Lanzarote is one of the seven Canary Islands. Thought by Plato to be
the remnants of the mythical Lost City of Atlantis and today one of the most popular holiday destinations in Spain. Thanks to their location just off the coast of Morocco in West Africa – which creates great weather all year round.
Tourism has certainly left its mark on some of the larger islands such as Tenerife ( a very popular golf destination nowadays )and Gran Canaria. But elsewhere, on Lanzarote, visitors can encounter a holiday destination that still retains much of its original charm.
Thanks in no small part to the efforts of a local artist called Cesar Manrique, who campaigned for the controlled evolution of tourism during the 1970´s.
Manrique was born in the island capital Arrecife in 1919 and developed an intense love for Lanzarote at a very young age. Forged during family holidays to the beautiful beach at Famara, located on the island’s wild and raw North West coast. Before going on to study art in Madrid and head up the Spanish surrealist movement in the 1950´s.
Package tourism first started to take off in Spain a decade later – when Manrique was studying and exhibiting in New York whilst rubbing shoulders with the likes of Andy Warhol. General Franco was starting to open the country up to tourism as a means of reviving Spain’s faltering economy. And sun spots such as the Costas and the Canaries were a prime target for development.
Concerned that Lanzarote faced a grizzly burial beneath a sea of apartments and hotels Manrique returned to fight for the island’s survival. Joining forces with the like minded Governor of Lanzarote, Pepin Ramirez.
Together the pair successfully won an outright ban on all high rise buildings and advertising billboards. Ensuring that the island would remain largely as nature intended. And today visitors can enjoy a destination that outside of the three main tourist resorts remains pretty much unspoiled.
Manrique was pragmatic enough to accept that a degree of tourism was vital for Lanzarote´s economic survival. As up until this point locals had been almost entirely dependent on agriculture and fishing. So he also set about creating some unique visitor attractions that would highlight the island’s unique volcanic scenery to the best effect. As an alternative to building ecologically unfriendly golf courses and water parks.
The best known attraction on the island is the Timanfaya National Park, scene of a series of volcanic eruptions which rocked Lanzarote during the 18th Century. Through which Manrique created a route for tourists whilst also designing the breathtaking Devils Diner. Where guests can enjoy watching their food cook on a giant grill by the heat of a volcano below.
Manrique went on to develop a total of eight attractions around the island which remain the most popular tourists visitors spots to this day. Helping to also earn Lanzarote the title of a UNESCO protected biosphere in 1994.
Enjoy Puerto del Carmen holidays this year and experience a relaxing summer break.
Places To Stay
The best hotels and villas in Lanzarote are located in and around the southern resort of Playa Blanca. Which also enjoys the best microclimate on the island.
Whilst tour operators such as Thomson, First Choice and MyTravel all offer a wide selection of holidays in Lanzarote.
