Lanzarote is only 60 kilometers long from north to south. Nevertheless, this island is stuffed with things to do and to see. Lanzarote is great for hiking because of its beautiful volcanic landscape, but you can also find some great beaches and vibrant towns on this small pretty island. We made an itinerary for you in which you can see all of these highlights if you have 2 weeks here.
Day 1 Puerto Del Carmen + Playa Chica
You arrived on the volcanic island of Lanzarote. If you want to start your holiday taking it easy, you should first go to Puerto del Carmen. Enjoy the convenience of being in a tourist town. Because that is what this place is: touristic! It’s a vibrant town, with plenty to see and do, but it is touristic. Here you can find more information on Puerto del Carmen.
What To Do In Puerto Del Carmen?
Playa Chica
What is better than spending your first day on an island on the beach! Playa Chica is the perfect beach for your first day. It’s a tiny but beautiful place where you can already see the volcanic landscape of Lanzarote. You can see the waves crashing into the volcanic rocks in this small inlet. It’s less touristic than the other large beaches in Puerto del Carmen, but it can be busy in the high season. Read more about Playa Chica.
Bars & Restaurants
If you are tired of lying on the beach (if possible), it’s time to explore Puerto del Carmen. There is a very long boulevard that is filled with bars and restaurants. They have Happy Hour almost all day, and even without happy hour, we thought it wasn’t expensive at all!
One restaurant really stood out for us; Starscafe Restaurant. If you want a luxurious place, which is still payable, you should go here. It looks very fancy, and they have good food and wines. The staff is really friendly as well. Read more about this restaurant here.
Where To Sleep In Puerto Del Carmen
The name already gives it away, here you can have the most comfortablestay in Puerto del Carmen. It is located a 4-minute walk from the beach, and it has nice modern apartments.
$ Apartamentos HG Lomo Blanco.
A bit better priced, but still very comfortable apartments. It is also close to the beach, and it has two pools. The apartments are a bit more dated, but it’s kept very clean.
Day 2 Playa Blanca + Los Charconnes
After chilling on your first day, you maybe are looking forward to doing something more active on your second day. We will drive further in the direction of the volcanic area of Lanzarote, but there are a few great spots to check out in between. First, make a stop in the big city of Playa Blanca, whereafter you can explore the natural pools of Los Charconnes.
What To Do In And Around Playa Blanca
Los Charconnes
Located far from the inhabited towns, you can find a beautiful natural phenomenon: The natural pools of Los Charconnes. It’s pretty tricky to get there because it’s a long dirt road, but if you drive carefully, you, and your car, should be fine. It can be hard to find, but you are on the right way if you are coming near an abandoned hotel. Find more information on Los Charconnes here.
Playa Flamingo
After a morning of exploring, you might still want to enjoy a little bit of the excellent weather in Lanzarote. Although you have done some beach chillings already on Playa Chica, you have to visit this beautiful beach when visiting Playa Blanca. Playa Flamingo is great for swimming and sunbathing and ideal for children. There are also some bars and restaurants on the boulevard to enjoy a good lunch or drinks. Read more about Playa Flamingo.
Where To Sleep In Playa Blanca
Playa Blanca is quite a big town, so plenty of hotels here. However, we wanted to share our favorite one: Apartamento Paz is located on the boulevard at Playa Papagayo; ideal to sleep here after spending the afternoon at this beach. The hotel is clean and very comfortable.
Day 3 Playa Papagayo
After a good night of sleep, it is time to explore a little bit more of the beautiful nature of Lanzarote. Today you can drive to the 5 lagoons of Playa Papagayo. There are 5 different beaches that all are worth the visit. You can drive to the first one Playa Mujeres from where you can walk to the other ones. There is only one restaurant at the lagoon, also called Playa Papagayo. Here can find more information about the 5 lagoons of Playa Papagayo.
Where To Sleep After Visiting The Lagoons At Playa Papagayo
Because you are still nearby Playa Blanca and have to drive by this place to head to the next destination, it’s a good idea to stay in Apartment Paz again. It can also be nice to sleep in the same bed for 2 nights, right?
Day 4 Timanfaya National Park
Finally, it is time to really explore the volcanic area of Lanzarote! This area is more than 50 kilometers square large and exists of volcanic soil and many volcanoes, of course. There are two options for exploring this area. The first one is by hiking the ‘Ruta del Litoral.‘ This is the only way how you can explore the area without a guide. Read more about this hiking trail.
