all retain a pristine look about them. Of course, this is helped by the fact that visitors to Timanfaya are not permitted to walk through the park so there has been little erosion by footfall or off-road vehicle. Instead the coaches, which pick up visitors from the car park at Timanfaya, wind their way skilfully through the landscape, in some places turning on hairpin bends and ascending the flanks of the highest volcano of Santa Catalina as if it was an ordinary road.

The Volcano Park at Timanfaya is Lanzarote´s most popular tourist attraction. Every year close to one million people explore this unique lava-scape, home to a sea of colourful dormant volcanoes, following a route originally mapped by the island born artist and architect César Manrique.

Background Manrique is credited with having created the optimum route through the park. He also designed the restaurant which sits on top of the Islote de Hilario, where the car park and coach pick up point are. The restaurant El Diablo offers marvellous panoramic views - which are particularly impressive at sunset.

Photo Opportunities

Especially if you consider that some of the slabs of rock you will see standing perpendicular to the horizon must have flown through the air and landed where they are from the force of the explosions.

The coach drivers stop their vehicles at numerous points along the route so that visitors can get a proper look at the variety of vistas Timanfaya has to offer. There is also a commentary throughout the tour, provided in English, Spanish and German.

The heat just below the earth’s crust is still so intense that the restaurant at Timanfaya uses an opening in the ground to grill all the meat and fish they serve to diners. Go into the grill room and experience the heat for yourself.

An eyewitness to the eruptions, Father Curbelo, recorded events in his diary as he watched the eruptions from his parish in Yaiza.

Earth Wind & Fire

Such was the extent of the eruptions during these years, that although no one died, many villagers who had successfully farmed the area had to flee their homes, leaving the island altogether. So much ash and smoke was hurled into the atmosphere that the sun virtually disappeared for much of this time. Three small villages were swallowed up by the rivers of lava, which flowed across the countryside, devastating what had been some of the most fertile and productive land on the island.

There are also several demonstrations, performed just outside the restaurant, where staff will pour water down a number of holes in the ground, only for it to burst back up again in a geyser like spout, a few seconds later. Another demonstration shows how quickly hay will catch light when exposed to the heat emanating beneath the earth. There are several other ways of exploring this extraordinary place. If you leave the park via the road to Yaiza, there is a small visitor’s centre on the right hand side of the road, where you can take a ride up the side of a volcano on a camel.

Cuban Cigars As a result, many of the inhabitants undertook journeys to the New World in search of work and a new life. The cigar trade in Cuba was helped along by many former Lanzaroteños, as were many banana and sugar plantations in countries such as Venezuela.

The camels are led in a crocodile, with all their riders seated in the ‘English’ chairs strapped across their backs. They have a most ungainly walk, as they move the front and back leg on the same side of their body at the same time - this gait accounts for the rolling movement you can see or feel when you experience this ride, as well as the camels nickname of the ship of the desert.

Liquid Lava The sight of all this lava, in places looking like melted wax, is awe-inspiring. Although the volcanoes are of the Hawaiian type, (which means that the lava is slow moving and there is no pyroclastic flow of ash and suffocating debris), it is still hard to visualise quite how terrifying it must have been to see the earth in its molten liquid form.

Countless comparisons to a lunar landscape have already been made. But in reality the raw landscapes of Timanfaya allow visitors to imagine what the earth might have looked like when it was first formed.

Fact File Admission: ¤8 adults, ¤4 children Open: Daily 10.00 – 17.45 Camel Ride: ¤12 per Camel

Jameos Del Agua The Tour:

Referred to by César Manrique as ‘the most beautiful nightclub in the world’ and by Rita Heyworth, the legendary Hollywood movie star as ‘the eighth wonder of the world’, the Jameos del Agua is arguably the greatest example of the artist’s work on Lanzarote. First opened in 1966, the Jameos really helped to put Lanzarote on the map as a new and exciting tourist destination at that time.

Into The Jameos The Jameos was conceived by the island born artist and architect César Manrique, during the 1960’s. Whilst other Spanish sunspots were busy building golf courses and water parks to attract visitors, Manrique rejected this route. Instead he planned to fuse art with nature on his native Lanzarote and create a unique cultural attraction. Some people thought he was crazy. What could possibly be forged from the lava? By 1968 they were forced to think again.

What is a Jameos? The Jameos del Agua - like the Cueva de los Verdes - are part of a 6km long lava tube which formed about 4,000 years ago when the Montaña La Corona erupted. Molten lava continued to flow as the surface hardened, which in turn led to the formation of the tubes, which run down under the Atlantic. The word Jameo is used in this context to refer to the large openings in the tube which formed when parts of the roof collapsed due to a pressure build up caused by the volcanic gases.

One enters the Jameos by climbing down a stone-staircase into the first cave known as ‘Jameo Chico’, which has been turned into an unusual bar / restaurant, with views over a small lake. This natural lake has extremely clear water - regulated by the Atlantic Ocean - and is home to a species of blind albino crabs known as ‘Jameitos’ which are only found on Lanzarote. These crabs have been adopted as the symbol of the Jameos del Agua.

It is these open-air caves which Manrique used as the centrepiece for the attraction and which have given it a name.

Manrique created an identity or logo for each of the cultural attractions developed under his aegis and symbols of crabs and lobsters are echoed throughout the site – from the big statue welcoming visitors in the car park through to the giant lobster pots used as hanging planters for giant ferns through to more minute details such as the lobster shaped door handles into the main concert auditorium. Crossing the lake, by a narrow footpath, you then find yourself in the ‘Jameo Grande’.

Refreshments

Although you have probably seen this picture before on a myriad of postcards, nothing is quite like walking out of the dark tunnel to be faced, suddenly with a huge open-air cave lined with tropical plants and the most fantastic swimmingpool you may ever see.

As well as the bar / restaurant in the ‘Jameo Chico’ there is a second cafe next to the Casa de los Volcanes; which enjoys great views over the Swimming Pool area and out to the Atlantic Ocean nearby.

Jameos del Agua At Night

This crystal-clear, turquoise pool is truly paradise, even if you can’t actually use it, as swimming is forbidden. Reputedly, only the King of Spain is allowed to swim here.

The Jameos is doubly atmopsheric at nightime, when visitors can enjoy an a la carte meal and tradtional folk dancing and music on Tuesday and Saturday.

From the far end of the ‘Jameo Grande’ you can access the auditorium which has been constructed in part of the volcanic tube running down to the Ocean.

Fact File Admission: ¤8 adults, ¤4 children Open: Daily 10.00 - 17.00 and 19.00 - 02.00 (Tuesday and Saturday only)

Concert Auditorium The auditorium that is located behind the pool was first opened in 1987 but was closed for several years until 2009, due to the need for extensive restoration work. Now completed, the auditorium is used for classical concerts as it has excellent acoustics and also for film screenings. Pedro Almodovar´s film ‘Broken Embraces’ which was partially shot in Lanzarote had its premier screening here in 2010.

Tel: 0034 928 848024 (for evening reservations)

La Casa de los Volcanes Climbing out of the caves one reaches the Casa de los Volcanes (House of the Volcanoes) which is an avantgarde building that houses some fantastic information about the island of Lanzarote and volcanoes around the world. Here one can view instruments and computers showing live temperature measurements and movements of the earth. These have been placed behind glass, as they are part of scientific studies. The Casa de los Volcanes hosts an annual meeting of international volcanologists and also provides talks about volcanoes to the general public from time-to-time.

The Green Caves – Cuevas de los Verdes

The Mirador del Rio

In fact there is actually a chamber within the tunnel which is known as ‘The Refuge’, because it was so often used for shelter.

Hidden Secrets As with many cave systems, the Cueva de los Verdes has its own optical illusions, which you will be shown on the guided tour; which is the only way to see the Green Caves.

The Cueva de los Verdes are part of the same collapsed lava tunnel that forms the Jameos del Agua - a 6km long volcanic tube which was created about 5,000 years ago by the eruption of the nearby volcano Monte Corona. This 2km long underground pathway has been brilliantly lit and houses one of Lanzarote´s best kept secrets.

Is it worth going? It is definitely a site worth visiting, the beauty of the caves is amazing and it is certainly one of the most interesting volcanic structures on the island. However it is a cave (a big cave) which is lit for effect rather than visibility and some people may find it claustrophobic. So if caves and underground places really really don’t turn you on, you would probably be better visiting the Mirador del Rio.

What is it? Since 1964 a 2km pathway has been open which shows off the caves to their best effect after having been carefully transformed by Jesus Soto. Unlike many tourist attractions, it is difficult to tell that there has been any human intervention in the cave structure. The main work has gone into an awesome lighting system which highlights the walls of the cave extraordinarily well.

As there aren’t a lot of facilities at the Green Cave, you really need to combine it with a visit to the nearby Jameos del Agua.

Hiding from Pirates Lanzarote has suffered attacks from pirates and raiders throughout its history; which is one of the reasons that the inland town of Teguise, used to be the capital of the island. The Cuevas de los Verdes was an excellent place to hide for the local people, going as far back as the Guanches who were an aboriginal people who used to inhabit the Canary Islands.

Fact File Admission: ¤8 adults, ¤4 children Open: Daily 10.00 - 18.00

Enjoy a real natural high and visit the Mirador del Rio at the northern tip of the island. The Mirador is another amazing Manrique creation and was formerly a naval gun battery. Today however it grants visitors spectacular views down to the small neighbouring island of La Graciosa, whilst boasting all of the usual Manrique design flourishes.

The incredible vista across the tiny strait of El Rio (so narrow it’s just called the river) to the islands of the Chinijo Archipelago remains the same though. In 1974 César Manrique, in conjunction with architects Jesus Soto and Eduardo Caceres, decided to utilize the old gun battery for an altogether more peaceful purpose.

Historic Lookout

Initially, Manrique planned to create a restaurant on the site, and the curvaceous windows of the Mirador are very similar to those he later utilized when transforming the basement of the Castillo de San Jose into one of the most impressive dining rooms on the island.

Mirador literally means a lookout and this particular vantage point, right at the end of the Risco de Famara range, some 479 metres high, has been used for this very purpose - albeit in varying forms - for many hundreds of years. As long ago as the 16th century this spot was used by the island’s recently arrived Spanish settlers to keep a lookout for marauding pirates, who invaded and pillaged the island on an on-going basis for the best part of two hundred years.

