Spain Guide - Article No.005

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Explore Lanzarote - Island of Fire

By Nick Ball

There are few holiday destinations in Spain quite as unique as the small Canary island of Lanzarote. Which is located around eighty miles off the coast of West Africa and what used to be the Spanish Sahara. As the island boasts surreal volcanic scenery, over ninety great beaches and a host of unusual visitor attractions created by an island born artist called Cesar Manrique. Lanzarote was first conquered by the Spanish crown in the early 1400´s. Evolving into an important naval staging post between the New World and the Old in centuries to come. As galleons crossed the Atlantic with slaves from Africa and Inca silver. During the 1730´s Lanzarote was rocked by a massive series of volcanic eruptions. Which physically enlarged the surface area of the island by around one quarter. Carpeting swathes of land in lava and destroying villages in its wake. At the time these events were positively cataclysmic. As Lanzaroteños were totally dependent on agriculture. So many were forced to abandon their birthplace altogether and emigrate for pastures new.

Today however the islands volcanic region is Lanzarote´s number one tourist attraction. With the Timanafya National Park welcoming close to one million visitors annually. Lanzarote´s location close to the Tropic of Cancer creates a climate that is temperate all year round. So the island is a popular summer and winter sun destination. Welcoming around 1.5 million visitors every year. The bulk of them staying in one of the islands three main resorts of Puerto del Carmen, Playa Blanca or Costa Teguise.

Despite the impact of package tourism Lanzarote still remains largely unspoiled though. Thanks to the influence of Cesar Manrique. Who successfully campaigned for the controlled development of tourism when the holiday industry was first taking off during the 1970´s. As a result, high rise buildings and advertising hoardings are all conspicuous by their abscence. As these were banned and outlawed. Whilst all of the houses on the island are painted a pleasing, if uniform, white. Manrique not only helped to preserve Lanzarote´s volcanic scenery. But also worked with it in order to create unique, ecologically friendly tourist attractions. Such as his own home and studio in Tahiche which he fashioned out of five bubbles in the surrounding lava flow. Visitors to the island can still tour this incredible creation today – as The Cesar Manrique Foundation is open to the public seven days a week. Elsewhere, Manrique turned part of the collapsed Atlántida tunnel – essentially a hollow lava tube– into the Jameos del Agua. A breathtaking underground lagoon and gardens, which is the second most popular tourist attraction on the island after the Volcano Park. Sadly, Manrique met with an untimely death in 1992. But his work didn’t go unnoticed. Helping to earn Lanzarote the status of UNESCO protected biosphere in 1994.

Nick Ball is the editor of Lanzarote Guidebook - the in depth Lanzarote tourist information guide. Download a free copy online.