Children love Lanzarote, and here are some tips that will help families not only have fun on the island but also turn a holiday into an educational experience.
If you are wondering where to go away on holiday with your family, consider Lanzarote. With options for relaxation and adventure and a mild sunny climate year round, this Atlantic Ocean island is a calm, easy place which is very family friendly. Lanzarote is small, about 850 square kilometres in size, which means that all the local attractions, from the fascinating volcanic lunar landscapes to the picture postcard sandy beaches, are close at hand.
Below are some of the most important attractions for visitors to enjoy:
Timanfaya National Park
The Timanfaya National Park is a product of volcanic eruptions that occurred in Lanzarote in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It is one of the most visited national parks in Spain, and visitors can bear witness to the tremendous power of the volcanic terrain by taking part in a tour of the hot springs. Arrival to the national park can be undertaken by car, and, once in the park enclosure, there is an official bus available.
Options for tourists in the National Park include camel rides. These trips are especially popular with children who love to watch the breath-taking landscape from the back of a large, long necked mammal. Camel rides ascend spectacular mountains of ochre and red with ground scorched by lava. The Timanfaya National Park really does look like another world. The Echadero de los Camellos, or, in English, the Camel Ride, is located, close to the entrance to the park, next to a small museum that includes exhibits that explain the importance that camels had in the history of Lanzarote both as a means of transport and as a way to improve agricultural production.
Caletón Blanco beach
Locals in Lanzarote call children “chinijos”, and chinijos will love Caletón Blanco. This beach is very safe thanks to the many pools made out of lava that are dotted along the shore. These sheltered areas of water are great for children who can amuse themselves by scrutinising the fascinating sea life living amongst the rocks. There are crustaceans such as shrimp and crab, and the sight of these might spark a child into a long-term interest in biology. The intense white sand of the beach contrasts with the black volcanic landscape. When the tide goes out, a large natural pool of crystalline water is left behind.
Papagayo Coast
La Costa de Papagayo, or, in English, the Papagayo coast, in the extreme south of Lanzarote is a paradise. This virgin, protected area has small quiet coves with white sands and crystal clear water. Papagayo itself is considered “the jewel in the crown”, a stunning area of natural beauty.
Teguise
Lanzarote is blessed with many quaint little villages with white houses, but perhaps Teguise is the most picturesque. Market day, on Sunday, is a great moment to visit. Craft items and local products are sold, while live music emanates from terrace bars. There is a children’s leisure area with inflatables and other attractions. Teguise is also known for the Castle of Santa Bárbara, which is situated in the vicinity. This fortification has been transformed into a Pirate Museum which is sure to delight the little ones in the family.
Theme parks
Theme parks in Lanzarote offer visitors the opportunity to have fun in the water, take a trip back in time to the wild west, contemplate the enormous variety of cacti in the world, or visit the largest aquarium in the Canary Islands.
The Acuapark Costa Teguise is a water park that has been tailor made for the most fun. There are gigantic lakes, zigzagging slides, inflatable castles, and trampolines ready to put a smile on the face of everyone in the family.
In the Rancho Texas Lanzarote Park in Puerto del Carmen there is also a great deal of amusement to be had. Families that visit the attraction get the chance to learn how about life during the American frontier period, or the Wild West. There are opportunities to experience a gold mine, visit a typical wooden house from the era, and even sample life in a native American reservation. There are also fascinating animals on show such as crocodiles, raccoons, sea lions, eagles, and tigers.
In the Lanzarote Costa Teguise Aquarium visitors travel to the depths of the seabed. The attraction contains 33 aquariums including an underwater tunnel which showcases sharks. There are also indigenous species on show such as moray eels, bream, and fula fish. Tropical varieties of underwater life include clownfish, anemones, puffer fish and fire dragon discus fish.
Teguise is also known for the Guatiza Cactus Garden which was designed by the famous architect César Manrique. The whole family will be astonished at the colour, intricacy, and sheer variety of cacti. In total the gardens are home to around 4,500 specimens from 450 different species of cacti from five continents.
An ocean adventure to La Graciosa
For an unforgettable journey across the Atlantic, visitors to Lanzarote can enjoy a quick excursion to the neighbouring island of La Graciosa. La Graciosa is a small island, of around 30 square kilometres. Although some choose to travel across to La Graciosa by a rented catamaran, most choose to take a ferry to the island via the port of Órzola, in the municipality of Haría. Once on-board, the family will feel like a group of sailors travelling to an unknown continent as their boat glides across the smooth Atlantic Ocean. La Graciosa is a quiet and cosy place which has few roads and fewer still cars, so children can run about as they please. There are options to hire bikes or simply play on the sand or splash in the water. On the island, Caleta de Sebo is a pretty sandy beach village with nearby restaurants that serve dishes of freshly caught fish.
Jameos del Agua
César Manrique was the genius behind Jameos del Agua, a series of underground tunnels and caverns created by ancient lava flows from the La Corona volcano. Manrique had the vision of turning an astonishing natural geological formation into a site of architectural significance. Jameos del Agua includes a natural pool in which a very special group of blind crabs live. This species is unique to the local area and very unusual. Children will be astonished by the bleached white colour of the crustaceans.
Cueva de los Verdes
The cave network known as Cueva de los Verdes is part of the same underground volcanic system as Jameos del Agua. These tunnels are some of the most interesting and extensive in the world. They are more than six kilometres long as they extend from the crater of the volcano to the Atlantic. The final section, before the network reaches the ocean, is called the Tunnel of Atlantis such is its natural beauty. These caves are an absolute privilege to experience. The mysterious environment invites visitors to witness the hidden life beneath the earth’s crust.
