A 3 Days in Lanzarote Itinerary You’ll Want to Steal
Last Updated on 26th June 2024 by Sophie Nadeau
This post may contain affiliate links. Please check out my privacy policy and disclosure for more information.
Lanzarote is a varied landscape where you can stroll through volcanic craters, marvel at tropical gardens, and enjoy unique volcanic wines. Though best known for package holidays (and there indeed are many to be booked on the island), there’s also much more to experience on Lanzarote. Here’s your ultimate guide to spending 3 days in Lanzarote.
Contents
Is 3 days enough time in Lanzarote?
Yes, if you want an adventure-packed holiday! The island is filled with attractions and fascinating sights worth seeing, but to see it all in 3 days you’ll need to be prepared to explore at a reasonably fast pace.
However, if you’re looking for time to relax and want a couple of days to chill out and focus on visiting the beaches that the island is so famed for, then you should plan to spend at least four or five days in Lanzarote.
Getting around Lanzarote
While bus transportation is a possibility, you’ll want to rent your own car to give you the ultimate freedom to explore the island at your leisure. There are several options for car rentals on Lanzarote, personally, we chose Cicar which is an easy and reliable company to use. Check car rental availability and prices here.
Day 1 suggested itinerary for Lanzarote
Cueva de los Verdes
Start your day off by exploring one of the island’s natural wonders, a unique opening of a lava tube that has two entrances, each hiding treasures within. The grotto is almost 8 kilometres in length, making it one of the longest in the world, and compromises a complex network of tunnels.
Visit the first entrance, Cueva de los Verdes, which despite its name and the fact the cave has a green hue inside, takes its name after a local family of goat herders, Los Verdes, who took their flock here to shelter from bad weather.
Today, one of the highlights that can be seen in the cave is its very own concert hall! Decorated with a grand piano and mood lighting which was created by a local artist, Jesus Soto, to compliment the ambience of this geological wonder.
Opt to buy a combination ticket, known as ‘bonos’ (vouchers), this will allow entry for both caves and it also includes the attraction Jardín de Cactus. Tours take place throughout the day in both English and Spanish and the visit to Cueva de los Verdes takes around 1 hour.
Jameos del Agua
Situated on the other side of Cueva de los Verdes, you’ll find the connected sister cave, Jameos del Agua. This grotto is much busier as there is less of a restriction on the amount of people who can visit at one time, but it’s worth visiting to see the iconic little squat lobsters that are solely found in this spot.
Reached via a descent down a steep staircase, Jameos del Agua’s history dates back around 3,000 – 5,000 years ago when hot molten magma flowed down from the volcano of Monte Corona to the sea. The lava stream cooled and formed a crust before draining away into the sea and leaving behind a tunnel, where a natural seawater lake formed.
Found within the natural seawater lake are Munidopsis polymorphic, these little 1cm long white lobsters are completely blind and they can only be found in this very cave! As such, they have come to be the animal symbol for Lanzarote Island.
While visiting Jameos del Agua you can head back up the staircase and enjoy a morning refreshment at the café area, which is situated next to a manmade swimming pool. The visit here (including a quick coffee break) will take around 50 minutes.
Lunch in Arrieta
Stop for lunch in the charming little fisherman’s town, Arrieta. There are many restaurants here boasting stunning sea views and which offer up seafood-forward menus. One particularly well-reviewed restaurant is La Casa de la Playa, but make sure to book a table in advance as this place is particularly popular (especially during high season!)
Explore Haría
You can check out the César Manrique House Museum or simply stroll around and allow the village of a thousand palm trees to reveal itself to you. The delightful town of Haría is an oasis of greenery amid an otherwise arid landscape, a sleepy town characterised by its winding narrow paths, trailing flowering bougainvillaea and sheer number of palm trees.
Sunset at Mirador de Guinate
End your first day of exploring the best way, by viewing a beautiful sunset! The viewpoint is reached from Haría via a 12-minute drive and is situated along the northernmost point of the island, close by to the more popular viewpoint Mirador del Río.
Located almost 500 meters above the cliff face, this viewpoint offers a quieter (and free) view, and the reason I suggest this hidden gem over César Manrique’s viewpoint is that there are no restrictions regarding opening hours. From here you can see stunning vistas of La Graciosa island and Guinate from the same spot!
As it’s high above sea level, the winds can get pretty strong, so be sure to bring a spare jacket (even during the summer months).
Dinner in Haría
Head back to Haría centre and find somewhere to enjoy some delicious tapas and a cold refreshing crisp beer! I recommend finding a spot on the beautiful main square Plaza Leon y Castillo, which is sheltered by majestic eucalyptus trees. Restaurante Tacande serves a delicious variety of Lanzarote/Spanish fusion cuisine.
Day 2 suggested itinerary for Lanzarote
Jardin de Cactus
Start the morning by exploring Jardin de Cactus (The Cactus Garden) one of the most beautiful and last creations of artist César Manrique. The magical space is set within a former quarry and boasts 1,400 varieties of Cacti and over 10,000 other tropical plants from all over the world, truly a plant lover’s haven!
