The Canarian Government has announced plans to transform Arrecife’s former Municipal Fish Market into a new gastronomic centre as part of efforts to revitalise the capital’s historic district and strengthen its appeal as a tourist destination.

The project was presented on Wednesday by the Canary Islands’ Minister of Tourism and Employment, Jéssica de León, alongside Arrecife Mayor Yonathan de León during a visit to the building.

The renovation, which will be fully funded by the regional government, has a budget of €466,601, excluding taxes. Construction is scheduled to begin in September and is expected to take five months.

Once completed, the restored building will include dining and tasting areas, a kitchen, accessible toilets and a rooftop terrace. The aim is to create a modern food market that serves both residents and visitors while preserving one of Arrecife’s historic landmarks.

Speaking at the presentation, Jéssica de León said the government had prioritised projects that help visitors experience the islands’ history, traditions and gastronomy.

She said restoring buildings that have fallen into disuse helps preserve Lanzarote’s identity while giving them a new purpose.

Mayor Yonathan de León said the project forms part of a wider strategy to regenerate Arrecife’s historic centre, where commercial and hospitality activity has increased in recent years. He highlighted the restoration of Plaza de Las Palmas and said new projects were encouraging investment, attracting visitors and supporting job creation.

Other projects

The former fish market is one of several tourism infrastructure projects being supported in Arrecife by the Canary Islands Government.

Work is also planned to restore the former Commercial Pier and César Manrique’s waterfall at Charco de San Ginés, with both schemes jointly funded by the regional government and the Cabildo.

The Commercial Pier project has a total regional contribution of €526,488, matched by the Cabildo, and is expected to take four months. The works will include repairs to stone walls, cobbled paving, seawalls, signage and the pier’s surface.

The restoration of the Charco de San Ginés waterfall will receive €613,777 from the regional government, with the Cabildo providing an equal amount. The project aims to restore the waterfall originally conceived by César Manrique as part of the redevelopment of the Charco, allowing water to once again cascade from the upper edge of Morro de la Elvira.

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Playa Reducto has reopened to swimmers after being closed for more than a week due to sewage contamination.

Arrecife Ayuntamiento announced that the beach reopened yesterday, August 7th, following the latest water quality tests which confirmed the water is once again safe for bathing.

With the latest results confirming safe water quality, the beach’s blue and green flags have been reinstated.

Arrecife Ayuntamiento has also submitted a report to the Canary Islands Health Service detailing the actions taken by the Lanzarote Water Consortium, which manages the island’s sewer network. The report covers work carried out around the pumping stations, sewer infrastructure, spillway and discharge pumps located near the Cabildo building.

Officials said all planned summer activities at Playa Reducto, including sports and entertainment events linked to the San Ginés festivities, will continue as scheduled.

The council believes the pollution was likely caused by a rupture in a pressurised sewer pipe in Argana Alta. The damaged pipe carries wastewater from Playa Honda and parts of Arrecife to the Montaña Mina wastewater treatment plant, and the failure is thought to have led to the temporary discharge that affected the area near the beach.

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The Las Palmas Prosecutor’s Office has filed a lawsuit against the Mayor of Arrecife, Yonathan de León and the Deputy Mayor, Echedey Eugenio. The suit relates to alleged irregularities in the issuing of contracts for certain public events. 

The legal action is based on a report from the Financial Crime Unit of the National Police, in relation to the Navilan Christmas Fair of 2023, which alleges the “intensive use” of small contracts, possible contract-splitting, short deadlines that attracted solitary bids and the “repetition of certain awardees.”

Ther investigation remains open.

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Arrecife’s long-planned renovation of its Parque Temático has moved a step closer after the coastal authroity approved the conditions needed to grant a concession for the work.

The approval marks an important milestone in the administrative process for one of the capital’s largest urban regeneration projects.

Part of the redevelopment covers Punta del Camello, an area of reclaimed land created during coastal expansion works in the 1950s. The plans include a stage, dance area and viewing platform. The site suffered storm damage earlier this year when high waves destroyed sections of walls and paving.

