Trip Report: Lanzarote Part 4

Clareboy

North Island Tour

On the Friday of our second week, we set out from Costa Teguise in our hired car to explore the northern part of Lanzarote. We headed northwards on the LZ-1 before turning westwards towards Teguise. This quiet road brought us through an area of strangely eroded rock formations. We then followed the LZ-10 towards Haría. We passed through some lovely valleys with terraced fields and modest farmhouses. We eventually reached the Mirador de Haría, one of the most spectacular viewing places in Lanzarote. The landscape in the northern part of Lanzarote is much greener because the volcanoes there are much older and trees and plants have been re-established.

Haria & The Valley of a Thousand Palms

Haría is the principle village in northern Lanzarote and is situated in ‘ The Valley of a Thousand Palms’. It has been the tradition there to plant a palm tree on the birth of a child. From the mirador (viewing place) incredible views can be enjoyed of the surrounding lush green valleys and down to the east coast of the island. Cesar Manrique spent his final years in Haría and he is buried in the local cemetery. From a distance Haría is like a desert oasis, luxuriant in swaying palm trees. North of Haría, the LZ-10 passes through the most majestic scenery in Lanzarote as it climbs into the hills and along the top of the Famara cliffs. We stopped for a while at in the tiny village of Ye, the shortest place name on the island. We visited the church in Ye, which is typical of the distinctive stark white churches in Lanzarote with their simple and minimalist style.



Mirador del Rio




At the northern end of Lanzarote, lies one of the island’s truly spectacular and iconic attractions, the lookout point known as Mirador del Rio. It is situated 500 metres above level and was originally a small fortress and gun battery where the Spanish settlers kept a lookout for marauding pirates. It was converted into a unique tourist attraction in 1974 by César Manrique.
From the main entrance, visitors walk through a tunnel cut into cliff side to the bar and lounge area from where picture windows look out like huge eyes onto a vista of the most breathtaking scenic grandeur. From the mirador or lookout, stunning views may be enjoyed of the three small volcanic islands to the north of Lanzarote. The nearest and largest island of the group, La Gracious has a population of around 500. Mirador del Rio is one of those places in Lanzarote where words failed me and all I could do was whistle. Indeed, no photograph can do justice to the views of the jagged cliffs, the bright blue sea and the volcanic islands that are to be had from this amazing viewing point. As in all of Manrique’s projects, there is a wonderful use of natural materials such as stone and wood, enlivened with interesting sculptures in metal, exotic plants and rough pottery.
From the Mirador del Rio, we dropped down to the village of Orzola, the most northerly settlement in Lanzarote and the departure point for ferries to the island of La Graciosa. The road down to the coast passed through a fascinating landscape that can be described as a jumble of stone walls, cacti and outcrops of lava rocks. We were driving so slowly, taking it all it, that we were actually being overtaken by cyclists! We stopped off at the Lanzaloe Aloe Vera plantations, where Mary purchased some of their products. From Orzola, we turned south on the LZ-1 through El Malpais de Corona – The Corona Badlands. The northern part of Lanzarote is dominated by the Corona volcano, which spew out vast quantities of lava about 5,000 years ago. The badlands are an impenetrable maze of contorted and mangled rock, which supports some hardy forms of plant life. Along this stretch of the LZ-1, there are a number of exquisite unspoilt beaches of white sand and limpid blue water.



Jameos del Agua




One day back in the 1960s, Cesar Manrique was exploring the lava fields in northern Lanzarote, when he came across an extraordinary lava tube where a river of molten rock had flowed down from the Corona volcano to the sea about 5,000 years ago. Explosions of volcanic gas at that time had caused the roof of the tube to collapse in several places. It would take someone like Manrique to create someplace really special out of what was basically a few large holes in the ground. The word ‘ jameo’ has no direct English translation, but it is used to describe a tunnel caused by flowing lava.
Today, Jameos del Agua is one of Lanzarote’s star attractions and is the second most popular sight on the island. On arrival, a sculpture of a giant crab sets the scene for visitors to this most unique place. We had visited Jameos del Agua before in 2003 on a coach tour from Fuerteventura. On that occasion, it was just one mad rush and we did not have enough time to really enjoy the place. Now, with our own transport, we looked forward to seeing everything and taking lots of photos.
A long winding wooden staircase takes visitors down to a series of bars, restaurants and tropical gardens surrounding an underground lagoon. There is a feeling of coolness after the warm afternoon sunshine. The furnishings are carved in the most amazing shapes out of the volcanic rock. Giant cacti and exuberant vegetation add to the magic of this extraordinary subterranean palace. The atmosphere is hushed and cathedral like. Visitors then descend to the underground lagoon, which is illuminated by an opening in the roof, which acts as a natural spotlight. The lagoon is home to countless blind albino crabs – ‘ The Cave of a Million Crabs ‘. This particular species of crab is only found here at Jameos del Agua and their origin is unknown. The crabs glisten in the water like jewels – a truly enthralling sight. The whole place has a magical atmosphere, which is enhanced by the soft gentle music played throughout the caves.
After walking alongside the lagoon, which is very dark and gloomy, the visitor climbs up a series of steps through more beautifully planted gardens to the blinding white pool area. We proceeded out into the bright sunlight to behold a most luxurious pool of the bluest of water with snow white surrounds and drooping palm trees. It was like being part of some kind of tropical fantasy world. The pool is reserved solely for the use of the King of Spain should he ever fancy a dip. A large cave at the other side of the pool has been converted into a 500 seat auditorium. Climbing another spiral stone staircase, the visitor comes to the Casa de Los Volcanes, The House of The Volcanoes, which houses an exhibition about volcanic activity in the Canary Islands. The Jameos del Agua is also open at night when visitors may enjoy a meal and traditional folk dancing.



