The ultimate Canary Islands itinerary: 48 hours in Northern Lanzarote

The easternmost of Spain’s Canary Islands, off the south coast of Morocco, Lanzarote is defined by its natural drama. Eerily beautiful volcanic peaks, wind-lashed cliffs and vineyards of ashen soil give way to a rocky, lava-shaped coastline sprinkled with natural pools and deep-gold beaches. The island is protected by UNESCO as both a Biosphere Reserve and a Geopark, and it’s in the wild north that all this natural beauty shines brightest. 

It’s impossible to fully grasp modern Lanzarote’s identity without understanding the huge influence of celebrated 20th-century local artist and environmental campaigner César Manrique, who played a major role in keeping the island’s development sensitive.

The handful of tourism-driven beach resorts that many associate with Lanzarote make up just a small part of the island — mostly in the south. In recent years, northern Lanzarote’s rich arts heritage, adventure opportunities and lively watersports activities have started to pull in growing numbers of travellers. The local food scene is flourishing, too, while creative designers and artists are restoring heritage buildings as boutique hotels.

Day 1: Villages, art & vineyards

Morning
Begin at the Fundación César Manrique, on the edge of the town of Tahíche. The artist created his home here in the late 1960s by adapting natural lava rock bubbles made by an 18th-century eruption. Often called the Casa del Volcán (Volcano House), Manrique lived here for two decades; its galleries show his paintings and sculptures.

A 10-minute drive north lies Teguise, originally an Indigenous Majo settlement, then the island’s capital after the 1402 European conquest until 1852. Stroll around the historic centre and artists’ studios before lunch at the lively Teleclub de Mozaga; born as cultural centres in the 1960s, Lanzarote’s teleclubs specialise in traditional cooking.

Afternoon
Lanzarote makes some excellent wines and La Geria, the island’s wine region, is worth an afternoon tour. The vineyards are unusual, with vines growing in volcanic ash, traditionally rooted in distinctive deep, circular hollows. In recent years a crop of new wineries has emerged, with younger generations taking over family businesses and fresh wine-makers being drawn to Lanzarote.

Led by local wine expert Ollie Horton, who’s lived on the island for years, Wine Tours Lanzarote runs small-group trips to innovative independent and renowned bodegas, where you’ll see the grape-growing process and taste wines — including the island’s classic white Malvasía Volcánica.

Evening
Push on to the Atlantic-whipped north coast, where sunset illuminates the cliffs above three-mile-long Famara Beach — a vision that perfectly encapsulates Lanzarote’s rugged beauty. The tiny, oceanfront village here, Caleta de Famara, has a laid-back surfing culture, superb restaurants and traditional whitewashed houses with photogenic sky-blue shutters.

Right on the waterfront, stay for dinner at El Risco, which has made a name for itself with its creative Canarian dishes. The former fisherman’s house was remodelled by César Manrique and one of his original 1980s murals still adorns the wall. Diners can also sit out on the small terrace overlooking the Famara cliffs and Isla Graciosa.

Day 2: Palm groves & natural pools

Morning
Start your foray into the secluded northernmost stretch of the island in Haría, a cluster of whitewashed buildings hidden in the Valle de las Mil Palmeras — the Valley of a Thousand Palms. The village is known for its busy Saturday-morning artisanal market, but it’s equally rewarding (and quieter) to visit at other times. 

Wander past buildings with bright-green doors and shutters, typical of inland Lanzarote, to reach the Casa-Museo César Manrique at the southwest end of town, where the artist spent the final few years of his life. In the late 1980s, Manrique restored and extended a finca in a palm grove into a tranquil rural home, with classic furniture he designed himself and bathrooms drowning in lush greenery. Out the back, his studio is displayed pretty much as it was when he died in a car accident in 1992.

Afternoon
Drive 10 minutes southeast to the relaxed village of Arrieta for lunch overlooking La Garita Beach. One of several superb seafood restaurants in town, La Casa de la Playa is a popular haunt with its ocean-facing terrace and serves up the likes of fresh fish of the day, papas arrugadas (wrinkly potatoes) and seafood rice dishes.

Afterwards, go swimming at Punta Mujeres, a small fishing village just north of Arrieta with a string of locally popular natural pools dotted along the waterfront. You could spend the entire afternoon relaxing here, but make time to dive into a final Manrique creation. Just five minutes’ drive north, the Jameos del Agua is a millennia-old volcanic tube that was reimagined by Manrique in the 1960s. It’s now a spectacular cultural space with bars, restaurants, a lagoon pool and concert hall.

Evening
A scenic drive takes you back towards the Teguise area for the evening. Follow the LZ202, which loops past the Manrique-designed Mirador del Río lookout with views across to tiny Isla Graciosa, before taking the LZ10 south from Haría via Peñas del Chache, the highest point on the island. Nights in Teguise tend to be quiet, but there’s always a buzz at Cantina Teguise, where Haría-made smoked cheeses, burgers and Padrón peppers are served alongside wines from local bodegas like Vulcano and Bermejos in a restored 500-year-old house.