In order to create a suitable restaurant space Manrique had a large room quarried out of the cliff top and created a roof by covering the two cupolas used for excavation with earth and grass, so cleverly concealing the construction method.

In 1898 a small fortress and gun battery was added to the site to deter any naval incursions by American vessels, as Spain went to war with the USA over the ownership of Cuba.

Inside, he created a narrow winding white corridor that gives visitors little clue to the visual surprise that lies ahead. This leads into a large, white-walled open plan area with a wooden floor, tables and chairs. This minimal design ensures that visitor’s eyes are not distracted from the real feast laid out before them.

Today, the guns are long gone and now nominally stand guard over the modern art treasures housed in the Castillo de San Josein Arrecife.

The Cactus Garden - Jardin de Cactus

Impressive Architecture Whilst it’s still possible to buy snacks and drinks at the Mirador, it doesn’t house the grand restaurant that Manrique initially envisaged. Instead the space is dedicated to framing the fantastic view across to the island of La Graciosa, just one thousand metres away, and the smaller uninhabited islands of Alegranza, and Montaña Clara. Immediately down below visitors can also see the hard-to-reach beach of Playa El Risco and the Salinas salt pans, which are the oldest in the archipelago, dating back to Roman times.

César Manrique

The Cactus Garden in Guatiza is a celebration of the plant world’s spiniest species and is located in a former quarry in what was once the heart of Lanzarote’s cactus growing country where locals still harvest the cochineal beetle used to create red dye. There are over 10,000 plants and 1,400 different species of cacti to discover here.

This is all the work of César Manrique, the island born artist and architect who famously helped to shape relatively restrained development on Lanzarote during the 1970’s and 80’s.

A Prolific Influence Manrique’s prolific output is reflected in the fact that he not only designed virtually every major tourist attraction on the island, albeit in collaboration with many other eminent artists and architects, but also that he designed each of them in great depth too.

Cactus Everywhere The Mirador del Rio is a stunning architectural achievement and was lauded at the time as one of the most important new buildings in the world. In keeping with Manrique’s ecological philosophy the structure blends effortlessly into it’s surroundings whilst still providing visitors with a real buzz. The design proved such a hit that Manrique later repeated the trick, creating a similar structure, the Mirador del Palmajero, on La Gomera, the little sister island to Tenerife.

Fact File Admission: ¤4.50 adults, ¤2.25 children (7 to 12 years) Open: Daily 10.00 - 17.45

This truly is a celebration of the plant world’s spiniest species, comprising one of the best collections of cacti in the world. Better still, these have all been displayed to their optimum effect against the beautiful backdrop of an amphitheatrelike giant bowl, hewn from an old quarry, laid out in steep terraces, echoing the stone wall patterns of the local fields. There’s no real way to miss the Cactus Garden as a giant, eight metre high, green, metallic sculpture of a cacti, spikes and all, stands sentinel-like over the car park and main entrance. This cacti motif is cleverly repeated everywhere: on door handles, in the big wrought iron front gates and in slightly more abstract forms throughout; such as in the beautiful glass ball sculpture that adorns a sinuous spiral staircase in the stylish bar, situated beneath the restored Gofio mill, at the rear of the garden.

The César Manrique Foundation

Attention to Detail For example, at every one of the official seven centres of culture and tourism, Manrique created a special motif, or logo, such as the Fire Devil at Timanfaya or the crab at Jameos del Agua.

Spectacular Planting with 1,000 + species

A Significant Location

Similar attention to detail can be found not just in the planting within the garden itself but also within the structure and colours of some of the 1,000 plus species on show, with many displaying incredible complexities and colours on close inspection and stunning flowers at certain times of the year.

The Cactus Garden is located right in the heart of Lanzarote’s traditional cactus growing country, where 300 acres are still given over to the exclusive cultivation of the Tunera cacti.

The Importance of Cochineal The garden highlights the historic significance of the region in the production of Cochineal and its importance to the economy of the island.

Estanislao Gonzales Ferrer The plant selection, design and layout was the work of an eminent botanist, Estanislao Gonzales Ferrer and the collection of both cacti and succulents have been drawn together from the Canary Islands, Madagascar and America.

Do They Really Use Crushed Beetles? The Tunera cacti attract cochineal beetles. Their crushed larvae, once scraped from the plant, were once the mainstay of a thriving island industry. The invention of artificial colourants reduced demand for this natural dye. It is still used in certain items of food and drink though as, unlike its chemical cousins, it isn’t highly toxic.

Enterprising Locals Whilst times may have changed in the cochineal industry at least one enterprising local has adapted. Every day, in the car park outside The Cactus Garden, groups of tourists flock around as a local farmer demonstrates just how you actually go about harvesting a beetle.

The former home of the famous island born artist and architect has been built over five inter connected bubbles in the lava flow. This ingenious feat of architecture was Manrique´s first major project on the island and today showcases his many paintings and sculptures as well as the works of contemporaries such as Picasso and Lasso. Manrique returned home from America in 1966, just as the tourist industry on Lanzarote began to take off. Aware of the dangers, the well-connected César was determined to avert the threat of his beloved island becoming buried beneath a sea of five star concrete.

César Manrique Foundation – Uniting Art With Nature He championed an ecological approach towards development, but needed to physically demonstrate both his skills as an architect and what could be achieved by uniting art with nature in order to win over opinion.

The House of Manrique This ingenious feat of architecture was Manrique´s first major piece of work on Lanzarote It perfectly encapsulates his organic approach and desire to create a perfect symbiosis between man, art and nature

“I want to extract harmony from the earth to unify it with my feeling for art.” – César Manrique

Lava Lover Manrique discovered his site by walking the lava fields that surround much of Tahiche.

So he decided to build a home, using land that had instead been buried beneath a sea of lava.

The green tip of a fig tree caught his eye growing just above the sea of black volcanic rock and on closer inspection he found that this emerged from one of five large bubbles that had been created within the flow. Work commenced, the five underground bubbles were interconnected, and by the end of 1968 Manrique´s creation was complete, providing him with the perfect work and display space and Lanzarote with a model and vision for future development.

Fact File Admission: ¤5 adults, ¤2.50 children children (7 to 12 years) Open: Daily 10.00 - 17.45

Go With The Flow

In The Swim

The route through the house takes you through the upper floor – which houses a considerable modern art collection, including drawings by Picasso, Miro and other renowned artists. Then you start the descent to the volcanic bubble rooms – the flow has been cleverly designed to ensure that even on a busy day visitors are all moving in the same direction and everyone has the chance of taking photos without lots of people in the way.

Following the passage through to the garden, you can glimpse the shower room to your right – complete with shower fitting protruding from the rock walls. Then you are outside, in the sunken garden you will have glimpsed from upstairs, with its dazzlingly turquoise swimming pool. The garden is compact but beautifully finished and encompasses a lovely seating area near the barbecue, a pathway laid out with large volcanic slabs and a bridge over the pool.

Fountains And Bubbles Once you have reached the bottom of the volcanic staircase you enter the first bubble, where there is a fountain quietly murmuring in the background. This bubble is almost Zen in its careful use of texture, light, water and planting. A doorway opens into the rock and you pass through a short passage way to the first living room – an elegant space, decorated with a white marble coffee table, a beautiful royal palm and a built in concrete sofa with white vinyl cushions. There are elements of this bubble which pay homage to Georgia O’Keeffe (the goat’s skull) and Barbara Hepworth (the porcelain jars on the table).

Making An Entrance Visitors enter the main dwelling through double doors which open directly onto a small courtyard, where the top of a palm tree can be seen poking out of one of the bubbles. There are some good examples of Manrique’s passion for making art objects out of junk in this courtyard. And some excellent examples of stylish planting, with a pillar box red bougainvillea spilling over the wall and an unusual wall-climbing cactus used to good effect.

Red Room From the white room the passage leads into the red bubble, which has a centrepiece of a (dead) fig tree, possibly the fig tree that Manrique first saw when he discovered the place. This bubble has seat cushions decorated in red vinyl and a striking statue of a man and a woman. The staircase which connects this bubble to the upper floor gives access to the main living room – although now it is only used by staff at the Foundation.

Traditional Touch The house at ground level borrows many features from the traditional architecture of the Canaries – with wooden doors and shutters, a courtyard garden, low onestorey construction with thick walls and North African style chimneys. But once you have entered the house and passed through what was once the living room, you step out onto the balcony and stairs which hang over the sunken garden. From here on in it is clear that this is a house like no other.

The planting of this garden is sensitive to the mural – bright coloured flowers mimic the bright colours of the broken tiles. At the edge of this garden are the Foundation shop and a small café, where you can sit and contemplate the atmosphere of the house. The surrounding environs of the Foundation also encompass a separate gallery for smaller exhibitions, the Foundation’s offices and the half-wild half-cultivated land which surrounds the whole area.

VIP Visitors

Picture This

Today, Manrique’s house appears to be very 70’s to the eyes of many visitors: but at the time it was considered very progressive by the cognoscenti, if not outlandishly futuristic.

Walking through the garden you reach another passage way, which is partly open and communicates with yet another bubble room, this time with a live fig tree growing in the middle. This is the largest bubble apart from the garden and is decorated in a similar style to the others. The stairs leading out of this bubble take you directly into what was Manrique’s studio, and is now the gallery where most of his art work is shown in a standing exhibition.

As a result a non-stop stream of glamorous visitors, such as royalty and film stars, beat a path to his front door, all clamouring to see this wonderful new creation.

Foundation César Manrique Unsurprisingly, the house remains just as popular today, welcoming on average some 300,000 visitors a year.

Occasionally there will be other works of art hanging here – if there is a particularly large exhibition being held at the Foundation, but mostly it houses his larger oil canvases, numerous sketches, ink drawings and other examples of the range of his work. The studio is also a testament to the artist’s creative vision, as the large picture window looking out on to mount Maneje proves. The window was positioned so that the view of the volcano is central and the lava spill in the foreground brings the outer view directly into his workspace.

It now houses the best art gallery on the island as well as the HQ of the César Manrique Foundation, a non-profit body established to promote his work and artistic philosophy.

