Updated September 2nd, 2020

This post contains affiliate links. That means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, if you buy through my site. I appreciate your support of my site. 

Thanks to César Manrique Lanzarote is one of the most unique Canary Islands. Among other things, César Manrique was a famous artist from the island. He is most well known for fusing art and nature. Due to his impact in Lanzarote, visiting his creations are one of the best things to do in Lanzarote. Without a car and in order to learn a bit more about him, the best way to see several of his sites in one day is through a day tour. Here is what you can see on the César Manrique tour in Lanzarote. 

César Manrique Tour in Lanzarote

Foundación César Manrique

Our first stop was at the César Manrique Foundation, which was the artist’s former home. He constructed his house on five lava bubbles. A few months before his death in 1992 he supervised the conversion of his house into the museum that it is today. It’s a super interesting house to walk through and learn about. 

Lunch

Due to a bit of rain the guide switched around a stop so we had an early lunch, especially by Spanish standards. It was at another large buffet place like on my Lanzarote South Tour. I enjoyed the nice conversation with my table-mates again. I am meeting a lot of British people here. They seem to have the same shocked feeling about living in Russia as most Americans do!

Monumento al Campesino

The monument to the peasant was created in 1968 for the men and women working in harsh conditions in the fields. Behind the statue are buildings, that look like traditional homes, containing a restaurant and little stores that each represent a different artisan’s craft.

El Jardín de Cactus

The cactus garden is just as the name suggests, a garden full of cacti. Even though I don’t have a particular interest in cactus it was still interesting to see the thousands of varieties of cactus that come from 5 continents! It is a fun garden to walk around in and take photos. 

El Mirador del Río

El Mirador del Río is a viewpoint of three islets, including La Graciosa. The viewpoint is built seamlessly into the cliff so that it is barely visible.

Los Jameos del Agua

Los Jameos del Agua was César Manrique’s first work of art on Lanzarote and some say his masterpiece. After the Montaña La Corona erupted about 4,000 years ago, lava tubes were formed from the flowing of the molten lava. There are some large openings in the tube which Manrique used to create los Jameos del Agua.

There is a natural lake with blind albino crabs and a swimming pool. Our guide shared that when he was growing up on the island this was the place to go swimming. Nowadays swimming is not allowed because there are too many tourists. There is a restaurant, cafe and the house of volcanoes where you can learn more information. An impressive auditorium offers evening performances some nights.

Cueva de los Verdes

Another famous site where you get a tour inside a lava tube, is also available to visit instead of los Jameos del Agua. Unfortunately on most day tours only one is possible to visit in the same day. My guide said los Jameos was the one everyone should visit, but to come back to the caves another time.

I really enjoyed taking the César Manrique tour in Lanzarote and learning more about the man behind all the impressive sights on the tour. 

Not only did Manrique show his passion for Lanzarote by creating impressive works of art in nature, he also influenced the island in many other ways. During the tour I learned that it is because of him that the island does not have any billboard advertisements, only road signs. I hadn’t thought about it before, but after I learned this I realized how nice it was to see the landscape without the obstructive media presence. It was also because of him that high-rise buildings are banned.

César Manrique Tour Information

Where

Pick-ups from all the major resorts on Lanzarote (Arrecife, Playa Blanca, Costa Tequise, Puerto del Carmen, Puerto Calero). Considering the locations are closer to the north side of the island it makes more sense to be based in Costa Tequise. Playa Blanca is the furthest away.

Booking

César Manrique Full Day Tour

Review

I said it before for my Lanzarote South Tour and I will probably say it again on any future tours, but I wish there was more time at each stop. We stopped at el monumento al campesino for only 10 minutes. There are several little stores in traditional buildings behind the monument, as well as a traditional restaurant. Our guide said it is one of the best restaurants on the island. My question to that is, why don’t we skip the lunch stop and have a longer time there to enjoy the monument, food and stores more leisurely?

But…..you must visit César Manrique’s sites on the island and a tour is the easiest way to do it and really the only way without renting a car. It’s an extra bonus to have a guide too.

Recommendations

Sit by the middle/back staircase on the double decker buses for quick access on and off the bus.

FYI

Free toilets available at every stop. At el monumento al campesino the toilets are located back in the area with the stores in the far right corner. The stops are not too far apart, so even for me there was not too much worry about using the toilets.

Where to Stay

I came from Costa Tequise when I took the César Manrique tour. I stayed at a large fitness focused resort with an all-inclusive option, Vitalclass Lanzarote Resort. It was a great base for day tours in central and northern Lanzarote. It also was close to the beach.

Arrecife is also a handy base to everywhere on the island. I stayed at Hotel Miramar in the center of town. It was an ideal location for exploring Arrecife and offered fantastic views of the sea.

I didn’t get a chance to stay in Puerto del Carmen, but this resort town is also in a great location and has some good beachfront places to stay. Search for somewhere to stay here.

Playa Blanca in the southernmost resort town. You can easily take day tours from there, but there will be some additional driving to reach all of the stops on this tour. Boutique Hotel H10 White Suites – Adults Only where I stayed had beautiful modern suites, huge all-inclusive buffets and two beautiful pools.

More about Lanzarote

• A full Lanzarote Guide and Travel Itinerary
• What to Eat in Lanzarote
• Activities: Hiking the Fire Mountains, Lanzarote South Tour, Submarine Adventure, Kayaking & Snorkeling in Papagayo Beach, Museo del Historia, What to Do in Arrecife, and What to Do in Playa Blanca
• Where to Stay in Lanzarote: Arrecife, Playa Blanca, Costa Teguise

---

Pin It!