Arrecife

A lively city, open to the ocean, capital of Lanzarote, it offers the visitor an interesting nightlife, beautiful beaches and unique landscapes, such as its bay and el Charco de San Ginés Formerly a fishermen and craftsmen’s land, is nowadays a dynamic city open to the ocean, where you will find an interesting nightlife. Capital and hub of Lanzarote, Arrecife amazes the world for its genuine marine and commercial character, its historical dock’s activity, and its lively bay and marina. A place of passage between continents, it was named after its reefs and rocks, originated by ancient volcanic eruptions at present dotting its coastline. The beautiful El Reducto beach, awarded with the Blue Flag, offers lively promenades full of fashion shops, splendid restaurants and well-priced traditional bazaars.

Arrecife is a place to walk, to listen and leisurely enjoy the sound of the sea. Amongst its jewels/gems you have el Charco de San Ginés, where small boats lay. While strolling through this village you will find small fishermen’s houses, the popular church of San Ginés and islets forming one of the most beautiful images on the island. Renowned land of history and culture, the castles of San Gabriel and San José, the latter transformed into the International Modern Art Museum, reveal to the visitor its past marked by pirate and corsair sieges. At this point you can enjoy the gastronomy offered by Restaurant Qué Muac, a successful mixture of traditional and nouvelle cuisine; gastronomy and art.

Gourmet escapes

Experience Lanzarote's gastronomy

Lanzarote: a gastronomic island

Gastronomy, without any doubt, is a way of living the island's culture. Lanzarote's cuisine, as that of the other islands, has a Spanish background, however, it has strong African and Latin-American influences, as well as from ancient traditions that go back to the aboriginals. The international cuisine offered a the main tourist resorts harmonises with the traditional dishes such as mojos, gofios and fish. Lanzarote’s cuisine amazes for its delicious simplicity and the way the food is made. Set out a genuine gastronomic trip through soups, vegetable soups and ropa vieja, excellent meat, goat cheese, its volcanic broths and malmseys... And for gourmets and food lovers, a gastronomy that blends the best traditional cuisine with innovating techniques. Delicious.

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Get to know Lanzarote

The story of the Lady of the Volcanoes

During your stay in Lanzarote you will hear about the Lady of the Volcanoes, beloved patron saint of the island. If you travel to Parque Nacional de Timanfaya, don’t miss the Hermitage of the Virgen de los Dolores, whom the islanders call de los Volcanes. The natives tell a story related to one of the terrible eruptions that occurred in this area, in which lava threatened to engulf the entire town; its inhabitants turned to the Virgin to stop the river of lava; and it stopped. To express their gratitude, they erected the Hermitage in honour of the Virgin in the same place where the miracle occurred. Nowadays, this chapel is visited by natives and foreigners during the Romerías, that are celebrated on the 31st July, which is the date of the extinction of the volcano, and when the Fiesta del Fuego is celebrated.

Further information

Organise your trip

You can start to prepare your trip to Lanzarote today. We will provide you with all the required information to make your trip to the perfect.

WHEN SHOULD I GO?

Choose the date for your holiday, depending on what you want to do during your stay on the island. Even though Lanzarote's climate is mild all year round, if you want to hike or enjoy nature, its probably better to travel in winter. From May to October, you get perfect weather to enjoy the beautiful beaches.

DOCUMENTATION

Your ID and/or passport are essential to travel as well as your driving licence if you are thinking of hiring a car. Young travellers, students or senior citizens are entitled to discounts on public transportation, museum tickets and other interesting sites.

How do I get there?

BY PLANE

From the main European cities, it is possible to fly to Lanzarote a layover. Lanzarote Airport (ACE) is located near the capital city, Arrecife, and is the third largest airport of the Archipelago, after Gran Canaria Airport and Tenerife South Airport.

PACKAGE HOLIDAYS

Many travellers hire package holidays that include flights, transport to and from the airport and acommodation.

BY FERRY

Arrecife's Port is Lanzarote's main port and it is connected to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Cádiz. From Playa Blanca port there are regular trip run by the companies Navieras Armas and Fred Olsen that connect Lanzarote with Fuerteventura.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Lanzarote has a gret road network, it is easy to get around by car. The motorway connects the airport to the capital, Arrecife. Playa Blanca and Yaiza are also connected by a motorway. A public bus network is also available.

Where can I stay?

In Lanzarote you will find a wide range of hotels to suit all tastes and budgets. The incredible natural beauty of the Island of Fire has favoured the development of rural, charming hotels, ideal for relaxing holidays and for those who love hiking, nature and traditions.

There is a top selection of hotels available along all of the island's coastline, where you will find amazing Resorts and exclusive hotels. Check if your booking includes breakfast. It will probably be a buffet breakfast with a wide variety of cheeses, cold cuts, cereal, yoghurt, juices, breads and sweets. The majority of hotels include warm breakfast and local products. Bon Apetit!

Medical Assitance

You may take out an insurance policy to cover medical assistance during the trip. We also offer a travel insurance policy, which covers medical assistance, theft and cancellation charges. Several private medical centres and private hospitals throughout many towns on the island offer medical assitance. In case of emergency we recommend going to the Hospital General and Hospital Insular located in the capital, Arrecife.

ARRECIFE

Hospital Insular: 0034 928 810 500
Hospital General: 0034 928 595 000
Centro de Salud de Tytheroy: 0034 928 597 097
Centro de Salud de Valterra: 0034 928 597 110
Cruz Roja: 0034 928 814 866
Cruz Roja (urgencias): 0034 928 812 222

TEGUISE

Casa de Socorro 0034 928 845 262
Centro de Salud de La Graciosa 0034 928 812 327
Centro de Salud de Teguise: 0034 928 593 006

TÍAS

Centro de Salud de Pto. del Carmen: 0034 928 512 711
Cruz Roja: 0034 928 815 055 // 928 81 48 66
Centro de Salud de Tías: 0034 928 524 244
Centro de Salud de Tinajo: 0034 928 840 445

YAIZA

Cruz Roja: 0034 928 830 190
Centro de Salud de Yaiza: 0034 928 830 190
Centro de Salud de Playa Blanca: 0034 928 830 190
Casa de Socorro: 0034 928 830 068

Currency and Customs

The Euro is the official currency in the Canary Islands. As in the rest of the country, you may use credit cards for most of your financial transactions, especially in the touristic areas, where they tend to facilitate consumption to their clients. There may be some shops or small bars that only accept cash.

There is a wide network of ATM’s in the main towns of the island, but please bear in mind that banks charge a commission if you withdraw cash with other banks’ credit cards.

CREDIT CARD CANCELLATION TELEPHONE NUMBERS