Fact File Admission: ¤8 adults, children under 12 free Open: Daily 10.00-18.00 Monday to Saturday, 10.00-15.00 Sunday

Off The Wall On leaving the studio you are once more outside and a series of steps take you up to a more formally planted garden with another fountain. The most stunning aspect of this garden is the large mural on the wall, created out of broken tiles and depicting several bulls.

Monumento & Museo del Campesino

Exploring the House Museum

Which often provides the backdrop for local wedding parties and other large scale functions.

From the Monumento, the carefully laid path of planed volcanic slabs leads into the house museum, the Casa-Museo. This is a life-size reconstruction of a typical farm of the past, replicating how former inhabitants would have lived.

The whole area - which was developed after Manrique’s death – is lit by two large openings in the ceiling that are covered by retractable sailcloth awnings. The further wall of the restaurant almost appears to have been hewn out of the rock, as it consists of several continuous layers of quarried stone. The interior is adorned with numerous plant species that tolerate low light, with ferns, monstera deliciosa and palms used in groups, both behind the bar and in the picon garden in the centre of the larger dining area.

The buildings were normally constructed around a courtyard, to create an external workspace that was out of the wind. There are two examples here, one to the left and the other to the right of the circular threshing floor at the top of the staircase. The courtyard on the right hand side is home to several pieces of original machinery used to process the crops grown on the island. This structure sits on a mound called La Peña de Tajaste - a rocky outcrop that was left untouched by the volcanic activity which transformed the surrounding countryside. Figuratively it represents a local farmer astride his beast of burden. At the foot of the monument is a small plot of land covered in the black volcanic picon that is used as a mulch for the vines that are grown locally. The picon in this field has been swept into carefully maintained furrows as if ready for planting – and has something of the appearance of a Japanese Zen garden as a result.

Designed by César Manrique the Monumento is symbolically located in the heart of Lanzarote´s countryside and essentially pays homage to the resilience of the island’s farmers. Visitors can enjoy watching local artisans creating tradtional craft items and visit the excellent tapas bar or more formal restaurant.

Monumento Al Campesino Located right in the heart of the island, the Museo is a celebration of Lanzarote’s rural past. Providing visitors with an insight into Lanzarote’s traditional arts and crafts as well as a great staging post for a bite to eat at the excellent on site restaurant.

The menu for the main restaurant is extensive and covers many traditional Canarian dishes, such as goat and rabbit.

There are also examples of the English chair, seating specifically designed to carry two people on a camel’s back. The overwhelming use of white paint on the floor and wall surfaces make sunglasses essential in this part of the museum, to reduce the dazzling effect as much as possible.

As with all of Manrique’s architectural designs, there is an unexpected and playful element to the layout, which culminates in a waterfall. The cascade emerges from the rocky outcrop that continues along the whole of the far wall of the restaurant and behind the stage where folklore groups perform traditional Canarian music. The water flows down the rocks on either side of the entrance way to a volcanic tunnel that leads to the Centro de Artesania (Handicraft Centre).

At the bottom of the staircase of white flooring and volcanic stone is the restaurant and a tapas bar which offers reasonably priced tapas at 4¤ a plate. Typical dishes include white anchovies (boquerones), octopus (pulpo), goat’s cheese (queso de cabra), tuna (atun) and green olives (aceitunas). The interior space is decorated with examples of the furnishings that were once used in Canarian homes, such as the oil lamps adorning the walls.

The location of the Monumento is clearly signposted by the towering 15 metre sculpture of ‘Fecundidad’ or ‘Fertility’, constructed in 1968 from old water tanks following a design of César Manrique’s, executed by Jésus Soto, the island born artist and architect’s key collaborator on his larger scale spatial works and installations. It is strategically located in the centre of Lanzarote at a point where the island’s main agricultural methods such as jable (sandy soil), and enarenados (dry cultivation) meet and overlap.

Shelves showcasing the handmade ceramics line the tunnel’s walls, which are constructed from planed volcanic stone. The underground passage emerges into a sunken well garden, complete with another water feature and a spiral staircase to take visitors back up to ground floor level. The fountain area is beautifully planted, again using plenty of monstera deliciosa, ferns and papyrus.

Going Underground To the right of the tapas bar is a double doorway that leads visitors to the main restaurant area, below ground. Again, agricultural equipment has been used for decorative purposes, with threshing boards hung on the walls. The staircase descends into an enormous dining space, divided into two overlapping circles.

Plots And Plans

Picon Rocks

Stray inland away from the coastal resorts and it is readily evident that many locals still maintain and cultivate plots and fields all over the island. Even those with limited land are adept at growing a large variety of vegetables and tropical fruits.

Ingeniously, local farmers managed to turn the island’s worst ever natural disaster on its head. After the major six year cycle of volcanic eruptions devastated Lanzarote in the 1730’s one third of the most fertile farming land was buried beneath fields of lava and rock.

These agricultural skills were partly passed on by necessity, as the island has experienced many serious periods of hunger in the past.

Artisan Centre The top of the staircase opens out into the courtyard of the Centro de Artesania. Where once again the traditional architecture predominates, with green painted wooden doors and windows and white walls. Canarian folklore music is usually playing in the background as well. Numerous workshops are housed within these buildings, where local craftsmen and women make baskets (cesteria), pottery (ceramica), leather goods (artesania de cuero) and woven fabrics (del telar - from the loom).

Today, staples such as tomatoes, potatoes and spinach are still cultivated in abundance and Lanzarote even manages to produce an one-third of Spain’s annual onion quota. This is remarkable considering that Lanzarote has less rainfall than the nearby Sahara desert, some 100km to the west! So how is it possible to cultivate anything in such arid conditions?

Ironically, the very substance that had done so much to destroy agriculture also provided its salvation as island fields are now instead covered in small black grains of chipped volcanic rock called picon. The picon basically serves as porous mulch, drawing moisture from the air, releasing it into the ground and preventing evaporation, so enabling a method of dry cultivation known as ‘enarenado’.

Fact File Admission: Free

This ingenious agricultural system is entirely unique to Lanzarote and can be seen to best effect in the wine region of La Geria and the agricultural environs of San Bartolome such as La Florida.

Open: Daily 10.00 – 18.00 Restaurant Open: 10.00 – 16.30

There is also an outlet for locally produced wines, products such as bags made from palm leaves (palma palmitos) and a small souvenir shop, which also houses a cashpoint. Upstairs in the Centre there are several rooms with permanent exhibits, displaying models of all the local churches and dedicated to past activities such as communal milling. Using the main exit of the Centro de Artesania, there is a pathway to the left which goes all the way back round to the tapas bar, passing the more formal entrance to the subterranean restaurant. Planted along this pathway are lemon trees and numerous vines, illustrating the methods adopted by farmers on Lanzarote to protect their crops from the prevailing wind. These semi-circular rock walls, called zocos, can be seen in greater abundance just a few kilometres further up the road, in La Geria.

Fact File Admission: Free Open: Daily 10.00 - 18.00 Restaurant Open: Daily 10.00 - 16.30

Lanzarote

Museums For such a small island Lanzarote has a surprisingly large number of attractions that fall under the general, category of museums. Some of these follow the conventional route - with exhibits, displays and gift shops. Others are more eclectic and could be better described as living or working museums offering insights into specific aspects of island life.

Museum of International & Contemporary Art (MICA)

Pirate Raids

Renaissance Art

This strategic site was also selected in order to repel repeated incursions by British pirates, looking for easy spoils from the Spanish vessels docked below.

After two and half years of sympathetic renovation, The Museum opened its drawbridge and heavy wooden doors to the public in 1976 and today modernist paintings and sculptures by some of the worlds leading artists are set against the ancient backdrop of the Castillo’s thick stone walls.

Camel Light Brigade After completion, the Spanish soldiers stationed in the Castillo would mount their camels to drive the British buccaneers back into the Atlantic.

Downstairs, in the basement restaurant, diners are able to enjoy panoramic, picture perfect views of the harbour below.

Today, visitors from the UK and all over the world glide into the harbour aboard luxury cruise liners to an altogether warmer welcome, whilst primary coloured shipping containers, are stacked one on top of another like bricks on the quayside.

César Manrique The Castillo’s current incarnation can be attributed to island born artist and architect César Manrique, who famously helped to shape relatively restrained development on Lanzarote during the 1970’s and 80’s.

Natural Developments

Housed within the thick walls of the Castillo de San José in the island capital of Arrecife, the Museum of International and Contemporary Art provides a real feast for the senses. As it is home to a small but top quality collection of Canarian art as well as a stylish restaurant designed by César Manrique.

as it boasts one of the island’s most stylish restaurants, overlooking Arrecife’s main port.

Manrique believed that Lanzarote’s ecology and economy would be better served over time by developing tourist attractions of genuine cultural and historic significance, in harmony with the natural beauty of the island.

Fortress Of Hunger

Césars Palace

Indeed, the Castillo has an historic food-related legacy, dating back to its original construction in 1774.

Manrique had already successfully demonstrated this philosophy to great effect, having created a wildly original and futuristic home out of five lava bubbles in Tahiche and by developing the incredible Jameos del Agua from a giant collapsed volcanic tube.

Then, the incumbent King Don Carlos III announced the five-year building project of the Castillo as a sort of public works, in order to alleviate the desperate poverty and hunger that resulted from the almost apocalyptic volcanic eruptions of the 1730’s.

Lanzarote’s small but impressive Museum of International and Contemporary Art really does provide visitors with a genuine feast of the senses.

Castillo de San José Uniquely situated in an old historic fortress, the Castillo de San José, the Museum not only caters to the appetites art lovers but discerning diners as well,

As a result the Castillo quickly became known locally as The Fortress of Hunger.

Fact File Admission: ¤2.50 Adults, ¤1.25 Children

Manrique was also able to persuade the island authorities to allow him to restore the Castillo, which had now been sitting sadly, disused and abandoned, for the best part of a century.

Open: Daily 11.00 – 20.00 Restaurant Open: Daily 13.00– 16.00 and 19.00 - 23.30

Palacio Spinola – Teguise

The Inquisitors House The Palacio was originally known as the Inquisitors House – as it was once the HQ of the Holy Inquistion. And from the middle of the 18th Century it became home to the Feo Peraza family, the best known of whom was the policitican Jose Feo Armas. But by 1895 the Palacio had passed into the hands of the wealthy Spinola family. The impressive frontage of the building with its six huge windows enclosed by intricately carved wooden shutters is a clear indication of the prosperity of the original owners.

