Lanzarote is the island which geographically has the least distance to the Moroccan border. A few years ago I spent there one week and liked it a lot. The mountainous area of the island was really impressing. My best friend and I enjoyed one day in the Timanfaya National Park. It was a pleasure to get lunch in the restaurant El Diablo where the barbecue was heated by the volcano. We also took the chance for a camel ride through the park which was a real adventure.

Another day we went on a round trip by bus and saw a few more places of interest. We took some pictures of ourselves in front of the lagoon El Golfo, went to the salt evaporation pond Salinas de Janubio, had a fantastic forecast from the viewpoint Mirador del Río and inspected the lava tube Jameos del Agua.

Mirador del Río and Jameos del Agua belong to the works of art of César Manrique, an artist and architect who had great influence on the visual appearance of the island. He was the one who avoided the construction of high-rise buildings there.

Unfortunately we could not realize a boat trip to the Papagayo beaches due to weather turbulences. However, it was wonderful to relax on the beach in front of our hotel in Puerto del Carmen where we also enjoyed night life and got in touch with many nice people from all over the world, especially the English tourists in discos and pubs.

To me Lanzarote is the islands of the group that holds most attraction. Just as the other islands, it is of volcanic origin. But on Lanzarote there was important volcanic activity during the 18th and 19th century. The arid climate and almost complete lack of erosion has left the traces of the volcanic eruptions intact and the landscape of the island has a touch of a lunar landscape.

During my last vacation I had the opportunity to visit the Atlantida Cave system which was formed due to volcanic activity aproximately 3,000 years ago. It consists of one of the largest volcanic tunnels in the world and an impressive cave. In former times the area was used by the inhabitants to shelter from the frequent pirate attacks.

Contrasting with the volcanic scenary of the island we find quite a few lovely sandbeaches, where sunshine and a mild seabreeze invite the visitor to enjoy a bath in the deep blue ocean.

Several resorts have developed in Lanzarote over the years. Playa del Carmen, Puerto Blanco and Famara offer good acommodations and all the amenities a modern tourist expects. However everything seems to be a bit more laid back that on the neighbouring islands of Tenerife and Gran Canary. An island ideal for a relaxing vacation.

For some hustle and bustle we like to visit Arrecife. The island´s capital also has a very beautiful beach that is lined with palm trees and reminds us of the tropics.

There are many bars and places that offer night entertainment in this area. I always enjoy stopping at one of the street cafes for a cortado, the traditional coffee and then continue on to the town center for shopping. The Canary Islands have a preferential tax status which allows the visitor to bring home tax free items like cigarettes, alcoholic beverages and perfume.

In the north of the island is the mountain Penas del Cache, there are no sandy beaches. In the south of the island is another mountain Los Ajaches. The sandy and long beaches are in the south or southwest.

At the Blaya Blanca in the south there are hotels, restaurants and bars.

Puerto del Carmen is even in the south and there are hotels, restaurants and some nightlife. Costa Teguise in the southwest is quiet and ideal for families.

In the backland of the isle there are still some old typical villages. I like to visit them. The climate of the island is soft-gloved all over the year, sometimes windy. If the wind comes from the Sahara it can be very hot in summer.

The artist Cesar Manrique born on this island, now his house is a museum after his death. Wonderful to see his art. In his art you see the bond between the island and the vulcano. The beauty of the island, the climate and the sun make your holiday a unforgottable adventure.

Every adult, who has a car driver’s licence, can rent a quad.

If you are interessted in making a discovery trip by quad during your holiday on Lanzarote you find different agencies and rentals, where you can rent a quad an plan some trips by your own or join a guided quad-tour.

To drive a quad is very easy and even if you don’t have any experience in it, you will learn how to drive a quad very fast. Bevore guided tours by quad are startet the participants normally have the possibility to make a try on a testing territory and like this you get used to your quad.

Guided quadtours normally are organized in groups of between 8 and 10 quads. One or two persons can drive wiht one quad and children from 8 years are allowed to join a trip as co-driver. The different agencies have different rules concerning children.

On Lanzarote you can rent a quad in Puerto del Carmen or other touristic places of the isle. For your holiday you can rent a hotel or an apartment on Lanzarote and take a nice trip with a quad to explore the isle.

You can choose between organized kayak trips with professional guides or you can rent a kayak and plan the trips by your own. Kajaks for one or two persons can be rent for hours or for the whole day. Normally the tarif for the rental includes a life vest.

There are different trips for kayaks ahead the coast of Lanzarote. One of the most famous trips is starting in Puerto del Carmen passing through the beaches of Matagorda until the beach Playa Chica. For this trip we recommend you to carry your diving goggles and snorkel to explore the underwater landscape.

Another kayak trip is starting in Playa Quemada along the bizarre cliffy coast to the Papagayo beaches. On the trip you pass through lonesome bays and misterious caves.

From one of the Papagayo beaches you can make a trip until Playa Blanca by kayak. On the way to Playa Blanca you can enjoy lots of sandy beaches and take a refreshing bath.

A kayak trip, which is adequate for families and amateurs, guides from the beach Playa El Reducto near Arrecife to El Charco. You come around the bridges of Castillo San Gabriel and can take a tipical canarian meal in El Charco.