Another nearby visitor attraction is the Cueva de Los Verdes, which is part of the same lava tube as Jameos de Agua. Cueva de Los Verdes is one of the longest volcanic caves in the world and there has been little human intervention except pathways and lighting.



From Jameos del Agua, we drove on towards Guatiza ‘ The Village of 10,000 Cacti ‘, which is surrounded by vast cactus plantations. The cacti here is especially attractive to the Cochineal beetle. The larvae of the beetle is crushed to create a red dye that is used to colour sweets, food and cosmetics. Symbolically situated in the middle of the cactus plantations is another one of Manrique’s Centres of Art, Culture and Tourism, Jardin de Cactus – The Cactus Gardens. He converted an abandoned quarry into an amphitheatre containing 10,000 plants drawn from 1400 different species. An ancient windmill towers over the gardens providing an impressive backdrop.



From Guatiza, we returned to Costa Teguise after a wonderful tour around the northern part of Lanzarote. We certainly saw some really amazing sights during our two days of motoring around the island. Hiring a car is the best way of exploring the more remote and off the beaten track kind of places in Lanzarote.

More to follow...

Yaiza & Playa Blanca

On our last Saturday in Lanzarote, we visited the village of Yaiza and the resort and port of Playa Blanca in the southern part of the island. We travelled to Yaiza on the bus, arriving there around midday. Yaiza and the nearby village of Uga are place names that predate the Spanish conquest of the Canary Islands. Those names belong to the Guanches, the original inhabitants of the islands who came from Africa. It is nothing short of a miracle that Yaiza survived the volcanic eruptions of the 18th century as the molten lava came right to the edge of the village.
Arriving in Yaiza, one is immediately impressed by the cleanliness and tidiness of the village, which has not just been voted the prettiest village in Lanzarote, but also the prettiest in all of Spain. The centre piece of this immaculately kept village is the dazzling virginal white church, which is surrounded by picturesque plazas where the visitor can sit and relax under the shade of the palm trees and admire the flowers and the traditional houses. Yaiza is very peaceful, quaint and photogenic and it is a joy to explore its flower bedecked streets and plazas. Its charming and historic white washed buildings have been preserved intact over the centuries and it is one of the best examples of authentic and traditional Lanzarote. The weather that day was just perfect, with the sun blazing down from a blue cloudless sky.

Playa Blanca

Later that afternoon, we caught another bus for the relatively short journey to Playa Blanca, the most southerly settlement in Lanzarote. Playa Blanca is a very sophisticated and upmarket resort, which caters for the visitor who prefers a more relaxed atmosphere. The port of Playa Blanca is a good place for boat spotting and one can see the ferries coming and going to the nearby island of Fuerteventura. There are submarine trips and voyages on a pirate ship to entertain visitors. A lovely stone built promenade runs along the edge of the water, where one can sit and just gaze out to sea and enjoy the beauty of it all. Sitting at a waterside café enjoying some tasty food and a cold beer, it felt good to be alive! It was a day to just enjoy the warm sunshine, the beautiful surroundings and each other’s company. We caught a bus from Playa Blanca to Arrecife at 18.30, from where we returned to our accommodation in Costa Teguise. My wife and I really enjoyed our day visiting Yaiza and Playa Blanca as we found it to be a very relaxing experience without the need to do a lot of walking and sightseeing.



