Culture
Lanzarote beyond the beach: César Manrique's island
How one artist shaped an island, and the volcanic landscapes, lava caves and lookouts you shouldn't miss.
· 6 min read
An island with a single vision
Lanzarote-born artist César Manrique championed building in harmony with the landscape: low, whitewashed houses, traditional shutters and no billboards. Travel around the island today and you can still see his influence everywhere.
Manrique's must-see works
Jameos del Agua turns a volcanic lava tube into a sequence of gardens, a saltwater lagoon and a concert space. The Mirador del Río, built into the cliffs at the island's northern tip, looks out over the island of La Graciosa.
His former home at Taro de Tahíche, now the César Manrique Foundation, is built into volcanic bubbles in the lava.
Fire mountains and vineyards
Timanfaya National Park protects the landscape left by the eruptions of the 1730s. Nearby, in La Geria, vines grow in hollows dug into the black volcanic ash, each sheltered by a low stone wall. It's one of Europe's most unusual wine regions.