If you plan on spending around one week in Lanzarote and want to make the most of it, here’s the best one week itinerary in Lanzarote.
Located in the Canary Islands, Lanzarote is a true gem of the Atlantic, offering a mix of breathtaking volcanic landscapes, turquoise waters and impressive viewpoints.
So, here’s a list of the best things to do in Lanzarote, from Timanfaya National Park to the stunning Papagayo beach and the unique creations of César Manrique.
If you need a longer itinerary, I’ll also suggest additional activities to make the most of your trip.
Now, let’s dive into this itinerary !
- Day One : Volcán Tahiche – Fundacion Cesar Manrique – Punta Mujeres
- Day Two : Playa de la Cantería – Cuevas de Los Verdes – Jameos del Agua – Volcán de la Corona – Mirador del Río – Haria – Mirador de El Risco de Famara
- Day Three : Casa Museo de César Manrique – Teguise – Playa De Famara – La Geria – Las Grietas – Bodega Rubicon
- Day Four : Caldera de Los Cuervos – Parque Nacional de Timanfaya – Playa del Carmen
- Day Five : Charco Verde – El Golfo Lanzarote – Salinas de Janubio – Los Hervideros – Los Charcones
- Day Six : Playa Mujeres – Playa del Papagayo – Playa de la Arena – Museo Lagomar – Costa Teguise
- Day Seven : Arrecife
Note : This itinerary is planned as a Lanzarote road trip, offering the freedom to explore at your own pace while making the most of your time on the island.
Day One
We’ll start this itinerary after picking up a van in Arrecife, then we’ll head up the east coast, following the coastline as we make our way around the island over the week.
Begin your first day with the three key attractions in Lanzarote to get a taste of what the island has to offer: volcanoes, blue waters, and the artistic legacy of César Manrique.
Circuit : 4 stops, 35 minutes drive
Volcán de Tahíche is a dormant volcano in the center of Lanzarote with stunning black basalt landscape :
The area is also home to the César Manrique Foundation, which is housed in a former volcanic mansion.
The César Manrique Foundation showcases the work of Cesar Manrique, the island’s famous artist and architect. His work blends art with nature, integrating architecture with volcanic surroundings, which is why he played a key role in preserving Lanzarote’s landscape.
Entrance fee: 10€, for more info check out the official website.
Opening hours: Everyday from 10am to 5:30m.
The foundation is set in his beautiful former home :
Punta Mujeres is a little fishing village on the north coast of Lanzarote, not so worth the detour for the village itself but more for its natural volcanic rock pools with crystal-clear waters :
End your day at the beach at Caleta del Mojón Blanco. This secluded cove is perfect to stay away from the touristy areas :
Day Two
Circuit : 7 stops, 1h drive
Cuevas de los Verdes is a volcanic cave system formed by lava flows from the Corona Volcano eruption.
Entrance fee : 15€ for adults Tickets are sold exclusively online, more info on the official website.
Opening hours: Everyday from 10am to 4:45pm.
Jameos del Agua is a volcanic cave transformed by César Manrique into a unique place with lagoons, lush gardens, a beautiful auditorium :
Entrance fee : 15€ for adults, to book tickets online head to the official website.
Opening hours: Everyday from 10am to 5:15pm
Playa de la Cantería is the northernmost beach of Lanzarote and a true hidden gem. Its untouched landscape and waves makes it a favorite spot for surfers.
Note : Swimming is not recommended here because of strong currents and waves.
Volcán de la Corona is an extinct volcano with a short (around 5km round trip) hiking trail leading to the crater.
Mirador del Río is one of César Manrique architectural creations. Perched at 475 meters on the cliffs of Risco de Famara, it offers breathtaking views over the small island of La Graciosa and the surrounding ocean :
You can enjoy a coffee inside (see picture 5) and head to the outdoor terrace for the viewpoints.
Entrance fee : 8€ for adult, to book tickets online, head to the official website.
Opening hours: Everyday from 10am to 5pm.
Haría is a charming village, with whitewashed houses and colourful flowers. If you visit only one village in Lanzarote, Haria should be the one !
Mirador de El Risco de Famara – Parque El Bosquecillo is a stunning and free viewpoint offering views of the Famara cliffs :
Day Three
Circuit : 6 stops, 1h drive
Casa Museo Manrique used to be the home of César Manrique, ans is now a museum dedicated to his life and work.The museum also has a beautiful garden with pools and sculptures.
Entrance fee : 10€ for adults, but you can buy joint tickets for all the Cesar Manrique activities, you will have a discount.
Opening hours: Everyday from 10am to 5:30pm.
Teguise was once the capital of Lanzarote. It is a small village with cobblestone streets, whitewashed houses, and several churches. If you come by on Sundays, there is a local market taking place where you can find local produce and crafts.
Playa de Famara is one of Lanzarote’s most beautiful beaches. This wild beach stretches for several kilometers and offers stunning views of the Risco de Famara cliffs.
