Lanzarote is the most northern of the Canaries, lying approximately 60 miles off the North West Coast of Africa. It has year round sunny climate and relatively low rain fall.

Development is low level and has been closely monitored due to the influence of the late artist/designer Cesar Manrique who worked to preserve the island's environmental heritage.

The visitor to the island will appreciate there are no polluted seas, just the crystal clear waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

in 1994 the island was declared a world reserve of the Biosphere by UNISCO.

Lanzarote, or the island of the volcanoes as it is affectionately known, boasts a landscape of over 100 volcanoes. It is therefore no surprise that many of the islands tourists attractions revolve around this ecological fact.

The islands is able to offer the usual attractions of clean attractive beaches and water sports, but what sets it apart from the rest is the many attractions that are naturally occurring.

The north of the island was formed over 3000 years ago and is where you will find the longest volcanic tube in the world (Cueva de los Verdes), and the blind albino crabs at Jameos del Agua.

The south of the island is the result of six years of volcanic activity between 1730 and 1736. This area forms the national park of Timanfaya and is often described as the lunar like, indeed the originally space buggies were tested here as it was the surface deemed most like the moon.

Lanzarote has the pull of sun, sea and sangria, but travel a little inland and you will discover the real beauty of this stunning island.

Timanfaya National Park | Teguise Village | Puerto Calero | Papagayo | Mirador del Rio | Jardin de Cactus | Jameos del Agua | El Golfo | Cueva de los Verde

The Timanfaya National park forms Lanzarote's most spectacular, natural location. Situated in the central western part of the island it is an incredibly popular attraction to visitors.

The park is the result of six years of volcanic eruptions that occurred between 1730 and 1736 and gave Lanzarote the overall landscape that it now displays. The park still boasts a live volcano that may, one day, threaten the island with possible further destruction. The landscape is often described as lunar-like and has been the site of dune buggy tests as experts consider it to be as close a match to the surface of the moon found on this planet.

The Timanfaya or fire mountain experience starts at the park entrance where you are invited to take a ride on the famous camels. You are then escorted on an official bus round the park, where the many ecological sites are pointed out and explained.

The park also boasts a restaurant designed by Cesar Manrique, tastefully incorporated into the landscape. The food is cooked over a giant grill heated by the incredible temperatures generated underground by the live volcano. The tour is rounded off by some surprising demonstrations by the park wardens, which will give you a further indication of the heat being generated underground.

You can not fail to be impressed by the stunning beauty this park has to offer, each turn of a corner or direction of the eye, rewards you with new colours and each piece of rock forms the most magnificent shapes. The clouds passing overhead give an eerie feel and remind you how this once fertile land was transformed into a barren wilderness.

Founded in the 15th Century the town of Teguise is steeped in history and contains some of the islands best architecture. Located at the centre of the island, the former capital is now renowned for its culture and arts.

Several small streets extend from the main square and a variety of small shops offer traditional crafts and gifts.

Teguise is the venue for many of the islands important festivals including 'La Virgen del Carmen' in July and 'La Virgin de las Nieves' in August.

The Parish church of Guadalupe was build on the instruction of Maciot de Bethencourt, nephew of the first conqueror of Lanzarote, and stands as the most prominent building in the region. The church is the oldest on the island and is open daily to the public.

Across the square is the art gallery, El Convento de San Francisco. The building was constructed in the 16th century and was the final resting place for the Lanzarote elite. The gallery was opened in the 1980's and contains work of contemporary art.

Today Teguise hosts a weekly street market that fills the town to capacity with stallholders and bargain hunters alike. This is a far cry from the Teguise of old that suffered repeated attacks from pirates during the 16th Century.

Other than Sunday (market day), the town of Teguise is sleepy and relaxed, and reflects the pace of life on the island. During the 1980's Teguise was officially recognised as one of the most beautiful villages in the canaries.

Situated in the South East of the Island lies the marina of Puerto Calero. Developed by local businessman, José Calero, the marina is now considered to be one of the best in the Canary Islands. Such is its popularity that it has doubled in size since its original construction.

