Are you looking for a winter sun destination with more to it than beaches? A small Spanish island off the North African coast might be exactly what you need.
I travelled solo to Lanzarote and was won over by its otherworldly volcanic landscape, strong artistic heritage and easy-going pace. Whether you are a beach lover, culture vulture or keen photographer, this guide covers everything you need to plan your trip, from where to go, how to get around, to where to stay.
I based myself in Costa Teguise, used public transport for most of my trip and joined a full-day highlights tour to reach the places buses don’t serve.
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Why Lanzarote Works Well for Solo Travellers
You can’t go far wrong with Lanzarote as a solo destination. Here’s why it earns its place on the list.
Balmy climate – Lanzarote is warm year-round with very little rainfall, making it one of the most reliable winter sun destinations in Europe.
Unique landscape – Lanzarote’s barren landscape has an almost eerie, otherworldly quality. Much of the island is blanketed in malpais (cindery badlands) left behind by eruptions that last rumbled in 1824.
Sandy beaches – While Lanzarote’s smaller coves retain their coarse volcanic soil, its resort towns – Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise – plus Famara have large stretches of golden sand.
César Manrique – Lanzarote’s most celebrated artist-architect shaped much of what the island looks like today. His insistence on low-rise, whitewashed buildings in keeping with local traditions means Lanzarote has largely escaped the overdevelopment that has blighted other Canary Islands. His legacy is visible everywhere.
Wine tourism – The La Geria region has a small but fascinating wine industry, well worth a half-day tour.
Transport infrastructure – It’s easy to travel around Lanzarote by bus. IntercityBus Lanzarote covers most of the island at modest fares. For the handful of places not on the network — Timanfaya National Park, for instance — affordable day tours fill the gap.
Affordable – Lanzarote is good value. I rarely paid more than €20 for an evening meal with wine.
Is Lanzarote Safe for Female Solo Travellers?
Personal safety is one of the first things solo travellers — particularly women — want to know. The reassuring answer is that Lanzarote has an excellent safety record. Crime, including pick-pocketing, is low, and at no point did I feel unsafe during my trip.
That said, the usual rules apply: after dark, stick to familiar streets and know your route home. Keep valuables at your accommodation and use an anti-theft bag when you are out and about. I use a PacSafe backpack with anti-RFID technology and a hidden pocket.
My Favourite Places in Lanzarote
A week in Lanzarote is enough time to cover the highlights. Here is my pick of the best, all reachable by bus or inexpensive day tour.
1. Timanfaya National Park (Parque Nacional de Timanfaya)
Covering a quarter of the island, the UNESCO-listed Timanfaya National Park is the closest thing on earth to walking on Mars. The landscape — all rust-red craters, solidified lava flows and scorched earth — is like nothing I’d seen before.
As Timanfaya is not served by public bus, I visited on a full-day island tour that also took in Jameos del Agua, Mirador del Rio and Cueva de Los Verdes. For a first-time visit, this is the most efficient way to see the highlights in one go.
2. Jardín de Cactus (Cactus Garden)
Set in the bowl of a volcanic crater, this terraced garden was designed by and is home to around 500 cactus species from across the globe. The setting — sculpted, dramatic, somehow both alien and elegant — is pure Manrique. Read more in my guide to visiting the Cactus Garden in Lanzarote.
3. Fundación César Manrique
To really understand what makes Lanzarote tick, visit Manrique’s former home on the outskirts of Tahiche. The Fundación César Manrique is built into five volcanic bubbles below ground level, with sculptures, paintings, archive photos and videos tracing the story of the man himself.
It’s one of the most distinctive house museums I’ve visited anywhere.
4. Jameos del Agua
Manrique also transformed this volcanic tunnel system into one of Lanzarote’s most extraordinary spaces. The underground lake at Jameos del Agua is home to a tiny, blind albino crab (Munidopsis polymorpha) found nowhere else on earth, and the landscaped terraces leading back to ground level are every bit as remarkable as the cave itself.
5. Cueva de Los Verdes
Part of the same vast lava tube as Jameos del Agua, Cueva de Los Verdes is a five-mile cave network of galleries and interior lagoons, some reaching fifty metres high. It was once used as a refuge from pirate raids and takes its name from the local family who grazed their goats in the upper level. The guided tour ends with a clever visual trick.
