Lanzarote’s Volcanic Legacy
Volcanic islands all over the world form some the best holiday destinations you can find. And one of the closest of these to the UK is the island of Lanzarote, which is part of the European Union.
As the most easterly of the seven islands that make up the Canaries, Lanzarote is also the island that has seen the most recent volcanic activity. Back in the 1730’s, the world’s longest recorded eruptions began and went on for six years.
This devastating event in fact increased the island’s land mass by one quarter. But it also destroyed what had been the most fertile part of the countryside and drove many farming families to emigrate.Since then, however, Lanzarote has steadily rebuilt itself and its resident population and now regularly welcomes almost a million visitors a year in the form of holidaymakers. They are attracted by the incredible climate the island enjoys and its unspoilt, rugged beauty, which includes many stunning beaches.
These days, a good proportion of visitors choose to hire a private villa. And with a large number of villas in Playa Blanca to choose from, it has become even easier to find exactly the type of accommodation you want.
Although that doesn’t always suit every holidaymaker, so it is just as well that an excellent range of Lanzarote hotels is also available, especially in Playa Blanca as this is the newest resort. Many are located right by the seafront promenade, with commanding views across the Bocaina Strait to Fuerteventura.
The volcanoes on the island have been put to good use in the last few decades. As Lanzarote’s most popular tourist attraction is the Timanfaya National Park, a protected area of the volcanic region that remains as it was just after the eruptions came to an end.
Elsewhere on the island, the underground lava tunnels that were created by molten rock flowing down towards the sea have also been turned into sites of interest. Chief amongst these is the amazing Jameos del Agua, which is home to an underground lake, hanging gardens, a nightclub, restaurant and museum all in a collapsed tunnel.
The inventive use of these features is surprising and charms many of the island’s visitors. And as flights to Lanzarote are only four hours from the UK, it is well worth a trip to discover for yourself how captivating this volcanic outcrop can be.