Article mis à jour le 16 Aug 2024
What to do in Lanzarote? Road Trip
Lanzarote is the northernmost island of the Spanish Canary archipelago, located off the coast of Morocco. It is famous for its lunar landscapes, its biosphere and its favourable climate almost all year round. How to visit Lanzarote in 5 days? We offer you a detailed itinerary to discover what to do in Lanzarote!
You can of course take a week to visit the island mixing discovery and relaxation on the beaches. ?
Road trip in Lanzarote: what to do in Lanzarote?
How to prepare your trip to Lanzarote?
When to go to Lanzarote?
As with all the Canary Islands, it’s pretty easy to answer: all the time. ☀️ The climate is very temperate, it is between 20 and 28 degrees all year round. So I advise you to go when the temperatures are low in France, to enjoy some mildness!
Where to buy a plane ticket?
We recommend that you compare the best offers and book your flights on Ulysse. You can take advantage of a €10 discount on your first flight booking on Ulysse by registering via our link !
Where to rent a car for your road trip in Lanzarote?
To find a car rental in Lanzarote, compare prices on Discovercars. This comparator scans the entire market and gives very low prices. They’re even cheaper than on direct rental websites.
How much to budget to visit Lanzarote in 5 days?
- ✈️ Plane: 100€ per person on average
- ? Car rental: 75€ for 5 days
- ⛽️ Petrol costs: 25€ for about 350 km driven (1€ per litre of fuel)
- ? Hotels: 60€ per night on average in low season
- ? Restaurants: 30€ per day per person for 2 meals
Total = 750€ for a 5 night stay or 375€ per person, excluding activities.
Please note: this budget can obviously vary depending on the price of car rentals and aeroplanes, but also depending on the standing of the hotels/restaurants you choose. We are only talking about our experience here.
Should you buy tickets online to visit the must-see spots in Lanzarote?
Indeed, for price, language and ease we recommend booking your activities on one of the following 3 sites:
What to do in Lanzarote during 5 days?
We will show you our itinerary to visit Lanzarote in 5 days. If you have time to spare, we recommend that you combine this trip with its neighbouring island, Fuerteventura. Indeed, from 10 days there, it is interesting to discover the 2 islands because there is only 30 minutes of boat between the 2 islands and you can make the crossing by embarking your rented car on the ferry.
Find all our info on Fuerteventura by redirecting you to our dedicated article. LIEN
⛴ You can also book your crossing in advance here.
Where to sleep in Lanzarote?
For your stay in Lanzarote, we recommend that you only take one fairly central accommodation, as the island is only 840 km², 10 times smaller than Corsica! The best place to stay is in Puerto Del Carmen or around Teguise / Costa Teguise. Avoid Arrecife, the capital, which is not very interesting.
- In Puerto Del Carmen I would recommend this accommodation which has excellent value for money or this one which is incredible with a very reasonable price for the beauty of the place and the quality of the services but slightly out of centre.
- On the Téguise side there is an unusual accommodation in bubbles to sleep under the stars. ? I highly recommend you try the experience, if only for one night. Book the Eco Dome Experience early to make sure you have availability.
Travel: what to do in Lanzarote for 5 days?
Day 1 of the road trip to Lanzarote
? Cactus garden
The cactus garden, the work of César Manrique, is a must-see in Lanzarote. No less than 1,500 varieties of cactus await you and a lovely restored mill completes this magnificent setting. Don’t hesitate to climb up to the level of the mill for a great view of the park.
? Admission is €6.50 for adults and its doors open from 10am to 5pm.
? Sunset from a volcano with a view of a crater
For this first sunset on the island I found a little wonder! Go to the Colibri volcano for an incredible view of the Caldera de Los Cuervos crater ?. There’s plenty of room for parking but take it easy! It will take you a good 30 minutes. The ascent is quite physical, it is done on quite slippery ground. It’s not dangerous but bring good shoes.
Be careful not to forget anything before coming back down because believe me, the second sprint up in the dark to look for the car keys is not very fun. ?
