Exploring Lanzarote: How Volcano’s shaped land and History.

/ Canary Islands / By

Hello friends. In our previous post we left Agadir in Morocco and sailed overnight to La Gracioza, a nature reserve North-West of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, where we recovered from the crossing and explored the small island. On July 26 we set sail to the marina of Arrecife on the island of Lanzarote. It was a pleasant daysail, compared to the choppy crossing from Morocco.

Charco de San Ginés, the inner harbour of Arrecife with the characteristic bel tower of San Ginés' church form a romantic backdrop for........
.......our first dinner in Lanzarote.

The Canary Islands are volcanos on the ocean floor, formed by the Canary hotspot, whose peaks have risen above the ocean surface. The volcanos are still classified as “active” and the most recent eruption was on La Palma in 2021. 

The name “Canary Islands” is derived from the Latin name Canariae Insulae, meaning ‘Islands of the Dogs’, because monk seals or sea dogs used to be abundant. The name of the islands is not derived from the canary bird; rather, the birds are named after the islands.

The statue "El Diablo" or "The Devil" is the symbol of Timanfaya National Park, one of the main tourist attraction on the island.
From 1730 to 1736, the island was hit by a series of volcanic eruptions, producing 32 new volcanoes, and leaving an interesting, photogenic landscape behind.
The priest of Yaiza, Don Andrés Lorenzo Curbelo, documented the eruption in detail, that you can learn about in the on-site museum, that also explains the volcanic formation of the islands.
Lava and pyroclasts covered a quarter of the island's surface, including the most fertile soil and 11 villages.
This formation is called; "Manto de la Virgen".
Restaurant "El Diablo" (to the left) is built on top of the Montañas del Fuego (Fire Mountains). The temperature in the core of these mountains ranges from 100 to 600 °C at a depth of 13 metres, and this phenomenon is used to cook and for demonstrations to tourists.
BBQ with geothermal energy.

Spontaneous combustion of dry hay.

Geothermal geyser.

We enjoyed an excellent lunch in El Diable and....with a view! Timanfaya is definitely worth a visit. Due to its popularity it will be busy but crowd management is well organised. There was hardly any waiting time for the tour bus or restaurant, and the toilets are clean!
Dromedary camels arrived in Lanzarote by ship, brought by settlers in the 15th century who needed a tough, desert-adapted working animal.
And they stayed because they were so well suited to the environment. Instead of transporting goods they are now carrying tourists in the volcanic parks.
From Timanfaya we head further South through the volcanic landscape.
The disaster of the Timanfaya eruptions in the 18th century led to a unique and ingenious agricultural adaptation to grow grapes. Farmers realised that the black volcanic ash absorbed moisture from night dew and reduced evaporation from the soil beneath.
They dug deep pits through the black ash to reach the original soil. Each vine was planted at the bottom of that pit. A semicircular stone wall, called a "zoco" is built to shield the plants from trade winds.
Despite the harsh environment, these vines thrive and yield distinctive wines with a taste influenced by the volcanic soil. It remains largely unchanged today.
Near the village of El Golfo on the West coast is a different type of volcano.
The caldera formed exactly on the beach. The chemical reaction between the hot lava and seawater formed deposits of different color and composition then in Timanfaya.......
......leading to unique instagramable photo's.
A bit further South we find "Los Hervidero" or "Boiling Pots". Lava from Timanfaya reached the sea and cooled into jagged black rock. Over time, waves carved out caves, tunnels and blowholes.
In rough seas, waves explode upwards in bursts of foam and spray making it look like the sea is boiling, hence the name. Unfortunately today the sea was too calm.
The furthest point South on the West coast that day was "Salinas de Janubio", the largest salt flats in the Canaries.
The eruptions from Timanfaya sealed off a coastal bay, creating a shallow lagoon. That lagoon became the base for the saltworks, which began construction in 1895. Windmills pumped seawater in the lagoon where sun and wind evaporated the water. The concentrated brine was then pumped into salt-pans.
Sun and wind further evaporated the water until the salt could be harvested.
Before refrigeration, salt was essential to preserve food and in its hay-days the Janubio salt flats produced around 10,000 tons per year, mainly for the fishing industry.
The following morning we go to the Sunday market in Teguise, the former capital of Lanzarote. Founded in the 15th century, this picturesque town with whitewashed buildings, cobbled streets and historic plazas feels very different from Lanzarote's resort heavy coastal area's.
To get to Parque La Mareta, the main market square we walk through Calle La Sangre or Blood Alley. It was given its bloody name due to the slaughter of local residents perpetrated by Calafat, a Berber pirate in 1569.
The blood turned the water in the now dry riverbed (foreground) red. The restored wooden Molina de la Mareta was used to grind cereals like wheat and barley because Lanzarote was a grain-producing island in the 17th century. The name isn't accidental. "Mareta" refers to one of the island's largest communal water reservoirs located in this town, one of the reasons for the ancient's capital importance.
The Sunday market is lively with an almost festival like atmosphere, and the entire historic town fills with stalls. You'll find handmade crafts, clothing, souvenirs, local food produce and Aloe Vera products.

