Things to do whilst staying in Lanzarote

Whilst it is true that most people visit Lanzarote for the all year round sun, there are plenty of other things to do on your holiday on the island, although some of the attractions are not so well known.

The first port of call, especially if you haven't been to Lanzarote before has to be The Timanfaya National Park. The park is made up of numerous Volcanoes, now thankfully all extinct apart from one. A small entrance fee allows you up to Fire Mountain where you can take a bus trip around the national park and sample good food cooked on a grill powered by natural heat from the volcano.

Just around the corner on the coast you can find El Golfo. A small fishing town on the eastern side of the island. It is at El Golfo where you can find a green mineral water lake at the foot of a half eroded volcano. The waves at El Golfo can become quite rough at time and we have spent many an afternoon eating at El Golfo whilst looking out to sea.

To the North of the Island you can find Mirador del Rio. This lookout was one of Cesar Manriques' attractions and looks out of the cliffs towards the island of La Graciosa. On a good day the view is stunning with the sandy island and the clear blue sea.

Not far from Mirador del Rio is the small, but entertaining Guinate Tropical Park, home to many birds, reptiles, fish and our favourites, the Meerkats!

On the west side of the island you can visit the volcanic tunnels of Caeva do los Verdes (The Green Caves) and see the blind crabs across the road at Jameos del Agua. These natural attractions were also sculpted by the late Cesar Manrique and provide fascinating attractions build into the natural origins of the island.

If you prefer to do things a bit more upbeat there are plenty of shops, bars and restaurants on the island, not to mention the sandy (both black and golden) beaches that you can find at most resorts. If you are a sports fanatic you can find windsurfing and kite surfing up at Famara, towards the north of the island.

For a small island, if you know where to look, there really is so much to do on Lanzarote.