Inspiration Andrea González
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Lanzarote’s most beautiful towns

With its lunar landscapes and whitewashed architecture, Lanzarote boasts some of the most beautiful destinations in Spain. Perfect for escaping the continental cold, the island has towns such as Teguise, Haría, Yaiza, La Santa and San Bartolomé. Filled with charm, you can enjoy picture-perfect snapshots and exquisite cuisine. We explore these five towns, tell you their stories and the best sights in each one.

  1. 1 Villa de Teguise

    Recognised as one of the Most Beautiful Towns in Spain in 2019, this town is the capital of the municipality of Teguise, the island’s largest, as well as the first civil and urban nucleus in Lanzarote. Surrounded by a unique volcanic landscape, Teguise has monuments such as the Herrera Palace, whose official name is the La Casa de Don Agustín de Herrera y Rojas. One of the first buildings on the island, it dates back to the 16th century. Do not miss the route to Santa Barbara Castle, an impressive fortress built on the edge of the crater of the Guanapay volcano with the aim of monitoring the coast and protecting the population from maritime attacks.

    The picture shows one of the squares in Teguise, with whitewashed buildings and houses next to green palm trees.
    Teguise is one of the most beautiful villages in Spain

  2. 2 Haría

    This town of less than 6,000 inhabitants can boast of being one of the most beautiful in the Canarian archipelago. Haría stands out for its special microclimate, the greenest on the island, which has given it the nickname of “Valley of a Thousand Palms”. It was this tropical beauty that inspired the artist César Manqrique – the painter and sculptor who forever transformed the landscape of Lanzarote – to settle in the town. You can visit his House-Museum there, located in the middle of a lush palm grove. Haría is also home to the Mirador de Malpaso viewpoint, which offers an impressive view of the lunar valley where the town is located and the ocean in the background.

    One of Haría's squares, with the lush vegetation that characterises it.
    Haría is a village with an exceptional climate and vegetation.

  3. 3 Yaiza

    Yaiza was the first place on the island the European conquerors arrived at in 1402. Located on the edge of the area buried by the volcanic eruptions of 1730 and 1736, the town is famous for its location in the foothills of Timanfaya Natural Park. Yaiza maintains one of the best preserved traditional architectures in the Canary Islands. This landscape of whitewashed houses and verdant palm trees set among mountains, valleys and volcanic craters is where the Volcano Route, part of the visit to Timanfaya Natural Park, begins. In addition, Yaiza’s coasts are among the most impressive on the island: Los Hervideros, cliffs of volcanic origin, offer an incredible view of the waves breaking against the rugged coastline, while El Golfo – a beach that emerged from a volcanic crater – also has an emerald-green lagoon.

    In the foreground is the village of Yaiza, with its low whitewashed houses, framed by the profile of one of the island's volcanoes.
    From Yaiza you can visit the Natural Park of Timanfaya and the Route of the Volcanoes.

  4. 4 San Bartolomé

    In the heart of Lanzarote is San Bartolomé, a town filled with an interesting heritage. Among the most outstanding visits that can be made in this town are the Casa Museo del Campesino peasant museum and the Monumento a la Fertilidad fertility monument, both by César Manrique. They form an architectural ensemble that, while paying tribute to the workers of the island, has been recognised for its spectacular artistry for the way in which it highlights the Lanzarote’s traditional architecture. What is more, in San Bartolomé you can also visit the Museo del Vino de El Grifo wine museum. Located in one of the oldest wineries in the Canary Islands, here you can enjoy and buy top-quality wines.

    In the picture, one of the squares of San Bartolomé, with low houses dotted with palm trees. In the background is the profile of César Manrique's Monument to Fertility
    In San Bartolomé you can visit one of the best works of César Manrique in Lanzarote.

  5. 5 La Santa

    La Santa preserves Lanzarote’s fishing tradition. This fishing village, which is located within the municipality of Tinajo, offers a picturesque panorama with small brightly coloured fishing boats on the horizon. The swells of the coast of La Santa has made the town a highly valued destination for surfing lovers; it also boasts Club La Santa, a complex famous for having more than 80 sports facilities and some 500 events every week. If you visit La Santa, make time to eat there and enjoy the fresh fish delicacies brought directly from the sea every day.

    In the picture, the profile of La Santa in the background, against a lunar landscape. In the foreground, the waves of a rough sea, perfect for surfing.
    La Santa has become famous for its sporting events and perfect surfing conditions.

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