Short 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. 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, on foot, turn right and you'll come to the lagoon. It's a very pleasant stroll that is full of surprises. This little salt-water 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. As it is right in the historic quarter, you can see traditional houses that retain their distinctive white colour – the result of the mark made on the island by the internationally renowned artist César Manrique.

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, go down the Avenida Marítima, the Islas Canarias Park and continue along the Avenida Fred Olsen. On this avenue, we come across El Reducto Beach, where you can take a dip. In this area and the surrounding streets, you can purchase souvenirs made in volcanic rock or delicious typical ware.

Castillo de San Gabriel

The first inhabitants of Arrecife built castles along the coast to defend the city from pirate attacks. The Castillo de San Gabriel is one of the most noteworthy of them. This is a little island joined to the city by the bridge known as the Puente de Bolas, due to its ball-shaped ornamentation. You can get to it walking along the seafront promenade. There is a history museum inside the castle (Mon–Fri 10 a.m.–1 p.m. and 4 p.m–7 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m.–1 p.m.).

La Marina Shopping Centre

By now, you will almost have come to the end of your 2-hour walk. But, before heading back to the boat, we recommend returning to an area close to the port, going back along the same route, and visiting the modern La Marina Shopping Centre, where you will find a large number of shops, catering establishments and games for children. Calculate that it will take you about 10 minutes to get back to the pier from here.

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.