Lanzarote with children – Adventure holidays for the whole family
Family holidays in Lanzarote: much more than just the beach
Family time, olé! Lanzarote is the fourth largest of the Canary Islands and will enchant you with its bizarre volcanic landscapes, fine sandy beaches and unique cultural sites – but not just adult travellers. We present places and attractions that are perfect for family holidays in Lanzarote – so your children can enjoy beautiful, unforgettable days on this holiday island.
PS: of course, every one of the children’s excursions should include sunscreen, plenty of water and snacks.
Fiery Attraction: Timanfaya National Park
If you don’t just want to relax at the hotel, but would also like to explore Lanzarote outdoors with your children, you should definitely visit the “Parque Nacional de Timanfaya”. With its fiery mountains, volcanic craters and lava fields, this original landscape will be sure to delight your children’s imagination. Individual drives or hikes in the national park are not permitted for reasons of nature conservation, but there is a guided and air-conditioned bus tour available. And the Visitor Centre will show you how a geyser works: a jet of boiling water shoots out from beneath the earth – it’s still 400 degrees Celsius here, even four metres below the surface!
Artistic family holidays. Experiences at Cesar Manrique’s houses
Where did César Manrique (1919-1992), Lanzarote’s most famous artist, live and work? Two of his former homes are open to visitors, so it’s worth getting a combined entry ticket. His “volcano house” in Tahiche is a spectacular sight. Five underground rooms were created in lava bubbles, while the in-house pool appears to be cast from natural stone. Children will also be captivated by how the artist has used the natural volcanic rock as part of the architecture, so a visit to the volcanic house is a must during your family holiday in Lanzarote. The César Manrique House Museum, where the artist lived until his death, is a beautifully renovated farmhouse in Haría.
Beautifully prickly: the "Jardin de Cactus"
The “Jardin de Cactus” Cactus Garden is located on the outskirts of Guatizaust, just 16 kilometres from Lanzarote’s capital, Arrecife, and is an oasis amid the island’s barren volcanic landscape. Admire, but please don’t touch this huge, perfectly designed collection of 4,500 cacti and succulents from all over the world. Some of the plants seem to be painted, others look like fantasy characters. The unusual cactus landscape is the perfect place to visit during your holiday with children in Lanzarote. The “Jardin de Cactus” is not just a beautiful garden, but a masterpiece and the last work of this island legend, César Manrique.
In the lava tunnel of the Jameos del Agua
“Los Jameos del Agua” is located north of Arrieta – inside a volcanic tunnel! So it’s the perfect place to enjoy adventure activities in Lanzarote with your children. The tunnel formed by the La Corona volcano is considered to be one of the largest in the world. It is home to the first of seven art and cultural sites created by César Manrique. The artist built a swimming pool, a natural concert hall with distinctive acoustics and a type of underground aquarium in the caves within the volcanic tunnel. This crystal-clear lagoon is approximately seven metres deep and is the habitat of the endangered “blind crab”, among other creatures.
Dive with your children at Lanzarote’s Aqualava Waterpark
Water slides and bathing pleasure: if you’re visiting Lanzarote with your children, you shouldn’t just plan cultural excursions, you should also take a detour to the Aqualava Waterpark. The design of the water park in Playa Blanca in the south of Lanzarote reminds you of the volcanic origin of the Canary Islands. There are plenty of paddling and swimming pools set between artificial basalt rocks, all of them heated. Aqualava Beach is a beach where artificial waves roll. But the absolute sensation is the water slides. But please note: five of them can only be used if you are at last 1.20 metres (4 feet) tall! As a consolation: the family can paddle together once more in the “magma flow”.
Strolling through the open air market in Teguise
Do your children have any holiday money left? Then conclude your family holiday in Lanzarote with a visit to the market in Teguise (not Costa Teguise): the market is held every Sunday from 09:00 to 14:00. The best way to get there is by bus, because it’s too crowded for cars. The whole town becomes an open air market. More than 400 stalls invite you to browse, peek and haggle wherever possible. In addition to bric-a-brac, you’ll find traditional and modern handicrafts such as ceramics, baskets and leather goods, or home-made cheese and locally produced “mojo” sauce. If the hustle and bustle gets too much, visit the pretty village of Teguise with its great tapas bars, preferably on a different day.
Underwater adventures with “Submarine Safaris”
In the port of Puerto Calero in south-west Lanzarote lies the “yellow submarine” – just like the one in the Beatles’ song. So if you want to enjoy some unusual activities with your children in Lanzarote, you should take your little ones on a submarine tour. Submarine Safaris take you on an underwater journey of adventure. The submarine dives 30 metres into the depths of the ocean. The 22 portholes let you discover a wide range of marine life, including eels, sea bass and rays. Sunken shipwrecks will give you a slight eery feeling. Everyone is given a personalised diving certificate after this exciting ride.
Header - Photo by Halfpoint on Adobe Stock
Paragraph 1 - Photo by Halfpoint on Adobe Stock
Paragraph 2 - Photo by ronnybas on Adobe Stock
Paragraph 2 - Photo by spumador on Adobe Stock
Paragraph 3 - Photo by Fulcanelli on Adobe Stock
Paragraph 3 - Photo by Oleg Znamenskiy on Adobe Stock
Paragraph 4 - Photo by Piotr Krzeslak on Adobe Stock
Paragraph 4 - Photo by Nicola Messana on Getty Images
Paragraph 5 - Photos by malajscy on Adobe Stock
Paragraph 6 - Photo by Credit: Ian Shipley PPL on Alamy Stock Photo
Paragraph 7 - Photo by Universal Images Group on Getty Images
Paragraph 8 - Photo by Robert Stainforth on Alamy Stock Photo
Paragraph 8 - Photo by Doug Houghton on Alamy Stock Photo
