☀️ Playa Blanca

There is no need to rush in the south of Lanzarote. You can climb a volcano and admire the island from above, stroll through Playa Blanca and Marina Rubicón, or simply choose a beach and spend a few hours by the ocean. This is a route best adapted to your own pace and what you feel like doing.

START → 🔴 Montaña Roja → ⚓ Playa Blanca → 🛍️ Marina Rubicón → 🏖️ Playa Flamingo → END

⏱️ half day | 🚗 approx. 15–20 km | 🥾 hiking | 🏖️ beach time

🔴 Montaña Roja

To start the day, I suggest getting a little active. Montaña Roja is the distinctive red volcano rising above Playa Blanca. A relatively short walking trail leads to the summit, where you can enjoy beautiful panoramic views of Playa Blanca, Lanzarote’s southern coast, the ocean and neighbouring Fuerteventura.

🥾 The climb is not particularly difficult, but the route crosses exposed volcanic terrain, so it is worth wearing proper closed shoes and taking water and sun protection. Allow around 1.5–2 hours for the walk up, some time at the top and the descent.

🎟️ free | 🥾 easy/moderate hike | ⏱️ approx. 1.5–2 hours

👉 Find out more about Montaña Roja on the Hiking on Lanzarote page.

⚓ Playa Blanca

Once a small fishing village, Playa Blanca is now one of Lanzarote’s most popular resorts. However, it is worth seeing more than just its hotels and beaches – take a walk along the seafront promenade, explore the town centre and visit the old harbour, where ferries depart for Fuerteventura.

Playa Blanca is a good place for a leisurely walk, a break by the ocean or a meal before continuing with the rest of the day. The promenade stretches along the coast, making it easy to combine a walk through the resort with the next stops on our route.

🛍️ Marina Rubicón

This modern marina on the eastern side of Playa Blanca is a pleasant place for a stroll among yachts, whitewashed buildings and small bridges crossing the harbour channels. You will find shops, restaurants and cafés here, so you can stop for a while or combine your visit with a walk along the seafront promenade.

🛍️ On Wednesdays and Saturdays, a market is held here with stalls selling handicrafts, souvenirs, jewellery, clothing and local products. If your route falls on one of these days, it is worth including the market in your plans.

🎟️ free | 🚶 walking | 🛍️ market on Wednesdays and Saturdays

🏖️ Playa Flamingo

A small, sheltered beach in Playa Blanca with pale sand and calm turquoise water. Stone breakwaters protect the bay from larger waves, making Playa Flamingo a good place for swimming and relaxing, including for families with children.

The seafront promenade runs alongside the beach, so you can stop here just for a short walk or stay longer and finish your day by the ocean.

🎟️ free | 👨‍👩‍👧 family-friendly | 🏊 swimming and relaxing

👉 Discover Playa Flamingo on the Lanzarote Beaches page.

⚓ Arrecife and the Tourist Coast

This route reveals a completely different side of Lanzarote – instead of volcanoes and small whitewashed towns, you will discover the island’s capital and its tourist coast. Along the way, you can stop at an unusual spot near the airport, where planes fly just overhead, while families with children can plan a visit to Rancho Texas.

START → ⚓ Arrecife → ✈️ pas startowy → 🤠 Rancho Texas → 🏖️ Puerto del Carmen → END

⏱️ full day | 🚗 approx. 20–25 km | 👨‍👩‍👧 family-friendly | 🥾 walking

⚓ Arrecife

The capital of Lanzarote definitely deserves a few hours. The best way to explore it is to leave the car behind and walk through the centre and along the waterfront.

The main places worth seeing include: 💙 Charco de San Ginés, ⛪ Iglesia de San Ginés, 🌉 Puente de las Bolas and 🏰 Castillo de San Gabriel, 🏝️ Islote de la Fermina and, if you have more time, 🎨 Castillo de San José.