The project’s environmental assessment says climate change is not expected to significantly affect the coastline between La Bufona and Punta del Camello. However, it notes that Reducto Beach is projected to lose some of its area over the next 25 years because of rising sea levels, which could affect part of the promenade between the skate park and the beach.

A Modern Park for Recreation and Sport

The renovation will completely redesign the 37,550-square-metre park, originally built in 1997, which the council says now suffers from significant maintenance problems.

Plans include:

• Two public plazas
• A viewing platform with an outdoor stage
• Inclusive children’s play areas with a marine theme
• Picnic areas and a dog park
• Water features with a sunbathing area
• A cactus garden
• Multi-sports courts
• A new skate park
• Calisthenics facilities
• A pump track
• A bouldering wall
• Wellness and exercise spaces
• A kiosk with public toilets and storage

The project also aims to increase vegetation, improve shade and thermal comfort, strengthen biodiversity and create better links between the park, the coastline and El Reducto Beach while meeting sustainability, accessibility and climate adaptation objectives.

The redevelopment has an estimated budget of €8.33 million and is expected to take 18 months to complete once construction begins. If completed as planned, the project will transform one of Arrecife’s most recognisable waterfront spaces into a modern public park designed for recreation, sport and community use.

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Two men have been arrested by Arrecife Local Police following a violent domestic-related altercation in which both allegedly threatened each other with knives.

The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon after witnesses alerted police to a domestic dispute. Officers were dispatched from the Local Police Headquarters and arrived to find that the two men had already left the scene.

According to witnesses, both men brandished knives and repeatedly made threatening gestures as though they were about to attack one another. A woman present at the scene reportedly tried to intervene and calm the situation.

Witnesses gave officers detailed descriptions of the knives, as well as the suspects. They also reported that one of the men fled in a van driven by another individual, while the other left on foot.

Police launched a search of the area and quickly located one of the suspects. During a security search, officers found a knife concealed on his ankle. According to police, the man admitted that the witnesses’ account of the incident was accurate.

Based on witness statements, the recovered weapon and the men’s own admissions, officers arrested both suspects on suspicion of making serious threats with knives.

The investigation found that the confrontation stemmed from an ongoing family dispute involving one suspect’s ex-partner and daughter. Police said the ex-partner had begun a relationship with the other man, leading to the confrontation.

One of the detainees was taken to a health centre for a medical assessment before both men were transferred to the National Police Station in Arrecife at around 9:00pm. As neither suspect was carrying identification, they verbally provided their identities before being placed at the disposal of the judicial authorities.

Police credited the prompt response of officers and the quick actions of witnesses in contacting the emergency services with preventing the incident from escalating into a potentially fatal attack.

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Juan Luis Guerra captivated thousands of fans at the Lava Live Festival last Friday night, delivering a performance that combined timeless hits, exceptional musicianship and an atmosphere of celebration at the Lava Live Stadium in Arrecife.

The Dominican music icon proved why he remains one of the most respected artists in Latin music, performing a set that blended merengue, bachata and romantic ballads with the elegance and warmth that have defined his decades-long career.

Throughout the evening, Guerra acknowledged the multicultural audience, greeting fans from across Latin America, including the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Colombia. His interaction reflected Lanzarote’s diverse community, with attendees from many nationalities joining together to sing and dance.

Backed by his acclaimed band, Guerra delivered flawless vocals and musicianship, while high-quality lighting, sound and visual production enhanced each performance. The concert reached its peak with a lively rendition of “La Bilirrubina,” which saw thousands of people singing and dancing together before the singer closed the night with a heartfelt “Thank you, Lanzarote!”

A Full Day of Entertainment

The festival programme began earlier in the afternoon with performances by Ventura and local group Malpaís, whose island-inspired sound received a warm reception from the home crowd.

Juanma Restrepo and Spanish pop star Ana Mena followed, steadily building the energy ahead of the night’s headline performance.

