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Lanzarote
Tourist Information
My Lanzarote walk
pages have proved unexpectedly popular so I thought I would include some
general tourist information about the island. The table below provides the
links to the individual pages and is repeated on each page. To differentiate
from my walk related pages, the Lanzarote Tourist Information titles are on
a blue background.
I must stress that
this is not intended to be the definitive work on tourist information for
the island but is merely a very brief collection of my own thoughts and pictures on
some of the places I have visited. I do not claim to have visited everywhere
worth seeing and if you want more information than I have provided, the best
source is a guide book
As
a general tourist guide, I used to recommend the Lanzarote and Fuerteventura
(AA Essential Spiral Guides Series), because it would lay flat but I think
this might now be out of print. Marco Polo produce a spiral bound which may
be similar. Also popular with visitors to this site is the normal
format Marco Polo guide and there is much on line. The best
map I have located for Lanzarote by far is the Lanzarote
Tour and Trail Map 1:40,000 scale produced by Discovery Walking Guides
Ltd. This shows sights, walking routes and is an excellent road map. The
super durable edition is virtually indestructable. It
gets 5 stars from around 75% of purchasers on Amazon. Links to
obtain all these publications are below.
If you want a
checklist to take with you and a sketch map showing the approximate
locations of the various places, print off this PDF
file.
In relation to all
tourist attractions, I recommend visiting in the mornings, before the
majority of the tourist coaches begin their meanderings.
Lanzarote is
something of a “Marmite” island (love it or hate it!). The majority of
people I have encountered who have said “never again”, have tended to be
those who have spent all their time in a resort, usually by the pool and the
only bit of the island they have seen, is
from the transfer coach, airport to resort – in which case I can
understand their opinion. Lanzarote benefits from exploration. Have an open
mind and enjoy an amazing volcanic landscape which you cannot otherwise see,
other than via long haul flights.
As one tours the
island, one is struck by how well kept everywhere is. The islanders clearly
take a pride in the place. Even some roundabouts are like gardens. I find it
better kept than the other Canary Islands I have visited - which is all the
major ones apart from Fuerteventura.
The roads are good
quality in the main and traffic is mostly very light and of moderate speed
(in contrast to the relative manic motoring on Tenerife – or the UK!). For
anyone nervous about driving on the “wrong side”, Lanzarote would be a
great place to start.
Lanzarote has a
lot for which to thank the artist and architect César Manrique (1919-1992).
He returned to his native Lanzarote after a spell in America and set about
influencing events on the island to preserve its beauty and protect it from
the ravages of mass tourism which have ruined many Spanish holiday areas.
In the main,
buildings are limited to a maximum of two storeys and have to be painted
white with woodwork colours limited to a restricted palette.
César
Manrique’s name crops up in connection with a whole variety of things on
the island and sculptures of his are scattered throughout.
There are three
main tourist centres on the island, Playa Blanca, Costa Teguise (not to be
confused with the inland, old town of Teguise) and Puerto del Carmen. I have
only stayed at Playa Blanca and although I have visited the other two, know
little about them in any depth.
All information on this
site is given in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of any
damage, loss or injury which might result from acting on it.
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