Lanzarote & La Graciosa

Lanzarote is very different to the other Canaries we have visited, but is full of interest despite the semi-desert environment. Walking highlights were Risco de Famara, Haria, and the Yaiza-Femes circuit. On that last, don't be put off by the cluster of masts on top of Atalaya. The view from the top over to Fuerteventura and around is spectacular, and you can only get it from the top. Away from walking, the experience of entering the auditorium at Jameos del Agua as a recording of a Mozart Requiem was being played was something very special. Wildlife was disappointingly scarce, the most obvious birds being the ubiquitous and unusually confiding Berthelot's Pipit - even looking for crumbs at our picnic sites. And a 'must' for a starter at the Casona is the octopus. Utterly delicious!

Walks and restaurants recommended all good. In addition, the restaurant Bogavante in El Golfo was good and the restaurant Bodego de Uga. Our favourite in Yaiza was the La Era. The Jameos del Aqua was disappointing, the Coevade Los Verdes much better.

Lanzarote was a pleasant surprise with good walks and places to visit. A car is essential to get around the island  in order to see the contrasting scenery and sights. In particular La Graciosa is a must to visit. Getting to the main attractions early was essential to avoid the crowds. Delicious fresh fish and superb local wines were a relevation.

Thank you again Inntravel for choosing lovely accommodation in a beautiful setting. Sadly we couldn't do as many walks as intended. But we did visit the caves and had lunch in the restaurant which was great. The north of the island provides some spectacular views. We recommend a visit to all corners of the island. The cafes are excellent and the restaurant Costa Azul at El Golfo is not to be missed the fish is fabulous. On a lovely evening the view would be wonderful. The car is a must parking is very easy although we were there in March. All walks in the pack allow for covering all landscapes on the island. A good time had by all. 

We particularly liked walking through the lava fields. We couldn't do the Haria walk on Saturday as there was some sort of event going on and the place was heaving.  We were diverted by a policeman and there was nowhere to stop. If you are not a good sailor, it might not be a good idea to go to La Graciosa as the swell can be fierce! The walk over the island was somewhat spoiled by the number of landrover taxis tearing past.

Another very successful Inntravel holiday and only regret is not staying for 2 weeks! The accommodation in Casona de Yaiza is excellent and we ate there every evening apart from the Wednesday (restaurant closed on that day). Last year we stayed on Fuerteventura and certainly this stay on Lanzarote did not disappoint and we had good walking and beach time taking many photographs of the rough seas. We walked to the beaches east of Playa Blanca but in our opinion the beach of Playa del Paso near El Golfo and that of Playa de Famara were more enjoyable.

Wonderful location with excellent food and many cultural highlights - would recommend.

Your suggested Finca de las Salinas restaurant was closed. In its place, we suggest El Chupadero, a wonderful tapas restaurant 4 km north of Uga. It's down a small dirt track and very modestly signed, so you need to gauge the 4 km carefully in order not to miss it.

The two restaurants we visited recommended by you were v. good: Costa Azul and Bodega de Santiago.

We had a great walking holiday with Inntravel. From the choice of airline (Jet2, friendly staff, absolutely no queues) to the small, family run hotel with an excellent restaurant, we could not fault the arrangements. We would definitely use Inntravel (and Jet2) again.

Excellent walking on a strangely beautiful volcanic island. Quiet and unspoiled away from the beach resorts.

Hotel Casa de Hilario is charming, rustic in the right way, extremely pretty and with lovely views. Rooms are clean and showers are hot. Having breakfast outside in the gentle morning sunshine is fabulous, as are sundowners after a long day's walk, on the terrace. Personal highlight was the fabulous walking across a wonderful dramatic landscape with amazing otherworldly volcanoes which can be climbed up to or into depending upon the route you take. Particular highlight, which was not a walk recommended but which in our view should be, was the Caldera blanca, up to the top of the volcano and walking around the tops. The entire booking process and holiday experience from beginning to end was extremely easy and Inntravel were helpful, professional, efficient and friendly. It all worked extremely well and went like clockwork. We will definitely travel with them again and would highly recommend them - this was our first experience of them.

