Lanzarote is famous for its dramatic volcanic landscape, beautiful coastline, and year-round sunshine, making it a favorite among hikers, beach lovers, and winter sun seekers alike. But when searching for things to do in Lanzarote, it quickly becomes clear that many of the island’s top attractions require a fee. And not always one that feels worth it.
We felt the same. But we were still drawn to Lanzarote’s natural beauty and decided to go anyway, determined to discover the best free things to do in Lanzarote. And I’m so glad we did, because Lanzarote turned out to be one of our favorite Canary Islands. From coastal walks to crater views, these are our favorite free activities in Lanzarote, perfect for anyone exploring the island on a budget.
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Table of Contents - The best free things to do in Lanzarote
- Where is Lanzarote
- What is the best time of year to visit Lanzarote
- How to get to Lanzarote
- Getting around Lanzarote
- The best free things to do in Lanzarote
- Hike Volcán La Corona: Lanzarote’s Greenest Volcano
- Hike to the top of Caldera Blanca: The Best Free Viewpoint in Lanzarote
- Walk to Playa Papagayo for Free via Sendero Papagayo
- Admire La Graciosa from Mirador de Guinate
- Swim in Punta Mujeres’ Free Natural Pools
- Hike Caldera de los Cuervos
- Visit a real natural lava tube
- Other free things to do in Lanzarote
- FAQ about Lanzarote
Where is Lanzarote
Lanzarote is part of the Canary Islands archipelago. While these islands belong to Spain politically, geographically they are considered part of Africa. These islands lie just off the coast of Morocco. Lanzarote is the most northeastern island of the group and one of the most arid and dramatic islands.
What is the best time of year to visit Lanzarote
Lanzarote can be visited year-round. Due to its proximity to the Tropic of Cancer and the winds and surrounding ocean that moderate temperatures, it has a pleasant climate year-round.
Interestingly enough, the high season in the Canary Islands, including in Lanzarote, is the winter. Since it’s one of the few European destinations which has nice weather that time of year. Summer and school holidays are also popular times of year to visit Lanzarote.
This means that April – June and September, outside of school holidays, are the perfect times of year to visit Lanzarote. During these months the weather is still great, and not as hot as in summer, and there are fewer travelers around. Meaning less crowds, cheaper prices and more choice when it comes to car rental, accommodation and even restaurants.
And if you’re completely flexible and want to know the very, very best time of year, I’d say go in spring, when the flowers are blossoming. We visited early May, and it was perfect! Warm weather of course), but not too hot to hike and the flowers definitely gave the island a special touch.
How to get to Lanzarote
Lanzarote is well-connected by air↗ with neighboring Morocco, mainland Spain and many other airports in Europe as well as with the other Canary Islands. There are direct flights with Canary Fly and Binter from the biggest islands Tenerife and Gran Canaria.
If you’re island hopping in the Canary Islands, you can reach Lanzarote by ferry from Fuerteventura↗. While it is possible to reach Lanzarote by ferry from the other islands, this will normally include a stop and extra time. It makes sense to do this when you’re overlanding with your own vehicle, but if not, flights are faster, more efficient and generally around the same price.
Getting around Lanzarote
The best way to get around Lanzarote is by car. There are buses which will get you around the island, but it’s not as efficient as traveling by car. With companies like TopCar↗ and Cicar↗ offering cheap car rentals, especially out of season, renting a car becomes a much more attractive option than traveling by bus.
If you don’t want to drive, it’s possible to get around Lanzarote by bus as well. It just required a little more planning and you won’t be able to fit as many things in the same amount of days. For more info about the routes and timetables, check the IntercityBus website↗.
Car rental on the Canary Islands – Cicar is the most widely used and recommended car rental company in the Canary Islands. They have offices in all the main spots and their price includes insurance and a second driver amongst others. If you don’t need all the extra’s, TopCar might be a better and cheaper option. For us, TopCar was the cheaper option on Lanzarote, even after paying the insurance on top of it, with only one driver and no other extras.
