Lanzarote Information

Lanzarote, perhaps the most unusual of the Canary Islands, lies approximately 95 Km off the west coast of Africa and 1100 Km south west of the Spanish peninsula. This position ensures year round high temperatures, more days of sunshine and fewer days of rain than the other islands. Summer temperatures can be in the 90’s although these are always tempered by cooling breezes – ideal for sunbathing and sport during the day and comfortable in the evenings for relaxing over a leisurely meal or drink at one of the many bars and restaurants.

Only about 45Km long and around 18Km at its widest point, the island is famous for its dramatic lunar landscape of almost 300 volcanoes. Views of volcanic mountains, picon covered fields and rocky coastlines are broken up by a large number of beautiful golden sandy beaches and an amazing amount of well attended greenery and agriculture.

Other places of interest

Museum of Contemporary Art

The Museum of Contemporary Art is located in the Castle of San Jose, a fortress built between 1776 and 1779 by King Carlos III. Cesar Manrique, its honorary director, was aware of the importance of this building and wanted to preserve it as a lasting reminder of the past, but convert its interiors into a Museum of Modern Art. Several of his paintings and some artworks from his own private collection were donated to this end.

Emigrants Museum

Strategically situated at the top of Mount Guanapay next to the village of Teguise, the Castiio de Santa Barbara was originally built in the 16th century as a fortress to defend the ancient capital of the island. It was restored in 1989 to house the Emigrants’ Museum. The museum is devoted to various documents and archives connected with the native population’s large-scale emigration to America in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Amongst the documents on display are; letters, pass embarkation papers, photographs maps and much more.