La Geria is one of Lanzarote’s most unique landscapes. In this volcanic area recognized as a wine-growing region, vines are cultivated in volcanic ash and lava fields. As you can see in the pictures below, the vines are planted in pits surrounded by semi-circular stone walls :
Las Grietas is a unique natural formation consisting of deep and narrow cracks in the volcanic rock :
Bodega Rubicón is a renowned winery in Lanzarote. You can do a tasting of their wines made from grapes grown in volcanic ash, plus there’s a stunning views of the surrounding vineyards :
Entrance fee : Entrance is free, tastings are around 8€ for 2 glasses. It’s best to book the tasting in advance on the official website.
Opening hours : Everyday from 10am to 8pm.
Day Four
Circuit : 3 stops, 30min drive
Caldera de los Cuervos is a volcanic crater located within Los Volcanes Natural Park. The caldera is part of the island’s protected natural areas, and the hike takes around an hour and is really easy.
Parque Nacional de Timanfaya is one of Lanzarote’s most famous (and so, touristy) attractions. The volcanic park covers around 51km² of land and is a protected natural reserve.
You have to park at the main entrance and take a dedicated bus tour to explore the park, as you cannot drive yourself in the park.
The bus will take you to see the Montañas del Fuego : you will see steaming holes in the ground and meat being cooked in a grilling pit with the heat of the volcano core.
You will see lava fields, craters, and surreal landscapes :
Finally, you can visit Timanfaya Visitor Centre, which provides information on the volcanic activity that shaped the park.
Entrance fee : 20€ for adults, tickets can be bought at the entrance only.
Opening Hours: Everyday 9am to 3:45pm (closed on 25th December and 1st January). To avoid huge crowds, try to come around 1pm.
Puerto del Carmen is a resort town, so I wouldn’t recommend spending a long time there, but some views over the ocean are just beautiful :
Day Five
Circuit : 4 stops, 50min drive
Charco Verde (“Green Pool”) is a beautiful and unique greenish volcanic lagoon. This colour is due to the algae and minerals in the area.
Tip : Try to come early, as tourist buses fill up in the afternoon, and even the parking lot will be full.
On your way, you will see Salinas de Janubio, a salt flat still in operation today :
Los Hervideros (“the boiling pots”) is a rugged coastline where strong waves crash against the volcanic cliffs :
Los Charcones is a hidden gem on the southern coast of Lanzarote. Those natural swimming pools are formed in the lava rock along the coastline :
Be careful because even if it looks like calm and clear pools, it is still the ocean and big waves can come at any moment. If you want to bathe there, make sure it is low tide and bring water shoes to protect your feet. The area remains remote so it is the perfect spot for those seeking nature and peace.
To get there, you can follow the dirt road by car until the abandoned building, and then walk to the ocean by foot.
Day Six
Circuit : 3 stops, 40min drive
Start your day at Playa del Papagayo. This is one of the most beautiful and famous beaches in Lanzarote, so try to visit early in the morning to avoid the crowds.
10 minutes from Playa del Papagayo is Playa Mujeres. A more remote beach located where you can escape from the more popular spots on the island.
Let’s continue this Lanzarote itinerary with Playa de la Arena, a peaceful black volcanic sand beach. This secluded beach is a true gem, the black sand really creates a dramatic setting.
Careful if you want to swim, as the waves can be strong here.
Day Seven
Circuit : 3 stops, 30min drive
Start this last day at Museo Lagomar, a unique museum, set in an architectural masterpiece that was once the house of the actor Omar Sharif.
The museum showcases different art exhibitions as well as the history of this house built into volcanic rock.
Costa Teguise is a nice place to explore remote coves and beaches all along the coastline.
If you like windsurfing or kite surfing, head instead to Playa Las Cucharas.
Arrecife is the capital city of Lanzarote. Honestly, this is a big city with not that much to visit, plus after one week in Lanzarote roatripping around we pretty much only wanted to enjoy nice sunsets and a nice hotel.
If you want to explore a bit, you have the Castillo de San José, a fortress-turned-museum housing the Museo Internacional de Arte.
What we enjoyed most was Charco de San Ginés, a lagoon or tidal lake surrounded by whitewashed houses, perfect for a stroll or a drink by the water.
If you are looking for more places to visit in Lanzarote, consider spending a day at La Graciosa, the smallest inhabited Canary Island. This is a little paradise with unpaved roads and nice beaches, such as Playa de las Conchas. This is one of the most beautiful island’s beaches, perfect for sunbathing or walking in the golden sand. Swimming is not recommended due to strong currents.
To get there, you have to take a short ferry ride from Lanzarote, which makes it perfect for a day trip.
That’s it for my one week itinerary in Lanzarote ! Between Lanzarote volcanic landscapes, especially in Timanfaya National Park and all the Cesar Manrique attractions, the island has a lot of things to see and do, you won’t be bored a second ! If you need more information about what to know before going to Lanzarote, you can check out this article which is basically a Lanzarote travel guide.
I have also made a post about the best places to eat in Lanzarote, click here to check it out !
If you need a custom itinerary, you can fill this form and I’ll make your own personalised itinerary.