La Graciosa - A Day on a Desert Island


On our second last day, we visited the island of La Graciosa, which is situated off the northern tip of Lanzarote. We had viewed it from a distance on our visit to Mirador del Rio and it looked really inviting. From Costa Teguise, we caught a bus at 9.30 to Teguise, where after a wait of around half an hour, we caught another bus to Orzola, where the ferries depart for La Graciosa. We reached Orzola at around 11.30, which is the most northerly settlement in Lanzarote. There are two ferry companies operating from Orzola to La Graciosa, Lineas Maritimo Romero and Biosfera Express. We travelled with Lineas Maritimo Romero, as they had a departure at 12.00. The ferry is a very comfortable catamaran type vessel, which ensured a smooth crossing. It was a perfect day with the sun blazing down from a clear blue cloudless sky as we sailed out of Orzola on the blue/green sea bound for a remote desert island. The crossing to La Graciosa takes about half an hour and offers passengers magnificent views of the Famara Cliffs towering overhead.
Isla La Graciosa, which remained uninhabited until the 19th century because of the danger of pirate attacks, has a resident population of 500 that survives on fishing and tourism. The main settlement is Caleta de Sebo with another small settlement called Pedro Barba. It is rumoured that many of the islanders have never set foot off La Graciosa!

Caleta de Sebo

Arriving at Caleta de Sebo, we could see straight away that it is a chilled and very laid back kind of village with unpaved streets of sand and gravel. It is a real ‘ no shoes, no news’ kind of destination with a kind of ‘ hippy’ atmosphere. Transport on La Graciosa is basically walking or cycling. A few battered old jeeps constitute the only motorised transport. There is apartment and guesthouse accommodation in Caleta de Sebo as well as a free campsite. There are a number of shops, bars and restaurants. The village church is a gem with its pristine white walls and simple decor. The furnishings of the church reflect the sea faring and fishing traditions of La Graciosa.
There are mountain bikes for hire for the more energetic visitors, so that they can explore the island and discover deserted beaches. We just strolled around Caleta de Sebo, taking some photos of the typical modest flat roofed houses with their blue painted doors and windows. The dusty streets petered out into rough trails that crossed the barren desert landscape towards distant eroded volcanic craters, giving a frontier like feel to the place. There is a fabulous beach just outside Caleta de Sebo that stretches away into the horizon. To us, it was a glimpse of heaven, with the clear blue sky, shimmering water, golden sands and warm sunshine.
It was one of those places where we had to pinch ourselves to make sure that we were not dreaming. We felt that we were in some kind of dream world and that we would wake up back up in Ireland. La Graciosa, Lanzarote’s little sister is truly an escape from the modern world of traffic, noise and consumerism.
We boarded the ferry for our return journey to Orzola at 16.00. The ferry boat used on the return trip was a regular single hulled vessel and we knew it as soon as we left the shelter of the harbour at Caleta de Sebo. The boat pitched and rolled as we hit the Atlantic swell and some of the passengers were drenched as the waves broke over the bow. Everyone had to withdraw to the cabin or to the upper deck. We were back in Orzola in time to catch the 16.30 bus to Arrecife. On the return bus journey, we passed through some really picturesque coastal villages basking in the afternoon sun. I would regard our day on the desert island of La Graciosa as one of the highlights of our trip, it was for us like living a dream.


Playa de Famara

On our last day, we visited Playa de Famara, the finest beach in Lanzarote. Famara is situated on the wild windswept west coast of the island and is famous as a surfers paradise. We boarded the route 31 bus from Costa Teguise that runs every two hours to Caleta de Famara. From Teguise, the bus traverses a long straight stretch of road through a barren sandy landscape. Groups of hang gliders could be seen hovering over the hills. As well as surfers and hang gliders, Lanzarote attracts other outdoor enthusiasts such as cyclists and walkers. A network of signposted walking routes traverse the island.
The entrance to Famara is marked by a blue and white windmill and the road into the village of Caleta de Famara is covered by sand that has been blown by the wind. Caleta de Famara is a small fishing village full of small sandy streets. It has a lovely laid back relaxed atmosphere and is seemingly untouched by the 21st century. There are no resort style shops, just a few surf schools, tapas bars and small restaurants. We lingered for a while at the El Chiringuito bar and enjoyed a beer on the terrace while watching the world go by.
From the village of Caleta de Famara, sandy laneways lead down to what is regarded as the finest beach in Lanzarote – Playa de Famara. It is a true Atlantic beach with an extensive dune system and stretches for 8 km under the majestic cliffs of Famara. The 500 metre high cliffs reflect on the beach like a mirror. Out to sea, one has views of La Graciosa and the other two uninhabited islands to the north. It is truly a magnificent image, which will be engraved in my soul as something of extraordinary beauty that I will never forget in all of my life.
We spent the afternoon sun bathing on the beach and just marvelling at the splendid surroundings of Playa de Famara. The weather was just perfect, warm and sunny with a refreshing sea breeze. Later that afternoon, we caught the number 31 bus back to Costa Teguise. As it was out last evening in Lanzarote, we had to face the chore of packing and weighing our luggage.

