It’s beyond baffling that Lanzarote paints itself into a fly and flop corner. Yes, there are resorts across the island just waiting to pamper you into a fortnight of sun-soaked bliss. But really, where’s the fun in that? Especially when you find out what’s going on just beyond the hotel boundary. Food is being thermo-dynamically grilled by volcanic heat, surfers are tackling championship level waves and Europe’s largest underwater museum lies temptingly near on the coast. On some beaches, there’s a devil-may-care attitude to clothing – on others, divers are clad head to toe in dive gear in search of critically-endangered angel sharks. Luckily for them, Lanzarote is the shark’s favoured stomping grounds. Luckily for us, angel sharks don’t see us as anything more than a passerby in their underwater world. Which, in Lanzarote, is full of wrecks, walls and tunnels full of mesmerising sea creatures.
On land, the natural – and stunning, volcanic architecture has been masterfully made the most of by César Manrique. You’ll hear a lot about him during your stay – and it pays to track down some, if not all, of his work here. Whatever you do, explore. In Lanzarote you’ll find far more than you ever expected.
