Winter Sun Destinations – How To Spend 3 Days In Lanzarote
You’re here because you want to know what to do in Lanzarote with 3 days. You’re also here because you’re keen for some winter sun inspo, and potentially, you’re here because you’ve visited this blog before.
I’m booking you in for information on the most beautiful beaches in Lanzarote, nice restaurants which will have you licking the plate, and some Instagrammable locations to get jaws dropping. I’ve also sprinkled snippets from my travel diary so you can hear honest thoughts on each stop.
Come take my exact list of places visited. No waffle, just straight-to-the-point travel recommendations. As always.
Want some pre-reading? Don’t miss my post on the best budget travel tips from 8 years of travelling. Ready to snap up some bargain flights, like my £26 transport to Lanzarote? You’ll love my article on how to find cheap (£5) flights + other must-know travel tips. I spill everything over there.
Seems like I’ve started somewhat of an unintentional mission to make my way around the Canary Islands. Last winter it was Fuerteventura, which becomes a useful point of comparison this time round. In short? Lanzarote is more costly, but far more impressive. Whilst Fuerteventura holds an undeniable desert-like feel, Lanzarote reminds me of what life on Mars would look like. Volcano craters, dark sandy beaches and clusters of identical pocket-sized houses.
Admittedly, I almost missed out on the landscapes, immaculate sunsets and glistening waters by letting assumptions get the better of me. I was convinced I’d find rowdy crowds, frozen food and people wearing socks with sliders. *Shivers* Of course, there WAS that, but not as much as you’d think. I mean, it helps that I visited in January, right? Mind you, it was still 21 degrees Celsius. Is that not the equivalent of a British summer?
Activities For 3 Days In Lanzarote:
As with everything, an experience is what you make it. However, if you’re keen to squeeze in a mini winter break, I can definitely point you towards a handful of unmissable locations. Save this post for your next trip.
Timanfaya National Park.
Skipping Timanfaya was out of the question. After all, volcanoes are one of Lanzarote’s biggest selling points.
Once you drive up to the entrance, you’re charged 12 euros. This includes a 30-minute bus tour around the area, a live smoke demonstration and a chance to hold hot sand from the ground lol. Oh, there’s also a restaurant which cooks everything on hot stones/over a large fire pit. Volcanic BBQ anyone?
While the views were pretty epic, the actual volcano was very ‘meurgh’. I don’t know, maybe I had unrealistic expectations to see trickles of lava bubbling out.
Interestingly, you couldn’t get past the entry fee. Many countries have a tendency to only charge during peak summer months but Timanfaya didn’t fall into that category.
Lagomar Museum, Lanzarote.
Lagomar is an Instagrammable location, there’s no doubt about it. This museum/hotel feels like something straight out of a honeymoon advert. One look at the picturesque fountain, charmingly wonky little walls and hidden caves will convince you that 8 euros almost seems too affordable to even step foot somewhere like this.
*Lagomar is where the larger image at the start of this post was taken.
Los Hervideros.
If you visit a place twice within 24 hours, you know it’s something special.
Los Hervideros had me speechless, and I can say with certainty this spot will leave you speechless too. You wouldn’t expect anything less from one of Lanzarote’s most loved tourist attractions.
The nice thing about this area is that you’ve got a good chance of witnessing the water completely turn into foam for a few seconds. Stunning. If you’re in Lanzarote for 3 days, make this place a day 1 priority.
Laguna de Janubio – Salt Pans.
I’m sure there are very few people who question where salt comes from. However, to the ordinary human that’s why these salt pans become so impressive to observe. Even more so when standing on an elevated surface, or admiring from a designated viewpoint. These salt works are still in use too, in case you were wondering, and are the only functioning salt pans on the island. Well, you probably weren’t, but it’s worth mentioning. Haha.
Piscinas Naturales Charcones.
When you stumble across a beach with choppy waves, fierce storm winds and dark grey sand, you’ll probably just keep walking.
