Page 555 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

THE C ANAR Y ISLANDS  553

lined promenades, a fine beach
and two small forts. Castillo San
Gabriel offers lovely views from
a mezzanine, accessed via a stone
walkway over the sea, crossing
the Puente de Bolas. It also houses
the Museo de Historia de Arrecife.
The 18th-century Castillo de San
José is now a museum of con-
tem po rary art and was renovated
faithfully to the original interior
The dramatic volcanic landscape of the Parque Nacional de Timanfaya by César Manrique. One of his
paintings is on display here.
Fuego (Fire Mountains). They are kilometres along the seafront.
part of the Parque Nacional de The coastal road carves its + Castillo San Gabriel
Timanfaya, established in 1974 way through a solid slab of Puerto de Naos. Tel 928 80 28 84.
to protect a fascinating and holiday infrastructure, which Open 9am–1pm Mon–Fri.
important geological record. The is pleasantly designed and + Castillo de San José
entrance to the park lies just unoppressive, and offers easy Puerto de Naos. Tel 928 81 23 21.
north of the small village of Yaiza. access to a long golden beach, Open daily. Closed 1 Jan, 25 Dec.
Here you can pause and take a Playa Blanca, which in places is
15-minute camel ride up the very wide. Another beach k Costa Teguise
volcanic slopes for wonderful nearby is Playa de los Pocillos.
views across the park. Afterwards, To the north is the quaint 10 km (6 miles) north of Arrecife.
you pay the entrance fee and village of Tías and A Casa José @ n Avenida Islas Canarias, Junto
drive through haunting scenery Saramago, the house-cum- Pueblo Marinero, 928 59 25 42.
of dark, barren lava cinders museum where the Nobel ∑ turismolanzarote.com
topped by brooding red-black Prize-winning writer (1922–
volcano cones. Finally, you will 2010) lived his last 18 years in This resort, largely financed by
reach Islote de Hilario. You can exile after the Portu-guese a mining conglomerate, has
park at El Diablo panor amic government deemed his work transformed the arid, low-lying
restaurant. From here, buses religiously offensive. terrain north of Arrecife into an
take visitors for exhil arating extensive cluster of time-share
30 minute tours of the desolate, j Arrecife accommodation, leisure clubs
lunar-like landscapes. and luxury hotels. The contrast
Afterwards, back at Islote de Las Palmas. * 46,900. k @ between old town Teguise (see
Hilario, guides will provide n Calle Triana 38, 928 81 17 62. p554), Lanzarote’s former capital,
graphic demonstrations that this _ San Ginés (25 Aug). and the exclusive Costa Teguise
volcano is not extinct, but only ∑ turismolanzarote.com is striking. Fake greenery and
dormant – brushwood pushed suburban lamps line boulevards
into a crevice bursts instantly Arrecife, with its modern buildings amid barren ashlands. White
into a ball of flame, while water and lively streets, is the commer- villas line a series of small sandy
poured into a sunken pipe shoots cial and admi nistrative centre of beaches. The high level of
out in a scorching jet of steam. the island. Despite its modern investment has succeeded in
The road from Yaiza to the trappings, the capital retains attracting jet-set clientele. King
coast leads to the Salinas de much of its old charm, with palm- Juan Carlos also has a villa here.
Janubio, where salt is extracted
from the sea. At Los Hervi deros
the rough coast can create
spectacular seas and further
north, at El Golfo, is an eerie
emerald-coloured lagoon.

h Puerto del
Carmen
Las Palmas. * 13,700. @ g
n Avenida de la Playa, 928 51 33 51.
_ Nuestra Señora del Carmen
(16 Jul). ∑ turismolanzarote.com
More than 60 per cent of
Lanzarote’s tourists stay in this
resort, which stretches several Umbrellas on the beach, Puerto del Carmen

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