Lanzarote’s landscapes and light make it the perfect place for photography, but if you’re looking for some fantastic photos, some places stand out above all others. Here are five of the best:
1. FAMARA VIEWPOINTS.
There are a number of viewpoints at the top of the Famara cliffs. Mirador del Ryo is the most famous – Manrique’s stunning creation that hangs off the cliff at the northern tip of the island. But it’s also worth heading to the Mirador de Yu a little further down the spectacular cliffside LZ-202 road. The Mirador de Guinate also offers amazing views of the islands north of Lanzarote.
Further south, El Bosquecillo and the wild, lonely clifftop church of Ermita de Las Nieves overlook Famara beach and also have gobsmacking views, as well as some fascinating wild plants.
2. TENESAR.
The tiny village of Tenesar is sometimes called a “ghost townº or a “secret village”. In fact, it’s a settlement where residents in Tinajo come to spend the summer, or long weekends. The contrast between sugarcube houses, brilliant blue sea and sky and black volcanic rock is stunning. The houses are on the edge of the “Sea of Lava” caused by the Timanfaya eruptions, and Tenesar is also a starting point for the Timanfaya coastal path. Come, and you’ll find something to photograph.
3. PAPAGAYO.
The beaches of Papagayo are one of Lanzarote’s most unforgettable experiences – a series of strands and coves with natural, freshly washed golden sand and a magnificent westward view for sunsets at the end of the day. It’s worth exploring the area – from the broad sands of Playa Mujeres and the petrified sand formations on Playa del Pozo to the picturesque (but often crowded) coves of Playa de la Cera and Papagayo itself. Then there’s the Playa de Caleta de Congrio on the other side of the headland, the least-known of these beautiful beaches.
4. VOLCÁN DEL CUERVO / MONTAÑA COLORADA.
Two short walks to two of the island’s most amazing volcanoes are well worth bringing a camera along. Montaña Colorada is a vivid reddish colour and about 15 minutes from the parking area you’ll find the largest volcanic bomb in Spain – an immense rock with an intense red volcanic slope in the background. Across the road, Cuervo is a classic semi-collapsed cone volcano that you can enter, and which has an almost mystical atmosphere.
5. LOS CHARCONES.
These natural rock pools on a volcanic shelf near the long-abandoned Atlante de Sol Hotel near Playa Blanca are a riot of colour – from deep blue to brilliant turquoise, with green seaweed, frosted white seasalt and black lava – with the occasional bright orange crab, as well. They’re not that easy to get down to, and we wouldn’t advise going at high tide when the sea is rough, but they’re well worth a visit if you want a glimpse of paradise.
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