🔭 It is also worth visiting the Arrecife Gran Hotel & Spa – the only building of such height on the island. César Manrique was involved in the hotel’s creation, contributing, among other things, murals, the swimming pool design and landscaping. On the 17th floor, you will find Blue 17, offering panoramic views over Arrecife, the ocean and the coastline. It is one of the most interesting ways to see Lanzarote’s capital from above.

🏖️ Right next to the hotel is Playa del Reducto, an urban beach with pale sand and distinctive tall palm trees growing right beside the shore. Its calm waters and palm-lined setting make it feel surprisingly unlike a typical beach in the centre of a capital city.

👉 Discover Arrecife

✈️ Planes Just Overhead

This is one of the most unusual stops on the route. On the coast beside the airport, you can stand almost directly in line with the runway and watch aircraft flying very low overhead as they approach for landing. You certainly don’t need to be an aviation enthusiast to find it impressive.

🌊 It is also worth paying attention to the tides. The water level along the rocky coastline can look completely different depending on the time of day, so even two visits on the same day may offer very different views. The effect of the tides is also clearly visible in Arrecife itself – at low tide, the reef beside Playa del Reducto becomes exposed.

📱 Before you go, it is worth checking current arrivals on Flightradar24. This way, instead of waiting without knowing when the next aircraft will appear, you can choose a time when several planes are due to land one after another.

🤠 Rancho Texas Lanzarote Park

This is one of Lanzarote’s largest family attractions. The Wild West-themed park combines animal areas with Aqua Rancho, a water zone with swimming pools and slides.

One of the main attractions is the scheduled presentations featuring 🐬 dolphins, 🦭 sea lions, 🦅 birds of prey, and 🦜 colourful macaws and cockatoos. It is worth checking the timetable in advance and planning your visit around the presentations you most want to see.

👨‍👩‍👧 If you are travelling with children, it is worth allowing several hours for Rancho Texas – or even spending most of the day there.

🎟️ Admission fee | 🐬 animal presentations included | 💦 pools and water slides included in the ticket | 🅿️ free parking

👉 Discover Attractions for Children

🏖️ Puerto del Carmen

To finish the route, you will reach Lanzarote’s largest resort. Puerto del Carmen offers several kilometres of seafront promenade, wide beaches, restaurants and shops, but it is also worth exploring the old part of town and the harbour – El Varadero, where some of the more intimate atmosphere of the former fishing village has been preserved.

If you feel like relaxing, choose one of the local beaches – particularly the wide Playa Grande or the smaller Playa Chica, which is especially popular with divers.

👉 Discover Puerto del Carmen

🌊 The Wild North and Western Coast

A route for those who want to discover a wilder, quieter side of Lanzarote. The cliffs of Famara, the green valley of Haría, the volcanic landscapes of the north and pale sandy beaches make this a day focused on spectacular scenery rather than ticketed attractions.

START →🏄 Caleta de Famara → 🔭 Mirador del Bosquecillo → 🌴 Haría → 🌋 Ye i Volcán de la Corona → 🌊 Órzola → 🏖️ Caletón Blanco → END

⏱️ full day | 🚗 approx. 60 km | 📷 scenic route | 🥾 short walks

🏄 Caleta de Famara

A small coastal village at the foot of the imposing Risco de Famara cliffs. It is worth taking a walk among the low, whitewashed houses and heading towards the ocean – the village has retained its relaxed surfing atmosphere and feels completely different from Lanzarote’s larger resorts.

Just beside it stretches the wide Playa de Famara, one of Lanzarote’s best-known surfing spots. Even if you are not planning to go into the water, it is worth stopping for the views of the surfers, the ocean and the monumental wall of Risco de Famara.

👉 Discover Caleta de Famara

🔭 Mirador del Bosquecillo

After seeing the Risco de Famara cliffs from the ocean, it is time to admire them from a completely different perspective – from above. Mirador del Bosquecillo sits high on the edge of the massif, offering panoramic views over Playa de Famara, the ocean and the Chinijo Archipelago.

