The French novelist Marcel Proust once said that a true journey isn’t about seeking new landscapes “but in seeing with new eyes” when looking at the landscapes that surround us. Are you up for it? We have some well-deserved rest days ahead of us, so let’s make the most of them.
It’s probable that most of the 155,000 people living on Lanzarote would agree that it doesn’t take a lot to get the feeling of being on holiday here.
Is it possible to strictly comply with the health regulations in place to control COVID and have fun at the same time? The answer is yes. Here are seven suggestions that will turn you into an explorer of your own island this Easter.
Picnic in Famara and take a stroll through one of the most beautiful villages in Spain
The years do not diminish the impression that hits you at the first curve of the LZ-402: bam, the Risco de Famara and La Graciosa! A picture-perfect image. Don’t get distracted – remember that you’re driving. This excursion is as good as a doctor’s prescription. Instructions for use: spread out your towel, place the cooler in a shady spot and have a glass of Lanzarote wine, a sliver of goat cheese and a couple of local tomatoes seasoned with local sea salt and olive oil.
Then, take a walk under the cliffs, digest your snack and go for a prudent swim. Before or after: dream as you walk through the cobbled streets of the village of Teguise, observing buildings from centuries past and sheltered alleys.
Summit the Volcán de la Corona and visit the Jameo de la Cazuela
Looking down into the crater of the volcano of La Corona is a sure way to understand the formation of the badlands located in the northeast of the island. The ascent is among vines and prickly pear cactus surrounded by enormous biodiversity. In spring the birds add to the fiesta with their song. The coastal alternative: bathing in the natural pools of Punta Mujeres.
Whatever you decide, you simply have to enjoy César Manrique‘s public art: a stop at the Mirador del Río is a must. Before visiting this delight embedded in the rock, it’s a great idea to read Francisco Galante’s book. Another must see is the waterfall in the Jameo de la Cazuela, a new tour that allows visitors to see the interior of the auditorium, including the plasterwork.
Binoculars in the bay of Arrecife and km 0 Canary Island cuisine.
Park the car on the esplanade of the Recinto Ferial and rent a bicycle or an electric scooter to enjoy a fumeless trip around the four kilometres of the capital’s bay. How about seeing an exhibition at the island’s El Almacén cultural centre? If you‘re lucky, you‘ll also see a remote-controlled regatta: sailing dinghies each trying to reach a buoy faster and more elegantly than the rest.
On the islet of Castillo de San Gabriel, you might see a grey heron preening itself and some Kentish plovers hopping along at low tide. In the Charco de San Ginés, there are turnstones living up to their name. The marina is chock-a-block with life. Why not celebrate enjoying the varied gastronomic offer offered by this endearing corner of Arrecife?
Vermouth, vines and jable in its purest form
Taking a walk along the avenue of Playa Honda and a dip in the sea is one of the best ways to start the day. Breakfast on a terrace and then set off to the Monumento del Campesino. Will you be able to make a tofio and take the piece home? Under the supervision of the ceramist Joaquín Reyes, success is guaranteed. Reserve a place in his workshop and a table to devour a traditional sancocho of cherne (Atlantic wreckfish).
As the sun begins to go down it’s time to start walking. There are two options: the trails of La Geria, where you can take a look at first shoots of the vines appearing, or the trails of Jable, a sea formed by marine organisms crushed by the passage of time.
Tenésara, Pico Partido… and the Devil!
This holiday outing is not to be missed: it’s time to walk the Timanfaya coastal route, nine stunning kilometres bordering the National Park, offering a unique opportunity to see exceptional geology, breathtaking cliffs and seabirds.
A less demanding hike? Try going to Tenésara to wrap yourself in sea spray or to marvel at the hornitos, lava pools and volcanic tubes of the Pico Partido trail. Either way, this is the opportunity to enjoy the first guided visit to the Tinecheide refuge and Montaña Rajada, thanks to an extraordinary experience offered by Montañas de Fuego.
Finish the day with a skewer of pork and chicken roasted in a Manrique oven fired by underground heat.
Underwater in Playa Chica, shopping and grilled meat
Goggles, snorkel and beach sandals. Everything you need to explore underwater at Playa Chica and let yourself be enraptured by the electric blue of the Canary damsels swimming just a few metres from the shore. It’s best to go early so that later on you’ve got time to do some shopping along the avenue.
Here too you can use bikes and electric vehicles to get around Puerto del Carmen, from coffee time until sunset. Then take a walk around the village of Tías, stopping at its hermitage, now converted into an exhibition hall, and recover your strength with dinner at the wonderful grill of El Toro before going out like a light. You’ll sleep like a baby.
Papagayo and a perfect sunset at Los Hervideros
Pedro Almodóvar and Ron Howard filmed Los Abrazos Rotos (Broken Embraces) and a version of the classic Moby Dick, In the Heart of the Sea at this spot. The best word to describe this coast? Cinematic. That’s what goes through your head as you lie in the sun on the sand in one of the Papagayo coves, gazing towards La Bocaina.
If you arrived here after walking through Los Ajaches, one of the oldest volcanic formations on the island, you’ll feel like eating the sea up from the terrace of any of the restaurants in Puerto Calero. Get to your feet just in time to watch the sun plunging into the sea, lighting up the Cyclopean basalt columns of Los Hervideros, cliffs made of fire and the Atlantic.
It’s not a cliché you know – we’re so lucky to live here.