CANARIAS

Lanzarote, often called la isla de eterna primavera, is the easternmost island in the archipelago and is located in the Las Palmas province of Canarias. Geologically, it is one of the oldest islands, and is thought to have been the first island settled by aboriginal inhabitants. Today, it ranks third in population with ~149,000 lanzaroteñ@s, with many coming from places outside of Canarias, such as Brazil, Morocco, northern Europe, and mainland Spain. 

Lanzarote is divided into seven municipalities: Arrecife (capital), Haría, San Bartolomé, Teguise, Tías, Tinajo, and Yaiza. Over a million tourists visit the island each year, with most coming from the UK. From beaches to volcanically-grown wine to incredible art, it’s easy to see the draw of Lanzarote. 

Lanzarote has one major fútbol club, known as UD Lanzarote, that participates in Spain’s Tercera División. They play home games in La Ciudad Deportiva de Lanzarote in Arrecife. There is also a significant presence of traditional sports on Lanzarote, such as lucha canaria, bola canaria, and juego del palo (an indigenous martial art). 

Lanzarote is perhaps most known for the influence of César Manrique, a notable artist and designer born in Arrecife. Manrique dedicated his life to realizing a vision he had for the future development of Lanzarote amidst rising tourism, with a specific focus on creating spaces that were in harmony with the natural environment. For this reason, despite heavy tourist traffic, Lanzarote has no gaudy multi-story hotels or apartment complexes, and most residences are painted a simple white. Manrique’s designs can be found all over Lanzarote, built into lava flows and caves. For a list of Manrique attractions, check out the Places of Interest section in the Ocio guide.