What to Do in
Lanzarote

Lanzarote's crown jewel — 12,600 acres of dormant volcanoes and lava fields. Rangers stage on-site geothermal demonstrations pouring water into rock to create instant geysers, and the park's El Diablo restaurant grills food over volcanic heat. The coach tour along the Route of the Volcanoes traces impossible red-black craters. Absolutely unmissable — arrive early or book a guided tour to skip long entry queues in high season.

Visit

3–4 hours

Best

Early morning

Family

Yes

Difficulty

Easy

The blazing heart of Timanfaya, where the ground remains hot enough centimetres below the surface to ignite dry brush on contact. The Islote de Hilario visitor centre is the theatre for the geothermal shows — geyser blasts, spontaneous flame — and the panoramic tour reveals cinder cones stretching to the horizon. It's the closest most travellers will ever come to standing on the raw crust of an active volcanic system.

Visit

2 hours

Best

Morning

Family

Yes

Difficulty

Easy

The largest walkable caldera on the island — a perfectly formed volcanic crater 1.2 km across, ringed by a rim trail with dizzying views into its silent bowl and out across the Timanfaya badlands. A moderate 8 km hike (allow 3 hours round-trip) rewards you with total solitude and some of Lanzarote's most cinematic scenery. Wear proper shoes, bring water, and start early.

Visit

3 hours

Best

Sunrise / late afternoon

Family

Older kids

Difficulty

Moderate

A short, easy loop trail leads straight into the breached crater of El Cuervo — you literally walk inside a volcano. The 45-minute circuit across black lava sand is family-friendly, entirely free, and one of the most rewarding walks on the island. Go at golden hour for photography; the crater walls glow deep rust-red as the sun drops.

Visit

1 hour

Best

Golden hour

Family

Yes

Difficulty

Easy

Playa Blanca's landmark red cinder cone rises 194 m over the southern coast, with a well-marked trail spiralling to the summit for 360° views over the Atlantic, Fuerteventura, and the salt flats of Janubio. Allow 90 minutes round-trip and go at sunrise or sunset — the reddish scoria practically glows. A quiet local favourite that most package tourists miss.

Visit

1.5 hours

Best

Sunrise / sunset

Family

Older kids

Difficulty

Moderate

Where the Atlantic meets a jagged coast of black lava tunnels, sending explosive plumes of white water skyward — the name literally means 'the boiling waters'. A network of clifftop viewing balconies lets you feel the spray and watch the sea churn through hidden caves. Combine with El Golfo and Timanfaya for a perfect south-coast day.

Visit

45 min

Best

Windy days / high tide

Family

Yes

Difficulty

Easy

A vivid emerald crater lake sitting inside a half-submerged volcano, separated from the Atlantic by a strip of jet-black volcanic beach. The green comes from algae thriving in the mineral-rich water. Follow the short cliff path from El Golfo village for the classic postcard viewpoint, then head into the village for lunch — its seafront terraces serve some of the freshest seafood on the island.

Visit

1 hour + lunch

Best

Midday (green is brightest)

Family

Yes

Difficulty

Easy

A collection of natural volcanic pools carved into the cliffs south of Playa Blanca — turquoise saltwater held in black basalt bowls, refilled by the Atlantic. Access is via a rough track and a scramble down; go at low tide, watch the swell, and you'll have one of the most spectacular natural swimming spots in Europe largely to yourself.

A whitewashed fishing village on the north-east coast built around a chain of natural saltwater rock pools that fill with each tide. Blissfully local, with excellent seafood restaurants and none of the resort feel of the south. Come for a long lunch and a slow swim.

Sculpted natural pools on a jagged black-rock coastline north of Arrieta — dramatic, moody, and blessedly quiet. The tiny village above is one of Europe's few purpose-built naturist communities, though the pools themselves are open to all.

A shaded pine grove and picnic area high on the Famara cliffs — a genuinely rare thing on treeless Lanzarote. Sweeping views over La Graciosa, cool breezes, benches, and BBQs. Locals bring the family on Sundays; visitors almost never find it.

A tiny lava-black hamlet of fishermen's cottages on the west coast, backed by the raw Timanfaya lava field. Almost no one goes there. Walk the shoreline, watch the Atlantic pound the rocks, and feel completely off the grid.

A whitewashed village clinging to the flanks of Monte Corona in the far north — the launch point for the volcano hike and gateway to the Malpaís de la Corona lava badlands. Quiet, charming, and worth a wander for the architecture alone.

An inland farming village set among sand dunes blown in from the Sahara — a strange, beautiful landscape of white houses, palms, and shifting sand. A short drive from Famara and utterly authentic.

A sleepy central village that many drive through without stopping — but its whitewashed church square, low green-shuttered houses, and traditional bodegas make it a lovely 20-minute detour on the way to the wine country.

Heart of the La Geria wine region and home to some of the island's oldest bodegas. The Monumento al Campesino sits at its crossroads — a Manrique sculpture honouring Lanzarote's farmers, with a wonderful restaurant serving traditional Canarian cooking.

