The 5 best walks in Lanzarote

⛰️ Difficulty: medium (9.33 km - 327 m - ↘328 m)

The Caldera Blanca is the largest crater on the Canary Islands. Over a kilometre in diameter, it was created in a single eruption! So it's easy to see why its ascent isone of Lanzarote's must-do hikes.

The route begins at the car park in the village of Macha Blanca and plunges two kilometres into the sea of lava before reaching the Caldereta, Caldera Blanca's little sister with its crater 300 metres in diameter. You then go round the volcano to the right before tackling the ascent: it's a challenging climb, but don't be afraid to take a break - the view of Timanfaya National Park and the ocean is already magnificent!

The highlight comes once you reach the top: theimmense crater of the Caldera Blanca opens up before you, with the Malpaís and the Atlantic as far as the eye can see. The sheer size of the crater is staggering, and it's hard to imagine that a 'simple' volcanic eruption could have left this behind! You can walk around it to see it from every angle, but beware of the wind, which can make you lose your balance. The path down is opposite the Caldereta, and we then have to turn back to reach the car park.

⭐ Where to stay near the Caldera Blanca?

⛰️ Difficulty: easy (7.48 km - 102 m - ↘102 m)

The small fishing village of El Golfo feels like the end of the world. This is even truer when you set off along the coastal path. The route starts at the car park at the far end of the village and plunges into the lava sea without leaving the shore. You can admire the Atlantic waves crashing against the volcanic rock, leaving behind only a spray of foam.

After just over two kilometres, our route takes a right turn, but we decide to take a short diversions to the black-sand beach of del Paso, on the left. There's not a cat in sight - it's like Brigitte Bardot's La Madrague! Be careful, though, as swimming is prohibited here because of the currents.

We rejoin the main path, which now heads inland towards Montaña Quemada. The path goes all the way round the volcano, but we advise you to make a little extra effort to climb to the top. It's a bit strenuous but very quick, and the view of the ocean and Timanfaya national park will be your reward! Now it's time to head back to El Golfo. We advise you to do this walk in the morning, as you'll meet very few hikers and you can then have lunch in the village, facing the sea: after the effort, the comfort!

⭐ Where to stay in El Golfo?

⛰️ Difficulty: very easy (4.16 km - 58 m - ↘60 m)

If you're more of a walker than a hiker, you don't have to climb a mountain to enter a volcano's crater. The Caldera de los Cuervos trail, which can be walked by almost anyone, takes walkers to the heart of a crater in just under an hour and a half, with almost no change in altitude.

The route begins at the car park, and information panels are scattered along the way to tell visitors all about the environment that surrounds them: sea of lava, volcanic bombs, crater, pyroclasts, etc. They tell us that this volcano was the first to become active during the series of eruptions in the 18th century.

The path takes us directly inside the crater, the size of which gives us an idea of the violence of the eruptions that shook Lanzarote so many centuries ago. The route then skirts around the volcano to the right, giving us a chance to admire its full range of colours, but we can also turn around to cut the walk short and head straight back to the car park.

⭐ Where to stay near Caldera de los Cuervos?

⛰️ Difficulty: medium (8.18 km - 395 m - ↘401 m)

Lanzarote's beaches are superb, but they are often crowded during the high tourist season. We've got the solution! Playa del Risco isone of the island'swildest beaches... but there's a reason for that: a rather strenuous hike of almost three and a half hours awaits those who would like to sample its golden sands.

It all starts at this car park, which leads to a mirador offering a breathtaking view of the beach. For the rest, we hope you have good knees, because we're going to descend 350 metres in a few dozen minutes. The clear, cool waters of the Atlantic greet us at the bottom, a well-deserved reward!

You can continue as far as the old Salines del Rio, of which not much remains, or return after enjoying the beach. The climb back up is likely to be strenuous, but in the end it's less complicated than the descent. The craziest part of the story is that the inhabitants of La Graciosa used to take this steep path regularly. In fact, before the ferries reached the port of Orzola, the locals used to cross the Río Strait at its narrowest point, landing on the Playa del Risco!

⭐ Where to stay near Playa del Risco?

⛰️ Difficulty: easy (4.46 km - 151 m - ↘144 m)

The Corona volcano is the origin of the eight-kilometre Atlantis tunnel, parts of which can be seen at the Cueva de los Verdes and the Jameos del Agua, designed by César Manrique. The cascade of lava that flowed from its crater when it first erupted more than 20,000 years ago was more than 400 metres high, leaving behind more than 18 square kilometres of ** *malpaís***. At 609 metres high, it is the largest volcano on Lanzarote, but don't worry, it's not that steep to reach its summit!

The walk starts at the Ye church car park and winds through vineyards and prickly pear trees towards the Corona volcano. The slope leading to the edge of the crater is fairly gentle, but the path leading down into the interior is quite steep, though rather short, so it's up to you if you make a diversion.

From up here, you can enjoy a privileged view over the whole island and the volcano's crater, whose red colour contrasts with the blue of the sky. However, beware of the wind, which can quickly cause you to lose your balance. We descend along another path that takes us close to the Torrecilla de Domingo castle before returning to our starting point.