In this Lanzarote Travel Guide, I provide you an overview of the best things to do in Lanzarote. This beautiful Canary Island is a prime holiday destination because of the good weather all year long. As I’ve lived on Lanzarote for 2 months, I’ll be able to share you some of my favourite places around the island!
When visiting Lanzarote, there are some well-known places to book your accommodation to explore the island. When travelling with your family, I would advise to stay in Playa Blanca. If you are seeking more lively evenings, Puerto del Carmen is the place for you. Lastly, if you are into surfing, choose Famara as your base.
1. El Golfo & Los Hervideros
2. Surfing at Famara Beach
3. Mirador Del Rio
4. Green Caves
5. Jameos Del Agua
6. Teguise
7. Timanfaya
8. Puerto Del Carmen
9. Papagayo Beach
10. Walk to Puerto Calero
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This location might seem familiar, as the recordings for the James Bond movie ‘Thunderball’ were done here. El Golfo is famous for its green lake, combined with black beaches and rock formations. Next to El Golf, you can find Los Hervideros. At this special location, lava streams have created rock formations as a cliff next to the sea. In short, when exploring the west of Lanzarote, this location should be on your list.
Even though surfing might not be where you think of when visiting Lanzarote. However, Famara beach, located at the North East of Lanzarote is famous for surfing! Even though surfing turned out not to be my thing, it is a fun experience to do. We have rented our materials and booked a class with Surf School Lanzarote.
Book your accommodation at Famara Beach.
When exploring the North of Lanzarote a stop at Mirador Del Rio should be included. This view point offers you amazing views over the nearby island La Graciosa, located 2 kilometers from Lanzarote. Did you know La Graciosa is also refered to as a Canary Island? When you have more time during your visit to Lanzarote, you can also take a ferry and discover the island for a day. The fresh fish on La Graciosa is supposecd to be amazing!
The Green Caves are one of the major tourist attractions in Lanzarote, so make sure to arrive early. I have visited the Green Caves during a tour to explore the North of Lanzarote, and even though I’m normally not the biggest fan of tours, this allowed us to visit the caves before official opening hours. Walking through the cave includes some stairs and tight spots, however, nothing crazy. Moreover, the cave also includes the “Secret of Lanzarote”.
You can book a tour to Lanzarote's highlights, including the Green Caves (and Jameos del Agua & Timanfaya)
Jameos del Agua is famous for the cave lake with a thousand of little white albino crabs. Those crabs make it seem that there are loads of little crystals sparkling in the water. The second part of Jameos del Agua is the King’s Pool. A bright, bright blue swimming pool, that is unfortunately only there for decoration, even though you may feel to plunge in.
Teguise is the former capital of Lanzarote. A small village that gets completely packed on Sundays because of the Sunday market. It was not my personal favourite, but many people liked it. There are many cheap (and fake) articles to find, but next to that there are also food stalls and it is a great place to find some souvenirs. We had lunch at Bodega Santa Barbara, a tapas restaurant worth visiting! Nearby, you can also find the beach town of Costa Teguise.
Book your hotel in Teguise or Costa Teguise.
The volcanos on the island make Lanzarote a very unique place. That is why you can’t miss out on Timanfaya National Park when visiting Lanzarote. The landscape is very impressive and it makes you doubt whether you are walking on Mars or the Moon. There is a 360-degree restaurant located in the national park, where you can have your dinner cooked in the heat of the volcano while enjoying the sunset in the park. You can visit the park by car, or with a tour, which allows you to enter the park after it is closed for the wider public.
Puerto del Carmen is the main beach and tourist hub of the island. There is a strip with many bars and restaurants, but the old part of the town is worth visiting. My two favourite restaurants in Lanzarote where Asian Kitchen (located on the strip) and an amazing tapas bar called El Nino (in the old town).
Puerto del Carmen is my favourite place to stay on the island. Book your accommodation here.
Papagayo Beach is said to be the nicest beach in Lanzarote. The view is great! It takes a dusty and bumpy road to get there, but that only adds to the experience. Papagayo Beach is located at the western top of the island, close to Playa Blanca.
You can find a detailed hike report here.
If you enjoy some adventure, a great way to explore Lanzarote is to join a Buggy Tour and go off-road! Unexpectedly, I loved this experience! You can book a famous buggy tour here.