This beautiful House Museum dating from the 1730s offers a rich insight into both the lifestyle of a wealthy merchant and the architecture of the period.

Today, echoes of this prosperous past still resonate through Teguise´s cobbled streets – which are home to some fantastic old buildings and a wealth of colonial architecture that cannot be found anywhere else on Lanzarote. La Villa, as it is known locally, is one of the best-preserved historic centers in the whole of the Canary Islands.

Palacio Spinola The house-museum at the Palacio Spinola – renovated during the 1970´s by the César Manrique - provides the perfect opportunity to step back in time and sample the lifestyle of an affluent nobleman in 18th century Lanzarote.

Many of these buildings are now private residences and are therefore hidden away from public gaze behind green wooden shutters. But the house-museum at the Palacio Spinola is open to the public.

Historic Teguise Teguise was the first official Spanish crown settlement in the Canary Islands – dating back as far as 1418 – when Maciot de Bethencourt first demarcated the towns boundaries.

Plaza de Leones The Palacio Spinola is located in the heart of Teguise in the Plaza de San Miguel – also known locally as the Plaza de Leones because of the two statues of lions that stand guard opposite the entrance to the Palace.

And across the centuries – as the threat of pirate raids, which had blighted the town’s security and prosperity, receded – it became the hub of business and commerce on the island and the main seat of political, military and financial power, making it the place to reside for the islands great and good – such as wealthy merchants, noblemen and politicians.

Visitors walk through a formal entrance way, tiled with volcanic stone – for a small admission charge. – and they are then free to explore the passageways and patios of the Palacio with the help of a basic printed guide which outlines the function of each room. Amongst the most fascinating of these are the kitchens, with a chimney arrangement that is open to the elements in order to carry away cooking smoke, a latticed viewing gallery that overlooks the two main salons, or living rooms, a massive dining room with seating for thirty two guests and a small private family chapel, featuring an intricately carved wooden altar.

Courtyards & Patios The exterior of the building is equally impressive, as long passageways lead visitors out into a delightful courtyard area that houses two stately old Canarian palm trees as well as a variety of flowering plants such as hibiscus and strelitza as well as an array of colourful succulents.

Throughout the Palacio, modern paintings by local artists such as Aguilar are juxtaposed with antique and reproduction furniture.

Here, visitors can observe the giant wooden door guarding the entranceway, built to a height that would allow both a horse and rider to enter unhindered. The Palacio Spinola isn’t huge, comprising eleven rooms in total, and will probably only occupy an hour or so of your time at best. But it is an extremely well preserved example of 18th Century architecture.

Construction on the building started in 1730 – the same year that the south of the island was subjected to a six-year volcanic eruption that forged the national park at Timanfaya. These eruptions disrupted life on Lanzarote and the building of the Palacio took another fifty years to complete.

You might even meet a modern day grandee, as the Palacio Spinola is also now the official residence of the Governor of the Canary Islands when he is visiting Lanzarote.

LagOmar – Oasis de Nazaret

LagOmar - A Brief History

Step into the incredible grounds and house built for film star Omar Sharif by Jesus Soto in the 1970’s. Newly opened to the public, the Museum at LagOmar perches above the gardens, caves and restaurant and features an exhibition about the architect who created this amazing property.

Background Information

Fact File

From Tahiche, follow the LZ10 to Teguise. Continue until you reach a roundabout with a silver, S shaped sculpture in the centre, at which you need to take the exit to your left. There is usually ample parking (free) by the Convento de San Francisco (the big church like building on your right) or the streets close by.

Open: Winter: 09.00 – 16.00 Monday to Friday 09.00 – 15.00 Saturday, Sunday (and Festival Days)

The property was constructed as a pilot house in the 1970’s by an English developer called Sam Benady. The idea being that it would work as a show home to attract investors and property hunters who wanted something similar built for themselves.

Legend has it the actor lost the house in a high stakes game of bridge, only days after buying it, which has been immortalised as part of the exhibits. Guided tours of the house are available every half an hour.

The developer was greatly assisted by the architectural talents of Jesús Soto, a Lanzaroteño who worked on numerous projects alongside César Manrique, including the internal lighting and layout of the route through the Cueva de los Verdes and various aspects of the Timanfaya National Park.

The stylish Bar La Cueva (Cave Bar) opens every Tuesday to Sunday from 20.00 until the early hours, making it an ideal venue for late night drinks.

Former Quarry It was Soto who devised the schema for the house’s design, which was based upon a marriage of the red volcanic cliffs of the former quarry site, lush green planting and smooth white plaster surfaces, similar to those favoured by Manrique in a number of his constructions.

Summer: 09.00 – 15.00 Monday to Friday 09.00 – 14.00 Saturday, Sunday (and Festival Days)

Note that Teguise is home to a large Sunday market, when parking close to the town is far more difficult.

Admission: Adults: ¤3.00 Residents: ¤1.80 Children Under 12 yrs: Free

1001 Nights

This event is immortalised in a large photograph of the two men playing cards, which now forms part of the exhibition on display in the house. Elsewhere, the exhibits focus more on the construction process, with several photographs illustrating the different stages of the house’s development. The internal style of the house still retains many of the original seventies design touches, which visitors to the other attractions on Lanzarote will already be familiar with.

The inspiration, however, is said to have been an idea of Manrique’s, whose influence is clearly in evidence throughout the gardens and the house. The overall effect was to create a setting that evokes the Arabian tales of 1001 nights. The cliff walls have been incorporated into the design both inside and outside, with the kitchen and dining room featuring the rough picon stone as retaining walls. The gardens extend down the side of the hill, with caves and curving staircases leading to a large terrace with an oval swimming pool. Overlooking this terrace is an outsize traditional Canarian bread oven which acts as both a place to cook and a refuge from the heat, as it contains banquette seating and a large built-in table.

Museo Atlantico

Sala Jesus Soto And in the Sala Jesús Soto there is more information about the designer, who has won several awards for his works as an artistic architect in the Canary Islands. He originally began his professional life as an electrician, but as a result of working alongside Manrique, his talents extended into the construction of various installations and projects, such as Casa Sharif.

Star Attraction Whilst the house was still in construction in 1972, a number of film stars, including Omar Sharif, were on Lanzarote filming ‘The Mysterious Isle’. This was a Spanish production, directed by Juan Antonio Bardem based on the Jules Verne novel and starring Omar Sharif as Captain Nemo.

Reproduced with kind permission of Jason deCaires Taylor and CACT Lanzarote

But as a result of Manrique’s extensive legacy, Soto has been left somewhat in the shadows, which is much of the reason for the museum’s focus on his contribution to various projects based in Lanzarote.

Museo Atlantico is Europe’s first underwater contemporary art museum, located in the clear turquoise waters off the coast of Las Coloradas, Lanzarote. The brainchild of British sculptor, Jason deCaires taylor, the project is designed on the basis of a conservationist objective, tracing a dialogue between art and nature through the creation of an artificial reef and large scale sculpture to help increase marine biomass and species of local fish.

Sala Jesus Soto

During filming the cast visited the house being built on the side of the cliffs at Nazaret and Sharif was so taken with the design he bought it there and then. At the time, the house was almost the only dwelling in Nazaret, as can be seen from several of the photographs which form part of the exhibition at the museum

Guided tours around the house and gardens are now available, starting at 11.00 and then every half hour, with explanations of the history of the house in English, Spanish and German. The remaining gardens, restaurant, gallery and Bar La Cueva, which were all constructed during the 1990’s have been open since their completion and can be visited at the same time. Visitors to LagOmar Museum should go in through the entrance for Bar La Cueva, where the ticket office is located.

Gambling on the House Sharif’s purchase of the house was shortlived however. As within days he lost the property in a game of bridge. And the winner was none other than the developer Sam Benady, who, unbeknown to Sharif, was the European Bridge Champion at that time and who, knowing the actor’s addiction to gambling, challenged him to a game.

The museum sits on the seabed, about 12 metres deep, and is accessible by diving or visits in a glass bottomed boat.

Fact File

Fact File Admission: ¤5 for adults and ¤2 for children over 12 years.

Open: Mon – Sat 09:00 – 18:00 (Sun 09:00 - 18:00 Jul - Oct)

Reproduced with kind permission of Jason deCaires Taylor and CACT Lanzarote

Telephone: 0034 928 51 73 88

El Grifo Wine Museum – Masdache

Secrets of Success

To the delight of guests each tour concludes with a tasting, allowing visitors to sample the wine of their choice from the bodegas portfolio of thirteen different varieties.

How has a once relatively small player managed to achieve such a feat? Especially as the bodega was only founded some 40 years after most of Lanzarote´s wine region was covered in layers of lava by the volcanic eruptions of 1730-1736.

Most popular is the dry white or seco – reflecting current day preferences for dry over sweet wines. Although visitors who are really keen to sample a taste of tradition can also enjoy sweet or semi-sweet Malvasia wines that are very close cousins to those once enjoyed by Shakespeare and the aristocracy of Europe.

The answers can be found within the walls of the El Grifo Wine Museum – where highly knowledgeable and multil lingual guides provide visitors with a fascinating insight into the bodegas production methods and innovative philosophy.

Europe´s Top Tipple

Learn more about the unique method of viniculture on Lanzarote by visiting the Wine Museum, which is housed at El Grifo, the island’s oldest bodega.

By the end of the 17th century exports of Malvasia had reached record levels – with some six million litres heading into Northern European ports such as Amsterdam and London, where it commanded a premium price over wines from other regions.

The bodega building is a classic example of local architecture, dating back to the 1770’s and the museum houses all sorts of bacchanalian paraphernalia, such as ancient presses and bottling equipment.

Malvasia Grapes

El Grifo Wine Museum

Today, the Malvasia grape is still grown on Lanzarote – and underpins the wide range of wines that are created by the El Grifo bodega, the largest winery on Lanzarote (and the second biggest in the whole of the Canary Islands). Up to 700,000 litres a year are produced both for domestic consumption and for export around the world.

