Lanzarote´s Hottest Attractions

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Lanzarote´s Hottest Attractions

British tourism to the eastern most Canary Island of Lanzarote continues to rise. With visitor numbers up by nearly 8% in August and with operators such as Monarch planning additional flights to Lanzarote across the coming Winter months.

But the Island of Fire has much more to offer than just beaches and buckets and spades. As Lanzarote is also home to a unique set of tourist attractions that fuse art with nature to spectacular effect. Thanks to the work and influence of the island born artist and architect Cesar Manrique.

Timanfaya Volcano Park

The Timanfaya Volcano Park is Lanzarote´s number one visitor attraction. Drawing in nearly one million tourists during the course of 2007. Little wonder though – as this eerie lavascape is literally out of this world.

Lanzarote was subjected to one of the worlds longest ever volcanic eruptions, lasting six years from 1730. Which covered what was then the most fertile farming land on the island in a sea of lava and decimated the island’s economy.

Today, this scene of destruction has changed little – creating a world which appears to have only just been formed and which is almost primeval in appearance. Populated by exhausted volcanic cones, weird, twisted lava shapes and a surprisingly wide range of earthy and organic colours and tones. Resulting from the minerals dispersed from beneath the earth.

Jameos Del Agua

This collapsed, 6km long lava tube, located in the North of the island close to Punta Mujeres is one of Lanzarote´s star attractions. Along with the help of fellow architects Luis Morales and Jesus Soto – Cesar Manrique transformed it into a stunning subterranean auditorium.

Well planted tropical gardens, bars and a restaurant surround an underground lagoon. The atmosphere is cathedral like. And in the sea fed lagoon at the centre of the site blind albino crabs – unique to Lanzarote – glisten in the water like jewels.

The Jameos Del Agua is built on such a stunning scale that it was declared the “Eighth Wonder of the World” by Hollywood legend Rita Heyworth when she visited back in the 1970´s.

Cesar Manrique Foundation

Cesar Manrique´s fascination with Lanzarote´s unique volcanic landscape led to the artist creating his own house and studio out of five underground lava flow bubbles in the centre of the island. An attraction which is still blowing visitors away to this day.

Manrique created his incredible underground house as a means of illustrating to his fellow islanders what could be achieved using Lanzarote´s natural landscape. In order to provide an alternative path to the sort of high rise development taking place in other Spanish signpost’s

His unique home has won many architectural awards and accolades and was instrumental in attracting many VIP guests to the island back in the 1970´s. Such as Omar Sharif – who was so impressed that he immediately commissioned Cesar to build him a similar style of holiday home.

Manrique found the perfect site just up the road in Nazaret, and transformed an old quarry into the most incredible private residence. Sharif lost the property in a game of bridge – but today it is home to LagOmar (Omars Lake) – one of the most upmarket restaurants in Lanzarote.

The Cactus Garden

The Cactus Garden in Guatiza celebrates the spiniest species of the plant world. And is located in a former quarry – with over 10,000 prickly plants on display.

The site has been chosen with some sensitivity – as Guatiza is where the island’s once flourishing cochineal industry was based. Once supplying red dye to the British army and for many other uses worldwide before the advent of synthetic dye stuffs.

Mirador Del Rio

Looking for a Natural High? Then head to the Mirador del Rio in the north of the island. Where Manrique transformed a former gun battery into an incredible look out point granting a birds eye view of the neighbouring island of La Graciosa. Which lies just one thousand metres away across the El Rio Strait and is thought to be the real life setting for the Robert Louis Stevenson literary classic, Treasure Island.