This is one of those places where it is worth staying a little longer – not for a monument or a ticketed attraction, but simply for the sense of space, the height and one of the most beautiful views on Lanzarote.

👉 Discover Mirador del Bosquecillo

🌴 Haría

Located in the famous Valley of a Thousand Palms, Haría is one of the greenest towns on Lanzarote. It is worth stopping for a short walk among its whitewashed houses and palm trees, and if you have more time, you can visit the Casa-Museo César Manrique, the artist’s final home on the island.

🎟️ Casa-Museo César Manrique – admission fee

👉 Visit Casa-Museo César Manrique

👉 Discover Haría

🌙 If you are in the area after dark, stop at the viewpoint above Haría as well. At night, the town’s lights form the distinctive outline of a witch riding a broomstick – the Bruja de Haría.

🌋 Ye and Volcán de la Corona

The small village of Ye lies within one of the most distinctive landscapes of northern Lanzarote, at the foot of the imposing Monte Corona. Around the village, you will see vineyards and fields surrounded by walls of black volcanic stone, with the remarkably regular cone of Volcán de la Corona rising above them.

It was the eruption of La Corona that created Malpaís de la Corona and the vast lava tube, sections of which can now be explored at Cueva de los Verdes and Jameos del Agua.

🔭 It is also worth stopping here for a lesser-known viewpoint on the edge of Risco de Famara. A short walk is all it takes to enjoy views from above over La Graciosa, the Chinijo Archipelago, Playa del Risco and the former Salinas del Río.

🗺️ Where is the viewpoint?

Not all interesting places on Lanzarote are easy to find simply by typing their name into Google Maps. On the interactive map included with the guidebook Lanzarote with César Manrique, I have marked the exact GPS points, parking areas and places worth making a short stop.

👉 Discover the guidebook: Lanzarote with César Manrique

🥾 If you enjoy walking, a short trail towards the rim of the crater starts in Ye. A popular option is around 3–3.5 km there and back and takes approximately 1–1¼ hours. The first section leads between vineyards and stone walls before the path begins climbing towards the crater.

🌊 Órzola

A small village at the northernmost tip of Lanzarote, best known as the port from which ferries depart for La Graciosa. But it is worth seeing more than just the harbour – take a walk among the low, whitewashed buildings and head towards the ocean.

Órzola has a completely different character from the tourist resorts of the south. Black lava, pale sand, small coves and the rough Atlantic create the rugged landscape of Lanzarote’s northern coast. It is a good place for a short walk before continuing towards Caletón Blanco.

🏖️ Caletón Blanco

To finish the day, a landscape completely different from Famara awaits you. Pale sand, black lava and shallow turquoise water create a striking contrast and make this a lovely place to relax after a full day of exploring.

👉 Discover Caletón Blanco

🏰 Teguise and the Heart of Lanzarote

This route takes you through the historic heart of Lanzarote – from the island’s former capital and the castle overlooking Teguise to the extraordinary architecture of LagOmar and places that tell the story of traditional island life. It is a day filled with history, art and the landscapes of central Lanzarote.

START → 🏰 Teguise → 🌋 Castillo de Santa Bárbara → 🏡 LagOmar → 🚜 Museo Agrícola El Patio → 🌾 Casa-Museo del Campesino → END

⏱️ full day | 🚗 approx. 25–30 km | 🏛️ history and culture | 🥾 little walking

🏘️ Teguise

The former capital of Lanzarote and one of the island’s most beautiful historic towns. It is worth wandering through its cobbled streets, visiting Plaza de la Constitución and admiring the whitewashed buildings, churches and old residences that recall the days when Teguise was the most important town on the island.

👉 Discover Teguise

🏰 Castillo de Santa Bárbara

From the centre of Teguise, drive up to the summit of Guanapay, where Castillo de Santa Bárbara stands. The location of the castle was no coincidence – from this height, it was possible to observe a vast area of the island and spot approaching danger early. Today, it is also a wonderful place to enjoy panoramic views of Teguise and Lanzarote’s volcanic landscape.