The El Grifo Wine Museum gives tourists a real taste of island history. As well as a fascinating insight into the unique methods of viniculture employed on Lanzarote.

History of Viniculture Wine production has long been centrally important to the economy of the island – and boasts a rich heritage – as vines have been under cultivation on Lanzarote for at least 500 years. In fact, back in the 16th and 17th centuries sweet Canarian Malvasia wine was one of Europe´s top tipples.

Award Winning Wines El Grifo wines still garner plaudits from those in the know – picking up prestigious awards such as a Gold Medal for their beautifully packaged fortified wine, Canari, at the 2007 International Wine and Spirit Championship in London.

Regarded by the cognoscenti as the ´Nectar of the Gods’, bottles of malmsey or sack (as it was more widely known then) graced the tables of European Kings and Queens and was praised by William Shakespeare, who enjoyed an annual allowance from the Crown of 268 gallons – in appreciation for his role as poet laureate.

Tour Times

Under the Influence of César Manrique

Guided tours take place every day at the following times: 11.00, 11.30, 12.00, 12.30, 13.00, 15.00, 15.30, 16.00, 16.30 and 17.00. And visitors can choose from two tour packages: A standard tour and a superior tour which features a more in-depth tasting session, featuring five wines, cheese and crackers.

The Wine Museum was developed by artist and architect César Manrique around eighteen years ago, with the bodegas highly distinctive griffin logo. It is divided into a number of zones in what was once the estates bodega – enabling visitors to gain a step by step insight into the production process from grape to glass.

How To Get There The El Grifo Wine Museum is three kilometres away from the landmark of the Monumento al Campesino. Follow the LZ30 from the Monumento – which is located just outside San Bartolome – and follow the road in the direction of Masdache, Uga and La Geria. The Museum is clearly signposted on your right hand side.

In the El Lagar area guests find out how grapes have been pressed here over the centuries – using a variety of different types of wonderful machinery – examples of which date back hundreds of years. Amongst them a massive giant screw press, called El Husillo. Whist in El Bodegon we find out how wines were stored and fermented in massive limestone tanks – which are now used to display a fine array of wine making machinery and gadgetry, such as pumps, corking machines and copper stills.

Fact File

Tradtional Architecture

Open: Seven days a week, 10.30 to 18.00

All of these exhibits are set against the backdrop of a fantastic Canarian architecture, featuring thick white washed walls and wooden ceilings that are hundreds of years old.

Telephone: 0034 928 524951

Other Museums in Lanzarote Museo del Tanit - San Bartolomé This quirky and fascinating ethnographic museum is a collection of every day items of island life from the last 200 odd years, giving a faithful insight into how real people used to live.

Mountain

look-outs As an island formed from some 100 plus volcanoes, Lanzarote naturally offers some incredible vantage points, or miradors (from the Spanish verb mirar, to look), for visitors in search of memorable views and vistas.

The Museum is housed in the basement bodega of a beautiful 18th century house with an art gallery and pretty gardens. Open Monday to Saturday from 10.00 to 14.00.

Some of these lookout points are so spectacular or panoramic that they have been further enhanced by man made additions, such as the Castillo Santa Barbara on Mount Guanapay above Teguise or César Manrique´s beautiful building at the Mirador Del Rio.

Agricultural Museum El Patio - Tiagua Travel back through time and discover more about the agricultural traditions of Lanzarote. This excellent museum is housed in one of the biggest and best old rural houses on the island, where traditional crops are still cultivated and farm animals roam free.

Past the chapel lie various outcrops of rock that afford the most incredible views down to Famara below, over to Graciosa and back down to the center and south of the island. Not one for vertigo sufferers and keep a tight rein on the kids.

Others remain very much as Mother Nature intended and are well off the beaten track. There are even special road signs, displaying the symbol of a camera, marking many of them. There is also a small cactus garden, a chapel and a wine museum. Visitors can also buy wine and goat’s cheese produced on the farm. The museum is open from 10.00 to 17.00 Monday to Friday and from 10.00 to 14.00 on Saturday.

Pirate Museum - Castillo de Santa Barbara, Teguise Lanzarote´s location as a staging post between the New World and the Old made the island a prime target for pirate incursions. This museum, housed in the Castillo de Santa Barbara which overlooks the former island capital of Teguise, relates the experiences of the locals as they struggled to cope with repeated raids. The Pirate Museum is open 10.00 to 15.00 Monday to Saturday, closed Sundays.

Las Nieves can be reached from the LZ10. Drive through Los Valles and watch out for the signposts.

Mirador Valle del Palomo

Here are some of the best spots to head for if you fancy reaching higher ground.

Little more than a lay by really on the LZ10 in the north of the island but the views down to Arrieta, Mala and Guatiza are well worth pulling over for.

Las Nieves

Easy to find, the lay by is directly after the giant golf ball, or observatory, which sits atop the Risco de Famara, as you drive towards Haria from Los Valles.

Los Valles-Haria Head in the clouds? It will be here. Las Nieves sits on top of the Risco de Famara range of mountains that runs all the way from the beach of the same name up to the Mirador del Rio in the north of the island. Here you’ll find the impossibly pretty Ermita de las Nieves - the fittingly titled Hermitage of the Clouds. This chapel is dedicated to the Virgin of las Nieves to whom the locals have prayed for rain for many centuries. She must be a little hard of hearing though as rainfall stays as low as ever on the island. Alternatively the prayers may have been lost on the wind as it can be extremely breezy up here.

Resorts

Mirador de Haria Just a couple of minutes past the lay by for the Mirador Valle del Palomo sits a restaurant, Los Helechos. The food here is nothing special but the view is incredible, so order a coffee and just feast your eyes on the beautiful Valle de Temisa and the coastline of Arrieta below

& places There’s so much more to Lanzarote than just the three main tourist resorts.

Mirador de Guinate Easy to find but little known spot which offers great views over to Graciosa. Drive to and past the Guinate Tropical Park for around 3/4 minutes and you can’t miss it as the road comes to an abrupt end.

Get out and discover historic towns such as Teguise, the former island capital and home to a treasure trove of colonial architecture. Explore the modern metropolis of Arrecife. Discover picturesque villages such as Haria in the Valley of 1,000 Palms and Yaiza, close to the Timanfaya National Park.

El Balcon de Femes El Balcon (The Balcony) in the lovely old village of Femes is well worth a visit. It sits some 450 metres high and gives breathtaking views down across the Rubicon Plain to Playa Blanca below and out to the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura.

attendant urban hustle and bustle. The capital also lays claim to two historic castles, the Castillo de San José, which is home to the island´s Museum of International and Contemporary Art and the Castillo de San Gabriel. Where visitors can learn more about the history of Arrecife. There’s a small historic quarter that is also well worth exploring in and around the Charco and Church de San Gines. Where you will also find some good, atmospheric restaurants.

Mirador de Yaiza This mirador has been enhanced by man with the creation of steps and landscaped gardens but still offers great views back to the Volcano Park at Timanfaya.

Femes is easy to find its well signposted on the LZ2 running between Puerto el Carmen and Yaiza and also boasts the added bonus of a couple of decent restaurants. The best is Casa Emiliano, set back a little from the Balcony. The best views however are from the restaurant Balcon de Femes.

The Main Resorts There are three main resorts on Lanzarote, along with the marina at Puerto Calero, which is also home to a brace of top quality hotels, the Costa Calero and the Hesperia.

It´s easy to find too. If driving into Yaiza from Puerto del Carmen take the first left after the church, drive straight ahead for a couple of minutes and you cant miss it.

Puerto del Carmen Puerto del Carmen is the oldest and largest resort on Lanzarote and the spot where modern tourism first took off. Originally built around the old town harbour it has now extended along six kilometres of golden, sandy beaches.

Lanzarote´s Capital Arrecife If you want to catch a more modern and metropolitan side of Lanzarote then visit Arrecife, the island’s capital. Here you will find a lively port city, shaped both by its seafaring past and its current, rapid regeneration.

It offers a wide range of holiday styles from studio apartments overlooking the lively beach road to luxury private villas in the exclusive Los Mojones area perched on a clifftop overlooking the harbour and out to sea.

Arrecife is home to around one third of the island’s inhabitants, with a population of some 45,000 and boasts shopping galore, beaches, parks, promenades, nightlife and all of the

Costa Teguise

Puerto Calero

Tias

Coastal Villages

One of the island’s longest established resorts, Costa Teguise was first developed in the 1970’s under the aegis of César Manrique and was purpose built as a tourist resort from the start.

Much smaller than Costa Teguise, Playa Blanca or Puerto del Carmen — and definitely more upmarket. There’s no beach here either but tourists can swim from the rocks at either side of the marina and there are two hotels and a number of holiday villas available for those seeking accommodation.

Despite being one of the oldest and most important towns on the island Tias doesn’t often feature very prominently in many tourist guides and, on the face of it, appears to boast few major attractions.

There are still a number of small, seaside villages which have escaped the developers’ excesses found in the main resort areas.

Yet this busy town, overlooking the main resort of Puerto Del Carmen, was home to a Nobel prize winner as well as a growing army of ex-pats. It also boasts a growing reputation as a destination in its own right and is the conduit through which the vast majority of the island’s sizeable tourist revenue flows.

Small fishing village - and an amazing beach - on the North-West coast, which is highly popular with local and international surfers.

As a result the one criticism that some visitors have is that Costa Teguise lacks an organic heart - with nothing to match the atmopshere of the Old Town harbour in Puerto del Carmen or indeed the small centre of Playa Blanca, which was once a tiny fishing village.

Puerto Calero represents one man’s dream and is definitely a place to visit if you appreciate the finer things or have a love of boats, as the marina here is excellent.

That being said there are plenty of great beaches in Costa Teguise and the resort is ideally located for exploring Lanzarote’s many attractions.

Other Towns & Villages Haria

Playa Blanca

Located in the valley of 1,000 palms, Haria has much to offer the visitor who wants to see a real slice of Lanzarote.

The resort of Playa Blanca has seen rapid development over the last few years, although thankfully due to the island’s strict planning laws, none of this has involved high-rise developments.

