Compare Lanzarote holidays

Best things to do on Lanzarote

Picture yourself hiking among volcanic cones, weaving your way through a lava-carved tunnel, wandering around palm trees and sipping wine in an ethereal vineyard. Well, away from the lovely coast, all of that and more besides beckon on a holiday to Lanzarote.

Timanfaya National Park

For spectacular scenery, head to Timanfaya National Park to explore its volcanic, Mars-like terrain on a bus tour along the Ruta de los Volcanes. Guided treks on foot are also possible but less frequent.

La Geria

The unique wine-growing region of La Geria is located close by. Take a walk around Bodega La Geria’s green vines – each is set in lunar-looking shallow holes in the black volcanic gravel to protect the grapes from the winds – and then relax in the winery as you sip your way through its vino.

Cueva de los Verdes

There’s also lots to see below the surface, including the Cueva de los Verdes, a 7km-long lava tube caused by an eruption 23,000 years ago. Explore almost 8km of tunnels, passages, vaults and interior lagoons. 

Jameos del Agua

Located 10-minutes walk away and formed by the same lava tube, you’ll find Jameos del Agua, a cultural centre built into a volcanic cave by the late artist César Manrique. Opened in 1968 it contains a natural auditorium, pool, and restaurant.

Casa Museo de César Manrique

Manrique’s unique contributions to Lanzarote can be found throughout the island and you can learn more about him at his former home, the Casa Museo de César Manrique in Haría, around a 15-minute drive away. You’ll also be able to experience a greener side to Lanzarote here. The village’s nickname, after all, is the Valley of a Thousand Palms.

Best activities for families in Lanzarote

Beyond the island’s kid-friendly beaches, Lanzarote’s awe-inspiring volcanic backdrops, underground wonders and all-inclusive resorts make family holidays to Lanzarote fun-filled from sunrise to sunset.

AquaLava Waterpark

The island has its pick of waterparks to choose from. Young kids? AquaLava Waterpark in Playa Blanca is your best bet. Located in the south of the island, its waters are heated with geothermal energy. There’s numerous slides, splashpools and a lazy river.

Aquapark Costa Teguise

A family of thrill seekers? Aquapark Costa Teguise, the largest waterpark in Lanzarote, has you covered. There’s 11 pools and 25 slides of varying steepness and speeds. For younger children, there’s a lagoon with slides too. Don’t want to drive? The park operates a bus service from Puerto del Carmen, Puerto Calero, and Playa Blanca for €7 per person.

Jardin de Cactus

Any budding botanists in the family? Head to the village of Guatiza, where you’ll find 4,500 specimens of 500 different cacti species, sourced from five continents and laid out across a landscape created by Manrique. With little shade, early mornings or late afternoons are a great time to visit.

Fundación César Manrique

Find out more about the man who shaped the island with his artistic vision. Manrique himself oversaw the conversion of his house into a museum shortly before his death. The collection features works from his private collection in a building constructed atop five volcanic bubbles.

The best day trips from Lanzarote

Though there is plenty to keep you busy on Lanzarote, one of the best things about the Canary Islands as a whole is the ability to go island hopping. It’s the easiest way of experiencing more of the archipelago on a single trip – and well worth it, too. Here’s where to go.

La Graciosa

To Lanzarote’s north lies the tiny island of La Graciosa, a largely untouched wonderland of natural beauty that feels a world away from Lanzarote (it has no paved roads as an example). Head here for quiet beach days, scenic hikes, picturesque bike rides, exceptional scuba dives and fresh seafood.

Return ferries with an average journey time of 25 minutes run regularly from Órzola in Lanzarote to Caleta de Sebo in La Graciosa.

Fuerteventura

To the south of Lanzarote, you’ll find buzzier Fuerteventura, the second biggest Canary Island after Tenerife. Enjoy a beach day here on Grandes Playas south of Corralejo, hike up Montaña Roja (Red Mountain) and look for marine fossils with the kids in the Ajuy Caves.

You can get a return ferry from several providers from Playa Blanca in Lanzarote to Corralejo in Fuerteventura throughout the day. The trip should take no longer than 30 minutes.