The following morning, we made our way to the airport for the 13.00 Ryanair to Shannon. The return flight to Shannon was uneventful and we landed at around 5PM into torrential rain – Welcome to Ireland! We were soaked through by the time we had reached our front door! We certainly missed the sunny skies of Lanzarote – big time!

My wife and I really enjoyed our two weeks in Lanzarote and we agreed that it was the best trip ever – a feast for the senses. We saw folk dancers, volcanoes, camels, cacti, palm trees, caves, crabs, and vineyards – an endless panorama of the unusual and the extreme. Lanzarote, an island whose people have created a privileged home out of lava and ashes, displays a kind of naked purity that is unmatched. There is an equilibrium between past and present and between man and nature that is incomparable. We felt that is was a privilege to have had the resources to visit Lanzarote, which we consider to be the most beautiful island in the world, a sun drenched sub-tropical paradise – well most of the time!
I took over 1500 photos and numerous videos, which will provide us with many happy memories of Lanzarote, Island of Volcanoes into the future.

Acoshla

OP why are you starting new threads for each installment of one holiday??

Clareboy

The reason that I have divided my trip report on Lanzarote into several parts is that I felt that it would be far too long and tedious to read if it were all in one post. I did not realise that I was doing anything wrong. I am very sorry for any inconvenience caused. It won't happen again. My apologies.

Tech3

While it is not mentioned in the charter, it would be better in future to keep one trip to a single thread. Nice trip report Clareboy btw.

Clareboy

I have now finished my trip report on Lanzarote. I have edited in the last few chapters to Part 4 of my report. Enjoy!

Stinicker

Brilliant report, it was like I was back there all over again, I visited there back in 2003 and covered many of the same attractions like yourself. I'm glad it has not degenerated into some lager lout hell hole and from what you've described it is a nice as ever.

Clareboy

Stinicker wrote: »

Brilliant report, it was like I was back there all over again, I visited there back in 2003 and covered many of the same attractions like yourself. I'm glad it has not degenerated into some lager lout hell hole and from what you've described it is a nice as ever.

Thanks Stinicker for the compliment. Glad to read that my report brought back good memories. I think Lanzarote still attracts the more mature kind of visitor and has escaped the worst excesses of mass tourism.

VNP

thanks man class info must make it there some day, many seem to be happy to camp in the nearest irish bar for the duration ha ha, day 1-5 went to pub ... it was nice.

Clareboy

VNP wrote: »

thanks man class info must make it there some day, many seem to be happy to camp in the nearest irish bar for the duration ha ha, day 1-5 went to pub ... it was nice.

Yes, there is a lot to see and do in Lanzarote. For us, it was a once in a life time adventure. We can visit Irish pubs here at home!

cynder

Hi, im heading to lanzarote in august, thats for the thread...

Im staying in the costa tequise too, plan on hiring a car for 2 days.

Thanks for the thread clareboy

Clareboy

grindelwald wrote: »

Hi, im heading to lanzarote in august, thats for the thread...

Im staying in the costa tequise too, plan on hiring a car for 2 days.

Thanks for the thread clareboy

Have a great holiday in Lanzarote. Enjoy!

JJayoo

Thanks for the thread, loads of brill info

pinkfloyd34

im going for 2 weeks next summer, booked already, your post is a revelation to me, i thought the first week i might have stuff to do and second week might be abit boring but your post is after giving me a great insight into the island, sounds like hiring a car is the way to go, i've done the lager holidays in my 20's in gran canaria and tenerife but now im going to explore lanza and get the most from it

Clareboy

pinkfloyd34 wrote: »

im going for 2 weeks next summer, booked already, your post is a revelation to me, i thought the first week i might have stuff to do and second week might be abit boring but your post is after giving me a great insight into the island, sounds like hiring a car is the way to go, i've done the lager holidays in my 20's in gran canaria and tenerife but now im going to explore lanza and get the most from it

Glad to read that you found my trip report on Lanzarote of interest. Its amazing all that there is to see on an island that is smaller than Co. Clare.
Enjoy your holiday!

VNP

Decided to go for a visit clareboy, was a cool trip, did a lot of stuff and saw a lot of the island. Hired bikes and cycled from puerto del carmen to playa honda along the coast track on the 2nd day it was fun, then we hired a car and went up to farma and all around the the island really chaep for a really nice car, petrol is 1/3 cheaper than here too cost us 75e for 3 days the food is about the same price as a meal here but its pretty good. We did loads more too, Highly recommended!

roberb

Am late 20s looking to head to Lanza with my girlfriend on a surf holiday.

Is Costa Teguise a good base for this? I know all the surfing is in Famara and that is where we will go for lessons but i also know it is very quite there. Would prefer nice restaurants and good nightlife choice in the evenings. Any hotel recommendations anyone? Costa Teguise area the best choice?