If you don’t want to hike, the hiking trail is quite long, and it can be tough to walk over the volcanic soil; there are also guided tours. You will drive through the Timanfaya National Park in a big touring bus. However, they show some geothermal demonstrations from the heat still present in the ground.
Where To Sleep After Visiting The Timanfaya National Park
Timanfaya Casa Rural has a quiet location, with beautiful views over the volcanic area of Lanzarote. Ideal for getting away from tourism. The rooms are really comfortable, and they provide a good breakfast. Great place to stay after exploring Lanzarote’s rough volcanic landscape.
Day 5 El lago verde + Los Hervideros
There are two beautiful natural phenomena that you have to see if you are in the volcanic landscape of Lanzarote. First, drive to the village of El Golfo.When you enter the village, there is a small parking place in front of a cafe. You can walk to El Lago Verde, a beautiful green lake created by the green algae residing in the water. Read more about the green lake over here.
The next stop will be Los Hervideros. Here, you can admire the spectacle of the rugged coast of Lanzarote, where the high waves crash into sea caves. You can read more about Los Hervideros here. Also, a nice bonus, both activities are free!
Where To Sleep
Because you will stay around the Timanfaya National Park for at least one more day, you can stay in Timanfaya Casa Rural again. Enjoy the rest and quietness just a little bit longer!
Day 6 Volcano Caldera Blanca
You have to climb a volcano at least once on a volcanic island such as Lanzarote. Our favorite hike was the one to the summit of the Caldera Blanca Volcano. The volcano itself is not really high, but it has a reallyimpressive crater with a diameter of 1200 meters large. It was quite a hike, though. If you want to know more or do this hike, read more about it here first.
Visit Playa de las Malvas
You can hike the volcano in the morning, then you have enough time left to visit one of the few black sand beaches you can find on Lanzarote. In our opinion, Playa de las Malvas is the most special one. It is quite a ride to get there, 5 kilometers on a dirt road. You should really drive carefully here to protect your car. You should not go swimming here, but the black sand contrasts beautifully with the clear blue waters. Read more about Playa de las Malvas here.
Where To Sleep After Hiking The Caldera Blanca Volcano
You probably think that it is time for some luxury after hiking and exploring. We found you a beautiful villa located in the quiet area around Mancha Blanca, from where you started the hike to the Caldera Blanca volcano. Enjoy the quietness and the comfort in Villa Eloisa.
Day 7 La Geria
Today we are not going far from the Timanfaya National Park because we will visit the area of La Geria first. La Geria is famous for its wines. Even though it is hard to believe, volcanic soil is ideal for farming, especially for growing grapes to make wine! Visit the wine museum El Grifo, or you can visit one of the many small wineries in the area. Here, you can learn more about their unique technique for growing the grapes, and you can taste their delicious wines. Read more about the wine museum here.
Where To Sleep
We recommend you stay one more night in Villa Eloisa. Here you can enjoy the quietness a little bit longer, before heading to the big capital of Lanzarote tomorrow, to Arrecife!
Day 8 Arrecife
To be honest, Arrecife is not the most beautiful location in Lanzarote, but if you have 2 weeks on the island, you should bring it a visit. It is a coastal town and even has a real urban beach! A good time to enjoy the luxury of chilling on the beach while having everything you need at hand. However, we recommend you not stay longer than one or two days here.
Where To Sleep
Arrecife is filled with hotels and apartments, and I think many of them are just fine. Still, we want to mention one in particular: The paradise Jaira II. Especially the location is ideal. It lies just a few steps from the beach, and the rooms are really comfortable.
Day 9 Surfing at Famara Beach
Time for some sports activity! Lanzarote is a great island to learn surfing,especially at Famara Beach, located on the northwestern side of Lanzarote. Famara Beach is a few kilometers long golden-sand beach ideal for watersports but not so much for sunbathing. However, it is still worth visiting without surfing, because you can watch all the surfers here. Read more about Famara Beach.
Go Surfing At Lanzasurf
If you would like to try surfing, go to Lanzasurf. Lanzasurf is a great surf school. You can take a surfing class or rent the material if you are already confident enough to go surfing by yourself. The instructors here are great; they really take the time to teach you! After a good surfing session, they also offer yoga classes to relax again. Read more about Lanzasurf.
