7 Hidden Gems in Lanzarote - Secret places to visit

Published on October 26, 2023
LanzaroteThings to do in Lanzarote
Playa de orzola lanzarote
Looking for the best-kept secret of Lanzarote and off-the-beaten-track places to visit?

Lanzarote is mainly a destination for sun and beach lovers, but the island has so much to offer beyond the beautiful beaches and great weather.

Most of the attractions in Lanzarote revolve around Cesar Manrique and his great influence on the island's development, so you may have heard already about places like Jameos del Agua, Mirador del Rio, or Cueva de los Verdes.

But if you're like us and you keep returning to this beautiful island again and again, you may think you've seen it all by now.

However, during our explorations, we kept discovering new places in Lanzarote, not so popular among tourists, but still worthwhile seeing.

Our favorite secret places to visit in Lanzarote

Lanzarote is an island best discovered at a slow pace, which allows you to see its most popular spots, as well as its best-kept secrets, some of which we will reveal to you in this article. But if you go out and explore on your own, we're certain that you'll be able to find more secret places in Lanzarote, where you can escape the tourist crowds.  

Please keep in mind that Lanzarote is a popular tourist destination and a fairly small island when compared to the larger islands like Tenerife or Gran Canaria, so most of these places can't technically be called "secret", but they are out of the usual tourist paths, so you won't find that many people here as you would when visiting places like Timanfaya National Park.

We refer to these places as the hidden gems of Lanzarote due to the fact that they're away from the big crowds and tourist resorts, which is why it's crucial to hire a car in order to visit these spots.

1. The shipwreck in Arrecife

Shipwreck arrecife lanzarote
Telamon is the name of the ship

An unusual and maybe eerie sight in Lanzarote is that of the half-sunken ship near the capital of Arrecife.

It's not on the usual tourist path, but it's just a small detour if you have a rental car and want to go see it. Read more details about it in our article about things to do in Arrecife.

This shipwreck is not really worth a special trip just to see it but if you are ever in this area close to Arrecife, it is worth a short detour to have a look around. But it's not really a tourist attraction, just a rusting sinking ship, which sparks more interest usually among photographers.

2. Los Charcones

The name of Los Charcones represents a series of small natural pools, formed on the southwest coast of the island, close to Playa Blanca.

From the Peciguera Lighthouse, where the maritime promenade ends, you have to walk around 3 km in order to reach these pools.

It's tricky because you have to be careful walking on the rocks in order to reach them. Also, you need to be careful in regards to the tide levels and state of the ocean, as it can be dangerous to swim here sometimes.

This is a secluded place in Lanzarote, one that not many manage to find, so if you come here during a lovely summer day, you will have for yourself one of the best natural pools in Lanzarote.

3. Punta Mujeres and the natural pool El Muro

Punta mujeres natural pool lanzarote
Natural pool in Punta Mujeres, Lanzarote

Many people pass by the small village of Punta Mujeres on their way to Jameos del Agua, but few ever stop here to visit this authentic place in Lanzarote.

Punta Mujeres is a small Canarian fishing village, where you can eat fresh fish and seafood at a local restaurant just in front of the natural pool of Punta Mujeres, also known as Piscina Natural El Muro.

It's a nice and safe place to swim, right in front of the restaurant La Piscina, where they serve a nice gambas al ajillo and puntillas de calamares (fried baby squid). They don't have an English menu, so if you don't know Spanish at all it may be a bit difficult to order. 

4. Playa de Orzola

playa de orzola lanzarote
Playa de Orzola in the north of Lanzarote

In the very north of Lanzarote, you will find the village of Orzola, the departure point for most of the excursions towards La Graciosa.

Not many people actually stop to explore the sleepy village of Orzola, which means that you won't find many tourists here, even during the summer months.

From Calle la Quemadita you take a turn onto a road that it will soon become a dirt road and will take you to Playa de Orzola. This is one of those wild beaches, with no amenities or bars on the spot, but the view with the giant cliffs on one side is worth the trip. The waves and currents usually make it unsafe to swim, but you can still spend a few moments here enjoying the sights.

5. Mirador de Los Helechos

mirador haria
Drive around the island and discover the best secret places in Lanzarote on your own

Driving from Haria towards Teguise, you will see on the left a restaurant named Bar Restaurante Los Helechos. Stop in the parking in front of the restaurant and from there you will have an unobstructed view of the ocean and the valley.

When we last visited this mirador a few years ago access to the viewing platform used to be free, however, we learned that now only guests from the restaurant have free access and if you're not a customer then you need to pay a 1 Euro fee in order to access the mirador.

So in our opinion, we recommend stopping at this mirador only if you also want to have a coffee break or maybe even enjoy lunch with a view, otherwise you can just stop at the recently reopened Mirador de Haria, which is nearby and free to visit, with an incredible, yet scary glass viewing platform.

6.  Volcano de la Corona

Volcano La Corona is one of those hidden natural attractions in Lanzarote, that are still free from the crowds of tourists. If deciding to visit you'll most likely have the place all to yourself.

You can park the hire car close to the church in Ye and proceed from there on the trail that takes you through the vineyards. The path slowly ascended towards the crater, but the hike is relatively short and not too challenging, but it's advisable to wear appropriate footwear due to loose rocks.

Although you can't walk around the crater but the view from the summit is quite beautiful and worth the short hike.

7. Las Grietas

hidden gems lanzarote
Explore Lanzarote's hidden gems | Image by Rudi Maes from Pixabay

Las Grietas is "Lanzarote's most popular hidden gem" to visit.

If this phrase sounds odd to you, then we agree with you, but it's the best way to describe it in our opinion.

The landscape here is truly unique and impressive, composed of a series of deep volcanic fissures formed by water erosion and it's definitely one of the places worth visiting in Lanzarote, although it's hardly a secret anymore, since it's fairly easy to get there when following the GPS navigation.

There is a car park nearby but at peak hours it's hard to find a spot to park the car, which sometimes causes traffic retentions in the area and leads to complaints. The Cabildo is actually considering closing the car park near Las Grietas on LZ-35 road from Tias to San Bartolome.

So although Las Grietas is not at the same level in terms of popularity as places like Jameos del Agua or Timanfaya, it is not really a secret anymore and you can expect to be busy, especially during the high season months, which is why it can be difficult to find a free spot to park the car. 

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