The island of Lanzarote is a popular destination for people in northern Europe such as the UK and Eire due to its fantastic yearly weather, in which temperatures remain a steady 25 degrees.
Much like the other six Canary Islands, Lanzarote is Spanish owned and so the customs and cuisine is very similar to that of the mainland. Here are some of the attractions on the island that are not to be missed by those who travel here. Go to http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/flights/Lanzarote for the best deals on getting to the island and discovering some of these amazing attractions.
Timanfaya National Park
Lanzarote as an island was formed as a result of volcanic activity and as such its landscape reflect this. The Timanfaya National Park is no different as it is situated in the epicentre of a six year long eruption during the 1730’s. When the eruptions finally stopped there was simply a lava carpeted wilderness left which covers approximately one quarter of the island.
This landscape is like something from the Moon or Mars, and tourists can explore the volcanic wasteland through guided tours before heading off to the El Diablo restaurant. This is one of the best places to eat on the island, and was created by the most famous resident Cesar Manrique. You will be able to enjoy chicken and fish cooked on massive grills which are fuelled by geo thermal heat from the dormant volcano below.
Jameos del Agua
Manrique had a massive impact on his birthplace as he campaigned against over development on the island while created nature friendly attractions that incorporate Lanzarote’s volcanic terrain. The Jameos del Agua is one such attraction and is certainly a contender for his best one. Here he transformed 6 kilometres of lava tunnels into a multi faceted events and performance space.
These spaces include a concert auditorium, underground lagoon and a wonderful collection of tropical gardens. Back in the 1960’s this help advertise the island with plenty of celebrities visiting and the island gaining a lot of publicity in magazines and newspapers.
LagOmar
The intricacy and brilliance of the Jameos del Agua became the inspiration for Omar Sharif’s own residence on the island named LagOmar. The house was built into the side of a mountain and a former quarry in a small village in the centre of the island.
Sadly for Omar, he lost his new holiday home in a bet and left Lanzarote, never to return. These days the LagOmar is open to the public as a house museum and a restaurant.
The Valley of 1000 Palms
Lanzarote is a dry island with no natural water sources. Rainfall is minimal given its location of being in close proximity to North Africa and as such the growth of plants and trees are limited. A visit to the north of the island then can be quite an eye opener as you will be walking into beautiful green valley full of Canarian palm trees.
The history behind these trees is that the village of Haria, which is located on the valley floor, have planted a palm tree for every new born baby for hundreds of years and the result is the amazing valley of trees.
