Lanzarote Cruises

Whilst the island receives the majority of its visitors by plane cruises to Lanzarote are becoming an increasingly popular holiday option. Especially during the winter months – as whilst Northern Europe is labouring with that delightful combination of cloud rain and cold the Island of Eternal Spring is still enjoying some excellent weather and temperatures which rarely fall below 21 degrees Celsius.

Puerto Marmoles in Arrecife

Cruise passengers dock at Puerto Marmoles – which is located around two miles outside of the capital city of Arrecife as well as around the same distance from the nearest holiday resort of Costa Teguise.

Cruises to Lanzarote usually arrive at the island on a Thursday – although as the number of liners visiting the island increases so does the number of arrival days.

Most liners are here as part of a broader cruise of the Canary Islands, maybe also taking in Madeira as part of their itinerary too. Many liners offer organised guided tours – but plenty of passengers prefer to just disembark and do their own thing.

Transport Connections

Independent passengers should note that Puerto Marmoles doesn’t have the greatest transport connections with either Arrecife or Costa Teguise – often you see people walking from the liners along a busy stretch of road that cuts through a light industrial area – which is not the most impressive introduction to Lanzarote. So it is sensible to book a taxi or even arrange for a hire car in advance of your arrival.

With time often limited to just one day most visitors either opt to head for one of the main island attractions – such as the Timanfaya Volcano Park or the Jameos del Agua. Or alternatively choose to spend time in either Costa Teguise or Arrecife.

Attractions in Arrecife

Whilst Arrecife isn´t blessed with much in the way of colonial architecture it still has plenty of attractions worth visiting – such as the Museum of Modern Art or the El Charco area – where you can enjoy a pleasant stroll around an inland lagoon, with plenty of bars and restauiarants on hand offering refreshment.

The city is developing all the time – with new attractions such as a water park planned for the small island located just behind the main landmark of the Gran Hotel. One of the few buildings on Lanzarote to slip through the planning restrictions which dictate that structures should be no higher than a Canarian palm tree and one of the best hotels in Lanzarote.

Cesar Manrique Foundation

Cesar Manrique was responsible for ensuring that development on the island has remained relatively restrained. And this famous artist and architect built an incredible house in the 1970´s into five lava bubbles, which is a real must see. Especially as it is located in Tahiche – which is just ten minutes drive from the Port.

Teguise - Historic Former Capital

Another five minutes up the road from Tahiche lies Teguise – Lanzarote´s original capital. Teguise was the first ever official Spanish settlement in the Canry Islands and boasts a wealth of original architecture, set amidst cobbled streets, some of which dates back as far as the 1450´s.

Visitors can enjoy a stroll through the towns’ historic streets and visit the Palacio Spinola– which is a lovingly restored house museum right in the heart of Teguise. There are also some good quality restaurants in Teguise, making it an excellent place to stop off for lunch.

LagOmar

For something even more high impact though head back down the road from Teguise to Tahiche and about half way down follow the turning for LagOmar– Omars Lake – which is the former residence of the famous actors Omar Sharif.

When he was filming in Lanzarote Sharif visited Manrique´s volcanic bubble home and was so blown away that he commissioned Cesar to build him a holiday property along similar lines. The result is an incredible house and grounds built into the side of a disused quarry –now home to a top end restaurant.

Which is just as well as the Hollywood actor lost LagOmar in a game of bridge shortly after moving in. And was apparently so distraught that he never returned to Lanzarote again.