beat the brochure

Lanzarote is the third largest of the Canary Islands and lies a mere 125 km off the coast of West Africa. You can be sure of an average daily temperature of 24°C all year round, but this does not mean that you need to lay on the beach all day. When on Canary Island cheap holidays, soak in some culture too!

Local artist César Manrique
If you long for more than a beach holiday then explore the culture of Lanzarote. Artist César Manrique makes his presence known without much effort. All around the island you’ll see his sculptures and wind toys or mobiles; in the middle of roundabouts, in the Garden of Cactus which features 1100 different species of cactus.

But you can learn more about him at La Fundacian César Manrique. Manrique was passionate about the natural beauty of Lanzarote and reflects this wherever possible in his art. He felt strongly about saving his homeland from the ravages of tourism before its permanent disfigurement. He had much influence on the architecture of Lanzarote. He not only promoted local and traditional techniques, but also fought against the building of high rise hotels and apartments.

The Foundation dedicated to Manrique’s work is located in his studio-home in Taro de Tahiche. It was set up in 1992 after his death in a road accident.

It is built above one of the original volcanic trails from the 1730-36 eruption. The living spaces are made from the ‘five volcanic bubbles’ that formed naturally after the volcano’s eruption back in the 18th century. The exterior and the upper level of the house which was built in 1968 are inspired by traditional Lanzarote architecture. The Foundation is the perfect place to see the artist’s work and soak up some inspiration – more than 300,000 visitors think so every year!

Music from Lanzarote
The traditional music of the island is ‘folklore music’. A Timple – an instrument like a ukelele – is the traditional instrument. This was possibly introduced to the island by the Berber slaves who were brought in to do farm work by European invaders as long ago as the 1400s.

The best place to hear this traditional music and see and hear the Timple played is at local fiestas. Two of the most likely are the Carnaval Festival in February and Dia de Canaries (Canarian Day) when everything Canarian is celebrated. You may catch some traditional dances such as the Isa or the Folia too. Sometimes you may be lucky enough to see the Tajaraste, a dance said to have been passed down by the Guanches, the original indigenous people of the Canary Islands.

The Timple is also widely travelled! You’ll also find it in Cuba and other Latin American countries. Probably not so surprising when you consider that the Canary Islands were a stop-off point for merchants travelling to the Americas.

Lucha Canaria
This wrestling is unique to the Canary Islands including Lanzarote. It is thought to have originated with the Guanches who may have brought it from nearby North Africa.

Wrestlers perform in a sand circle (terrera) and try to wrestle their opponent so that a part of their body other than their feet comes into contact with the sand! It has been likened to Sumo Wrestling.

Many local villages and towns compete with one another in Lucha Canaria. So to indulge in some genuine Canarian spectator sport, ask around to see if you can watch one of these matches.