When docking in Arrecife, the capital of the Spanish island Lanzarote, you will be greeted with a huge choice of things to do and places to visit. Popular with tourists this holiday port has around 57,000 residents and has a real cosmopolitan and laid back vibe. Whether you’re visiting to head to the beach, take a trip up a volcano or shop till you drop, Arrecife has it all. Read on to see some of our favourite recommendations for this wonderful port.
Rancho Texas Lanzarote Park
For a fun day out head to family favourite Rancho Texas Lanzarote Park – Lanzarote’s only animal and water park. Here visitors can enjoy presentations and show from the dolphins, sea lions and birds of prey. These run at various times throughout the day so check the times at entry to the park. There are all sorts of other exciting animals to see too including cougars, donkeys, pigs, snakes, bison and skunks just to name a few. As well as all the animals to see visitors can enjoy the splash zone – great fun for kids. The water park features slides, pools, bucket drops and places to relax when you need a rest after all the water slides! Additional options of canoeing or pony rides are also available here if interested.
Tickets to the park cost €30 for adults and €22 for children which includes a free bus service. A chance to swim with the dolphins will set you back €130 per adult and €122 for children. Or if you fancy getting up close and personal with the sea lions then it will cost €80 per adult and €72 for children.
Many cruise lines offer excursions to the park or alternatively various local companies offer organised excursions too. Excursions Lanzarote offer pick up from all resorts/hotels and entry to the park for €30 per adult and €22 for children. Their approximate pickup and drop off times run from 9am-1oam to 4pm to 5pm so if you book with them do ensure you have enough time in port and arrange to be back at the ship in time!
Try to Escape Lanzarote
At Cruise the Waves we love an escape room and so have to mention Try to Escape Lanzarote for a fun-filled challenge! Three pirate and sea-themed rooms are on offer here and will challenge you with riddles, quizzes and secret codes to ensure you escape before time runs out!
All rooms have a time limit of 60 minutes with prices starting at €50 for two people. Escape rooms never seem to be very cheap, whether in the UK or abroad but they do offer a good f=hour of fun and will really test your teamwork!
Submarine Safaris
If you fancy something a little bit different then consider a ride on a submarine! How often do you get a chance to do that?! Submarine Safaris offer the once inf a lifetime underwater experience that takes you down into the sea to admire the sea life below.
Children under 2 are not permitted on the submarine and you need to be able to climb down a steep ladder to enter the vessel so do consider this if you have mobility issues.
If you book directly on the companies website then there is a 10% discount, so be sure to use this if you are looking ahead to save a few pennies. The company also have a submarine in nearby Tenerife in case you miss out whilst in Arrecife.
Tours are also offered by the cruise lines and various local excursion companies too so do shop around for the best deal!
Castillo de San Gabriel
For a bit of culture take a trip to the Castle of Saint Gabriel. The castle was originally a wooden structure but was allegedly burnt down by pirates and so later rebuilt in stone. A trip here will offer lovely views over the ocean and immerse you in some local history. The actual castle is situated on a tiny island called Islote de Los Ingleses (Isle of the English) and is reached via two access routes – one for cars and one for pedestrians.
The castle is open Tuesday to Fridays from 10am-7pm with a siesta between 1pm and 4pm. It’s also open Saturdays but only from 10am to 1pm and costs €3 to enter.
Playa del Reducto
If you fancy a beach day then look no further than the popular Playa del Reducto – a golden sandy beach great for sunbathing, swimming and a stroll along the promenade. When at the beach visitors can hire sun loungers and umbrellas and next to the beach is a lovely little park to take a stroll in too.
El Charco de San Gines
For a relaxing time beside the water, a visit to El Charco de San Gines is a lovely place to visit. Here visitors can enjoy relaxing next to the small lake and taste some wonderfully fresh seafood from the many restaurants along the seafront.
Shopping
There’s plenty of opportunities to enjoy some shopping in Arrecife and definitely a chance to pick up some real bargains! Head to Calle Leon or Calle Castillo for the higher-end posher boutiques or wander around La Recova Market to check out the local island handicrafts and gifts.
For more mainstream and local brand shopping visit Centro Comercial Marina Lanzarote. You’ll also find a food court here too.
A great place to stop for a drink after all your sightseeing or shopping is the Arrecife Gran Hotel. The hotel is the tallest building in Lanzarote and the top floor restaurant offers great views and some lush cocktails too!
Telamon Shipwreck
A unique Lanzarote photo stop is the Telamon shipwreck. The ship was built in Scotland in 1954 and here you will find quite a few tourists photographing the wreck.
International Museum of Contemporary Art
For art lovers, a trip to the Museo Internacional de Arte Comtemporaneo (International Museum of Contemporary Art) is a must. A well as a diverse collection of modern art there’s a garden with roof terrace offering awesome views out to sea. The museum is located in the Castillo de San Jose a fortress that dates back to the 1770s.
The museum is open 11am to 6pm and costs €4 to enter.
Timanfaya National Park
A must on our Lanzarote bucket list is a trip to the Timanfaya National Park. Its unique volcanic landscape just looks so cool and even rather space like! The national park covers a quarter of the island and is a result of over 6 years of near-continuous volcanic eruptions!
Thre is no public bus to the national park so therefore it’s best to either take a guided excursion with your cruise line or local company or hire a car for the day and drive yourself! The Grand Tour of Lanzarote excursion offered by Lanzarote Guide is small day tour offering a full island tour as well as a stop at the park. Prices are €75 per adult and lasts 9 hours so do check your cruise times so you don’t get left behind!
Tours and Excursions
There are loads tour companies offering transfers, tours and excursions around Arrecife. Excursions Lanzarote offers an awesome sounding Volcano South Tour which includes stops to the salt plains, Timanfaya National Park, the Emerald Lake topped off with some wine tasting. This tour costs from €35 per adult and lasts 9 hours so do be sure to check your time in port to ensure the trip allows you to get back on board in time to sail away. Alternatively, the company offers a shorter version of the south tour that offers wine tasting and a visit to the national park and lasts 5 hours and so might be more suitable for your time in port. Prices for this start at €27 per adult.
If you’d rather travel around the iland in style then Scootoff offers the opportunity to rent motorbikes and scooters. Hiring a bike will allow you to head off an explore the island at your own leisure and pace and allow you to cover quite a bit of ground too.
As with all our port guides we have handpicked just. selection of things to do in Arrecife and attractions we would be keen to visit. We hope you’ve enjoyed our selection and do let us know in the comments below if you’ve been to Arrecife and what you got up to whilst there!