Car Hire Lanzarote :: Lanzarote City Guide

Of the seven of the largest Canary Islands, Lanzarote lies the furthest east in the Atlantic Ocean. A Spanish possession, the island is the result of ancient volcanic activity, a fact attested to by the lunar landscape and some of the active craters in its national park. Indeed, you can still witness the ashes and pumice left behind by the more recent eruptions that cover large areas of the landscape.
Although once primarily a community that existed solely on what it could grow or catch in the sea, the economy of the island now relies almost completely on its booming tourist industry. People arrive here in their thousands – particularly in what we in England call ‘out of season' – drawn by its warm climate and low rainfall. Lying within the Tropic of Cancer, the island has an average yearly temperature of 22ºC, so the tourist can look forward to pleasantly warm winters and summers made bearably cooler by gentle sea breezes.
Culturally, the island is a mixture of old and new. The modern side of the island is represented by Puerto del Carmen. This is the “tourist centre of Lanzarote with the famous live music bars, pubs and clubs.

If you like to shop, Lanzarote has a number of excellent shopping centres where you will find shops and stylish boutiques selling designer clothing, perfumes and jewellery, together with a selection of delightful traditional handmade crafts produced by local islanders.
The island's beaches are also very good. There is a huge selection but some of the best are; the tropical and relatively quiet Playa Blanca. The small bays around Las Coloradas are exquisite. Playa Quemada is verdant and very attractive, but my favourite with its golden sands and superb setting is Punta del Papagayo.

Must See in Lanzarote

• The prized vineyards in the Geria region from which an exceptionally good wine is produced.
• The old has been skilfully and tastefully preserved with many excellent examples of Spanish colonial architecture to be seen in the major towns of Arrecife, with its two great fortresses, San Gabriel and San José, and the old capital Teguise.
• The National Park of Timanfaya with its active craters on the ‘Mountain of Fire'. Don't miss the chance to eat steak grilled over an active volcanic crater in some of the park's restaurants.

Events in Lanzarote

• March – Mardi Gras
• May to June - Corpus Christi
• August - Nuestra Senora de Candelaria