6. Teguise
Teguise was Lanzarote’s first capital and, as historians will tell you, the first colonial capital in the world. It has a graceful main square, several handsome old buildings and a surprisingly compelling museum dedicated to the timple, the island’s traditional five-stringed instrument.
Every Sunday, the town fills with visitors for its weekly market.
7. Arrecife
Arrecife is Lanzarote’s present-day capital and where to go for a slice of real island life. Its highlights include an excellent urban beach (Playa del Reducto), a pretty tidal lagoon, a 16th-century fortress and a landmark 17th-century church set in an attractive colonial square.
8. Yaiza
Yaiza is the prettiest village in Lanzarote, full stop. Scarlet geraniums trail from the green balconies of whitewashed Canarian-style buildings, and at the heart of it all is the small, perfectly formed church of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios.
It’s a solo photographer’s dream.
9. La Geria vineyards
Lanzarote’s wine region is unlike any other on earth. Vines grow in individual craters scooped from the volcanic ash, protected from wind by low semicircular stone walls.
I did the Wine and Vineyard Walk with Wine Tours Lanzarote, which was great fun and a fascinating insight into how the island’s winemakers have turned an almost impossible landscape to their advantage.
10. Famara
Playa de Famara was my favourite beach on the island.
Five kilometres of soft sand hugging the face of a dramatic cliff, popular with surfers and largely free of the resort-town crowds. The adjacent fishing village of Caleta de Famara is one of the few places on the island that still feels genuinely unspoilt.
Planning Your Solo Trip
Getting there
Several scheduled and charter flights from across Europe land at César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport (ACE). There are also boat services linking Lanzarote with Fuerteventura, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the ports of Huelva and Cádiz on the Spanish mainland.
Getting around
The most flexible way to explore is by hire car, but it’s far from essential. Thanks to an extensive route network and cheap fares, getting around Lanzarote by bus is straightforward. For places not covered by public transport, affordable day tours fill the gap (and tours are also one of the best ways to meet other people when you’re travelling alone).
I booked my Lanzarote tours through GetYourGuide, my go-to platform when travelling. It has an easy-to-use app, a good booking interface, and most tours include a generous free cancellation window.
Where to stay
Choosing the right hotel matters more than people think, particularly for solo travellers. Where you base yourself in Lanzarote will shape your whole trip, especially if you’re not hiring a car.
Playa Blanca and Puerto del Carmen attract package tourists in their droves. If you want easy access to the more interesting northeast of the island by bus, stay in Costa Teguise — the smallest and quietest of the three resort towns — or in Arrecife.
Costa Teguise
Hotel HD Beach Resort & Spa – I stayed at this 4-star resort at the quieter end of town. There are uninterrupted sea views, and I was lucky enough to be upgraded to a lovely duplex suite. | Photos & rates →
Paradisus by Meliá Salinas – Friends stayed at this adults-only hotel next door to Hotel HD Beach Resort & Spa, and loved it. It is famous for its interior garden, designed by César Manrique. | Photos & rates →
Apartamento recién reformado en la playa de Las Cucharas – A modern, self-catering apartment close to the beach with a sun terrace, washing machine and daily housekeeping. | Photos & rates →
Arrecife
5***** Charco loft – A highly rated apartment in an excellent location with superb views. | Photos & rates →
Arrecife Gran Hotel & Spa — A landmark 5-star hotel next to El Reducto Beach, with a spa and panoramic views. | Photos & rates →
Final Thoughts
Lanzarote ticks the boxes for a rewarding solo trip, even if you’re travelling alone for the first time. It’s safe, affordable, easy to get around and varied.
Don’t be put off by its reputation as a sun-and-sand destination for vitamin D-deprived Northern Europeans. It’s easy to escape the resort towns for something far more interesting.
For more on the island, take a look at these guides:
- Best Places to Visit in Lanzarote in One Week
- Exploring Lanzarote by Bus in 2024: Tips, Popular Routes and Fares
- 10 Fabulous Things to Do in Arrecife, Lanzarote
- How to Visit the Cactus Garden, Lanzarote
- 5 Reasons to Visit Famara, Lanzarote: The Hawaii of Europe
Travelling to other Canary Islands? See my guides to solo travel in Tenerife and Gran Canaria.
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.