👉 Discover Castillo de Santa Bárbara

🏡 LagOmar

Built into rocks, caves and solidified lava, this house is one of the most unusual examples of architecture on Lanzarote. A labyrinth of passages, white walls, vegetation and volcanic rock makes the boundary between the building and the natural landscape almost disappear.

🎟️ Admission fee

👉 Discover LagOmar

🚜 Museo Agrícola El Patio

Museo Agrícola El Patio in Tiagua reveals a side of Lanzarote that you will not see at the island’s major tourist attractions. This former farm offers an insight into traditional agriculture and the everyday lives of the islanders – cultivating the land in difficult, dry conditions, the tools they used, farm buildings and the ways they coped with water shortages. It is a particularly interesting stop for anyone who wants to understand what life on Lanzarote was like before tourism became the island’s main industry.

🎟️ Admission fee

🌾 Casa-Museo del Campesino

To finish the route, I suggest returning once more to César Manrique. Casa-Museo del Campesino combines Lanzarote’s traditional architecture with the story of the farmers who, for centuries, managed to cultivate the land despite volcanoes, strong winds and water shortages. Beside the complex stands the distinctive Monumento a la Fecundidad, created by Manrique as a tribute to the hard work of the island’s inhabitants.

🎟️ Admission fee

👉 Discover Casa-Museo del Campesino

🎨 Caves, Manrique and Spectacular Views

This route combines the extraordinary natural landscapes of northern Lanzarote with the works of César Manrique. A cactus garden, the interior of a lava tunnel and one of the most beautiful views on the island reveal how the artist used the landscape rather than competing with it.

START → 🌵 Jardín de Cactus → 🌋 Jameos del Agua → 🕳️ Cueva de los Verdes → 🔭 Mirador del Río → END

⏱️ full day | 🚗 approx. 30 km | 👨‍👩‍👧 family-friendly | 🥾 little walking | 🎟️ ticketed attractions | 📅 advance booking required

🌵 Jardín de Cactus

A garden designed by César Manrique in a former quarry. Hundreds of cactus species, black lava, white architectural elements and the characteristic windmill make it one of the most photogenic places on Lanzarote.

🎟️ Admission fee | 📅 No timed reservation required

👉 Discover Jardín de Cactus

🌋 Jameos del Agua

The first major work created by Manrique on Lanzarote, set within sections of the lava tube formed by Volcán de la Corona. An underground lake, the famous white crabs, lush vegetation and architecture perfectly illustrate the way Manrique combined nature with art.

🎟️ Admission fee

👉 Discover Jameos del Agua

🕳️ Cueva de los Verdes

An extraordinary journey into the lava tube formed during the eruption of Volcán de la Corona. The approximately 50-minute guided tour takes you through underground passages, chambers and fascinating rock formations.

🎟️ Admission fee | 📅 Advance ticket purchase required

⚠️ Important: tickets for Cueva de los Verdes must be purchased online in advance for a specific date and time. Tickets are not sold on site, and CACT recommends arriving 15 minutes before your scheduled entry time.

👉 Discover Cueva de los Verdes

🔭 Mirador del Río

To finish the route, head high up onto Risco de Famara. Hidden within the rock, this viewpoint designed by Manrique offers a spectacular panorama of La Graciosa and the Chinijo Archipelago – one of Lanzarote’s most iconic views.

🎟️ Admission fee

👉 Discover Mirador del Río

🗺️ All the Places on One Map

The guidebook Lanzarote with César Manrique comes with an interactive map featuring GPS points, parking areas, opening hours, ticket prices and other practical information to help you explore the island.

