I’m telling you now pals: there is more to Lanzarote cruise port than meets the eye. (Although you’ll catch a glimpse of its otherworldly landscape in the distance as you dock.) Most Canary Islands cruise itineraries include a stop in Lanzarote’s capital city of Arrecife, and although the city is on the sleepier side, there’s a lot to do here if you just know where to look. As a crew member I’ve been visiting Lanzarote for years, so read on for all the must-have information about docking on this arid island.
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Where is Lanzarote cruise port?
Lanzarote cruise port is in the capital city of Arrecife, on the east side of the island. There’s space for several cruise ships to dock at once, although unfortunately there are actually two piers; one further away from the city than the other.
If you’re lucky enough to dock next to the marina, it’s possible to walk from the cruise port to the centre of Arrecife in about twenty minutes to half an hour (and it’s a pretty, and flat, seafront stroll past some picturesque fishing boats and restaurants.) If your ship docks at the second port, which is on the outskirts of town, you’ll need to take a shuttle or taxi into Arrecife.
What are the Lanzarote cruise port facilities like?
Port facilities at Lanzarote cruise port are actually fairly minimal, in fact more of a large car park with a security building, although you’re definitely better off docking at the cruise terminal closest to town because of its proximity to the marina’s facilities. The picturesque and modern marina has plenty of restaurants, bars, and several clothing and gift stores to cater to its sailing clientele as well as cruise passengers who might be strolling through.
(And if you fancy wifi with a side of great coffee and delicious homemade desserts, head to La Vela in the marina, get the cheesecake, and thank me later.)
There are also several car hire offices directly in front of the cruise berth. I’ve managed to hire a car on the same day from Cicar, however to ease your stress I’d advise booking in advance. (There can sometimes be a considerably lengthy queue.)
As of winter 2024, a new terminal building is in construction at Lanzarote cruise port. If you’ve had a chance to see it completed before I get there, let me know what it’s like!
A brief introduction to Lanzarote
Right pals. So you’ve docked at Lanzarote cruise port, but what if you don’t know anything about actual Lanzarote?? Don’t you worry. I’ve got your back.
This Spanish island- like all of the Canary Islands archipelago- is geographically far closer to Africa than Spain or anywhere else in mainland Europe. In fact, Lanzarote is the closest island of them all to the African coast, at a grand total of only 78 miles from Morocco.
Culturally speaking, you’d have no idea that this island is so close to an entirely different continent, and that’s mainly because Lanzarote was colonised by the Spanish during the 1400s. The indigenous Guanches were either killed or captured and sold into slavery, and all of the Canary islands have retained this Spanish identity right up until the present day.
Geographically, however, Lanzarote couldn’t be more different from mainland Europe. This island has barely any vegetation, no natural fresh water source whatsoever, and most of its interior is made up of multicoloured volcanic mountains. The temperature is fairly warm year-round, although the wind can unexpectedly bring in rolling clouds of Saharan sand which can hang in the air for up to a week at a time- known as the calima.
I might not have summed Lanzarote up to be a particularly enchanting place, but there’s something so bizarre about its rusted lunar landscape smattered with white boxy houses that I find almost spellbinding. And although Lanzarote, like the neighbouring islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, became super popular as a holiday destination during the 1980s, development wasn’t allowed to get out of control on this island; in fact there’s only one high rise building to be seen. (That would be the Arrecife Gran Hotel, in case you’re interested. But more on that later.)
Things to do in Arrecife
Maybe you don’t have time to get further away from the cruise port, maybe you want a chilled day, or perhaps you’re just exceedingly curious about what Arrecife has to offer? Here are the very best things to do within walking distance of Lanzarote cruise port.
Eat at the Charco de San Ginés Lagoon
Cross the little footbridge to leave Lanzarote cruise port and head straight over the main road to reach Charco de San Ginés, a pretty saltwater lagoon dotted with fishing boats. This is definitely the most picturesque part of Arrecife, with whitewashed buildings and palm trees lining the promenade and green parrots flapping overhead.
There are plenty of great restaurants around the lagoon; if you fancy trying traditional Lanzarote dishes order papas arrugadas (wrinkled potatoes) with mojo rojo or mojo verde (that’s red sauce or green sauce to you), or anything involving the fresh fish of the day.