If the holiday is at the beginning of February our advice would be to take warm clothes for the evenings, which were quite cold. Although it was sunny during the day a chilly wind was with us for all of the holiday. El Golfo was a nice place to have a late lunch. 

This location and hotel was another excellent choice from Inntravel. We loved the character of the place and the peaceful surrounding. Despite a disappointing week weather wise we had a superb week walking and eating and relaxing. We are planning a return so we can perhaps make use of the pool which looked very tempting!

Full marks to Inntravel for excellent organisation and research that enabled us to make the most of every minute we spent on Lanzarote. Whilst a week of mild temperatures and sunshine in January felt very health-giving, it was the fascination of the island's volcanic landscapes that dominated our walks and explorations. The most recent eruptions, which resulted in the stunning scenery of the Timanfaya National Park, happened less than 300 years ago. Walks 5-9 in the Inntravel folder take you across lava fields and into volcanic craters. The National Park Visitor Centre was a good introduction offering films and demonstrations (free entry). Sights such as the Green Lagoon (Charco de Los Clicos), the red and black shades of the Montanas del Fuego de Timanfaya and the interior of Monte Cuervo's crater were like nothing we had ever seen before. All this does not mean to say Lanzarote is a barren island: the areas of older volcanic activity are being recolonised by colourful lichens and wildflowers. The cultural landscape is also beautiful, with the black soil and half-moon stone walls of the vineyards and the white villages with their shady squares and courtyards. The island has many interesting, excellent museums including El Patio Agricultural Museum and the Museum of Piracy at Teguise. We found it to be a welcoming island with a laid-back atmosphere and offering good local food. For us, it was an inspirational week's holiday.

HIGLIGHTS: Food at La Casona, El Golfo, Timanfaya National Park, the influence & presence of Cesar Manrique, Cliff walk at Haria, Restaurante Salmarina at Playa Quemada, El Grifo Wine Museum

Our base was excellently placed for access to all walks. The permanent blue skies were wonderful for walking in January, but morning and evening temperatures required warm clothing. We enjoyed the variety of walks and clean beauty and colours of volcanic scenery. Unfortunately we considered La Graciosa too far for day trip. We enjoyed swimming in Playa Papagayo.

Bodega at Casona de Yaiza had better food and was better value than the one at Casa del Hilario. But overall food on Lanzarote very good. Highlights were the extensive views from the tops of the hills or the high cliffs, without expending too much effort to get there! No crowds, and 7 days of sunshine.

Don’t forget to pack a jacket in January like we did! The evenings are very chilly and no heating. The village supermarket was great for picnic stuff, loved the Griffin local wine. The hotel was very pretty, great views and good food. We had our fifth Inn Travel holiday and it was as good as we expected, thank you.

Our best walks were the first half of the walk to Femes, Around Monte Cuervo, and the beach walk was surprisingly enjoyable. We did not really enjoy Risco de Famara. It was vertiginous and the beaches were no better than the north side of La Graciosa. We were so pleased that we went to La Graciosa and did the heartland walk. It was so different to the main island and the views were great. We would have liked to have stayed there a night or two. Seeing the houses and works of Cesar Manrique was a highlight for us and we liked Haria and its surrounding area, preferring the landscape to the south. We also liked Teguise and Femes. 

Highlights: the otherworldliness of the volcanic landscapes, the character of our hotel, easy to drive and park around all the island, great food away from the 'strips', and the sun was out for 6 days out of 7

Lovely island with some unusual hiking in the volcanic landscapes and memorable tourist attractions. Timanfaya National Park and the Jameos del Agua are must sees. We enjoyed the peace of Yaiza. 

Altogether this was a very enjoyable holiday. We already knew the island and where we wanted to revisit - and we are too old to follow much of the walking programme, but nevertheless we would be happy to go back again.

