Travel to Lanzarote: A Journey through Fire

Photo Credit: Luc Viatour on Flickr

The Canary Islands possess a completely distinct culture and history from both Africa and Europe. The small Spanish archipelago marks the geographic extent of the European Union and offers visitors incredible and unforgettable experiences of all kinds.

Every year countless Flights to Lanzarote, the easternmost destination of the archipelago, deliver travelers to the incredible landscape known as the “island of 100 volcanoes,” even though, in reality, there are some 300 volcanic peaks scattered throughout.

Lanzarote’s staggering and sometimes surreal landscape was formed by a series of violent volcanic eruptions in the 17^th and 18^th centuries. The eruptions began in 1830 and lasted for six years, generating seemingly endless flows of lava that blanketed fertile valleys and several villages – forever altering the landscape and economy of the island.

Photo Credit: Son of Goucho on Flickr

Lanzarote natives present during this unprecedented geological phenomenon described the event as something akin to earth opening up and mountains emerging overnight. They wrote that lava cascaded down the mountains like an avalanche, running like water, eventually slowing down to a pace similar to honey.

These poetic and dramatic descriptions document a landscape in flux, one culture erased by the earth to form a completely new one. As a result of this incredible process, the landscape of Lanzarote features distinct and stunning contrasts. The dark colours and rugged textures of lava fields transition to smooth, sandy beaches while the pristine emerald waters of the Atlantic contrast with dense pockets of vegetation. The result is a visual feast sure to engage and entice everyone who sets foot on this magnificent island.

While these features of the landscape make Lanzarote an idyllic setting for soaking up sun and relaxing by the sea, the island’s volcanic history is legible in several different contexts. Visitors to the island can and should explore the incredible Cave of Los Verdes, part of a comprehensive cave network formed by flowing lava.

Better described as a tunnel, the Cave of Los Verdes measures 6km in length under the mainland and extends a further 1.6km out into the sea, making it one of the longest lava tunnels (and most incredible tourist experiences) in the world. It was in this monumental cave that the indigenous Canary Island people known as “Guanches” sought refuge from invading Spanish and Portuguese pirates in the 14^th century.

Photo Credit: Daniel Stark on Flickr

During the six year period of intense eruptions, the area now known as Timanfaya National Park was created. This area is quite literally one of the newest places on earth and a site of intense scientific inquiry as researchers and scientists observe how life develops on completely new earth.

Tours are available through the national park and offer a range of experiences and recreational activities designed to educate and entertain visitors of all kinds. However you chose to explore the island, your visit to Lanzarote will surprise and delight at every turn. You will be sure to remember this incredible place as a hotspot of epic proportions.

NOTE: This is not my own experience, but instead one contributed by DealChecker.co.uk.