The scenery here is breathtaking whilst the village itself is very atmopsheric. A weekly artisan market takes place here every Saturday, there’s a small art gallery located in the old aljibe or water deposit in the main square and César Manrique is also buried in the local cemetry, having lived his final years in a house in Haria.

Although it continues to grow, it has retained its more relaxed atmosphere and is still considered more upmarket than Costa Teguise or Puerto del Carmen by some visitors.

Caleta de Famara

With some stunning views, bracing walks and a selection of nice — if simple — restaurants, it has much to offer if you want to chill out for a while.

Yaiza

Arrieta

Voted the Prettiest Village in Spain on more than one occasion, Yaiza is a quiet and tranquil place to explore.

This unspolit former fishing village is a real gem and in Playa de Garita boasts one of the best beaches on Lanzarote.

Lucky to still be here at all, because of its proximity to the volcanoes at Timanfaya, it should be on any visitor’s list of places to see.

Just a few kilometres South of Puerto Calero, this is a very small village, where the houses spill right onto the black, volcanic beach. It certainly offers an insight into what Lanzarote used to be like, before it was discovered by the tourist trade.

Teguise - La Villa Teguise was the capital of the island for hundreds of years, until it lost this title to Arrecife. Now largely ignored by tourists — other than for the Sunday Market — it remains a great place to visit during the week, as it boasts some excellent architecture and remains relatively tranquil. If you are hiring a car and exploring the island it´s highly likely that you will be passing through Teguise at some stage as it is en route to many attractions in the North and in quite close proximity to the beach at Famara.

Lanzarote Beaches

Lanzarote is a real beach lover’s paradise. The island is home to close to 100 superb stretches of sand, some of which are regarded as amongst the best in the Canaries, such as the huge sweeping bay at Famara on the rugged North West coast and the interconnected coves of Papagayo, located close to Playa Blanca in the south. And best of all the vast majority boast golden grains, not the black volcanic sand prevalent on some other Canary Islands. Land of Sand

Black Gold

Whilst Lanzarote has many attractions the island’s climate and beaches are the main draw for the vast majority of visitors. All of the main resorts of Puerto del Carmen, Costa Teguise and Playa Blanca boast some excellent Playas, most of which were created for tourists using sand imported from the Sahara. But the island is also home to some spectacular, all natural beaches which are well worth exploring.

The Canary Islands are often associated with black sand beaches, but there are few of these on Lanzarote, despite the relatively recent volcanic eruptions on the island. If you do want to discover these then head for Playa Quemada, close to Puerto del Carmen or El Golfo, which is en route to Playa Blanca – as these are both great examples.

Blue Flag Beaches As you’d expect, all of the three main resorts - Costa Teguise, Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca – have an excellent selection of Blue Flag beaches. These are well maintained, cleaned regularly and offer all of the usual facilities, such as loungers, sun shades and toilets.

Peak season Inevitably the beaches in the main resorts can get busy, especially during peak seasons such as summer, Christmas and other school holidays. So should you tire of sharing the sand with hundreds of others there are plenty of other options to explore.

Off The Beaten Track

Arrieta

The most beautiful beaches on the island are a bit more off the beaten track and generally less crowded than the beaches in resort. They have also been largely left in their natural state - which means most have no facilities and any cleaning is left to the tide.

Families or those who prefer to have a few more facilities on hand should head for Playa Garita at Arrieta. The beach here is around 1km long and has a couple of restaurants right on the sand. There are also well-maintained showers and toilets.

Best Beach?

Around half of the island’s population of 140,000 lives in Arrecife and they’ve got an excellent beach right on their doorstep. The palm fringed beach of Playa Reducto is right in the centre of town. Great for swimming due to the reefs that surround the capital’s shoreline.

Sand & The City

As beauty is in the eye of the beholder its tough to rank one above the other. However most locals would agree that the beaches at Papagayo and Famara are the most stunning on the island. Both are very different. Papagayo is a picturesque collection of coves whilst Famara is a nine-kilometre stretch of sand.

Local Favourites El Cable lies just outside Arrecife and the little conurbation here has the feel of an up-market housing estate. There is a nice little beach here though which can also be reached on foot via the coastal path that now runs all the way from Arrecife through to Puerto del Carmen.

Crucially though, Papagayo generally enjoys far better weather as it lies at the southern tip of the island. Famara, on the other hand, sits on the north west coast, which means it isn’t really suitable for sunbathing during the winter months.

Playa Honda is a large seafront conurbation close to the airport and there’s a 5km long expanse of beach here called Guacimeta. The beach is backed by a picturesque, well-planted walkway and there are a few bars and restaurants dotted around too.

Even at other times of the year strong winds can also make Famara better suited to activities such as walking or kite surfing

Wild Things Orzola at the northern tip of the island is home to a number of wild and natural beaches. The best known of these is Caleton Blanco, the last beach before you hit the village on the road from the Jameos del Agua. Just north of Orzola lies Playa de la Canteria, another beautiful beach but with big breakers, making it dangerous for swimmers but a firm favourite with local surfers. Further north, beneath the Mirador Del Rio, lies Playa El Risco, This is probably the wildest beach on the island and it is difficult to access – by boat from Orzola or by coming down a cliff path just close to Guinate Tropical Park. A serious one-hour hike that feels twice the distance on the uphill return. 39

Fiestas

and Festivals Lanzarote boasts an abundance of unique fiestas and festivals that are well worth visiting. Virtually all of these events are religious in origin – but you don’t have to be a Catholic or a Conejero to get involved. The best place to watch the festivities is in the island’s capital Arrecife, where a large scale and well attended procession takes place on the evening of January 5th, usually commencing at 6pm.

We’ve featured some of the biggest and best events below. These are further augmented by Spanish national holidays and more localised fiestas in specific villages, towns and municipalities throughout the year. So if you´re planning to Lanzarote you might want to coincide your visit with one of these events.

The procession is also repeated later in Puerto del Carmen along the main Avenida de las Playas, normally from 9pm. Processions also make their way through every town and village on the island.

Carnaval – Dates Vary Carnival in the Canary Islands is a serious business. After Rio de Janeiro these seven islands of Spain host some of the biggest and most riotous celebrations in the world, especially on the island of Tenerife. Lanzarote does it’s bit too though – and many holiday makers time their visit to coincide with this annual event, which traditionally kicks off in the last week or so of Februrary.

Dia De Los Reyes – January 5th/6th In Spain it’s the Three Wise men who come bearing gifts, not Santa Claus. And as a result Twelfth Night, or Epiphany, is one of the most important events on the festival calendar. Especially if you are a kid – as this is when (officially anyway) you get your Christmas presents.

Carnival takes place on different dates in different locations – but the best places to catch the action are in Arrecife and Puerto del Carmen. In Arrecife the event stretches across a week or so – building up to the main procession, which features brilliantly decorated floats, fantastic costumes and lots of riotous music and dancing.

The event is marked with a colourful camel back procession as the Three Kings dispense sweets to children throughout the main towns on the island.

Smaller scale versions of the event also take place in Costa Teguise and Playa Blanca.

Corpus Christi - Mid-June

Canarian wrestling and game hunting competitions.

After Carnival, Corpus Christi has to be Lanzarote’s most colourful event.

Even the local supermarkets get in on the act with loads of free food and wine tastings. And most hotels mark the event, usually with themed food and folklore celebrations - so everyone has a chance to celebrate the event.

As with most fiestas and festivals on the island the best place to take in the celebrations is in the capital, Arrecife. On the Saturday afternoon following Corpus Christi islanders create incredibly intricate carpets of sea salt, in elaborate and colourful designs, all along the roads and pavements around the Church of San Ginés (adjacent to the El Charco Area).

Nuestra Señora del Carmen - mid to late July The actual official Saints day of Nuestra Señora del Carmen is 16th July. From this date onwards a variety of events and celebrations are held in various towns around Lanzarote, including Teguise, Playa Blanca and Puerto del Carmen.

The next day a major procession proceeds from the Church across the carpets of salt. So these works of art are visible for one day only.

The most impressive aspect of this saint’s day is the maritime procession, when the effigy of Saint Carmen is paraded out of the church and carried through the town, down to the water’s edge. Where a boat festooned with flowers transports the saint out onto the waves. The boat carrying her likeness is surrounded by a flotilla of fishing vessels, as the fishermen make their annual blessing of the sea and pray for a bountiful catch during the coming year.

The date of this fiesta changes every year – so keep an eye on www.lanzaroteinformation.com

Canarian Day - Dia de Canarias – May 30th May 30th marks the date when the Canaries first gained autonomy from Spain, back in 1983. And now it’s an annual holiday across all of the seven islands in the archipelago. The fiesta is a celebration of Canarian culture and events are held across the island. School kids don traditional dress, tuck into local dishes and dance to folklore music. The Canarian flag (white, blue and yellow) flies everywhere and the Cabildo organises fishing,

Both Playa Blanca and Puerto del Carmen have churches dedicated to Nuestra Señora del Carmen. A repetition which testifies to both towns’ origins as small fishing villages, when many local families survival would have depended on the haul they could bring in from the sea.

The historical significance of the fiesta can be traced back all the way to the maritime town of Haifa in Israel. Which is where the cult of Carmen (or Carmel, as she is known there) began.

itself, where traditional island sports such as Canarian sailing and wrestling are celebrated and a new Miss Lanzarote is elected annually. The whole event then culminates in an impressive and extremely well attended fireworks display on the main beach promenade next to the Arrecife Gran Hotel on the night of the 25th, usually starting at around 23.30 hrs.

Its emergence as a focal point in the Roman Catholic calendar occurred over centuries, but certainly by the eighteenth century, the current style of festival had begun. An admiral, Antonio Barcélo Pont de la Terra, native of Mallorca introduced a gala amongst his ship’s crew in honour of Carmen. Today on this Balearic island the same commemoration still takes place, in the town of Port d’Andratx.

Fiesta de Nuestra Señora de Los Dolores - September

Lanzarote MARKETS

What’s a holiday without a bit of souvenir hunting or a spot of serious shopping? Well, heaven for some and hell for others, but at least Lanzarote’s open air markets offer some atmosphere and entertainment.

Fantastic fiesta celebrating the island’s patron saint and marking the point where the flow of lava from yet another volcanic eruption miraculously came to a halt in 1824 just outside the village of Mancha Blanca.

