Many visitors to Lanzarote are already familiar with the Mirador del Rio in the North of the island. Cesar Manrique´s makeover of this former naval gun battery, which sits 479 metres up on the Risco de Famara affords breathtaking views across to the neighbouring island of La Graciosa. And attracted some 362,500 people in 2006.
But as you’d expect on an island with so many volcanic peaks there are loads of other incredible vantage points to explore. All of them offering fantastic views and vistas of Lanzarote. Most of these miradors (from the Spanish word mirar – to look) lie off the beaten track and aren’t signposted. Others require a bit of effort to get to, necessitating the use of two feet rather than four wheels. But if you´re keen to discover the parts of Lanzarote that the other guidebooks and tours don’t reach then they´re well worth hunting down.
One of the most breathtaking, easy to reach and least known of these look out points lies just ten minutes down the coastline from the Mirador del Rio in the picturesque village of Haria, home of the Valley of 1000 Palms.
From this breezy vantage point, at a height of around 400 metres there are incredible views all of the way down the North West coastline of Lanzarote. Across the sweeping beach at Famara and down as far south as the beginnings of the volcano park at Timanfaya. Turn 180 degrees and enjoy a second beautiful vista – down across the palm packed village of Haria and to the southeastern coastline below.
And whilst the views here are breathtaking it doesn’t require a huge amount of energy to reach this spot. As it can be accessed quite easily by a fifteen-minute walk up a dirt track on the outskirts of the village.
How To Get There
Driving into Haria on the LZ10 from Teguise and Los Valles, follow the road as it descends down into the village and the bougainvillea bedecked Main Square. Turn left here by Café Ne-Ya into Calle Cilla, following signs for the Mirador del Rio. Follow this road to the top – where you have a choice of turning left or right.
Turn left, into Calle La Cruz, effectively doubling back on yourself until you reach a junction marked with a number of options. Here, take the right in the direction of the Colegio Instituto Deportivo and follow the road round until it becomes dirt track. Then park up and follow the track towards the coast.
Mirador Tour
There are plenty of other excellent lookout points in this part of the island too.
Las Nieves
Las Nieves sits on top of the Risco de Famara range of mountains that runs all the way from the beach of the same name up to the Mirador del Rio in the north of the island.
Here you’ll find the impossibly pretty Ermita de las Nieves – the fittingly titled Hermitage of the Clouds. This chapel is dedicated to the Virgin of las Nieves to whom the locals have prayed for rain for many centuries.
She must be a little hard of hearing though as rainfall stays as low as ever on the island. Alternatively the prayers may have been lost on the wind as it can be extremely breezy up here.
Past the chapel lie various outcrops of rock that afford the most incredible views down to Famara below, over to Graciosa and back down to the center and south of the island.
Not one for vertigo sufferers and keep a tight rein on the kids.
Las Nieves can be reached from the LZ10. Drive through Los Valles and watch out for the signposts.
Mirador Valle del Palomo
Little more than a lay by really on the LZ10 in the north of the island but the views down to Arrieta, Mala and Guatiza are well worth pulling over for.
Easy to find, the lay by is directly after the giant golf ball, or observatory, which sits atop the Risco de Famara, as you drive towards Haria from Los Valles.
El Bosque
Would you believe there´s a wood on arid Lanzarote? Well, ok it isn’t Sherwood Forest and it took a battering in the Tropical Strorm Delta a year or so back. But there are trees, picnic tables and breathtaking views of the surrounding cliff faces and down to the Atlantic, some 600 metres below.
It´s not easy to find and is best accessed in a four-wheel drive vehicle but is well worth the effort.
The access point is a dirt track that starts just after the lay by above on your left as you drive towards Haria on the LZ10.
Mirador de Haria
Just a couple of minutes past the lay by for the Mirador Valle del Palomo sits a restaurant – the Mirador de Haria. The food here is nothing special but the view is incredible – so order a coffee and just feast your eyes on the beautiful Valley of a Thousand Palms below.
Mirador de Guíñate
Easy to find but little known spot which offers great views over to Graciosa. Drive to and past the Guinate Tropical Park for around 3/4 minutes and you can’t miss it as the road comes to an abrupt end.