For a traditional Canarian coffee, order a leche leche or a barraquito. Both drinks involve espresso, milk, plus a layer of condensed milk, but the barraquito includes a shot of liqueur and a slice of lime or lemon as well.
Take a wander through town
Arrecife Old Town- and Arrecife The-Rest-of-Town- is pretty tiny, but nice for a stress-free saunter around. Compared to other Canarian capitals like Las Palmas de Gran Canaria or Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the city is very quiet, but well worth a peek around.
The Iglesia de San Ginés is on a pretty square just behind el Charco de San Ginés, and this whitewashed church accentuated with black volcanic stone is a beautiful spot to check out if you’re wandering past. The centuries-old Castillo de San José has been converted into a modern art museum (which also houses a great restaurant), and the Castillo de San Gabriel is teeny-tiny but nice to include on a walk around Arrecife.
Aside from these 16th century buildings, the majority of Arrecife is fairly modern, and although the main shopping street of Calle Royal might not be overly interesting, this is the place to head to if you need to make any purchases. (Whether that’s a souvenir or your favourite perfume; because for some reason shopping in the Canaries is generally cheaper than mainland Europe.)
Have a beach day at Playa del Reducto
Playa del Reducto is a great beach which is about half an hour’s walking distance of Lanzarote cruise port. Don’t get me wrong- there are plenty of beaches to choose from while docked in Arrecife- but if you want somewhere easy to reach, this is the perfect location.
The beach is sandy and the water is normally quite calm, and there are also plenty of bars and restaurants on the nearby promenade.
Head to the spa
I’ve got a wildcard solution for something to do inLanzarote cruise port, and admittedly this might be more of a crew favourite than a passenger solution, but Arrecife is home to a beautiful hotel where you can get some really great spa treatments- or just a day pass to their pool and spa facilities.
The Gran Hotel Arrecife is a five star hotel right next to Playa del Reducto, which offers massages, facials and more, as well as having a stunning hydrothermal spa circuit- and everything is available for non-hotel residents to book.
Grab a drink with a view
Sticking with the Gran Hotel, here’s a fact for you pals: the Gran Hotel Arrecife is Lanzarote’s one and only high-rise building. For a place that became popular as a holiday destination during the 1980s, this might be surprising. But here’s the lowdown.
Local architect and artist César Manrique had a huge influence on the aesthetic of Lanzarote, and from the 1960s onwards he campaigned strongly- and largely, successfully- for the sustainable development of tourism on the island. Good lad. This resulted in a ban on high-rise buildings, which had already completely transformed the look of neighbouring Canary Islands, and locals were also encouraged to paint their houses in traditional colours: mostly white, highlighted in blue or green.
The building the Gran Hotel now resides in was constructed in the 1980s while Cesar Manrique was away, and it then sat like a dormant volcano for years, with nothing inside, while everyone worked out what to do with its illegal shell. Squatters and a fire couldn’t quite destroy the towering titan, so eventually the company behind the Gran Hotel was allowed to take over, complete the building, and move in.
At the top of the seventeen story luxury hotel is a panoramic restaurant and bar which has absolutely stunning views of the island and the Atlantic Ocean, so although the building was originally a controversial eyesore, it’s definitely become a bit of a landmark round these parts.
The best excursions from Lanzarote cruise port
Lanzarote is a fairly small island, which makes it the ideal place to explore with only a day to spare, whether as part of a booked excursion or in a hired car on your own. (And if you go for a hire car, the roads are very easy to navigate and well maintained. No fear, folks.)
Timanfaya National Park
The most obvious place to go to when docking in Lanzarote cruise port, is Timanfaya National Park. The dry, desolate landscape is unlike anywhere I’ve ever been, and the last eruption here was less than 300 years ago- which is actually very recent in terms of volcanic lifespans. To avoid destruction of this incredibly fragile environment, it’s not possible to just stroll across the land, in fact the only way in (and around) Timanfaya is in a vehicle.
Cars and buses enter the park at the same spot, park up, and then board coaches which take visitors on a set looped route around the volcanos. It feels like a fairly clinical way of visiting such a stunning natural wonder, but as the only real way to truly get up close and personal with Timanfaya, it’s still worth it.
