Planning a trip and need to know what there is to do on this volcanic Canary Island? I’ve got you covered with a list of the 18 best things to do in Lanzarote.
Known as The Island of Volcanoes, Lanzarote is a place filled with dramatic lava fields, volcanic black sand beaches and somewhere that seems to be home to more cacti than trees.
Unfairly nicknamed “Lanzagrotty” back in the 1970s, Lanzarote is actually surprisingly beautiful in its own slightly-Mars-like kind of way. It’s not lush and tropical like some other Canary Islands, but that’s part of what makes Lanzarote so unique. There’s something captivating about Lanzarote’s black lava landscapes, whitewashed villages and the feeling that you’ve somehow landed on another planet entirely.
Truth be told, I think Lanzarote is massively misunderstood. The amount of people who told us, “You’ll be bored, there’s nothing to do in Lanzarote,” before our trip was a smidge concerning, and I was half expecting us to spend our trip sat twiddling our thumbs.
But after spending five days here in March, we quickly realised they couldn’t have been more wrong. Sure, if you stay in Playa Blanca the entire week you’d run out of things to do. But if you hire a car and explore Lanzarote properly, you’ll quickly discover a brilliant island with so much to see.
In fact, our list of things to do ended up so long that we actually ran out of time to fit everything in. We could easily have spent another week here exploring more beaches, caves, volcanoes and hidden corners of the island (if life and annual leave allowed it).
Whether you love adventure, beaches, food, hiking, sightseeing or just driving around admiring scenery that looks like it belongs in a sci-fi film, theres loads to do in Lanzarote. To help you plan your own trip, here’s everything we loved, plus a few places still sitting firmly on our revisit list.
Lanzarote at a Glance – Don’t Miss 👀
- A fun adventure driving off-road dune buggies
- Taking the ferry to La Graciosa for authentic Canary Island vibes
- Exploring the impressive cactus garden
- Heading underground into the lava formed cave
- Discovering the otherworldly landscapes at Timanfaya National Park
In this article...
1. Go off-roading in dune buggies
This is hands down one activity you absolutely cannot miss in Lanzarote. If you’ve got a driving licence and a slight tolerance for dust in places dust should never reach, book yourself onto a dune buggy tour immediately.
Our tour took us tearing through an old quarry, bouncing along rugged off-road tracks and up to the highest viewpoint in Lanzarote where the coastal views were incredible. It was a perfect mix of adrenaline, sightseeing and laughing hysterically over all the bumps as we drove around together.
There are loads of different buggy tours across the island, ranging from short drives to longer adventures, but ours was such a highlight of the trip. If you want all the details, I’ll link my full dune buggy article here, where I share everything you need to know before booking. But if you just want to get it booked right now, this is the exact tour we did.
2. Visit the incredible Cactus garden
Lanzarote is a super windy island all around the clock, but inside the walls of the Cactus Garden everything becomes sheltered and it turns into a welcoming little sun trap.
Designed by César Manrique the cactus garden sits inside an old quarry, and the tall curved stone walls protect you from the island’s winds. It’s jam-packed with endless varieties of cacti in every shape and size imaginable. Some are cute and tiny, while others tower above you like tall trees.
The pretty cactus garden also has a gift shop and a traditional windmill you can venture inside, along with a lovely little café, where we tried some cactus ice cream! We spotted cactus items on a few menus around Lanzarote. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend cactus ice cream. Well not unless you’ve always dreamed of eating frozen lawn clippings and like your ice cream to have an essense of grass. Thankfully the cactus-free lattes were excellent, and sitting under the shaded canopy with a coffee while admiring the gardens was bliss. Definitely recommend coming for a wander.
3. Take the ferry to La Graciosa
Not many people realise Lanzarote has a tiny neighbouring island sitting just off its northern coast. La Graciosa is actually the eighth Canary Island, and reaching it requires just a short 25-minute ferry ride from Órzola in Lanzarote.
This little island ended up being one of the most peaceful places we visited. Theres barely any cars here, and the whole island feels wonderfully untouched and relaxed. The best way to explore is either on foot or by bike, with sandy tracks leading to gorgeous beaches and turquoise water that looks Caribbean on a sunny day.
Whether you want to hike, cycle, snorkel or simply spend the day escaping the crowds, La Graciosa is absolutely worth visiting. Its golden beaches and sleepy island atmosphere completely won us over. If you’re planning a visit, I’ve also written a full guide about visiting La Graciosa which I’ll link here.
4. Explore the natural wonder of las Grietas
Las Grietas is located between the two Spanish towns of Tías and San Bartolomé, and is one of Lanzarote’s hidden gems. We had great fun exploring the impressive lava-formed cracks, plus its completely free to visit.
