After Tenerife, a beautiful discovery of Lanzarote (page 4 of 4)

Great travel journal, thanks! We really loved this island and we’ll go back—took note of a few spots we missed.

Thanks, it was my pleasure😉

Your photos are really beautiful. Next summer, we're heading to the Canary Islands for about 15 days with our 3 kids. We want to visit Lanzarote and then we're torn between Tenerife or Gran Canaria. Do you think it's better to start with Lanzarote or end our trip there? You've been to both Tenerife and Lanzarote. Thanks!

Just back from a week in Lanzarote with the grandkids (5 and 9 years old) and we loved our stay! Thanks for all the tips! We stayed in a gorgeous Airbnb in Tias—a white house with a great layout, a small pool, and a lovely Canarian garden. The kids really enjoyed it after our outings. The location was perfect, almost in the center of the island, so we could easily reach all the sites. It was a bit away from the village, so it was very quiet and far from the tourist resorts you find in many parts of the island, which didn’t appeal to me at all. If you're interested, send me a PM. We rented a car from Europcar—no issues. Our highlights:

Timanfaya is a must, even though the idea of a bus tour didn’t really appeal to me... But it’s still worth it for the landscape. Go early—when we left, we were shocked to see the long line of cars waiting to get in. At opening time, it’s perfect with zero wait. The kids loved the little science experiments. At Playa Chica (a beach that’s otherwise nothing special), we had an amazing encounter with a beautiful angelshark while snorkeling—I got to follow it for a while as it was hunting. Go in the evening because in the afternoon, it’s packed with dive tourism—30 divers in a tiny space... (We made the mistake of going back around 2 PM...). That said, the snorkeling is actually pretty good in the area. Some coral and plenty of fish. The village of El Golfo was peaceful and perfect for a late-afternoon meal with our feet by the water. The coast south of El Golfo is also quite beautiful. Las Conchas beach on La Graciosa Island, where we biked to. It’s stunning but dangerous—watch out for the swirling waves that have already been fatal. We just got our feet wet, holding the kids’ hands tightly and keeping our footing, as the wave power was a bit unsettling (even though the sea looked calm). The other southern beaches, though, are impossible to bike to because they’re too sandy (we had to push the bikes), and they’re best avoided at low tide, even if the fish are particularly big. Overall, La Graciosa is really nice—it’d be great to spend a night there. Caletón Blanco: a really fun swim with different shades of blue, but go at high tide—it’s not worth it otherwise. The Caldera Blanca hike—easy even with kids, but make sure to wear shoes with good soles because there’s a long stretch on sharp lava (plan for a solid 3 hours for the full loop, but the elevation gain is gentle). A beautiful spot with two craters. Famara Beach at sunset. Photographers, you’re in for a treat—we got a technicolor show! The beaches near Papagayo (the most crowded one) but a nice walk to the other beaches. The César Manrique Foundation and the Cactus Garden: not bad, but it wasn’t our favorite. We skipped the other spots. Playa Quemada: not ideal for swimming, but pretty quiet. Swim toward the south where there’s more sand, but be careful on the way back at high tide—you’ll get a little wet... The spot is great for eating by the water.

Places to avoid: Costa Teguise, Puerto del Carmen, and Playa Blanca—mass tourism with all that comes with it... We made an exception for Playa Chica in Puerto del Carmen because we were looking for a kid-friendly beach close by at the end of the day, and it paid off with the angelshark encounter.

In summary

Pros: Pleasant climate—neither too hot nor too cold. Stunning volcanic landscapes, a bit stark, contrasting with the white houses. Beaches are pretty nice but never completely empty. Decent snorkeling (though nothing like the tropics).

Cons: A slight lack of cultural character, which must still exist somewhere but isn’t immediately obvious. Tourism has been around here for a long time, and it’s changed things despite Manrique’s efforts. It’s still manageable if you avoid certain areas.

We would’ve loved to stay another week to explore even more...

Hi there, It all depends on what you like. Tenerife is the richest island in terms of varied landscapes... A dream for hiking... But the coast is very touristy. We loved Lanzarote too, for its much more intimate vibe. Beautiful landscapes as well, though less varied, and the island is smaller. Still, we’d happily go back.

Good evening! So glad you enjoyed your trip, and thanks for sharing your feedback.

Did you buy a map for hikes in Lanzarote? Is it sold on-site or did you find it in France? Thanks for your tips and photos

Hi Denyse,

Did you buy a map for hikes in Lanzarote? Is it sold locally or did you find it in France?

We didn’t buy a map. I had bought the *Walk Lanzarote* guidebook, but it didn’t really help us... so I wouldn’t recommend it! I loved the Rother guide for Tenerife, but I couldn’t find an equivalent for Lanzarote. That said, the info you find online is more than enough, and I also use the Maps.me app!

Thanks for your info and photos

You’re welcome! :) If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate!

Happy planning!

Between me and the Visorando app, we didn’t need a map.

With VF reopening, I'm becoming obsessed with travel journals.

Could you tell me the time of year for this trip (based on the photos, I'd say March?)? Thanks JF

Good evening Jean François, Thanks to you, I just found out that VF is reopening. I’m so happy! Yep, I’m still going away for the February break—so late February to early March. And this year, after 6 years... we’re heading back to Tenerife.

Thanks for this description