I would, however, recommend making the trip as part of a tour. The queue for cars to enter can be incredibly long, but tour buses are allowed to bypass all these vehicles and head straight on in. (Probably because they’re expected at certain timings.) When I visited in our own hire car, we sat in a queue for over an hour, watching the odd tour bus sail on past us. This is a tour designed for cruise passengers, or check out this one with Viator.
A note on the camels
If you do book on to a tour to Timanfaya National Park, there’s a good chance it’ll include an extra stop where you have the option to ride camels. Like the donkeys of Santorini, these camels bring up a lot of questions about the ethics of using animals as a tourist attraction.
Camels were first brought over to Lanzarote when the island was colonised by the Spanish, and for centuries they helped to transport goods and people across the land. They were used on farms, and right the way up until the 1960s camels were also used as the main method of water delivery across the island.
As the tourism industry grew and cars and trucks became completely normal, the camels became a tourist attraction, and now they’re solely used to give tourists rides across the volcanic landscape. You can now pay around €10 per person to go for a camel ride near Timanfaya National Park.
As a full disclaimer, pals: I have indeed been for a camel ride, the very first time I visited Lanzarote. Would I do it again? No I would not. I’m no expert, so I genuinely could not tell you whether the camels are well looked after or not, but something about the experience didn’t sit right with me.
Los Jameos del Agua
Here’s where that lovely chap César Manrique comes in again. (He crops up a lot around Lanzarote, although there are more architectural gems of his over on Tenerife as well.)
Los Jameos del Agua is a cultural centre built inside a collapsed tube which was formed by lave flow from a volcanic eruption. Manrique’s architecture somehow seems as if it’s sculpted from the land, and the complex includes a small auditorium, a restaurant, and the iconic blue swimming pool- which gives the impression of the set of Thunderbirds in the ’60s.
Cueva de los Verdes
The Cueva de los Verdes is another complex of caves which was formed by volcanic lava thousands of years ago, and the name ‘Verdes’ is said to have come from the name of a family who herded goats there once upon a time. But while the Jameos del Agua is all retro sixties and seventies glam, the Cueva de los Verdes has been left more in its natural state just with a few strategic paths and atmospheric lighting.
Charco de los Clicos
Charco de los Clicos is just outside of the village of El Golfo, and whilst it definitely gives off the vibe of a toxic waste kind of a situation, the bright green water of its lagoon on the beach is actually completely natural. It also possibly looks even brighter because of the black sandy beach in front of it and the volcanic red and black cliffs that form its backdrop. The colours of Lanzarote really do seem to belong to another world.
The lagoon exists inside of a crater caused by (surprise surprise) a volcanic eruption, and the water has been coloured green by the algae that lives within. To protect the environment, swimming here isn’t allowed, although I’ll be honest- it doesn’t look like the most tempting spot. There are several hiking paths here which would definitely be worth exploring.
To reach the lagoon, park here and then walk along to the Playa de los Ciclos.
Mirador del Río
The Mirador del Río is another of César Manrique’s architectural masterpieces, and this one is in the very north of the island overlooking the channel of water between Lanzarote and the little island of La Graciosa. From its position high up on the cliffs, the stark contrast of turquoise sea against the barren terracottas and sandy shades of the land is downright stunning.
I managed to visit the Jameos del Agua, the Cueva de los Verdes, Charco de los Clicos, and the Mirador del Río, all in one day on a road trip with a car we hired near the cruise port. The locations are all easy to get to, and it made for a great self-driven road trip in Lanzarote. If you’d rather have a tour take you to these hotspots, there are plenty of options available. This one takes you to Timanfaya and both caves,
For the more adventurous…
If you’re up for something with a little more adrenaline involved, Lanzarote really is the perfect spot. Try a spot of paragliding for a really great view of the island’s lunar terrain, or take a surfing lesson in Famara. And if you want more freedom to explore the island’s rugged landscape, you could always go on an off-road adventure in a buggy.
The thing that I love about Lanzarote is how carefully the island has developed its tourism industry. While tourism is clearly a major industry, the local government seems to really care about protecting this incredible but fragile environment whilst still welcoming visitors. Don’t get me wrong- some locations can get crowded during busier periods- but it’s clear that efforts are continuing to be made to keep this under control and keep Lanzarote lovely.
