Finding the fresh, hearty dishes the Canaries are known for isn’t hard on Lanzarote. Even in the more touristy resorts you’ll stumble on restaurants serving fresh fish and papas arrugadas — potatoes boiled in heavily salted water — with traditional piquant mojo sauces. El Navarro in Costa Teguise – Fine-dining in a chic setting. Enjoy some of the best cooking on the island here! Book a table in advance as it gets busy! Playa Pocillos: a tidal lagoon means that there is a large patch of sand to walk across to get to the sea.

La Laguna Gran Hotel (doubles from €94) in San Cristobal de la Laguna is a stylishly reimagined 18th-century manor with a rooftop pool. An impressive 17th-century mansion on Garachico’s palm-dotted plaza, La Quinta Roja (doubles from €114) has smart, wood-beamed rooms around a leafy courtyard. Taxis are relatively cheap when used for short journeys in and around Puerto del Carmen, but become pricey when travelling to another town. Costa Teguiseoffers arange of hotels, from three star though to the five star luxury of the Hotel Gran Melia Salinas (pictured left). La Frontera’s boho-feel El Sitio (doubles from €50) occupies a thoughtfully converted, sustainably run bodega with seven lava-stone casitas and views across El Golfo. Or stay at the east-coast Parador de El Hierro (doubles from €97), which has an elegant historical look, a pool with a view of the Atlantic and a smart restaurant.Examples of Manrique’s design are everywhere on the island, but perhaps the most perfectly realised is his former home, now the César Manrique Foundation. In this semi-subterranean maze of lava tunnels and volcanic caves you’ll find trees growing through the roofs of rooms filled with sleek 1960s furniture, shimmering plunge pools and a dancefloor. Playa Blanca’s main beaches are all golden sand, spacious and Playa Dorada has all the beach toys you could want, including pedaloes, Jet skis and parascending. The island’s very best beaches are at Papagayo, about 5KM from the centre of Playa Blanca. Máguez 12, 13, 14, 27, 28, 44, 51, 52, 54, 57, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64,65, 66, 66, 70, 71, 81, 87, 145, 165

Timanfaya National Park 2, 18-9, 21, 30-1, 39, 40, 90-1, 92, 96, 100, 101, 102-3, 104, 150-1, 152-3, 154

Pardelas Park

With its salty breezes, renowned surf, volcanic landscapes and honey-gold coastline, Fuerteventura is the Canaries’ destination for beach bliss.. The island’s man-made environment is just as distinctive — it’s hard to travel more than a few miles without stumbling across the work of César Manrique. The 20th-century Lanzaroteño artist-architect’s exuberant and idiosyncratic creations respond to the island’s geological theatricality, and his campaigning influence saved the island from overdevelopment, preventing the construction of high-rise hotels and advertising billboards, even in the larger resorts.

Updates for walks and car tours (drives) on Lanzarote given below supplement those provided in the guidebook. It is vital that this Update is read in conjunction with the text of the book, but note that the Update applies only to the edition stated and not to any earlier editions. (If you have an older edition of this book you can “upgrade” to the latest edition at half price.)Nowhere else is the Canary Islands’ volcanic genesis more dramatically evident than on Lanzarote. Jagged lava formations, stark volcanic cones and craters all the shades of sunset create a unique and unforgettable landscape. Even the vineyards look otherworldly, with vibrant green vines sprouting with implausible vigour from the ashy, lunar terrain. El Amancer in Arrieta – A lovely seafood restaurant with friendly waiters and a lovely view over the water. Seafood doesn’t get much fresher than this! Fresh catch of the day at El Amancer Restaurant in Arrieta

Combine a stay in La Gomera’s pastel-hued seaside capital San Sebastián with delightful agricultural Hermigua in the less touristy north (near lovely volcanic Playa de la Caleta). San Sebastián’s historic centre features laurel-shaded plazas, ancient mansions and the 15th-century church where Columbus is said to have prayed before setting off for the Americas. The downstairs is built around five natural volcanic bubbles linked by tunnels, with trees growing through the top! Even the swimming pool area is like nothing I’ve ever seen before!

Other Areas

Costa Teguise scores highly when it comes to eating out. Most of the best restaurants are located inthe PlayaBastian area of the resort, with Oscars, El Navarroand Isla Bonita all ratedhighly. Read our guide to restaurants in Costa Teguise for more in depth information. Transport Explore some of the up-and-coming wineries ( Bodega Elysar, Bodegas Uwe Urbach), the bottle-green El Pinar forest and the laurisilva (laurel forest) at the heart of the island. Then venture out to El Hierro’s far western tip, where you’ll find wind-twisted juniper trees, the 18th-century chapel of Ermita de Nuestra Señora de los Reyes and the isolated Orchilla lighthouse. In the low-key capital, Valverde, the 18th-century church and down-to-earth tascas are worth a visit. At the La Peña viewpoint, the Mirador de la Peña restaurant, designed by César Manrique, has views across El Golfo.