Day 10 Famara & Ecodome experience
Especially if you want to go surfing, it might be nice to have one more day in Famara. You can choose to go surfing one more day or maybe just stroll around a little bit in Caleta de Famara, a village with a true surfing vibe. There are a few really great bars and restaurants here. See here for more information about (playa) Famara.
Sleep In The Ecodome Experience
Suppose you are looking for a unique experience and a romantic place to stay overnight. In that case, you should book a night in the Ecodome. You will have beautiful views over the volcanoes, and what about looking at the starry sky from your home at night. The place is really luxurious but only suitable for 2 people max. You can read here about the Ecodome.
Day 11 Teguise
Time to visit the old historical capital of Lanzarote: Teguise. Teguise is located in the middle of Lanzarote, so the first non-coastal town on the list, and you really don’t need the beach over here. Teguise is really cozy with its old historical buildings and cobblestone streets. Try visiting on a Sunday for the big and famous Sunday market, or escape from the tourism by visiting this place on any other day. Read more about Teguise over here.
Where To Sleep
There are not many hotels in and around Teguise. Therefore, we recommend you to travel already to Costa Teguise. Here, one resort really stood out for us: Club Santa Rosa. This hotel really has it all: luxurious rooms, a great breakfast and dinner buffet, and for the sporty types: they offer all kinds of sports. They have padel lanes, a bowling alley, in- and outdoor pools, and a fully equipped gym. You can read more about Club Santa Rosa over here.
Day 12 Costa Teguise
Time to visit the old historical capital of Lanzarote: Teguise. Teguise is located in the middle of Lanzarote, so the first non-coastal town on the list, and you really don’t need the beach over here. Teguise is really cozy with its old historical buildings and cobblestone streets. Try visiting on a Sunday for the big and famous Sunday market, or escape from the tourism by visiting this place on any other day. Read more about Teguise over here.
Where To Sleep
To enjoy a little bit longer the luxury you get at Club Santa Rosa, we recommend you to stay for one more night over here. It is also just a 10-minute walk to the boulevard of Costa Teguise.
Eat Tapas In Costa Teguise
When visiting a Spanish island, it is a must to eat tapas at least once! We found the best tapas restaurant on the island of Lanzarote: La Tabla. They serve delicious tapas dishes but also great bbq dishes. Ask for a good glass of wine to accompany your meal; they are true wine experts. You can read more about La Tabla here.
Day 13 Playa Caleta del Mojon Blanco
This quiet hidden beach is located all the way to the northern side of Lanzarote. Its beautiful clear blue waters and the dark volcanic surrounding make this place really picturesque. On one of your last days, you might want to enjoy a little bit more the perfect weather on this island, and how can you do better than chilling on the beach. Read more about this beach here.
Where To Sleep
The village located closest to Playa Caleta del Mojon Blanco is Orzola. Not much to do and see here, but we found a good place to stay for the night: Tabaibita. It is a lovely and well-equipped apartment and an excellent place to stay before visiting James del Agua the following day.
Day 14 Creations of Cesar Manrique
On your last day, you can visit the creations of Cesar Manrique. Cesar Manrique was a famous architect on Lanzarote who combined his buildings with nature. We visited three of his creations. Jameos del Agua is a restaurant and bar located in a lava tube. You can also find an azure blue swimming pool here. However, you are not allowed to swim in it. You can take beautiful pictures over here.
Nearby Jameos del Agua, you can find Jardin de Cactus, a garden full of cacti. The last creation we visited, which we also recommend you visit, is Mirador del Rio. This is a viewpoint, but a very special one. Cesar Manrique built a beautiful house on the top, where you can enjoy the views. You can read more about his creations over here.
Where To Sleep
We would recommend you to stay at Casa Nube Blanca. This hotel is located nearby Mirador del Rio, near the village of Yé, and it is a quiet place where you can enjoy your last day on the island. The owners are really warm-hearted, but they are a little bit spiritual.
Check out our other travel itineraries
There are so many beautiful things to see and great things to do, even 2 weeks is not enough! If you have one week extra, you might want to read this travel itinerary for some extra tips. However, even if you only have 1 week, you should visit Lanzarote! We have also made a list of must-sees if you are just one week on the island.