On the mainland, in areas such as Fuengirola, similar processions occur, with the effigy of Carmen at their centre. Likewise Tenerife also has its own Fiesta of Sra. Del Carmen, except that it is celebrated in September, on the first Sunday of the month. But the same traditions are observed nonetheless.

This attracts serious crowds – most in traditional Canarian dress – with many walking on foot to Mancha Blanca from all over the island as a form of pilgrimage. Often accompanied by supermarket trolleys full of ‘refreshments’.

Fiesta de San Gines – 15th-25th August

In Mancha Blanca itself the action revolves around the church, where Dolores is paraded – as well as around the huge array of mobile bars and food stalls that spring up especially for the event.

This major fiesta is in honour of Arrecife’s patron saint San Gines. San Gines was formerly the Bishop of Clermont. During the 16th century he was responsible for the construction of a small hermitage, now the Church de San Gines, that ministered to the nearby population of the small inland port area, called El Charco (also known locally as the puddle).

Teguise Market - Sunday

Sadly, there aren’t many of the traditional food markets that you find in mainland Spain, although fresh fruit and vegetables can be found at the Saturday market in Haria, at La Recova in Arrecife and the Sunday market in Mancha Blanca.

The mother of all markets, this huge affair is as much a weekly social and cultural event as a shopping excursion. The normally sleepy town of Teguise is transformed, as hundreds of stalls selling all manner of goods vie for custom amidst the thousand-strong throngs of locals and tourists.

However, Lanzarote does host a massive market every Sunday in the old capital of Teguise, which attracts thousands of visitors from all over the island. In addition, smaller scale markets are held across Lanzarote throughout the week.

You really can buy pretty much anything here - ranging from genuine, locally produced handcrafts such as pottery and timples (a small Canarian guitar) through to Chinese mass-manufactured goods and the obligatory African wood carvings.

Legend has it that during the 1700’s a portrait of the Bishop appeared, floating on the waters of El Charco. And from that moment on the “porteños” (port dwellers) proclaimed him the Patron Saint of the city.

Just like Monty Python’s Life Of Brian, haggling is obligatory and local folklore groups performing in Teguise’s Main Square add further volume to the spectacle. Busy, bustling and good fun but best reached either by private car or on an organized excursion

Whatever the truth of the legend it’s a great excuse for a fiesta. And during the daytime much of the activity is concentrated around the El Charco area

Food &

Haria Market - Saturday In total contrast to Teguise, Haria stages a laid back, small-scale market every Saturday morning, with 20 to 30 stalls set up in the shade of the town’s beautiful tree-lined main square.

drink

Haria has traditionally attracted individuals in search of a more alternative lifestyle and the goods on sale here often reflect that.

Memorable meals out are a vital part of the holiday experience for many visitors. So what sort of food are you going to encounter in restaurants on Lanzarote? What’s on a typical menu? And what are the local specialties?

The accent is on hand produced art and craft items as well as limited amounts of locally grown fruit and veg, as well as fresh produce such as goat’s cheese.

Blend Of Influences

There are a number of good bars and restaurants in the square where you can just sit and drink in the atmosphere.

In general, Canarian cuisine is a blend of Spanish, African and Latin American influences. Reflecting the island’s geographical position as a staging and one time trading post between these points of the compass in centuries past.

Whilst serious shoppers will find Haria less engaging than Teguise Market, those who want nothing more than a relaxed browse in a more atmospheric environment should head here.

Fish versus Flesh You could be forgiven for thinking that fish dishes dominate. But despite being an island race the Canarians in fact eat less fish than their mainland counterparts.

Arrecife Market - Saturday Arrecife Market is staged in the old quarter of the capital city - in and around El Charco and the Church de San Gines and is an entertaining place to spend the morning. With stalls selling arts and crafts as well as food and drink and much more besides.

Other Island Markets Marina Rubicon - Playa Blanca

There’s usually plenty of entertainment on offer too in the form of local folkore groups. Parking can be tricky in the capital so head for the rough ground by El Charco where you can leave your car for a couple of euros.

Every Wednesday and Saturday from 09.00 to 14.00 in the atmospheric surroundings of the Marina Rubicon in Playa Blanca. Around 30 stalls mostly selling clothing and general souvenirs.

Artisan Market - Mancha Blanca Every Sunday from 09.00 to 14.00, with the accent on local arts and crafts and organically grown produce.

Traditional Market – Uga Small twice weekly market from 09.00 to 14.00 every Saturday and Sunday in the pretty little village of Uga, close to Yaiza and the volcanic region. 44

This could possibly be a genetic hangover from the original island inhabitants, the Guanche. As they were, apparently, lousy fishermen and excelled instead at rearing livestock such as goats and sheep.

Fishy Business

Meat Market

Despite the carnivorous preference of the locals there is still of course a good variety of local fish and seafood to sample – the most common being dorada, sama, vieja and cherne. These are all tasty white fish and are usually grilled (a la plancha) and served with the ubiquitous papas arrugadas – or wrinkled potatoes - possibly the best known Canarian dish. Which are basically baby spuds boiled, with their skins on, in seawater.

As a result, even today, you’ll find that goat features prominently on most menus, along with other indigenous animals such as rabbit, whilst baby kid is regarded as something of a local delicacy. The Latin American connection comes into play with other meat dishes – especially beef – which is usually imported from Argentina – and is of the highest quality.

Mojos

One safe option for vegetarians however are the local goat’s cheeses, which are of particularly high quality – especially those from Fuerteventura. These have won all sorts of awards and accolades – and usually feature as a starter in most restaurants ‘tipico’.

Papas arrugadas are always served with a variety of sauces - or mojos. Whilst recipes vary from chef to chef you can always guarantee that you’ll be given a choice of at least two of these sauces to pour onto your potatoes. The green mojo is a blend of olive oil, vinegar, parsley, coriander and garlic – whilst the fierier red mojo contains the same oil and vinegar base but with the additional kick of chilli and red peppers.

Bards &

vineyards

Gofio If you really want to really immerse yourself in the traditional flavours of the island then you’ll also need to sample gofio – a flour made from ground and toasted maize which was once the staple diet of Lanzaroteños.

Soups and Stews Soups and stews also feature heavily on the traditional Canarian menu. One of the most common is puchero, which is pretty much a meal in itself. The classic puchero contains a variety of meat cuts, vegetables such as potatoes, carrots and onion along with either lentils or chickpeas to further thicken the mix.

Wine has been produced on Lanzarote for over 500 years. But there is still debate about how vines were first introduced to the island.

Today gofio is used in a variety of ways – often appearing as a thickening agent in soups and stews as well as in a number of sweet dessert dishes.

Wine Time Most wine lists offer a selection of both locally produced and mainland Spanish wines. It is extremely rare to come across bottles from other countries such as France, Italy or the New World.

For Starters These soups are often enjoyed as a starter – but there are of course plenty of alternative options, such as the everpopular gambas al ajillo, which is such a staple on restaurant menus here that it could almost be termed the Canarian prawn cocktail. The gambas - or prawns are cooked with olive oil, brandy, chilli and heaps of garlic and served sizzling hot – usually with a good portion of bread for dunking in the oil.

The Canaries used to be world leaders in the production of sweet Malvaisa wine-which still features widely on wine lists today and which makes a good accompaniment to dessert and coffee. A number of good quality red, white and rosé wines are also produced on Lanzarote, such as El Grifo and Bermejo, via a unique form of cultivation. To find out more see Bards & Vineyards.

Vegging-Out Whist vegetables are obviously used in many traditional dishes vegetarian options are virtually non-existent. As meat or fish is usually added in some way shape or form, even to green sounding options such as watercress soup – which, for example, often contains bacon.

were also well located for exporting it. The Canaries perch on what was then the key trade triangle between the Americas, Africa and Europe.

The Rise & Fall Of Malvasia Wine But I faith, you have drunk too much canaries and that’s a marvelous searching wine

Nectar of the Gods

— Henry IV

Canarian Malvasía wine was a prestigious drink. Bottles graced the top tables of kings and queens across Europe. It was widely regarded by the cognoscenti as ‘the nectar of the gods’.

Some historians claim that vine stocks of the sweet Malvasía grape from Greece arrived with the Romans 1,000 years ago. Others support the theory that the Portuguese prince, Henry the Navigator, transported vines here in the 15th century.

This was partly because medieval palettes favoured sweet tasting drinks with a strong bouquet, not least because sugar was a luxury item. In addition they needed something to counter the taste of salt, the prevalent preservative of the time.

Either way for a couple of hundred years during the 16th and 17th centuries Canarian wines ruled the roost worldwide.

The same is also true of main course dishes where vegetables are often little more than a garnish accompanying fish and meat dishes.

Malvasía fitted the bill perfectly and this sweet, aromatic wine was to prove especially popular in England, the major market for exports.

Trade Triangle Geography is partly to thank. As well as providing conducive climactic conditions for producing wine the seven islands 46

sugar cane. But exports had been decimated by competition from the New World colonies. As a result, wine production provided sweet relief. It became the foundation for a period of prolonged prosperity on Lanzarote.

Wine in Decline Tastes change however. As do tastemakers. In 1649 Charles II came to the throne in that all important export market, England.

William Shakespeare

Sadly for Lanzarote’s farmers the new King was a sherry man. His courtiers and countrymen soon followed suit and the popularity of Malvasía began to drain away.

Perhaps this was partly attributable to the power of PR. William Shakespeare no less was fulsome in his praise of ‘malmsey’ or ‘sack’ (as Malvasía was often called then). So much so that references crop up in thirty of his works.

Britain’s growing enmity with Spain finally burst the bubble. The British began to boycott Spanish wines in the late 17th century, both to better support their ally Portugal and to undermine their enemy.

He certainly had a vested interest in promoting the stuff. As poet laureate he enjoyed an annual allowance of 268 gallons from the Crown, free of charge. Maybe he was simply swayed by the high alcohol content. Malvasía then had more in common with sherry or port than the table wines of today.

Madeira became the drink of choice. Malvasía a memory.

Last Orders

Vine Time

The Malvasía grape is still cultivated on Lanzarote today, albeit in smaller quantities. It accounts for around 75% of all wine production on the island.