A whitewashed hilltop village between Teguise and Costa Teguise — quiet lanes, panoramic sea views, and a handful of artisan studios. Perfect stop on the way back from the Sunday Teguise market.

Beyond the famous Mirador del Río, the island hides dozens of dramatic clifftop pull-offs — the Ermita de las Nieves, Peñas del Chache, Mirador de Guinate. Rent a car, drive north, and follow every unpaved side road that catches your eye.

The 7 km Corona lava tube is one of the longest in the world, most of it off-limits. Jameos del Agua and Cueva de los Verdes show the accessible portions — but adventurous hikers can spot smaller wild jameos across the Malpaís de la Corona.

The coastal cliffs between Los Ajaches and Playa Quemada hide sea caves and arches best explored by kayak — several Playa Blanca operators run guided paddles that thread through them at slack tide.

A protected landscape of thousands of black-ash craters, each cradling a single vine and shielded by a semi-circular stone wall. Drive the LZ-30 slowly, stop at as many bodegas as you can, and you'll understand why UNESCO considers La Geria a masterpiece of agricultural adaptation.

Visit

Half day

Best

Afternoon

Family

Yes

Bodegas El Grifo (the oldest in the Canaries, founded 1775), Rubicón, Stratvs and La Geria itself all welcome visitors with tastings, cellar tours, and terraces overlooking the vines. El Grifo also runs a small wine museum well worth an hour of your time.

Visit

2 hours per bodega

Best

Afternoon

Family

Yes

Most bodegas offer walk-in flights of 3–5 wines paired with local goat cheese and Canarian bread for €10–20. Guided tours book directly on winery websites; a few offer sunset tastings among the vines that are worth planning around.

Visit

1–2 hours

Best

Late afternoon

Family

Adults

The signature grape of the island — dry Malvasía Volcánica delivers bright citrus, saline minerality, and floral aromatics thanks to the porous black ash (picón) that captures night dew. Sweet Malvasías were once shipped to the courts of Europe; Shakespeare mentions them by name.

Visit

Tasting flight

Best

Afternoon

Family

Adults

The largest water park on the island, right on Costa Teguise's doorstep. High-speed slides, a lazy river, a dedicated toddler lagoon, mini-golf, sun terraces, and on-site restaurants. Easily a full day for families with mixed-age children.

Visit

Full day

Best

10am opening

Family

Yes

• Water slides
• Lazy River
• Kids' area
• Mini Golf
• Restaurants

Playa Blanca's newer water park heats every pool geothermally — swim in comfort year-round. Highlights include a full saltwater wave pool, lazy river, children's splash zone and a spa area. Excellent when the trade winds are up.

Visit

Full day

Best

Cooler / windy days

Family

Yes

• Heated pools
• Wave pool
• Lazy River
• Kids' splash
• Geothermal

A mix of animal park and water attractions in Puerto del Carmen — dolphin and sea-lion presentations, birds of prey shows, white tigers, plus the Aqua Rancho splash area with slides and pools. Full-day ticket and shows run throughout the day.

Visit

Full day

Best

First show

Family

Yes

• Dolphins
• Sea lions
• White tigers
• Birds of prey
• Family shows

Costa Teguise's Playa de las Cucharas, Arrieta's fishing harbour and the Mirador de Guinate all deliver spectacular sunrises facing east across the Atlantic. Arrive 20 minutes before first light for the best colour.

El Golfo, Los Hervideros, Playa Famara and Caldera Blanca all face west with unobstructed horizons. Papagayo cliffs are quieter and equally magic. Bring a wide lens and a warm layer for the wind.

Golden hour at El Cuervo, the rim trail of Caldera Blanca, and the Route of the Volcanoes in Timanfaya all deliver dramatic red-black volcanic landscapes. Side light in the first and last hour of the day is transformative.

El Golfo lagoon, La Geria's crater grid, and the Papagayo coves are stunning from the air — but check current Spanish drone rules and avoid national parks (Timanfaya is a no-fly zone).

Ermita de las Nieves at 605 m is the highest point on the island — a whitewashed chapel with staggering views over Famara. Peñas del Chache, Mirador de Haría and Mirador de los Helechos are equally rewarding and much quieter than Mirador del Río.

The Jameos del Agua turquoise pool, the whitewashed rooftops of Yaiza, the vine craters of La Geria and the striped Casa Juanita at Arrieta are all reliably show-stopping — and all photogenic in any weather.

Spain's eighth Canary Island — no paved roads, no chain hotels, just sandy tracks, whitewashed cottages, and empty white-sand beaches. Ferries from Órzola take 25 minutes. Rent a bike at Caleta de Sebo and cycle to Playa de las Conchas — one of the most beautiful beaches in the Atlantic.

Visit

Full day

Best

Any

Family

Yes

The Fred Olsen ferry from Playa Blanca to Corralejo takes 25 minutes and lands you on the doorstep of the Corralejo dune national park — vast white sand dunes, empty turquoise beaches, and buzzy surf town cafés. Easy self-drive day or organised tour.

Visit

Full day

Best

Early start

Family

Yes