La Graciosa – on holiday barefoot, hat in hand
A destination for special people, environmentally aware and willing to adapt to life in a natural park
If you’re looking for an unconventional holiday, June is the perfect month to discover these 27 square kilometres of unspoilt nature in the Chinijo Archipelago, to the north of Lanzarote. Here are the basic instructions for melding with the eighth Canary Island: bare feet, a traditional hat and a bike. There are no cars or asphalt here, and you’ll never want to leave.
Crossing el Río
La Graciosa can only be reached by sea, so if you not coming with your own boat, you’ll have to take a ferry from Órzola (Lanzarote). Arrive in good time so you can have a coffee on one of the terraces near the pier and enjoy the views and the tranquillity of this beautiful coastal town. Líneas Romero offers several daily crossings to the eighth island, which turn into short pleasure cruises across the strait that you can see from the Mirador del Río. You can also opt for a trip to discover the seabed or disembark on one of the island’s paradisiacal beaches.
A feeling of belonging
Although the hospitality of the eighth island is almost legendary, you won’t understand the true extent of it until you’ve experienced it for yourself. You’re going to feel completely at home in the new and well cared for local accommodation, perfectly suited to the surroundings. Especially because Caleta del Sebo’s small size makes getting together inevitable. Plus, everything is just a stone’s throw away: there are just a couple of grocery shops and a few beach restaurants.
Kick off your shoes, put on your traditional hat and immerse yourself in the slow life that the locals have been leading since a few families settled on the island two centuries ago. There’s also a campsite with every amenity, but if you definitely want to get away from it all, Pedro Barba, a small cluster of cottages on the northeast coast, is the place for you.
Goodbye land, hello sea
The gracioseros have a seafaring spirit, but how could it be otherwise, immersed as they are in the largest marine reserve in Europe? The culture of the sea shows itself at every step: locals still jarean (air dry) fish and the liñas (strings) of fish laid out in the air snake around every corner of the village. Memory persists of the steep, winding route up the Risco de Famara that decades ago the gracioseras (fisherwomen) used to climb with their baskets of fish to sell in Lanzarote.
Fortunately, nowadays the fishing activity is carried out under better conditions, within the framework of regulations that allow La Graciosa’s relationship with the sea to continue to be as respectful and sustainable as it was in the past. With this in mind you can fully enjoy the experience of sitting on a terrace in Caleta del Sebo facing the sea, eating a casserole of wreckfish or a plate of limpets from the Atlantic that surrounds you. Don’t deprive yourself of a thing: accompany these delicacies with wines from the Lanzarote Designation of Origin.
To the beach by bike
Heritage route
The village of Caleta del Sebo is as secluded as it is dynamic and visiting its heritage sites is a must. The church, built in 1945 under the patronage of Nuestra Señora del Carmen, Virgen del Mar, is worth a visit for its original motifs of seafaring tradition. The main altarpiece, in the shape of a boat, features the figure of the Virgin and Baby Jesus. For the people of Lanzarote it is a well-established tradition to accompany their sister island during the festivities of its patron saint, which are held on 16 July – a date that is increasingly eagerly awaited by residents and visitors alike.
Shopping
Yes, this paradise also offers zero-kilometre commerce that will reconcile you to your consumption habits. The shops of Caleta del Sebo offer local products that embody the sustainable philosophy of the Chinijo Archipelago: salt from the Río salt flats or products made from local aloe vera, which is of exceptional quality. And, of course, you simply can’t leave without the iconic unisex palmito hat, which will take you straight back to the island every time you see it. Don’t worry about feeling nostalgic, you leave La Graciosa different to when you arrived: you’ll be a graciosero or graciosera forever.
