Lanzarote
After a sleepless night, I made it to Arrecife, the capital of Lanzarote. The airport is quite confusing for someone with zero orientation skills; it takes time to figure out a bus stop to the city or even where taxis go.
Arrecife is located in the centre-east of the island, and it is my first place on this incredible journey, mainly because after zero sleep, I can not be bothered to move somewhere else. Hostal San Ginas is a cheap place to stay, and it is close to El Charco de San Gines, where you can find numerous dining options for reasonable prices (always go after fish of the day meal) with a stunning view into the harbour.
I fell in love at Arrecife with a tanned-skinned boy in a white t-shirt. He smelled like a sea and sang a Spanish lullaby. There is something unique about summer/holiday romance as you know you have an expiration date, so you get to enjoy it without overthinking.
In the morning, I packed my backpack and moved on to the western part of Lanzarote. Although I wanted to hike there, I went for a much more reasonable option. I took a bus from the Arrecife bus stop Biblioteca Insular got out of the bus somewhere around Tinajo, and hiked the rest that way; I avoided walking along the high-speed roads.
La Santa is a tiny village on the’s western coast island’s western coast with a wild ocean and strong wind. I planned to go wild camping, but I found myself Airbnb after assessing location and weather conditions instead. La Santa is the perfect location if you are not into crowded touristic places, and you can observe local life and even a little blend in.
From La Santa I continued do Caleta de Famara . Famara beach is famous for surfing, so there is no doubt the village is full of young adventurous people chasing the waves. Hike from La Santa to Famara is about 10 km long along the coast, and only an idiot could be lost, yet here I was panicking with dusk.
Another absolutely adorable village on my way was Orzola on the island’s north. The walking distance between Famara and Orzola is around 35 km; I recommend setting the road with the dawn. Orzola is quite popular among tourists for its dramatic cliffs and ferry to the La Graciosa island. I can imagine that it will be packed with people during the peak season and could lose the magic.
Before I headed back to Arrecife, I explored La Graciosa. The ferry from Orzola runs almost every hour, and it costs 14 euros for a day return ticket. I burned my shoulders, swam in the crystal clear water, and I hiked some hills. The population on this tiny island is about 700 people, and it is 8 km long. The beaches on La Graciosa are long with white sand and give you slightly South Asia vibes.
The very last day I dedicated to dolphin watching in Puerto del Carmen. I have not seen any, obviously! Although I saw a tiny whale. Puerto del Carmen is packed with British citizens who tend to day drinking and roast themself in the sun until they look like cooked lobsters. There are a dozen hotels and restaurants, and if it is your kind of thing, you will love it.
Overall, Lanzarote is a pearl of the Atlantic ocean. You can find everything there from white houses with green windows, black fields with grapes and aloe vera to nightlife. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend you wild camping as it is hard to find remote places where you can actually pitch a tent.
Next time Ireland!
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