A charming little windmill sits at the top of the garden, from here you can enjoy one of the best views overlooking the verdant green foliage in its entirety. The garden opens at 10 AM and an adult admission fee is €8.
Lunch in Teguise
A 15-minute drive from the cactus garden you’ll find the former capital of Lanzarote, Teguise. Rich with history, this town is believed to be the oldest settlement of the island and is also the birthplace of César Manrique.
Stop here for a healthy and and tasty lunch, I recommend heading to Esquina Teguise, which serves up deliciously hearty vegan bowls and toasts!
After lunch, have a quick wander around the town and marvel at Spinola Palace (a traditional Canarian home of a wealthy family that has since been transformed into a museum) and the beautiful town church. Strolling through Teguise gives visitors a sense of stepping back in time and experiencing what life was like on the island before colonial times.
Lagomar Museum
A 5-minute drive from Teguise you’ll find the most famous house on the island, Museo Lagomar. This architectural dream has (of course) had the helping design hand of César Manrique and various other local artists. It was initially built as a home, set within an ancient volcanic quarry, and builders used the surrounding lava as a construction material.
Lagomar has been redeveloped by many an architect, always encompassing the beauty of Lanzarote’s natural landscape. Today, this small paradise is open for visitors to admire and marvel at the artistic imprint that has been left. Book your ticket to Museo Lagomar here.
Las Grietas
Explore one of the lesser-visited geological formations in Lanzarote, Las Grietas, which is a ravine reminiscent of one found in the Grand Canyon, USA. Las Grietas translates into English as ‘the cracks’ and they were caused when the volcanic plates of Montaña Blanca cracked.
While visitors can only wander for around 20 meters or so between the rock face, it’s a free spot and a cool place to visit while exploring the island!
Caldera de los Cuervos
A 10-minute drive from Las Grietas you’ll find an easy and stunning hiking route that transports visitors back in time along a trail which traces the history of volcanic activity. As you walk along you’ll pass by the protected La Geria landscape and see sweeping panoramic views from various points on the path.
The path is a circular loop of around 4 kilometres, so depending on how long you stop to soak up the views, it should take just over 1 hour to complete. Be sure to have sensible and comfortable walking shoes as the path can be steep at points and it is an uneven surface. Also, there are no facilities nearby, so bring lots of water!
Dinner in Teguise
Head back to Teguise for dinner and you’ll find that the town truly comes to life by night. Illuminated by the glow of lights, for dinner, I recommend El Recoveco for some particularly tasty tapas dishes!
Day 3 suggested itinerary for Lanzarote
Timanfaya National park
Spend your final day exploring the southwestern part of the island and immerse yourself in the unusual natural landscape of Lanzarote. Due to ecological conservation reasons, visitors can’t just wander around the park, instead you can visit by coach tour only. Book tickets in advance here.
The National Park is otherworldly in its appearance and is the result of the eruptions which Lanzarote suffered in the first half of the 18th century. Found within the park you have lunch at El Diablo, an iconic restaurant built by César Manrique in 1970, it sits atop a volcano that provides all the heat needed to cook the food!
Winery visits
No trip to the island would be complete without wine! Next head to La Geria and discover the wine scene of Lanzarote, this protected landscape is the name by which the wine region is known. The geria are cone-shaped volcanic hollows, which have had vines planted in the heart of the.
Wine has been produced in the Canaries since the mid-15th century when the first colonists imported vines to the islands. And, to this very day, the grape harvest is done entirely by hand! Something rather unique about wine from the island is the presence of volcanic ash, which contains minerals that feed the vines, adding important nutrients which add to the wine’s unique flavour.
The most common type of grape grown is Malvasia, and this accounts for around 75% of the wine produced. Red, white, and rosé are all produced on the island. Book your Wine Tour and Tasting under the Volcano here in advance.
El Golfo (and the green lagoon)
Finish the day at El Golfo, located just outside of the town on the shore of a beach is a natural wonder not to be missed before you leave Lanzarote! Created by volcanic eruptions is the unique and strange green lagoon that is a spectacularly vivid shade of green.
Illuminated by the contrast of black sand that surrounds it, the colour of the water is caused by a semi-precious stone called, Olivina, which is found amongst the grains of sand, forged from volcanic origin.
Where to stay
Lanzarote is a fairly small island and you can drive around its entirety in around 1.5 hours, so no matter where you stay you’re never too far from anything if you have your own transport. Here are a few suggestions of where to stay (some based on web reviews):
La Casa del Medianero – We stayed in this beautiful apartment, with a garden and stunning views this spot was tucked away and made for the idyllic spot to base ourselves on, as we had rented a car. Offering BBQ facilities, an outdoor pool and free Wifi. Check prices and availability here.
Hotel Emblemático La Casa de los Naranjos – Situated in the verdant green town of Haría, this gem of a hotel is set within a historical building and has rustic guest rooms. A little further from the touristy parts of the island, this spot offers a quiet escape while being close to several attractions, including the Museum of César Manrique. Check prices and availability here.
Enjoyed reading how to spend 3 perfect days in Lanzarote? Pin this article now, read it again later:
