Lanzarote is a beautiful island, which is unique in many ways. Whilst all of the Canary Islands are of volcanic origin, Lanzarote is the most individual in terms of its striking volcanic terrain. So much so in fact, that it was used as the backdrop for the films ‘Planet of the Apes’ and ‘100 Million Years BC’. Its individuality is also visible in the huge range of unusual things to see and do all over the island. Check out some of our top suggestions.
Not a high rise building in sight
For such a popular holiday destination, something particularly unusual will be immediately apparent when you arrive. There is a lack of high rise buildings and advertising billboards on the island. The reason? They are banned! It’s all thanks to an artist, sculptor and engineer by the name of Cesar Manrique. Back in the 1970’s, he wanted to illustrate that both ecological friendly buildings and tourist attractions could exist, without succumbing to the trends of mass tourism.
An eaterie with a difference
This leads us to one of the most unusual places to eat; El Diablo Restaurant, which was designed by Manrique. Located in the stunning Timanfaya National Park, a wonder to behold in itself, the restaurant sits atop the Islote de Hilario. Much of the cuisine served at the restaurant is cooked by directly utilising the heat from the sleeping volcano beneath by use of a deep well shaped barbeque. The appeal doesn’t end there though. The entire national park is incomparable to anything you’ve seen before. You can even embark on a camel safari amongst the sand dunes surrounded by the impressive volcanoes.
An actual yellow submarine
When it comes to water based activities, many destinations offer Submarine boat trips. Nine times out of ten, it turns out to be a semi-sub glass bottomed boat. In Lanzarote you can actually go fully underwater in a real life submarine which also happens to be yellow, naturally. This is a fantastic way to get up close to the fascinating underwater world. Especially if you don’t fancy getting your hair wet by going snorkelling or scuba diving. You can also learn about the underwater life too. The tour guides running the trip provides commentary on the sealife that surrounds you underwater.
Unique wildlife to Lanzarote
There are plenty of unusual sights all over the island. One particular favourite are the Albino crabs! These tiny white crabs are completely unique to Lanzarote, but are also sadly blind. The crabs have inhabited the island since prehistoric times. They primarily live in caves on the north coast of the island, above Arrecife. See if you can spot them during your exploration of the Jameos del Agua volcanic grottoes and the largest volcanic tunnel in the world.
Vineyards aplenty
Surprisingly, the black volcanic soil is rich in nutrients, so is great for grape growing. You will spot many vineyards across the island but you might not realise what they are at first. The north east breezes can sometimes be quite strong so the vines are planted in shallow hollows and protected by a horseshoe shaped small wall, acting like a wind break. You are actively encouraged to taste the produce so head on over to the wine route from Yaiza to San Bartolome.
So, if you are searching for the perfect winter sun escape with something a little different up its sleeve, Lanzarote could be for you!
