Island Guide
The most northerly and easterly of the Canary Islands, Lanzarote is 60 km long and 21 km wide over an area of 797 square km. The least mountainous of the islands, it has an average year-round temperature of 20 degrees. There is nearly always a breeze so you rarely feel uncomfortable even when it's very hot and it's generally pleasantly cool at night.
The fate of this extraordinary island was decided over two and a half centuries ago, when the largest volcanic eruption in recorded history took place, leaving a strange and alluring countryside in its wake - a landscape littered with volcanoes and dark streams of jagged lava. The island remains unspoilt by the concrete tourist developments affecting neighbouring Tenerife, due largely to the influence of the artist-designer, the late Cesar Manrique who worked to preserve the island's environmental heritage and whose influence abounds. In 1994, the island was declared a 'World Reserve of the Bioshere' by UNESCO. There are numerous protected areas throughout the island and it is regarded as one of the healthiest places on earth to live!
Places of interest to visit
It's hard not to get away from it all on Lanzarote. The fledgling tourist industry is confined to a small number of resorts, with huge areas of unspoilt countryside, beaches and volcanic 'malpais' all within a short distance. Some top attractions on the island can be viewed by clicking here.
Beaches on Lanzarote
The beaches are simply fabulous. There is something for everyone, whether you like secluded coves, wide stretches of golden sands, rocky coastlines with tidal pools or crashing breakers...you will find it all on Lanzarote. A surprise to many first time visitors is how golden the vast majority of beaches are...hardly any black sand to be found! Click on the map below for a guide to the main beaches on the island.
Enjoy our slide show of photos of our favourite spots on the island