The best free things to do in Lanzarote
So now that you know all the ins and outs about how and when to visit Lanzarote, let’s dive into the best free things to do in Lanzarote.
| Activity | What Makes It Special |
|---|---|
| Volcán La Corona | 🌿 Lanzarote's greenest volcano with moss-covered rocks and lush vegetation |
| Caldera Blanca | 🏔️ Best free viewpoint with stunning views over Timanfaya and the ocean |
| Sendero Papagayo | 🏖️ Coastal walk to multiple beautiful beaches, including famous Playa Papagayo |
| Mirador de Guinate | 👀 Hidden viewpoint with stunning views over La Graciosa and volcanic landscape |
| Punta Mujeres | 🌊 Natural pools with mesmerizing turquoise waters |
| Caldera de Los Cuervos | 🌋 Easy hike around and inside a volcanic crater |
| Cueva de Ortiz | 🕳️ Natural lava tubes you can explore for free |
1. Hike Volcán La Corona: Lanzarote’s Greenest Volcano
Hiking La Corona was one of our favorite free things to do on Lanzarote. It’s very different from the other volcanoes we’ve seen on Lanzarote since it’s so incredibly green! You’ll already notice it at the bottom. The hike starts passing by vineyards. As you hike up you’ll see numerous bushes, cacti and flowers (in spring that is at least). The whole area is very beautiful and surprising, given how barren the other volcanoes we’ve seen here are. Even on the rocks along and inside the crater grows a lot of moss giving this volcano a beautiful green color.
2. Hike to the top of Caldera Blanca: The Best Free Viewpoint in Lanzarote
Hiking up Caldera Blanca was another one of our favorite free activities on Lanzarote. This hike is longer and more challenging than La Corona, but trust me, it’s worth every effort! The hike from the parking lot to the crater is about 2 km over a rocky path. On the way you’ll pass interesting lava landscapes and the Montaña Caldereta, where you can pop in for a look. Then the climb up starts.
The views from the crater, especially from the highest point are just incredible! You can look into the huge Caldera Blanca and over the dramatic Timanfaya National Park, numerous white villages and all the way to the ocean. The views from La Caldera Blanca are the best I’ve seen in Lanzarote.😍
From the top of the crater, we could even see the huge line of cars with people waiting to get on a bus to be driven around for half an hour. At that moment, I was 100% sure we made the right decision by skipping the bus tour and just enjoying the hike instead. It might be the top thing to do in Lanzarote, it’s not quite our thing. We much prefer to go for a hike and go at our own pace and really connect to the beautiful nature and landscape.
3. Walk to Playa Papagayo for Free via Sendero Papagayo
Playa de Papagayo usually requires a €3 entrance fee, but only if you drive. The fee is charged on the road leading up to the parking lot. No fee is charged for hikers (or bikers) from Playa Blanca. And as a bonus, you’ll get to see many more beautiful beaches along the way.
Papagayo is the most famous beach of this section, and while it is indeed pretty, it gets super crowded. From the viewpoint, the water looks a bit nicer compared to the other beaches, since it’s a bay and so less wavy and the rocks create a stunning contrast. But if you don’t mind waves, any of the beaches from Mujeres to Cera are better to spend time on. They are much less crowded. You can also head to the beaches on the other side, like Caleta del Congrio. There the water is a bit calmer, and the beaches are even less crowded and more nudist friendly.
4. Admire La Graciosa from Mirador de Guinate
Forget about paying for crowded Mirador del Rio, you’ll have stunning views over La Graciosa from this hidden viewpoint. And not just over La Graciosa. You can also see over some of Lanzarote’s volcanos and admire the surrounding cliffs. A much better option!
If you were hoping for a different angle you can also drive towards Mirador del Rio and stop at one of the improvised viewpoints along the road. These provide more similar views to the Mirador del Rio. But we were quite happy with the views from the quiet Mirador de Guinate.