On the isle of Lanzarote you find kayak rentals and many agencies, which are organizing guided kayak trips. In every bigger touristic village you have the possibility to rent a kayak or to participate on a guided kayak trip. Near the famous beaches of Lanzarote are lots of hotels and apartments available for your holidays.

This island of Lanzarote forms part of the group of the Canary Islands, which are all seven situated in the Atlantic Ocean. It is said more exactly 140 kilometres western of the coast of Morocco and 1000 kilometres remotely from the Spanish mainland.

The capital is Arrecife. Spanish is the official language. The island is part of the EU since 1996.

Most of the beaches are common and everybody has access to them. Lagoon beaches with very calm condtions, rough, black beaches with a thundering surf, beaches white-wash, fine sandy particularly suitably for surfers, other better for windsurfers. The choice is almost inexhaustible.

The first tourist resort was Puerto del Carmen and it is still the biggest tourism place on Lanzarote. The reason is obvious – the whole area lies along three long, natural beaches.

Pedalos, banana riding and various other water sport is possible. There are three more huge tourist resorts on Lanzarote: Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen in the south and Costa Teguise at the south-east coast.

To choose your perfect holiday destination on this wonderful island you shall concrete your interests and ideas about how you imagine a satisfactory vacation.

Some sources even claim that its name descended from Lanzelot, the famous knight of the company at table.

It actually owes his name to the genoese merchant and seafarer Lanceloto Malocetto. The facts have been proofed historically.

Lava-Landscape of the fire-mountains of Lanzarote

Most of the charming landscape on Lanzarote has been conserved because the builidings do never count a lot of storeys. An interesting contrast to the black lava-rocks are the white houses and the palms and cactuses.

Who spends a holiday on the isle of Lanzarot,e for example in Puerto del Carmen, has the well developed infrastructure at his disposal and can easily explore the island by his own.

Around the beatiful viewout point “Mirador del Rio” in the north of the isle there is much to discover:
The valley of the thousand palms, the cactus park or the cave system “Los Jameos Del Agua“.

“Los Jameos de Agua” represent a natural phenomenon of a very special type:
After the big volcanic eruptions the lava has cooled off fastly and flow in channels down to the sea, partly through the underground. Long corridors and caves, which found a different use, like for example for agriculture cultivation or even concert halls or domicils. The artist and architect Cesar Manrique established himself domestically in such a tunnel, where today we find a museum, which it is worth to visit.

Lanzarote also offers a golf course for visitors and locals, it is situated at the Costa Teguise in the south. Tennis courts form part of most of the big hotel complexes, however, courts and courses for all holiday-makers are also available in holiday centres.

Who would like to discover the island by walking, can join guided groups or take his own initiative. In any case adequate shoes and sufficient water reserves should be part of the basic equipment. On a guided walk in the national park of Timanfaya one learns about the history of origins of the island and the volcanic activities.

Night life in Playa Blanca and Costa Teguise is very eventful and you can find quite a lot of bars, pubs and restaurants in which you can let die away the day.

Holiday-makers have the choice between charming little restaurants at the port promenade and numerous discos and bars in Puerto del Carmen in the south of the capital Arrecife. The shopping centre Atlanticò is particularly popular for teenagers.

In Arrecife starts evey evening a hustle and bustle round the pubs and little bars in the streets around the lagoon Charco de of San Ginés. Not before midnight anyone goes for the first discotheques, before everybody gets in mood at the Playa del Reducto.

For example in Arrieta, El Golfo or Orzola good fish restaurants can be found, as well as in the old downtown of Puerto del Carmen in Playa Blanca.

Staying power is one of the characteristics of Lanzarote. Than in the 18th century, the Timanfaya volcano spewed ash and lava for six years and a third of the fertile ground was buried under, which along the time formed the nowadays so bizarre landscape of the island.

Instead of pausing in despair, the indigenous people got creative and invented the dry cultivation of the fields, what has given a new face to the winegrowing area La Geria.

Another important celebration on the Canary Islands is the carnival, which is celebrated for weeks with salsa music and effortful outfits.

In honor of the patron saints, church parades and traditional celebrations are held, which end with lively get-together, music and good meal .

The architect and artist César Manrique which left pieces of evidence of his work everywhere like the residential building which houses the Fundaciòn César Manrique today was extremely formative for the island and its conception. Another masterpiece by the artist is the unusual volcano restaurant El Diabolo.

This beautiful little piece of earth has to offer a lot more than only tourist attractions, if you explore the isle you can get to know its charm.

With 795 km ² Lanzarote is the fourth biggest Canary Island after Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura. Lanzarote is less green the the more western Canary islands because of its drought.

The Isle of Lanzarote impresses the visitors with its contrast of rude rocks and cliffs and the deep blue colour of the Atlantic Ocean.

The countryside of Lanzarote radiates quiet and inspiration while in the main tourist resorts rules the eventful life. For example in the capital Arrecife and in the touristic stronghold Playa del Carmen the visitor can enjoy a lively nightlife and lots of shopping possibilities and restaurants.

The famous artist Cesar Manrique is mainly responsible that tourism has not influenced too much on the landscape of Lanzarote. One can almost admire everywhere his creation, which is combining nature and tradition with art and architecture.