Puerto Calero not only attracts the rich and famous as a stop off point, but also boasts a beautiful quayside. It is an ideal location for a relaxing evening stroll or to sit in the shade under one of the numerous palm trees that line the immaculate promenade.

Several marine adventure companies operate out of the marina, offering everything from relaxing yachting trips to diving lessons.

One of the most popular excursions on the islands operates around the Puerto Calero coastline. The Submarine Safaris offer the chance to take a peek below the shoreline. A forty-five minute dive allows you to experience a truly underwater experience without getting wet. The variety of sea-life, the underwater lava formations and a small shipwreck, all make this a trip truly breath taking.

Why not finish off a trip to Puerto Calero by visiting one of the many high quality restaurants on offer.

Only a short car ride from the biggest resort on the island, Puerto del Carmen, the contrast could not be bigger. Puerto Calero offers high quality, beautiful surroundings that compliment the pace of life on Lanzarote.

Located at the southern tip of Lanzarote, the beaches of Papagayo are largely un spoilt by the influences of man. The area consists of a series of soft sandy beaches flanked by dramatic high cliff faces.

These cliff tops provide an excellent vantage point from which to survey scenery both inland and out to sea. The area is an ideal location for both sightseers and photographers of all abilities. Views over the neighboring islands of Fuerteventura and Los Lobos are at their best from Papagayo.

The beaches offer a picturesque setting in which to relax and many take advantage of the perfectly clear waters to enjoy swimming and snorkeling . There is an abundance of small marine life that can be seen both from just paddling on the shoreline, or venturing a little further out.

In common with much of Lanzarote, Papagayo is a conservation area and unusual steps have been taken to limit the numbers of visitors. Parking for private vehicles is severely curtailed and taxis are banned from approaching the area. Amenities at Papagayo are severely limited so it is advisable to take provisions with you.

The accepted method of transport is water taxi. The Taxi, a yacht converted for commercial use, can be picked up from the near-by resort of Playa Blanca and takes approximately twenty minutes. The journey gives another sight-seeing opportunity allowing you the chance to view the commanding Lanzarote coastline.

The northern tip of Lanzarote is the location of another of Cesar Manriques creations. Mirador del Rio has been carefully sculpted into the mountainside to blend with the landscape, through its low profile construction and use of natural local stone.

The Mirador gives commanding views at over 450 metres above sea level which will prove tempting to both amateur and professional photographers alike.

Built in the early 70's This building was created with the aim of allowing visitors to take in the natural beauty of the landscape (Mirador is Spanish for viewpoint) and dramatically does so. The height at which Mirador del Rio is situated gives quite astounding aerial views of the local geography, including the island of Las Graciosa .

Inside the building you will find several windowed galleries of softly contoured white walls, decorated with plants, traditional Canarian artefacts and sculptures by Manrique himself. Demonstrating the artists commitment to conservation, the sculptures that hang from the ceiling are constructed of welded scrap metal.

The upper and lower floors are connected by an impressive spiral staircase that leads ultimately to the roof area.The Mirador also contains a restaurant, bar and a gift shop offering a variety of good quality souvenirs.

Mirador del Rio is part of the Manrique Foundation which promotes the preservation of Lanzarote, please support the conservation effort by making a purchase from the gift shop.

The Cactus Gardens are located in the north-east of the island and draw large crowds who marvel at some 1,500 variety of cactus on offer.
As with so many of the attractions on Lanzarote, the Jardin de Cactus was the creation of Cesar Manrique. Sculpted out of the site of a disused quarry, the garden offers the opportunity to see cactus that are both native to the Canary Islands, and also from as far as the Americas.

The entrance to the park boasts a massive metal build cactus, made by the artist Manrique himself. From a distance it really does look impressively real.

On entering the garden you are overwhelmed by a sense of tranquility and a relaxed stroll around the site is an ideal alternative to the beach.