For farmers in Lanzarote the arrival of Malvasía vines was extremely timely. Previously the primary crop had been

Lanzarote

essentials It’s always good to know where to get the best exchange rate, what are the shop opening hours and what to do in the event of an emergency.

Some banks will ask you to present your passport in order to process the transaction. Some banks charge commission – ask before making the transaction.

Arrecife Airport

Cash point machines are located at reasonably frequent intervals throughout all of the main resorts.

Arrecife Airport isn’t in fact in Arrecife at all. The airport is known locally as Guacimeta and is located equidistantly between the resort of Puerto del Carmen and the capital city of Arrecife. Both are no more than 10 minutes from the airport by taxi.

Bureau De Change Bureau de Change offices are situated in the three main resorts and offer rates that are competitive with the local banks.

See Transfers below for estimated journey times to other resorts on the island.

A number of shops – such as those selling electrical goods - also offer an exchange facility. Their rates can appear competitive – usually because they solely advertise the higher rate for traveller’s cheques. Make sure you are on the ball and don’t expect a receipt if you use this sort of facility.

Banks Generally, open from 8.30am until 14.00pm, Monday to Friday. All banks are happy to exchange your sterling (or travellers cheques) for Euros and generally speaking you are likely to get a better rate here than if you exchange your money before leaving the UK.

Buses Cheap and reasonably reliable if you are in the main resorts along the south east coast of the island but less so within the island interior.

You will also usually get a better exchange rate here than at your hotel reception.

For sightseeing, we recommend hiring a car. Car hire and petrol here is cheap but your holiday time here is precious. So you probably don’t want to spend it hanging around at bus stops.

You can check rates on the display boards in each bank. There is little to no variation between the rates that different banks offer.

Christmas Opening

Electrical Goods

Petrol

Telephones

Most supermarkets and restaurants in Lanzarote open as per normal throughout the Christmas period.

Buyer Beware. Especially when it comes to buying electrical goods on Lanzarote.

Far cheaper than in the UK. There are petrol stations located in and round the three main resorts.

Public telephones are located throughout the main resorts.

There are plenty of electrical shops in the resorts offering tempting looking deals on goods such as digital cameras. And whilst not all of them are untrustworthy there are probably more complaints made about these retailers than any other issue.

Crossing Roads Unlike the UK or Ireland drivers here are not obliged to stop for you at what pass for pedestrian crossings. So don´t just step out and expect them to stop. Wait for a break in the traffic instead.

So unless you really know what you’re doing – don’t bother.

Dimensions & Distances Lanzarote is a small island – which makes everything here very accessible and sightseeing easy.

Insects As in most hot countries mosquitoes and flies are present and can be a nuisance. But unless you are allergic that’s all they are really and can usually be dealt with by use of mosquito repellant and plugins.

The island covers a square area of just 846 km – making it possible to drive from one end to the other in around an hour or so.

Driving

Cockroaches can also crop up – but again they come with the territory here.

Apart from the obvious fact that you need to drive on the opposite side of the road there are, as you would expect, a number of other cultural differences.

Internet Access Is now available as standard in most hotels and apartments – although more often than not in a designated area rather than within bedrooms.

For example, indicating is deemed optional and lane discipline at roundabouts is non-existent.

There are also Internet cafes and WiFi hotspots in the three main resorts.

But don’t be put off. Once you get out of the resorts and off the bigger roads there’s hardly any traffic to contend with anyway.

Opening Hours In resort, most shops are open from 9.00am until 20.00pm. Many supermarkets are open even later than this. Out of resort, in Arrecife for example, shops close from 14.00pm17.00pm.

Electricity The electrical system is different to the UK or Ireland – utilising two pin connector plugs operating at 220 volts.

Telephone Code

Pharmacies

If calling a Lanzarote number from either the UK or Ireland you will need to add the prefix 0034.

There are a number of pharmacies located in all three of the main resorts – as indicated by the large green illuminated crosses.

Time Unlike mainland Spain, Lanzarote runs on Greenwich Mean Time. So there is no need to adjust your watch.

There is a duty pharmacy open seven days a week, so in the event of an emergency consult reception at your accommodation.

Transfer Times

Post Offices

From Arrecife Airport by Taxi: To Costa Teguise 15-20mins To Matagorda 5-10 mins To Playa Blanca 35-40 mins To Puerto Calero 15-20 mins To Puerto del Carmen 10-15mins

There are main Post Offices located in all three main resorts of Costa Teguise, Playa Blanca and Puerto del Carmen.

Stamps Are available from most supermarkets and usually from the reception area of your accommodation.

Vaccinations

However, you usually have to buy a postcard first as many will not sell stamps separately.

Visas

No inoculations are required.

EU passport holders do not need a visa to enter Lanzarote.

Taxis

Water

Taxis are metered. They can be flagged down in the street as in the UK when the green light on the roof of the vehicle is on.

Wash in it, bathe in it, brush your teeth in it ….but don’t drink it. It’s not dirty or contaminated in any way, it’s just desalinated and not designed for consumption. Bottled water is much, much cheaper than the UK – especially if you buy the large 5 litre bottles sold in the supermarkets.

Taxi queues at the airport can be lengthy – especially on main changeover days such as Thursdays.

Sun Park Lanzarote

So you will need to buy an adaptor plug to use any appliances that you bring with you. These are readily available in most supermarkets on the island.

www.fabulouslanzarote.com

Getting around

lanzarote transport There are a number of different options available if you want to travel around Lanzarote, including public bus services, private transfers and of course car hire. You could also book a guided tour in order to explore the island.

Taxis From Arrecife Airport

Taxis in Resort

The taxi rank is located directly outside the arrival hall at Terminal 1.

Taxis are a relatively cheap way of getting round your resort as short hops usually cost little more than a few euros.

During peak holiday periods passengers can be subjected to queues for taxis on arrival – especially on days such as Thursdays (the main changeover day on the island) and during the busiest periods of the year.

A taxi is free for hire when displaying a green light and can be flagged down in the street. Alternatively, there are taxi ranks throughout all of the main resorts. Taxi ranks can also be contacted direct for bookings – however it is pot luck as to whether the person answering your call can speak sufficient English to understand you.

Taxis are metered. Tipping is at your own discretion. Passenger numbers are limited to four people per taxi.

Lanzarote Airport Transfers

Public Bus Limitations

the main bus depot in the nearby island capital of Arrecife and the airport.

It´s important to note though that public bus services are a little limited - there is no transfer service from the airport to the main resorts and many of the main attractions are also not serviced. However car hire in Lanzarote is very affordable - starting from around ¤15 per day - and petrol is much cheaper than in the UK. So for many tourists this is the best and most convenient option.

Lanzarote Car Hire

You can pre-book airport transfers to your destination and save queuing on arrival.

Cheap and arguably the most convenient form of transport for anyone seeking to discover the island at their own pace. There are many different companies to choose from – all in truth offering fairly similar levels of pricing and service.

This service runs is in the opposite direction to the resorts of Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen and Matagorda. So unless you have a lot of time to kill or are on a very tight budget this is not the best option for reaching your accommodation quickly and comfortably. Tourists staying in Costa Teguise however can take the bus to Arrecife bus station and then get a connection onto Costa Teguise from there. Again, this would be a relatively time consuming option – despite the short distances involved. The public bus service runs directly from outside the arrivals hall at Terminal 1. The bus line number is 22 or 23. Journey time from the airport to the bus depot in Arrecife is around 20 minutes. The fare is approximately ¤1.

Buses To & From Arrecife Airport Most tourists are transferred to their resort accommodation by coach, courtesy of their tour operators, or by taxi. There are no airport shuttle buses to the main resorts. So anyone visiting Lanzarote is advised to arrange an airport transfer or pre-book car rental.

Buses Around The Island Want to travel under your own steam on public transport? Lanzarote Bus page timetables are available locally.

There is a public bus that services Arrecife Airport. However, this route is very limited - running solely in between

Lanzarote

weather & MAP When’s the best time of year to visit? What´s the weather like in any given month? How hot does it get?

as predictable as they once were. And even Lanzarote can have cloudy, grey days.

Lanzarote is a year round, sunshine destination with very low rainfall. The temperature rarely falls below 68-70oF – so you can enjoy a beach holiday here any time of year. And that includes all of the months when Northern Europe is in the depths of winter.

You are, as a rule, more likely to get hot sunny weather during the summer months. And most long-term residents would agree that September and October are probably the best months of the year weather wise. As the trade winds that blow through March-August have usually dropped by then.

But, just like any other part of the world these days weather conditions are not

Prices from

£9.50 per day per person

Life

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COME TO OUR STAND TO HEAR ABOUT OUR SHOW SPECIALS

Living Living

Sun Park is an inspiring home-from-home community for active independent singles and couples over 50. A unique complex of self-catering apartments set amidst beautiful tropical gardens with its own on-site cafe, shop, bar, and private pool, in the heart of the popular resort of Playa Blanca, Lanzarote.

· Enjoy a perfect year-round climate · Exclusive private resort for over 50s · Stay for as long as you like* · Safe, secure and friendly community close to all local amenities and shops The unique and welcoming community spirit at Sun Park quickly embraces you and you’ll soon feel part of a much wider group of friends. Sun Park offers safety, security and a ready made group of friends and companions!

Visit www.fabulouslanzarote.com or call our friendly team on 0844 826 8503 *Minimum 7 nights. Calls will cost 7p per minute plus your telephone company’s access charge.

Holidays to Sun Park are operated by The air holiday packages and flights shown are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is 10423

Did you

Guide price

Know

Lanzarote is home to approximately 150,000 people

Lanzarote is the Eastern most island of the Canary Islands

It’s main economy is tourism

There are 500 different kinds of plants

Setting for famous films – One Million Years BC & In the Heart of the Sea

The Stone Roses filmed ‘Fools Gold’ & ‘I wanna be adored’ on the island

4.99€

Lanzarote is home to 5,000 British nationals

It’s main airport is Arrecife (ACE)

There are 180 different species of lich-forming funghi

Home to one of 2 surviving populations of the threatened Canarian Egyptian vulture

The Wind of the Small Isles by Mary Stewart features Playa Blanca

We hope you enjoyed this guide which has been compiled by Sun Park, Europe’s Favourite Over 50s Resort. Sun Park is operated by