👉 Discover the guidebook Lanzarote with César Manrique

🧭 Before You Choose a Route

Don’t look at the distance alone. Driving 80 km around Lanzarote may be easy, but visiting Timanfaya, Jameos del Agua or walking around Teguise can take very different amounts of time. You also need to consider opening hours, timed-entry tickets, queues and places where you may simply want to stay a little longer.

So treat my routes as ideas for a well-planned day rather than lists of places you absolutely have to tick off. You can shorten them, change the order of the stops or spend longer somewhere you particularly like – Lanzarote is best explored without rushing.

🌋 Volcanoes, Vineyards and the Ocean

Volcanoes, vineyards, a whitewashed village and the rugged Atlantic coast – this route reveals several completely different sides of Lanzarote. Along the way, you can also stop to see the dromedaries and end the day at the green lagoon of El Golfo.

START → 🌋 Timanfaya → 🐪 Echadero de Camellos → 🍇 La Geria → 🤍 Yaiza → 🧂 Salinas de Janubio → 🌊 Los Hervideros → 💚 El Golfo → END

⏱️ full day | 🚗 approx. 50 km | 🥾 little walking | 🐪 option for children

🌋 Timanfaya

You begin with the most spectacular volcanic landscape on Lanzarote. The visit includes a drive along the Ruta de los Volcanes through the Montañas del Fuego, as well as geothermal demonstrations at Islote de Hilario.

👉 Find out how to visit Timanfaya.

🐪 Echadero de Camellos

If you’re travelling with children, or simply fancy an unusual stop, you can visit the dromedaries on the edge of Timanfaya. The short ride takes you through the volcanic landscape, but if you decide to skip it, you can continue straight towards La Geria.

👉 Find out how to visit Echadero de Camellos

🍇 La Geria

Time for a completely different side of volcanic Lanzarote. In La Geria, you’ll see grapevines growing in hollows dug into the black picón, surrounded by characteristic stone walls.

👉 Why do grapevines on Lanzarote grow in hollows? Find out more about La Geria

🤍 Yaiza

After the volcanoes and vineyards, it’s worth making a more relaxing stop. Whitewashed houses, palm trees and flowers against a backdrop of volcanic mountains make Yaiza a lovely place for a short walk and a little break.

👉 Discover Yaiza

🧂 Salinas de Janubio

Lanzarote’s largest salt pans form an extraordinary mosaic of rectangular pools between the volcanoes and the ocean. You can stop at the viewpoint or, if you have more time, take a closer look at the salt pans.

👉 Discover Salinas de Janubio

🌊 Los Hervideros

This is one of the best places to see what happened when lava met the Atlantic. A short path leads through volcanic rock formations, with viewpoints where you can watch the waves crashing into crevices and caves carved into the lava.

👉 Discover Los Hervideros

💚 El Golfo

To finish the route, I suggest one of Lanzarote’s most distinctive sights – Charco de los Clicos, an intensely green lagoon surrounded by a dramatic black volcanic landscape. A short walk from El Golfo leads to the viewpoint.

👉 Discover the Green Lagoon

🗺️ All the Places on One Map

The guidebook Lanzarote with César Manrique comes with an interactive map where I have marked everything you may need while exploring the island: GPS points, parking areas, attractions and essential practical information, including opening hours and ticket prices.

This means you don’t have to search for the information you need every time you’re on the road – simply open the map and have everything at your fingertips.

👉 Discover the guidebook: Lanzarote with César Manrique

🚗 Lanzarote by Car – Sample Routes for Exploring the Island

Lanzarote is perfect for exploring by car. The island is not large, the roads are good, and in a single day you can see volcanoes, small towns and villages, cliffs, vineyards and the ocean. The challenge is not the distance, but deciding what to see – there are plenty of attractions. A well-planned day allows you to explore a lot without driving unnecessary kilometres.

I have prepared several sample routes that connect places located in the same part of Lanzarote. The idea is not to tick off as many attractions as possible, but to discover the island at a relaxed pace without unnecessarily retracing the same roads.