5. Swim in Punta Mujeres' Free Natural Pools
For those who don’t like the waves at the beaches, or are looking for a more intense and mesmerizing color of the ocean, Punta Mujeres is your place. The colors of the water are just stunning here.
When we arrived here, a cool breeze had just come up and the weather wasn’t the best for a dive in the cool ocean waters. But we still enjoyed a walk along the boulevard, just admiring the views and the atmosphere of this pretty white town.
If you’re looking for a longer walk, you can also walk here from Arrieta, along the coast.
6. Hike Caldera de Los Cuervos
Los Cuervos was the first place we visited in Lanzarote. It’s an easy hike around and into the crater. The inside of the crater is very pretty and you can see surrounding craters when circling around the caldera.
While we were very impressed with it, other craters like La Corona and La Caldera Blanca are more impressive. But Los Cuervos is definitely still worth it. The drive there is beautiful and since it’s a short and easy hike, it’s perfect as an afternoon activity on your arrival day. It’s the perfect introduction to Lanzarote’s volcanic landscape.
7. Visit a real natural lava tube
If you’re interested in visiting a lava tunnel, but don’t want to pay € 16 to visit Jameos de Agua or Cueva de los Verdes, or you want to see a natural one, check out Cueva de Ortiz. Just to manage expectations: these lava tubes aren’t massive caves like Jameos del Agua, but they’re authentic, wild, and totally free to explore. There is one small cave, and next to it a tunnel which you can access a little further. Since I had never been in one, I thought it was very cool to walk through these tunnels formed by lava and to see the different textures of the tunnel. Nature is just so incredible!
These caves are the most hidden attraction on this list, which adds to the experience and the charm of this place. While we found the first cave quite easily, finding the longer tunnel was not as easy. I found it searching for this very spot on mapy.com↗.
Other free things to do in Lanzarote
If you have more time in Lanzarote and want to explore more without breaking the bank, there are plenty of other things to do in Lanzarote for free.
For a completely different landscape, you can visit Las Grietas. Las Grietas is a canyon shaped by water, similar to Barranco de las Vacas in Gran Canaria. This part of the canyon is not very long, but it’s cool to check out if you’re around.
If you love natural shapes and rock formations, check out Ciudad Estratificada Los Roferos. While it’s not the most impressive place and I wouldn’t say it’s a must visit, it’s cool to visit if you’re interested in these kinds of places and it’s on your way.
And if you can’t get enough of Lanzarote’s volcanic landscape, there are plenty of other volcanoes to hike and beaches to chill on.
Finishing thoughts about visiting Lanzarote
Lanzarote really impressed me. I expected a barren island like Fuerteventura, but Lanzarote has some incredible landscapes, and I especially loved how almost the whole island is dotted in volcano craters. Even if you’re traveling on a budget, and don’t visit Lanzarote’s paid activities that get all the attention, there are still a lot of amazing things to do in Lanzarote which will very likely make you fall in love with this stunning island.
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FAQ about Lanzarote
It is if you hike there. If you enter by car, you’ll need to pay € 3. But if you hike or bike from Playa Blanca, entry is completely free. The trail is scenic and offers beautiful coastal views along the way.
5 to 7 days is ideal to explore Lanzarote without rushing. That gives you enough time to visit Timanfaya National Park, relax on beaches and explore volcanic landscapes. If you’re short on time, even 3 days will give you a good taste of the island.
That’s a though question, since Lanzarote has so many! But my personal favorite is the Caldera Blanca: one of the largest craters on the island with incredible views. So if you’re only going to visit one, make it Caldera Blanca.
To really experience the island: yes, you do. While you can get around some areas by bus or tours, renting a car gives you the most flexibility and lets you reach hidden beaches, volcanic trails, and small villages that public transport doesn’t cover well.
Yes, many beaches in Lanzarote are great for swimming, especially those on the southern coast like the beaches along Sendero Papagayo, and Papagayo Beach itself, where the water is usually calm and clear. However, some beaches, particularly on the west coast, have strong currents and bigger waves, making them better suited for surfing than casual swimming.