What do you get when you combine ancient volcanoes, stunning rock formations, fabulous weather and great beaches? You get an idea of what it’s like on the island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands.
Lanzarote is the fourth largest and easternmost in the nine island chain situated off the northwest coast of Africa. Although they are about 1,000 kilometers removed from the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands are ruled by Spain and almost 75% of Lanzarote’s residents are Spanish citizens. The lingua franca is Spanish, but the landscape appears as if it’s from some other planet. This makes Canary Islands holidays a unique experience.
Lanzarote is an island of volcanic origin just like the rest of the Canary Islands. Its landscape is dominated by remnants of past volcanic activity. The most prominent feature on the island is the Tunnel of Atlantis, the largest submerged volcanic tunnel on the planet. It is part of a landscape dominated by hardened lava flows. In parts of the island the ground is still hot almost three hundred years after the last volcanic eruption on Lanzarote. On Montanas del Fuego the temperature just below the surface is near 400 degrees. It is so hot, a cup of water turns to steam instantly on contact.
There are only 35 types of land animals roaming the stark landscape. One of them is the dromedary or single humped camel. Formally used by farmers, it is now a tourist attraction. There is also the Atlantic lizard and the Canary Island wall lizard. The most famous animal on Lanzarote is the ‘jameito’ or blind albino crab found in the salt water tubes at Jameos del Agua on the northern end of the island. Birders have identified over fifty species of birds that frequent Lanzarote. Among them are the African Grey Parrot, Spanish Sparrow, Collard Dove, Hoopoe, Cream Colored Coarser, Egret and the Grey Heron. There are also rare birds like the Barbary Falcon.
There are a surprising number of great beaches on the island of Lanzarote. Lanzarote holidays include the chance to swim, windsurf, kitesurf and water surf or just lay in the shade of a coconut tree on a beach with golden sand and sway in a hammock as the Trade Winds gently rocks you to sleep. Beaches like Papagayo, Famara, Playa de la Cantera, Mirador Del Rio, Playa Reducto, El Golfo and the black sands of Playa Quemada provide all the fun and relaxation you can stand.
