Lanzarote by campervan

Work has been crazy recently. I have started a new role within Google a few months ago and obviously committed all my time to it. I have felt we have to take a few days off and our upcoming birthdays were a perfect excuse for that (just one week apart, yeah!). November is perfect to escape a constant cloud above Zurich, so here we go, we looked into different European-warm destinations and the obvious choice for that time of the year was → Canary Islands. We have been to Fuerteventura a year ago already. Pawel was doing a Spanish course there in his quick unemployment break and I visited him for a weekend. It was more than lovely, but we wanted to see a new Island this time. Based on the available Edelweiss flights and the fact that we wanted to do some surfing, we have chosen Lanzarote.

I had no expectations about the Island, we have not researched a lot before. The only intention was to calm down, have some sun, good food and spend quality time together with the work profile being off. We have decided to rent a campervan to be as flexible as when we travel with our own. We went for a company called Lanzarotecampervan.com and we can highly recommend it. 

So here we are, we have landed, had the first great Tapas in the small tapa place in costa teguise: El Guachinche de Luis and started our journey.

Our subjective list of Top 5 things in Lanzarote:

1. Surfing – Tamara beach
2. Everything about Cesar Manrique 
3. Haria village and market
4. Sunset in Timanfaya Volcano Park
5. Small tapas places. Pimentos del Padron everywhere

Surfing – Famara beach

Our trips are usually based on some activities and this time was not different. We have started surfing about 2 years ago in Ireland and usually do it when we visit Google in California. It is a perfect sport when you love the water and warm places but you hate laying on the beach, just like us. All 4 out of 5 day we were surfing for about 3-4 hours a day in Tamara beach and in the afternoons we usually head to for some good food and sightseeing. The Island is so small that almost everything is in the distance of 30min. You can rent your boards from a local shop near Tamara beach, there are plenty of them. If you would like to advance, take a teacher. We managed to get a teacher for one of those days for a price as small as 70 EUR for a private lesson for 2 people. Marks – our teacher from Venezuela was simply amazing. I was able to advance a lot in 2 hours and even catch a green wave. 

Everything about Cesar Manrique 

2 of our afternoons and one morning were all about Cesar Manrique. It’s a pity we don’t learn about people like him at school. A sustainability pioneer, viosionaire who already in 70s were opposed to any damages to the landscape architecture, like advertisements on the roads. Lanzarote is so consistent in the white cottage architecture thanks to him. Visit both his house and a Foundation – it’s really worth it. Oh, and remember to watch his biography movie which is being shown in his house.

Haria village and market

This is the village where Cesar Manrique decided to build his house. I am wondering whose beauty was first, but that does not matter. Haria is one of the most beautiful places in Lanzarote with hundereds of Palm trees, local artisanal market (Saturday 10AM) and many small tapas places (we loved …)

Sunset in Timanfaya Volcano Park

I don’t need to comment here. Just look at the pictures.

Small tapas places. Pimentos del Padron everywhere

Food always makes me happy and Spanish Tapas culture makes me smile even more. A glass of wine, small croquettes jamon, warm cheese. You can sit and talk about life for hours. My discovery of the trip were Pimentos del Padron – fried salty green peppers, delicious!