Making her first appearance in Lanzarote, Ana Mena delivered a polished, choreography-filled show featuring many of her biggest hits. The Málaga-born singer also performed while enjoying one of the strongest moments of her career, driven by the success of “Pa Ti Toa,” her collaboration with Lola Índigo, which has become one of Spain’s biggest songs of the summer.

Between the live performances, DJ Renzo El Selector kept audiences entertained with continuous music, ensuring the atmosphere remained lively throughout the day.

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A red flag was raised to forbid bathing at Playa Reducto in Arrecife yesterday after sewage was reported in the water.

A leak appears to have occurred near Punta del Camello, the promontory to the west of the beach. Lifesavers immediately closed the beach upon detecting the contamination.

Arrecife’s Ayuntamiento has asked the Water consortium to investigate the incident, which may be related to an incident last week when a burst pipe sent sewage several metres into the air in Argana Alta, damaging houses.

Playa Reducto was closed form October 2025 to April 1^st this year after similar leaks.  

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The Cabildo has announced that a new roundabout will be built at a notorious crossroads in one of Arrecife’s industrial and commercial zones.

For several years, traffic congestion has occurred at the junction of the Carretera de los Marmoles, the road on which IKEA is located; and Carretera de los Castillos, which leads past the Castillo de San Gabriel to Arrecife’s harbour area in Puerto Naos.

At certain times of day, the tailback of traffic waiting to access the main roundabout to Costa Teguise can get so long that it blocks access to the smaller road, with drivers wishing to turn left towards the port having to rely on drivers in the other lane making space for them.

The turning is also used frequently by vans, lorries and buses based in the industrial area. 

The project for the four-exit roundabout has already been drawn up, and the Cabildo will release details of the tendering process shortly.

Arrecife Ayuntamiento initially requested the project, which was approved by the Cabildo.

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Two teenagers were taken to hospital on Tuesday morning after being struck by a vehicle on Rambla Medular in Arrecife.

The accident happened at around 8:08am, when the 112 emergency service received reports of a pedestrian collision. Emergency responders were dispatched immediately, including both an advanced life support ambulance and a basic life support unit.

A 17-year-old boy suffered a serious head injury and was taken to hospital by the advanced life support ambulance. An 18-year-old girl sustained a moderate head injury and was transported separately in a basic life support ambulance.

Officers from the Arrecife Local Police managed traffic in the area and carried out the investigation into the circumstances of the incident.

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Arrecife has recorded its strongest-ever first half for cruise tourism, welcoming 403,144 cruise passengers between January and June 2026, according to figures released by the Las Palmas Port Authority (APLP).

The total represents a 16% increase compared with the same period in 2025, with an additional 55,614 passengers arriving in Lanzarote’s capital during the first six months of the year.

Across the province, the three state-owned ports that handle cruise traffic welcomed a combined 1,300,770 passengers, an overall increase of 9.63%. Arrecife’s stronger growth means it now accounts for more than 30% of the Port Authority’s cruise-related activity.

Mayor Yonathan de León said the record figures demonstrate that the council’s efforts to establish Arrecife as a home port are delivering results. He also highlighted growing interest from cruise operators in using the city both as a turnaround port and as a regular stop on Canary Islands and West African itineraries.

However, the mayor argued that the city’s contribution to the Port Authority is not being reflected in future investment plans.

He criticised the Las Palmas Port Authority’s 2027 Business Plan, saying Arrecife continues to receive a disproportionately small share of infrastructure funding despite its growing importance to the regional cruise industry.

According to the plan, of the €230 million allocated for port construction projects across the province in 2027, just over €2 million is earmarked for Arrecife. By comparison, €131 million is planned for projects in Gran Canaria, including dock expansions, increased berthing capacity and improvements to bunkering facilities.

De León has called on the Port Authority to increase investment in Arrecife, noting that around 20% of the city’s waterfront falls within state-owned port areas managed by the authority and arguing that funding should better reflect the port’s contribution to the local and regional economy.

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