Lanzarote’s landscape seems to be taken from a book. Its red rocks, its brown dust, its black ashes and its turquoise and green waters are out of this world. The landscapes of the island have always had a deep impression on “conejeros”, which is the way locals call themselves. A proof of this is the fact that the island’s aborigines, the Guanches, called the island “Tyterogaka”, which, in Guanche language means “the ochre island”. Lanzarote is guaranteed to blow your mind.
An island with Sun and mild weather all year long
The fourth largest of the Canary islands and the one located the closest to Spain (if we don’t count the minuscule but stunningly beautiful La Graciosa and Isla de Alegranza), Lanzarote was formed some 15 millions of years ago following the volcanic eruption that formed the whole Canary archipelago. The island, as well as its sisters, receives large amounts of sunlight and since it is almost never cloudy, there are usually over 3,000 hours of sunlight a year. The temperature is usually over 15ºC (60 ºF) all year long, reaching 40ºC (105 ºF) in summertime. This contributes to making the Canary Islands, and Lanzarote in particular, filled with thousands of foreign people seeking the Sun and the light that they can’t find in their home countries.
Lanzarote’s best-know beach offers dazzling views
Lanzarote’s best-known beach, Playa del Papagayo, is among the most beautiful ones I’ve ever seen. Located in the southmost part of the island, the waters in this beach are so crystalline that it is possible to distinguish fish and seaweed through it while standing from the beach shore. My personal recommendation is to see the beach from different angles, all of them are dazzling. Also, don’t forget to bring lots of sunscreen and plenty of water, since the only place where you can buy stuff near the beach is the overpriced beach bar.
Snorkeling in Playa del Papagayo is even better than admiring it from ashore; you can swim next to shoals of all kind of fish which are somehow used to tourists and don’t disappear as soon as you get close to them. Sunsets in Playa Papagayo are absolutely mind-blowing, they are best seen from a higher point than the beach sand, since the sky’s reflection in the water is as delicious as the sky itself.
Experience the volcanic spirit of Lanzarote at its fullest!
Another of the island’s highlights is the Timanfaya National Park, located in the southwest part of Lanzarote. It covers an area of over 50 sq km and it’s made exclusively of volcanic soil. The landscape in this area is almost lunar: the ochre, brown, grey and black colors of the soil are at the antipodes of the limpid waters of the Papagayo beach. The volcanic soil of the park is the result of one of the most recent volcanic eruptions in the Canary Islands, which took place in 1730 and completely reshaped Lanzarote. It is possible (and recommended, since you’ll enjoy Timanfaya’s most stunning views) to hop on the Park’s couch which will take you, along with other visitors, around the park through a very steep and narrow road which is closed to other vehicles. You’ll hardly find any other place in the world where the Earth fiery interior is as alive as in Timanfaya: the Park features natural geysers and areas, closed to the public, where the soil reaches temperatures of over 100 ºC.
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La Cueva de los Verdes, a unique place on Earth
Although these two places are stunningly beautiful, there is one particular spot that is worth the visit to Lanzarote alone. It is called the Cueva de los Verdes and it consists on a lava tunnel that stretches its way for 6 kilometers (4 mi) above the sea level and another 2 kilometers (1.25 mi) underwater. This latter part is called the “Túnel de la Atlántida” (the Atlantis Tunnel) the world’s longest volcanic submarine lava tube. There is a concert hall at the entrance of the Cueva with a capacity for over 500 people and thanks to the irregular shapes of the solidified lava of the walls and the ceiling, the acoustics of the hall are extremely nice. 2 kilometers (1.25 mi) of the Cueva can be visited by everyone, but the Túnel is only open for visit to experienced scuba-divers for evident security
The best landscapes in the Canary Islands are those of Lanzarote
Lanzarote usually isn’t the preferred destination for travelers who swing by the Canary Islands but, in my humble opinion, it is, along with La Gomera, the most beautiful of them. The island is not the typical sun and sand touristic destination, as its landscape and personality stays within the visitor’s retina and soul. The best time of the year to visit Lanzarote is from February to May and from September to December, since the weather is the mildest during this time of the year. Next time you consider escaping somewhere think of Lanzarote, it won’t let you down.
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