Long walk through Arrecife

Capital of the volcanoes

Arrecife is the capital of Lanzarote – known as the island of volcanoes. With more than 50,000 inhabitants, it is one of the capital cities of the Canary Islands with the highest populations. You can still see items in the streets of the city that conjure up its seafaring past (low, white houses). It is now a modern city with lots of culture and leisure options and parks. A unique place.

Charco de San Ginés

Once outside the port, turn right and you'll come to the lagoon. It is a very attractive spot. This little saltwater lagoon holds an important place in the history of Arrecife, as it was used as a port both for protecting small fishing boats and for the entrance of goods. The walk and the lagoon are as beautiful as the houses surrounding it. As it is right in the historic quarter, you can see traditional houses, which retain their distinctive white colour.

San Ginés Parish

A beautiful, picturesque square through which you come to a gorgeous, historic church. Homage is paid here to Saint Genesius (San Ginés in Spanish) of Clermont, the municipality's patron saint. It was built in the 17th century and contains an interesting collection of works of art with the highlight being the image of the patron saint. The area is also know as "an oasis of peace" right in the centre of Arrecife. Without a doubt, one of the best places to learn a little about the culture of the inhabitants of Lanzarote.

International contemporary art museum

In Arrecife, there was no way around building castles to defend the city from pirate attacks. So several castles and forts were designed along the coast. This museum is inside the Castillo de San José, which was responsible for protecting Puerto Naos and the Charco de San Ginés. It currently houses an interesting collection of contemporary art by Canarian (César Manrique, etc.) and international artists: Tápies, Mompó, etc. (Every day 10 a.m.–8 p.m.).

Seafront Promenade

Arrecife is a coastal city with promenades beside the sea. Why not make the most of them? Returning to the Avenida Olof Palmé, you go down Avenida Marítima (with interesting buildings that we will see below), Islas Canarias Park and continue along Avenida Fred Olsen. Along this avenue, you come to El Reducto Beach, where you can take a dip. In this area and the surrounding streets, you can purchase souvenirs or typical produce.

Sustainability

- Never leave waste of any type lying around, including cigarette butts. Leftover food leads to a proliferation of rats and wild cats, which pose a serious threat to the fauna.
- Use the waste- paper baskets and, insofar as possible, separate and place your recycling waste in the appropriate containers.
- Do not throw any waste or other objects into the sea.
- Respect the animals. Do not bother them or feed them. If you see an injured specimen, you can call the emergency number: 112. Do not pick flowers or plants.
- Do not pick up or take away stones or any other item from the natural environment. And do not move them to pile them up into sadly famous 'towers'.
- In natural spaces and at viewpoints, do not leave the trail or the spaces designated for people to be in.
- Respect and look after the area's historic and cultural heritage, along with the public furniture and items for visitors, such as information panels or telescopes and binoculars.