Carpets of Salt on display on Lanzarote

This weekend will see associations preparing salt carpets near local churches in one of Lanzarote’s prettiest traditions.

The custom take place on the nearest weekend to Corpus Christi. On western Canary Islands, the carpets are prepared with flowers, but Lanzarote’s dry climate means that dyed salt is used instead.

The careful work of preparing the carpets will begin this Saturday evening, and they will then be on display throughout Sunday morning until midday, when a procession from the church carefully tramples over all of them in an act meant to represent the brevity of life and beauty. After the parade children often rush to gather the coloured salt in jars and bottles.

Salt carpets are usually prepared in Tias, Teguise, Haría, Yaiza and San Bartolomé, but the biggest display is in Arrecife, where around 23 carpets will be prepared on the streets around the Church of San Ginés.