History

Top 5 Lanzarote projects that were never realised

Lanzarote has always inspired creative thinking. Over the years many projects have been dreamed up to transform the island, but only a handful have ever become reality. Here are some of the big ideas that never came true, or remain to be realised.

Traditions in Lanzarote’s old capital

Lanzarote's oldest town boasts colourful traditions and strange, beautiful celebrations. Here’s our list of ones to experience.

Lanzarote’s deep past

Shadows of clouds rush swiftly across the desert region of El Jable, driven by the same winds that have swept sand across the island to the southern beaches for thousands of years. With the cliffs of Famara in the distance, it's a beautiful but desolate place.

The pirate raid of 1618

On 1st May 1618, 36 Agerian galleys anchored in Arrecife's bay, and 3,000 men put to shore, commanded by the Algerian pirate Tabac Arráez. Their objective was to pillage anything of value, and the most valuable commodity on Lanzarote was human beings.

The most famous beers in the Canary Islands

It's one of the oldest arguments on the island. Of the two major Canarian beer brands available on the islands, which one tastes the best?

Lanzarote’s Zonzamas mystery

Humans have been building and designing on Lanzarote for centuries, and one of the leastvisited areas of Lanzarote is home to its richest archeological heritage – where the original natives of the island settled and created mysterious stone carvings.

César Manrique’s retreat

In 1989, César Manrique celebrated his 70th birthday. With a lifetime of intense creativity behind him, he began to look to his legacy, establishing the César Manrique Foundation at his original home in the Taro de Tahiche.

The Governors House

The Casa de Guerra Mayor on the outskirts of San Bartolomé is one of the most impressive examples of Canarian architecture on the island. If you want to be inspired by a unique example of the colonial Spanish style, it’s not to be missed.

The history of Lanzarote’s hotels

The history of Lanzarote’s hotels echoes the way the island has changed utterly over the last century.

The Devil of Timanfaya: Legend or Lie?

César Manrique’s devil sculptures greet hundreds of thousands of visitors to Timanfaya each year, but is there a tragic story behind the prancing demon with the pitchfork?