After a short walk from the carpark, you’ll find several different crevices to wander through, all shaped by volcanic activity and each one unique. Most people gather around the first two, but we thought the best one was the one furthest from the carpark! The towering rock walls and narrow pathways almost make it feel like a miniature version of Antelope Canyon in Arizona somehow landed here in the Canary Islands.
You don’t need to spend loads of time here, but it’s definitely worth stopping by if you enjoy unusual landscapes and exploring somewhere a little different.
5. Be amazed at Timanfaya National Park
Timanfaya National Park is probably Lanzarote’s most famous attraction, and I can see why. The landscape here is absolutely surreal with endless volcanic craters and scenery that genuinely looks more like Mars than Spain.
I’d read horror stories online about queues lasting hours to get into the park, but thankfully when we visited in March we drove straight in with no traffic at all.
Once inside the barriers, you can only drive part of the route yourself through the lava fields before parking up and boarding one of the official coaches that takes visitors through the protected volcanic areas. Little tip from experience, sit on the passenger side (right side over there) of the bus for the best views! We sat on the wrong side and spent half the journey awkwardly craning our necks while everyone opposite gasped at the scenery. Rookie error.
There’s also a gift shop and restaurant onsite, where they cook food using volcanic heat from the ground below. We sat eating volcano cooked chicken while staring out at the dramatic lava landscape through giant windows, which isn’t something you get to experience everyday.
You’ll can also watch a couple of geothermal demonstrations where guides show just how hot the ground still is beneath the surface. One involves pouring water into the earth which erupts back out as steam in 2 seconds, the other sees tumbleweed burst into flames almost as quick.
6. Head underground in Cueva de los Verdes
If you fancy heading underground, Cueva de los Verdes is a fascinating place to visit in Lanzarote.
This huge volcanic cave system was formed thousands of years ago by flowing lava, and today you can walk through a series of massive chambers, tunnels and narrow passageways deep beneath the island. The cave stays at a comfortable temperature year-round too, not like the chilly caves we have back in the UK.
Some parts open up into enormous caverns, while others are low and narrow enough to make you duck. There’s also an optical illusion hidden inside the caves which completely fooled us. I loved how these caves were formed by flowing lava, as it created the walls to look almost like water ripples.
7. Admire El Lago Verde – The Green Lagoon
El Lago Verde also known as the Green Lagoon sits inside a volcanic crater right beside the ocean, where its vivid colour comes from algae and sulphur in the water. The emerald green water contrasts beautifully against the black sand beach and crashing blue waves nearby.
It’s only a short coastal walk from the free car park to the view point, and i’d recommend getting there early. There was only a couple cars when we arrived, but an hour later the carpark was full.
The nearby village of El Golfo is also worth wandering around afterwards, especially if you fancy stopping for seafood with an ocean view. We enjoyed a little explore and popped into Barlovento for a delicious coffee.
8. Hike inside Caldera de Los Cuervos volcano
Its not often that you get the chance to walk inside an actual volcano crater, and this one is great.
Caldera de los Cuervos is an easy circular hiking trail that takes you right into the middle of an extinct volcano, and its such a fun experience (it was like a bigger version of the one we did on our Iceland road trip)
The circular trail itself is around three miles long, following black volcanic tracks through dramatic scenery before eventually leading you directly into the crater itself. During our visit we barely saw another person, which made the whole experience feel even more special and slightly eerie in the best possible way.
Parking is free too, which is always a lovely bonus when exploring.
9. Shop for souvenirs at Teguise market
Every Sunday the quiet little town of Teguise (the former capital of Lanzarote) completely transforms into one huge bustling market. Streets fill with around 400 market stalls (although some are a little repetitive) from imitation clothes and bags, to live music, local artisan crafts, and traditional Canarian cuisine. It’s a great place to practice your haggling skills and purchase a little holiday souvenir.
Although the market was on our list of things to do, sadly we couldn’t squeeze it in to our itinerary. It looks like a nice way to spend a Sunday, and a great place to pick up local products and gifts to bring home. Just be careful of pick-pockets here, especially if it’s really busy.
10. Relax at Playa Blanca beach
We based ourselves in Playa Blanca during our Lanzarote trip, where we stayed at the beautiful Barceló hotel (read my full review here) and enjoyed the easy stroll over to Playa Blanca beach.
The beach itself has gorgeous soft golden sand and crystal-clear water, with a lovely promenade lined with cafés, restaurants and shops running alongside it. It does get busy, but I understand why so many people flock here with its calm shallow water. There’s also lifeguards on duty to keep you safe, and it’s an easy place to spend an entire afternoon doing absolutely nothing other than alternating between swimming, snacking and sunbathing.
The sea was pretty refreshing in March, but I imagine it would be warmer in peek season.