Or head over to Costa Teguise, a 15-minute drive southeast, for dinner at SeBE, a restaurant that ranks among the island’s finest — it specialises in arroces (rice dishes) and seafood plates such as giant La Santa shrimp and smoked octopus with lentils.

Top three hiking trails in Northern Lanzarote

1. Caldera Blanca
Hiking within Lanzarote’s fabled Parque Nacional de Timanfaya is only permitted on short guided routes with limited, pre-booked spots. However, plenty of unrestricted hikes weave through the surrounding Parque Natural de Los Volcanes. The Caldera Blanca loop tracks 5.5-miles up to the rim of an enormous volcanic crater, with views across Timanfaya’s volcanoes. 

2. Volcán de la Corona
As you venture towards Lanzarote’s northernmost tip, it’s impossible to miss the lichen-covered, 2,000ft-tall bulk of the now-extinct Volcán de La Corona. Follow a 3.7-mile return uphill path from the village of Yé to reach the rim, with views across the volcanic landscapes known as Malpaís de la Corona. Olita Trek & Bike offers excellent guided hikes across the island, including a northern route taking in the Volcán de la Corona.

3. Haría to the Mirador Risco de Famara
Some of the most inspiring views on the entire island are from the isolated, spine-tingling Mirador Risco de Famara, halfway between Teguise and Haría. The official Haría Circular trail (6.6 miles) passes through here, or you can hike up along a path through the Barranco Elvira Sánchez valley from Haría and return via the long-distance GR131 (around 2.7 miles each way).

Go further: Canarian Active Adventures

Surfing on Famara
Many experienced surfers come to Lanzarote just to catch the famous Atlantic waves in Famara, with the Risco de Famara cliffs looming high above miles of golden volcanic sand, or at other nearby spots like El Quemao, a renowned challenge even for professionals. Famara Beach is known for having reliably good waves almost year-round.

November to February are popular months for those with experience. Complete beginners might prefer the gentler summer waves, but most local surf schools can adapt sessions to your level at any time of year. Surf School Lanzarote is a long-established, International Surfing Association-accredited academy based in Famara, offering small-group classes and courses as well as private sessions for all abilities.

Isla Graciosa
A narrow stretch of ocean known as El Río (The River) separates the northern tip of Lanzarote from remote Isla Graciosa, which is a superb day-trip destination for adventurous souls. First settled in the 1860s by a handful of families, this tiny island sits within the now strictly protected Chinijo Archipelago, a richly biodiverse pocket of the Canaries that’s home to a wide variety of birds and marine life. 

Ferries depart regularly from Órzola (Lanzarote’s northernmost town) for the harbour village of Caleta de Sebo, Isla Graciosa’s only full-time settlement. Most day-trippers head straight for the sandy beaches near the village, but the most rewarding way to explore the island is by hiring a bike. Caleta de Sebo has a few unfussy restaurants, or bring a picnic.

Windsurfing & wingfoiling
Strategically positioned on Lanzarote’s windswept northeast shores, the easygoing resort town of Costa Teguise has grown into a popular hub for windsurfing in the Canaries since it was first put on the map in the 1990s. Much of the action centres on golden Playa de las Cucharas, the town’s flagship half-moon beach. 

The main season runs from March to September and, due to the geography of the bay, conditions are regularly sheltered enough for beginners. Well-established Windsurfing Club Las Cucharas runs courses for all levels. In recent years, wingfoiling — a sport that combines elements of windsurfing, kitesurfing and surfing — has also boomed here, while paddleboarding offers a more relaxing way to explore on the water.

Local specialties to try in Northern Lanzarote

Lanzarote cheeses
Most of the island’s goat’s cheeses are made using the fresh milk of the native cabra majorera, often by family-owned cheese farms that still use traditional methods. Rinds are typically infused with island ingredients such as rosemary and paprika. It’s often served grilled or baked, drizzled with fresh mojo — a local sauce made with coriander, parsley or paprika.

Caldo de millo
This maize-based plato de cuchara (spoon dish) made with Canarian potatoes and chickpeas is a classic recipe across the archipelago. In Lanzarote, a local variation of the stew is prepared with pork ribs, often for family gatherings and festivals.

Papas arrugadas
In Lanzarote, you’re almost guaranteed to end up feasting on these deliciously salty ‘wrinkly potatoes’. Typically made with locally grown papas bonitas — an ancient variety of Canarian potato — the small, skin-on potatoes are served either as a starter with mojos to dip in or alongside seafood and meat dishes.

Gofio
A versatile flour made from toasted grain, gofio was an important staple for the Canaries’ Indigenous Guanche communities. Today, it remains a key ingredient, usually made with wheat or maize, or both. It adds an earthy flavour to soups, stews, cheeses and desserts.

Lapas
Limpets were once considered suitable only for those in desperate hunger, which was sadly often the case in the isolated Canary Islands. Now known among chefs for their distinctive texture, these aquatic snails are under strict harvest regulations and only appear on Lanzarote’s menus sporadically. They’re usually served grilled with mojo of parsley or coriander.