Day 2: Timanfaya (What to do in Lanzarote)
? Timanfaya National Park
With no less than 110 volcanoes, the island of Lanzarote is literally riddled with volcanoes ?. You can drive around and contemplate a good number of them. But if you want to visit the Timanfaya National Park (for a fee) which is in the southwest of the island, I recommend booking this activity online. You’ll get a guide, transport, entrance ticket to the park and to the Jameos del Agua cave, a camel ride, lunch and wine tasting.?
Alternatively, you can explore the volcanoes by booking a guided buggy tour.
Day 3 of the Lanzarote itinerary – Road Trip in Lanzarote
? Visit the village of Teguise
Love this colourful village full of charm. If you have a village to visit on Lanzarote it is this one. Indeed, in addition to the beauty of its streets, you will find souvenir shops and many places to have a drink or lunch. I recommend you to stop in the cactus-filled courtyard of the boutique hotel Palacio Ico. In fact, if there is any availability, don’t hesitate to book this magnificent hotel for one or two nights.
This town was the island’s capital for almost 500 years before being replaced by Arrecife.
? Famara beach – surfers’ landmark
At the foot of the Famara massif lies the town of Caleta de Famara and its huge 6km long beach. A surfer’s paradise, the atmosphere is really chill and the landscape is sublime! If you come for lunch, I recommend the El Risco restaurant which offers a beautiful view of the cliffs.
If you feel like surfing the waves of this famous beach, then let yourself be tempted by one or more surfing lessons! What to become an expert of the wave ? More info here.
? Sunset on the cliffs of Famara
The cliffs of Famara are even more impressive seen from above! To enjoy a beautiful sunset, head to Cueva de las Cabras. The road is a bit bumpy but it’s easy to park and get to the viewpoint. Be careful if you have vertigo, it’s very impressive ? To access the cave in the photo below (photo 1) you have to find the small stairs just next to the rock that juts into the void (photo 2). The stairs are quite steep but the spot is really beautiful and you will be sheltered from the wind to contemplate the sunset.
Day 4: The south of the island, its beaches and natural pools
? Natural pools of Charcones
The island of Lanzarote also offers beautiful beaches and incredible natural pools. For the latter, head to the south west of the island and more precisely to Charcones. Be careful, the access road is very damaged and some rental companies do not cover problems on this kind of road. Here are the GPS coordinates for parking. You will be within walking distance of the 2 beautiful pools below.
? Charco Verde
Still on the west coast but 20 minutes further north, you will find a really special beach: Charco Verde. The sky was cloudy at the time of my visit but if you have sun you will see a real contrast between the blue sea water and the green pseudo lake. The green colour is due to algae and the presence of sulphur. Access is of course forbidden but you can go to the viewpoint (free parking a few meters away) or to the beach.
? Papagayo beach
In the south east of the island is the very beautiful Papagayo beach. There is an access fee (3€ per car) and it is a dirt road for 3km but it is allowed by the rental companies. From this beach, you will also have access to other nearby beaches on foot.
→ Also opt for a sailing excursion with open bar and breakfast included.
→ Kayaking and snorkeling, to enjoy the sea bed.
Day 5 of the Lanzarote itinerary: visit the vineyards.
? The lying palm tree
On the island of Lanzarote is the most famous palm tree in the Canaries. It even has its geolocation on Maps under the name “Palmera inclinada”. If you are not lucky enough to have a Jeep, park here and finish by foot in 5 minutes. It is located at the bottom of the volcano which I climbed for the sunset with a view on the crater.
? The vineyards of La Geria
Not only is it imperative to taste the wine of Lanzarote, but you must also visit its vineyards. For this, head to La Geria. The vines have the particularity of being planted in holes. Even if it is very beautiful, it is not for aesthetic reasons but to protect the vines from the wind which blows very regularly on the island.
I highly recommend a visit to the Bodega La Geria winery! The place is beautiful, the prices are very reasonable and you will have a great view of the vineyards and the sunset if you come at the end of the day.
If you want to take advantage of your trip to Lanzarote to visit Fuerteventura or Tenerife, go to our article “Road Trip in Tenerife” to get all our tips and good plans!
Also find our guides for Madrid and Palma de Majorca! ?
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