11. Visit Lanzarote’s most famous beach, Playa de Papagayo
We’re gutted that Playa de Papagayo ended up on our “we’ll have to come back” list because we completely ran out of time, but it’s one of the most famous beaches here in Lanzarote.
It’s a beautiful sheltered bay thats known for its golden sand and calm turquoise water, but what makes this one extra enjoyable is that it’s protected from the island’s winds thanks to the surrounding cliffs.
One thing to know before visiting Papagayo beach is that facilities there are very limited. Make sure you come prepared with bottles of water, snacks, suncream and anything else you might need for your sunny beach day. There is one small cafe thats perched at the top of the cliffs, but thats not always open so I wouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Also, the road getting to this beach is rough and basically off-roading in places. You’ll need to double check that your hire car insurance covers you driving there (some don’t) unless you fancy an awkward conversation at the rental desk when you return your car.
Because of its beauty this beach can get super busy, so come early and take care getting down to the beach. It’s uneven and not suitable for anyone with mobility issues.
12. Coffee with a view at Mirador del Rio
If you’d like to enjoy lunch served with a side of spectacular views, Mirador del Río is absolutely worth visiting.
This epic cafe was designed by César Manrique and is built into the cliffs, a whopping 400 meters high above the ocean and offers incredible panoramic views across the water towards La Graciosa.
The building itself is cleverly hidden, camouflaged within the rock, so from the outside you barely notice it’s there at all. Inside though, huge curved windows frame the coastline perfectly and make for a special place to enjoy a coffee or bite to eat.
13. See blind white crabs at Jameos del Agua
Another place we sadly didn’t quite manage to squeeze into our itinerary was Jameos del Agua, but it looks absolutely incredible.
This unique cave complex combines nature, art and architecture all in one place. Grab yourself a ticket and you’ll get to enjoy a cave thats home to not only a restaurant, but also a concert hall and salt lake. The cave is also home to tiny blind white crabs which only exist in this part of the world but are sadly endangered in risk of extinction.
14. Enjoy the views from Peñas del Chache, Lanzarote’s highest peak
If you fancy a great viewpoint, head to Peñas del Chache which is Lanzarote’s highest viewpoint on the island. We enjoyed a quick stop here during our dune buggy tour, and the views unfolded across the volcanic landscape, the ocean and Lanzarote’s iconic white cube-shaped houses.
15. Discover how they make wine on the island
One of the most fascinating things about Lanzarote is how they manage to grow grapes in such a dry volcanic landscape, with strong winds that never seem to take a break.
If you hire a car to explore Lanzarote, you’ll notice thousands of these little stone walls all over the island, they’re everywhere! Some are in straight lines, while others are semi-circular, but each one carefully surrounds individual vines. These clever little walls protect the plants from the islands winds, while the volcanic ash helps retain moisture in the soil. So clever!
Theres a few different places where you can learn more about Lanzarote’s unusual wine-making process before enjoying a wine tasting overlooking the vineyards.
16. Take a walk over to Rubicón Marina
Rubicón Marina is a lovely spot for a relaxed wander in the evening, and easy to walk to from Playa Blanca. The marina is lined with restaurants, cafés and bars, while boats and luxury yachts bob around looking expensive.
It’s a really nice area to stroll around after dinner, especially around sunset when everything glows golden and the waterfront becomes extra pretty. Theres a lighthouse down here too, which is actually a bar!
17. Soak up the sun at Playa flamingo
Playa Flamingo was another sandy beach in the south of Lanzarote. Located just beyond the popular Playa Blanca, this beautiful golden sandy beach feels slightly quieter (probably thanks to it being a longer walk away) but still easy enough to reach.
The water here is calm making it a lovely spot for swimming or simply relaxing with a book for a few hours.
18. Wander around Playa Blanca town
Beyond the beach itself, Playa Blanca is just a lovely place to spend time. Its definitely more touristy than quaint old town vibes, but the seafront promenade is packed with restaurants offering gorgeous sunset views, while the smaller side streets are filled with little independent shops, cafés and tourist stores full of keychains and fridge magnets.
Theres plenty of supermarkets too. So if you’re like us, and you enjoy returning home with random Spanish food items you absolutely did not need, you’ll be happy here. We brought back cactus jam purely because you don’t exactly stumble across that in Tesco’s jams & spreads isle.
Final thoughts on Lanzarote
We had such a fun time in Lanzarote, and hopefully this proves there really is far more to this small Canary island than people give it credit for. Between the volcanoes, beaches, caves, markets, viewpoints and adventures, we genuinely never felt bored for a second. In fact, we didn’t have enough time to get it all done!
The dune buggy tour was definitely one of the highlights of our trip, and Playa Blanca made the perfect base for exploring all the best bits of the island in our hire car.
Before you go …
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