We’ve all heard it before. Whether it’s the menacing “go home” graffiti splashed across pastel-colored walls in Barcelona, or crowds of picket sign-waving locals taking to the streets in La Palma to protest overtourism, Spain isn’t exactly feeling like the warmest welcome for travelers right now.
The country is buckling under the weight of mass tourism, and honestly, locals have every right to be frustrated. But one island, in particular, is going against the grain and actually rolling out the welcome mat for foreigners.
One of the smaller Canary Islands, and way less visited than its neighbors, Lanzarote is actively inviting Americans to come check it out. If Tenerife and Gran Canaria don’t want them, this underrated volcanic gem definitely isn’t saying no to those tourist dollars.
Lanzarote Is Where I’d Go Myself For Some Summer Fun This Year
I’ve never had an angry Catalan chase me down La Rambla with a water pistol—trust me, in this current Spanish climate, it can happen—and I’ve usually been pretty well-received in Spain. No passive-aggressive waiters, rude B&B owners, or any of that.
But apparently, all it takes is posting a few photos from my recent trip to Galicia to get a taste of the vitriol.
“We don’t need promotion.”
“Leave Galicia alone.”
“Stay away, American.”
(For the record, I’m not even American).
And look, I get it to some extent. Living in Paris, I’ve seen firsthand how brutal mass tourism can be for local neighborhoods. But when I travel, spend my hard-earned euros, and genuinely try to respect the culture—not just snap another Instagram-perfect pic—getting shouted at or cursed at doesn’t exactly feel fair.
I guess next time I visit Spain, it will be Lanzarote for me:
What Makes Lanzarote Stand Out Among The Canary Islands
The easternmost of the Canary Islands, more wild, more rugged, less developed than Gran Canaria or Tenerife, Lanzarote is primarily known for its otherworldly volcanic landscapes, sandy beaches so wide they look like mini deserts, and slow-paced living.
In other words, if you’re primarily interested in Las Americas beach parties and the larger-than-life all-inclusive resorts, this may not be the place for you.
At the heart of Lanzarote, Timanfaya National Park is nothing short of a volcanic wonderland, dotted with fiery craters, geothermal spots, and surreal Mars-like scenery. It’s the number one spot to check out for those visiting Lanzarote, and for the foodies like me, swinging by Restaurante El Diablo is a must.
One of the most unique eateries in the entire Canaries, they grill their meat over the slow-letting vapor of an ancient volcano, and their hilltop location overlooking the mountain-traversed park is not a sight you’ll forget anytime soon.
Timanfaya is only one of several Lanzaroteño wonders of nature.
Jameos del Agua is yet another must-see pit stop: a lava cave transformed into an underground concert hall. Even if you can’t catch a live gig here, there’s still a restaurant in the vicinity, millennia-old tunnels to explore, and a cenote-style salt lake (though they don’t call it a cenote on this side of the pond).
Over at Mirador del Río, you’ll find the classic cliffside viewpoint with jaw-dropping panoramas over the pristine northern coast, and when that Canarian sun hits its peak, there’s nowhere you’ll rather be than Papagayo:
A string of expansive golden-sand beaches hugged by crystal-clear waters, they’re Lanzarote’s prime spot for swimming on that hot summer day.
Don’t Sleep On Arrecife
Lanzarote’s primary appeal is its untamed nature, as you might have noticed, but that’s not to say there aren’t any vibrant towns to explore.
Arrecife, the capital, is a lively port with a rich colonial heritage: unlike mainland Spain, Lanzarote wasn’t populated by Spaniards until the late medieval ages, and the architecture of its main settlement is evocative of Latin America.
After all, they were both settled at around the same time.
The streets are narrow and pedestrian-friendly, the houses are two-story-high, and either white-washed or painted in soft pastel hues, and there seems to be a picturesque plaza ringed by palm trees and coffee shops at every turn.
On the coast, two castles stare down at each other: Castillo de San Gabriel, a fortress built on a small islet linked to the mainland by a manmade causeway, and Castillo de José, now an art museum, standing watch over the port.
Oh, and the best part? No discouraging graffiti telling you to go home anywhere.
Check Travel Alerts Beforehand
If you’re visiting Spain in the near future, make sure you check whether there are any Travel Alerts in place beforehand.
On top of that, you can always verify the real-time Traveler Safety Score for Spain:
Quaint Coastal Towns You Shouldn’t Miss
Puerto del Carmen is where most of the beach lovers flock into: it’s the one true ‘resort strip’ on Lanzarote, with plenty of restaurants, and something you can call a nightlife scene.
Playa Blanca, on the southern coast, has that chilled, family-friendly feel, and it’s ideal for easy-access to the Papagayo Beaches, and over at Teguise, further inland, you’ll find a more Old World, mainland Europe vibe: cobbled streets, traditional architecture, and the occasional Sunday farmers’ market.
To my fellow oenophiles, don’t miss San Bartolomé, yet another offbeat town in the wine-making region of La Geria, where they grow vines amid volcanic ash. Their Malvasía wines are famous all over the Canaries, and here you get to drink it straight from the source.
Spain is changing its entry rules this year, and this includes Lanzarote.
Spain Is Changing Entry Rules This Year
This summer, certain Spanish airports will start fingerprinting U.S. travelers as part of the new EU-wide Entry/Exit System, and later in the year, potentially from fall onwards, a mandatory travel permit will be required for Americans visiting as tourists.
Yep, the era of zero-hassle, completely visa-free travel is behind us. Make sure you keep an eye on the latest entry requirements to know exactly when the changes will hit, or you could be hit yourself with a boarding denial at the airport.
Is Lanzarote The Most Welcoming Place In Spain Right Now?
7 out of 10 American travelers plan on visiting Spain by 2028.
Needless to say, a majority will be headed to places like Barcelona, Mallorca, or Madrid, with only a tiny percentage verging off the beaten path to places like Galicia, the equally-underrated Asturias, or even Lanzarote.
Angry Galicians in my Instagram comments, you can all take a chill pill for a moment: your beautiful province won’t be overrun by tourists anytime soon.
Seeing it receives so very few guests in comparison to mainline destinations across Spain, and even the Canary Islands, Lanzarote wouldn’t mind some tourism trickling down its way, if you know what we mean. It’s not just pretty words and no action, either:
Last December, a Lanzarote-sponsored travel delegation went to Washington D.C. to promote the island as a destination to tour operators, industry associations, and travel-focused media.
Authorities have also recently greenlit port access in Playa Blanca to boutique cruise ships, signalling day-trippers from larger Canary Islands are welcome, and even new flight routes between the island and Northern Spain are on the horizon.
Lanzarote is not only absolutely stunning, it’s less-crowded, open to tourism, and keen on riding the latest Spain tourism wave. See you there this summer?