Don’t.
Please actually stop for a moment to explore the secluded region.
There’s something incredibly peaceful about this undisturbed gem. Sure, there’s people hiking along the cliffs above, but you still feel like you’re completely alone. Just you, your thoughts and the piercing sensation of the sky whipping your eardrums. In the best way possible.
Caldera De Los Cuervos.
If you’re in the mood to simply wander around, make your way to Caldera de los Cuervos. Rows and rows of potholes never sounded so appealing, until now.
Playa de Papagayo.
Let’s just put this out there, Playa de Papagayo is one of the most beautiful beaches in Lanzarote. Apparently, this beach used to welcome the removal of swimwear but this has since changed, according to locals. Not that I tried.
Teguise.
Day 3 in Lanzarote and you’re feeling exhausted from exploring. For the most slow-paced vibes imaginable, head straight into the small town of Teguise. I mean, if Xmas decorations are still left up towards the end of January you just know the locals in this place see no stress. Teguise is often labelled as one of the oldest settlements within the Canary Islands, but don’t let this put you off. The charm factor is very real.
Where To Eat With 3 Days In Lanzarote:
By nice, I mean flavoursome. Just FYI.
I wouldn’t say I went to Lanzarote for food purposes, but I appreciate good meals when I come across them. Below you’ll find 3 memorable eateries from my trip.
Casa Tino.
A humble little spot by the water. When I say humble, I kinda mean the restaurant looked like it was falling apart from the outside. However, I’m not there to base opinions on the exterior. I’m there because a local suggested the restaurant when I quizzed him about worthy food places nearby. He said the seafood was excellent at Caso Tino.
and I can confirm, the food was excellent. It’s wholesome, hearty stuff which just hits the spot. The type of food you’d grab for a long catch-up with a loved one, if you lived in Lanzarote. Traditional Spanish comfort food, you could say.
Casa Tino Address: Caserio Playa Quemada, 53, 35570 Playa Quemada, Las Palmas, Lanzarote.
Lani’s Cafe Restaurant, Puerto Del Carmen.
For an elegant offering with a sea view, Lani’s restaurant will be right up your street. It’s tucked away towards the seafront, so doesn’t particularly feel like it’s on the doorstep of a tourist hub, plus you’ll be eating with a sandy beach directly in front of you.
Prices appeared slightly inflated, but nothing over what you’d expect to pay in a central location. Just a side note though, expect a huge menu catering to both Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean tastebuds. Normally, I’m wary of restaurants with an endless variety of food, because instantly I question the quality of dishes, but I was pleasantly surprised here.
Lani’s Cafe Restaurant Address: Av. de las Playas, 26, 35510 Tías, Las Palmas, Lanzarote.
Arepera Venezuela.
Every now and then, I think about this arepa stand. For me, it was THAT divine, and that’s coming from someone who considers themselves a connoisseur when it comes to arepas.
Arepera Venezuela is connected to a large leisure centre, so you might as well tick two things off at once. There’s also a cinema, where I found myself watching Avatar 2. How’s that for convenience?
I do have one complaint though. This food joint is tiny, so the 40-minute wait time seemed excessive. I’m just going to tell myself a fresh batch of dough was being made, as there is no way a street-food item would take this long.
When it was eventually placed into my hands, it was gone in two seconds. Just like that, I inhaled the whole thing. Lol what a way to finish up Lanzarote in 3 days eh?
Arepera Venezuela Address: Centro comercial Deiland, 35509 Playa Honda, Las Palmas, Lanzarote.
Want to see more travel visuals? I’ll leave my socials below:
I’ve never been to Lanzarote, nor to the Canary Islands before, during my stint in Europe. Never interested me, until your posts! Definitely the perfect place to go to beat the winter blues, for a bit of sun and warmth. Looks like a lovely time for you, Yaz!
Definitely! The U.K. sees like 7 days of sun a year so was needed haha! Thank you Rebecca 😊