This waitress was singing with her back to the audience so initially we didn’t pay attention, until we realised how incredible her performance was. Only then I took out my phone and could catch the final seconds. Sorry for the poor sound quality, but the connoisseurs under you will recognise.

The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe is the religious and historical heart of Teguise. It was built in the first half of the 15th century during the early European colonization when Teguise was the island's political center. Due to the towns riches, it was attacked multiple times by North African pirates and corsairs who looted and destroyed the church, that was rebuilt again and again.
The church's interior. The original image of the Virgin de Guadalupe (dead center of photo) hangs in the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico.
Los Diabletes de Teguise are costumed performers representing little devils. It is a centuries old, pre-Hispanic tradition from the Mahos, the Canaries' original inhabitants. They represent a mix of fear, humor and chaos, symbolizing evil spirits being controlled or mocked.
Their look is quite distinctive; Mask shaped like a bull head with red tongue - black, red, white outfit with diamond patterns, bells attached to their bodies - a stick with a small sack to "scare" onlookers. Photo from internet.
This building, now a hotel, features the only wooden balcony left in Teguise.
César Manrique was a Spanish artist - architect known for shaping the visual identity of Lanzarote island. He became famous for integrating buildings into the volcanic lanscape rather than imposing them on it. Today we are visiting some of his landmark projects.
The Fundacion Cesar Manrique is located in Manrique's former home and studio and is now a museum and art gallery.
The complex is built on top of the lava field formed by the Timanfaya eruption.
The subterranean rooms are carved into natural lava bubbles......
......and connected via tunnels.
The upper level features bright open spaces filled with plants and artworks.
The "Jardin de Cactus" was built in a former volcanic quarry - rubbish dump.........
............and Manrique transformed it into a striking amphitheater like space.
You will find over 4500 cacti........
.......of 450 species from places like Mexico, Peru and Madagascar.
An excellent and very "meaty" lunch in restaurant Mirador de Los Valles (not designed by Manrique).
Jameos del Agua is a striking art, culture and tourism complex.
The site is built within a lava tunnel formed by the eruption of the Monte Corona volcano around 4000 years ago. You enter the tunnel in Jameo Chico where there is a restaurant.
From there you can access Jameo de la Cazuela with its underground saltwater lake.
The tiny, fingernail sized white specs within that lake are the endemic blind albino crab, symbol of the site.
Jameo Grande is home to an extraordinary garden and a huge swimming pool.
Even with lots of tourists around it is quite peaceful.
The site also has an auditorium that can accommodate 550 people.
These figurines in the souvenir shop represent the willingness and capacity to reproduce. The man would send the masculine figure to the woman of choice to marry. If she agreed to become his wife, she would return the female figure.
Mirador del Rio is one of the most spectacular viewpoints in the Canaries.
Located 475 meters above sea level on the North-West coast of Lanzarote, it offers a sweeping view of La Graciosa, the island where we arrived a week earlier.
Liza points to the location where we anchored for a few nights.
The viewpoint was also designed by Manrique, who integrated it into the landscape so that it is almost invisible from the outside.
North of the viewpoint lie the remains of a WWII gun station; a command bunker and two gun pits.
Cueva de los Verdes is famous for its dramatic underground volcanic landscape.
Formed around 4000 years ago by the lava flows from Monte Corona, this 7 km long cave is one of the longest volcanic tunnels in the world.
Only a section of the total length is open to the public where you can walk through illuminated chambers, narrow passageways and vast caverns.
The lighting is cleverly designed to enhance shapes and textures, creating an almost surreal atmosphere.
Here we have a bridge spanning a beautifully lit tunnel..............
..........until the guide throws a pebble in the water.

Historically the cave was used by locals as a hiding place during pirate raids.

Unfortunately our guests, Jelle and Celina have to return home tomorrow. We had a most enjoyable time together. However, the rest of Jelle’s family will come to visit us the day thereafter, but that is for the next story.

Thank you for making it to the end of this long blog. Looking forward to see you in the next one.

Love and regards; Liza and Frits.