The gardens are overlooked by a traditional windmill that is still in full working order. The mill was restored in the 1970's and was traditionally used for grinding maize.

A vantage point within the windmill allows you to take in a panoramic view of the surrounding area. The views are stunning and allow you to see one of the greenest areas on the island. The fields are amass with the prickly pear cactus, home to the cochineal beetle. Once the most profitable business on Lanzarote, the red dye made from these beetles was sold worldwide.

Jameos del Agua forms part of the same volcanic tube as Cueva de los Verdes. In this area, a natural opening has been cultivated and developed with a natural rock pool at the centre.

A jameos (a volcanic bubble) occurs when the outer region of lava flow cools and solidifies, while the centre remains molten with heat. When the lava flow ceases and the liquefied centre moves on, all that remains is the hardened outer crust, which forms a bubble of hardened lava, or a Jameos. A frequent occurrence is a partial collapse of the Jameos, causing a cave to become accessible.

In the late 1960's the development of Jameos de la Agua for artistic and recreational use began. The idea for this was a concept by local artist and environmental campaigner Cesar Manrique. Finally completed in 1984 Jameos de la Agua now consists of three areas. The main area has been converted into an area of tranquility, containing a spectacular swimming pool with palms and other flora. Adjoining this is an auditorium with seating for over five hundred and a restaurant and two bars.

In addition to the Jameos itself the attraction also has examples of traditional Canarian architecture and a scientific display to educate visitors in the science of Volcanology.

Perhaps the most interesting sight are the tiny blind albino crabs that reside in the large natural saltwater pool. This pool connects directly to the near-by ocean. The crabs normally live in the depths of the ocean and Jameos del Agua is the only place in the world that they can be viewed from land. This beautiful naturally occurring pool will amaze even the most difficult to impress. Once your eyes have adjusted to the light you will see hundreds of crustaceans in the calmness of the water.

Located on the western side of Lanzarote is the area know as El Golfo. Like the Timanfaya National Park, El Golfo was formed during the 1730-1736 volcanic eruptions.

Erosion has left a semi circular series of extinct volcanoes that line the shore. The natural black beach sparkles with the semi precious stone periot, know locally as olivinas. This stone is a natural consequence of volcanic activity and can be found as tiny particles in the sand and also embedded in the lava formations.

Towards the back of the beach under the impressive cliffs lays a small emerald green lagoon. Water filters to the beach from the sea, forming this most impressive pool. Folk law claims that the green colourant is a consequence of the ample periot in the area. The scientific truth is that algae thrives in the mineralised water and forms the vivid green colour.

Locally the ocean at El Golfo is known as the herideros or boiling waters. This name refers to the ways the waves crash against the lava formations creating what can only be described as volcanic like eruptions.

Scenes from the film '2000 BC' were shot in this area. Keen movie enthusiasts, or indeed Rachel Welch fans will recognise the green lagoon as that of El Golfo.

Situated in the north of the island Cueva de los Verde and Jameos del Agua form part of the largest volcanic tube known to Man. Stretching some 6 kilometres into the sea this tunnel was formed by the Corona volcano eruptions in the 1730s.

With no natural water on the island the caves are warm and dry and have been home to many early inhabitants of Lanzarote, who often used them to take refuge from pirates and slavers. Indeed the name Cueva de los Verdes was so given due to a family who decided to make the caves a permanent residence. The name of the family was Verdes, Spanish for Green, thus the name was given, caves of the Greens.

Much of the lava tube lies beneath the sea and has yet to be fully explored and unlikely to be so until technology advances sufficiently for this to be done with relative safety. A guided tour round the 2 kilometres of tube open to visitors demonstrates how the flow of the lava ran towards the sea and the variety of colours show the many different minerals held within the caves.

The tube spans an impressive 15 metres in height and 15 metres wide reinforcing the ferocity with which the lava flowed. The caves hold the so-called secret of Lanzarote, your guide will lead you to a place in the cave that will surprise even the hardest to please visitor.