Lanzarote travel guide and map showing the tourist attractions, hotels and places of interest around Lanzarote in Spain. Virtual tours with 360° panoramas from Lanzarote, maps and local information.

Lanzarote is the easternmost of the Canary Islands and a very popular holiday destination. Covering some 845m² it is mostly volcanic made of ancient lava flows and volcano cones. It lies in the Atlantic just 11 km north-east of Fuerteventura and just over 1 km from Graciosa. The small island has nearly 30km of beach and sand, ideal for beach holidays, surfing and water sports. The rest of the coastline is quite rugged and rocky, well suited to fishing and scuba diving.

The name Lanzarote is apt, as this means 'red mountains' in the native language. Away from the beaches the terrain rises quickly to high hills offering stunning views over the sea to the other islands. among the highest peaks are Peñas del Chache rising (670m), Famara (671m) and Ajaches (608m). Famara and Montañas del Fuego are separated by the El Jable desert. Lanzarote also boasts the Tunnel of Atlantis, the largest submerged volcanic tunnel in the world.

The largest city on Lanzarote is Arrecife, which lies on the east of the island and has ferry links to the other Canary Islands as well as mainland Spain and an airport. Other important towns and villages include San Bartolomé, Tías, Haría, El Barquito, Tinajo and Famara. The southernmost settlement is El Papagayo and at the northern peninsula is Órzola which has a ferry link to Caleta de Sebo on the Isla Graciosa. throughout Lanzarotte you can find small hotels, B&B places, holiday apartments and holiday villas to rent.

Lanzarote - Tourist Attractions

Lanzarote is a varied island, offering a whole range of holiday activities. Whether you are interested in simply lying on a sandy beach or looking for something more active you can find it on this tiny island. The volcanic hills offer excellent walking and some caves. There is diving and fishing around the coastline, surfing, hang gliding, cycling and plenty more.

For the eco-tourist, the whole of Lanzarote has been declared a UNESCO Biosphere, full of rare species of plants, insects, birds and animals. On the eastern edge of Lanzarote is
Timanfaya National Park, an active volcanic park with geothermal formations and geysers.

Some of the popular, top attractions and sights on Lanzarote include:

• The Cactus Garden - found between Mala and Guatiza and created by artist Cesar Manrique in a disused quarry this garden contains over 10,000 cacti from Madagascar, Mexico and the Canary Islands.
• Timanfaya National Park - on the western side of Lanzarote about 45km from Mala this volcanic park is filled with a variety of geological and geothermic phenomena, vents and geysers.
• La Cueva de los Verdes - found near Los Verdes and the Monte de la Corona volcano is one of the largest volcanic galleries in the world extending 6km underground through various caverns and lava tubes.
• Museo El Grifo (Wine Museum) - museum about wine making found in an 18th century active vineyard on volcanic slopes near Montaña Blanca.
• Guinate Tropical Park & Penguin Paradise - located in Haria, at the foot of Mount Corona, the park covers some 11 acres with gardens, waterfalls and ponds and is home to many species of birds, animals, reptiles, fish and penguins.
• Famara Cliffs - 400m high cliffs just south of Haria, above Famara, with stunning views over the islands of La Graciosa, Alegranza and Montaña Clara.
• Famara and la Caleta Beach - world famous surfing beach with 6km of sand, beach resort hotels and water sports.
• Hang Gliding - with the best thermals between November and March and numerous stunning launch points, Lanzarote is a popular hang gliding holiday destination.
• Lanzarote Aquarium - found at Costa Teguise is the largest aquarium in the Canary Islands with hundreds of species of fish, rays and sharks in 33 aquaria tanks including several touching tanks.
• Jameos del Agua - just 10km from Haría is a natural jameos (collapsed volcanic cave) which has been turned into auditorium, swimming pool, gardens and restaurants and underground salt-water lagoon.
• Castillo de San Gabriel - built in 1574 in order to defend Arrecife Harbour the fortress was destroyed by the Algerian Pirate Morato Arraez in 1586 and rebuilt in 1599. It is now a archaeological museum accessed by a drawbridge dating from 1559.
• Castillo de San Jose - built in Arrecife in 1799 to protect from pirates the fortress now houses the Museo International de Arte Contemporáneo art gallery and restaurant.

Lanzarote Tourist Information Office - Arrecife
Avda. Vargas 1
Arrecife
Las Palmas
C.P. 35500
Phone: 928812750

Lanzarote Tourist Board - Arrecife
Calle Triana, 38, CP 35500,
Arrecife de Lanzarote,
(Las Palmas) Spain.
Phone: 00 34 928 811 762
Email: info@turismolanzarote.com
Web: turismolanzarote.com

Ferry: Arrecife Port with ferries to other Canary Island and the Spanish mainland (Cadiz).
Flight: Lanzarote Airport