Autumn in Lanzarote with a flavour of fishing and tradition
The marine wealth of our Atlantic island unfolds in the autumn months, once again turning Lanzarote into a sustainable paradise, this time for artisanal fishing. The island’s social DNA carries this ancestral activity forward through time. So grab your rod and take note of these 5 tips for an unforgettable immersion in a seafaring culture.
Tour the coastal villages
The fishing tradition dates back to the years of the conquest of the island and, therefore, the image of the fishermen meandering along the coast is part of the landscape. And who wouldn’t love enjoying their hobbies in the magical surroundings of Lanzarote!
If you visit in autumn, it’s worth bringing your rod and trying your luck on the coastline of the less visited villages, such as Playa Quemada, where you can enjoy views of Fuerteventura while waiting for a bream or sea bass to bite. In Playa Blanca, the combination of sand and rock on the coast attracts mackerel and comber. In this southern town, you can also learn how to prepare the local fish as it is done in the restaurants along its lively beachfront promenade.
If you’re staying on the north coast, get up early and mingle with the La Santa aficionados. If you’re lucky, you’ll bring back a serra (Atlantic bonito of the Scombridae family). The village, which is home to one of the most complete sporting infrastructures in Europe, has given its name to the soldier shrimp (“gambas de La Santa”), which have become the star seafood on many an island menu.
In the south, the village of El Golfo offers a spectacular artisanal fishing experience, as it is located by open waters. If you want to try the exquisite combers, this is the place for you. But pay close attention to the currents. And if you prefer to “fish” the product straight from the plate, the freshest products await you in El Golfo, as the boats return to port after just a few hours at sea. The rock fish and fish broths (ask for a pella de gofio escaldado) are delicacies that are hard to forget.
In Puerto del Carmen, there is a seafaring corner par excellence, which is the Varadero plaza itself, in the historic centre of La Tiñosa, where you will find both the old fishermen’s guild and the new one, with its restaurant overlooking the quay where you can try the reinventions recipes using the exceptional catch.
Visit Arrecife, the island’s seafaring capital
Until just a few decades ago, Arrecife was home to 90% of the entire sardine fleet in Spain, and this determined its rhythm and lifestyle. Today, many traditions inherited from that seafaring past persist in the city, such as Los Buches, masked characters who chase through the streets during carnival, rounding up people with dried, inflated fish bladders. The wisdom of the trades of the sea also remains intact, treasured by the carpenters and artisans of the Puerto Naos area, who are still in work thanks to the new activity started a few years ago in Marina Lanzarote: a dry dock for superyachts.
Arrecife’s beautiful, kilometre-long promenade is also frequented by fishermen waiting patiently for Spanish seabream or red porgy to bite – two of the delicacies often caught on this part of the coast. However, in reality the whole city will immerse you in its seafaring atmosphere. A fishing enthusiast will be happy to walk around what used to be called the Puerto de Arrecife: the Plaza de Las Palmas, where the church to the patron saint San Ginés was erected (whose image painted on a slat was brought in by the tide); the Pasaje del Aguaresío; the Escuela de Pesca, a maritime fishing school that is an example of 1960s architecture, or the picturesque inlet of El Charco, where the locals’ boats anchor.
Don’t leave without trying the legendary battered fish bocatas or seafood tapas at one of the many terraces by El Charco. Believe me: they won’t taste the same anywhere else.
Pairing gastronomy and landscape
Our third proposal is to literally eat and drink the unique landscape of Lanzarote. If you’re interested in delving into local gastronomy, the Saborea Lanzarote website offers a perfect guide to producers and distributors of fruit, vegetables, pulses, cheeses, jams, sea salt, fish, wine, craft beers and other local products. But if it’s your first time here, we recommend an enyesque (snack) at the Casa Museo del Campesino, based on cheese and gofio, potatoes with mojo, sea bass croquettes or wreckfish omelette, or tapas of cactus sampled in the brunch at the Jardín de Cactus.
And don’t forget to sample the star of El Jable‘s crops, the sweet potato, which is also used to make desserts that will take you to another level of taste perception. Try the dishes at the Castillo de San José restaurant and don’t forget to include in your happy lunch the volcanic wines of La Geria, a wine-growing landscape like no other in the world. As you can see, in Lanzarote the gastronomic experience encompasses all five senses. But it’s not magic. Come and see for yourself.
Escape to La Graciosa
Any discussion of the sea, saltpetre and fish is a definition of La Graciosa, the eighth Canary Island, which represents seafaring heritage like no other. On our beloved chinija (small) island you can fish, dive, sail and dig for shellfish, always within the order and quantity established by law in this delicate ecosystem (the area has been declared a natural park and marine reserve). The best way to enjoy the unique atmosphere of the island is to put on one of the island’s typical hats, take off your shoes and put yourself in the hands of those who know: the people of La Graciosa.
Any restaurant will recommend the fish of the day. For decades, the people of Graciosa traded their catches for other basic products in Lanzarote. Women used to cross the strait and climb up the Famara cliff with the fish in baskets on their heads, to exchange them for other products in the northern villages, such as Máguez or Haría. The sister islands both want to honour this past and so the climbing and descent of the Risco de Famara has recently been revived, in homage to the gracioseras, as a day to gather together and celebrate.
Responsible artisanal fishing
Like all other outdoor activities, fishing in Lanzarote is perfectly regulated. In the case of traditional fishing, the use of a small boat is allowed, which you can use a few metres away from the coast, and the techniques and tackle allowed are those traditional in the Canary Island: hand line, rod, rod and line or jig. Remember that, during these months, the sea swell and state of the water is changeable, so you should take precautions: always wear suitable footwear and have a source of light.
If you want to go one step further and go deep-sea fishing, in the marinas of Marina Rubicón and Puerto Calero you will have access to all the services you need. Lanzarote is also a pioneer in this sporting activity and participates in conservation programmes such as the method of marking and releasing billfish.
Happy fishing!