There are a few comments to make about the accommodation.  We had not really taken in the instruction to ring the owner to tell him of our planned arrival time.  However, we were somewhat disconcerted to find that there are absolutely no staff in the Casa  de Hilario after 2pm - and we arrived at 2.10pm to find the chamber/breakfast maid departing for the day - and knowing nothing about our arrival.  Although she called the owner it took a call from us to your office to get his attention. He suggested a room number that was not the twin room that we had requested.  He came over from the Casona about half and hour later and put us in another room which was quite acceptable. That was when he inducted me into the system of keys. In fact, there no fewer than three keys and a good walk between our room and the nearest kettle - and a fourth to open the barrier to the road outside. Perhaps a kettle in the room would have been a reasonable expectation!

The guesthouse was reasonably comfortable and always clean, with a decent breakfast and a very nice terrace from which to admire the view while one ate. One corner of the breakfast room had some remarkable sofas where we were very firmly told there was to be no shoes and definitely no food or drink!

The Casona where we supposed to eat three dinners provided a very poor meal on our first evening and we returned only once on Sunday evening when pretty much every alternative is closed. There appeared to be major staffing problems both in the kitchen and the restaurant: on the Sunday evening, when most of the Casa de Hilario guests were there, it was equally chaotic but at least the food was better. We were glad we were not staying there in the 'mother ship'. The position in the town is not so pleasant as the Casa, and it is hard to find. We did however eat very well at the Bodega which is next door to the Casa, and at La Era which is in a fascinating building and offers a warm welcome as well as good food.

At very least I think that either you or the owner should provide a decent sketch map of Yaiza. There is a delightful restraint in Lanzarote when it comes to plastering buildings and streets with the names of hotels and many other things. But it can prove frustrating. The hotel owner laughed at the idea of a sketch map but I think that many of the guests would appreciate it. It would also be a place to print his telephone number!

Loved every aspect of our holiday. Walking was fantastic. We had a room upgrade and that was worth every penny. The meals included at the hotel were all good. Just thoroughly enjoyed everything.

We had a good, varied and enjoyable week of walkiong and sight seeing on Lanzarote. We covered the whole island, but did not visit La Graciosa. We particiularly enjoyed and were impressed by the bus trip around the Timanfaya national Park. The volcanic activity is quite breathtaking, and the scale of the disruption defies understanding. 

We were also impressed by the Jameos del Aqua and the accompanying buildings, which are beautifully executed and immaculate. 

Cesar Manrique's house in Haria was also memorable for us. We do not often visit houses which we feel we would like to live in.   

I had to contact Inntravel because I hadn't received the pack about 10 days before departure, apparently the original pack was lost in the post. The pack arrived very quickly at the secong attempt though. Perhaps an email could be sent when the pack goes out?
We had booked a twin room but were given a double on arrival. The owner wasn't in on the day we arrived (and wasn't much in evidence at all) but did arrange an alternative room when we spoke to him the next day. The restaurant waiter (Jonoy) was excellent, a real asset. We felt the hotel, although fine with comfortable beds, was slighly in need of an overhaul.
[The walking was] not exactly too easy but rather lacking in variety; not really the fault of Inntravel though, more the landscape of Lanzarote itself. We were lucky with good flowers on the Haria / Famara cliff walk (walk 4, not really vertiginous). The Femes circuit (walk 12) was nice and open; we thought the part flagged as possibly vertiginous near the end was one of the best sections; I think it would have been frustrating to have to retrace our steps so close to the end of the walk - would it be possible to set it the other way round so that those who wanted to could opt out earlier? Had a great day on La Graciosa, enjoyed the clamber up Montana Amarilla (route not on the map). We did a combination walk from Tabayesco (walk 37 on the map, made circular with a stretch of walk 33) - magnificently wild floriferous hillside: we missed the path up and had to do a lot of clambering but it was good fun!
Nothing to do with Inntravel but we had a nightmare journey back because weather conditions in Lanzarote meant that planes couldn't fly in the normal route and many failed to land, were diverted to Fuerteventura so there was serious chaos at the airport. Our plane left four hours late and had to make an unscheduled stop at Alicante for a crew change, so we arrived back about seven hours late!

Great variety of walking options. Small personal and well located hotel. Winter sun.  

Overall, a most enjoyable week. The Hotel Rural Casona de Yaiza was delightful and well situated. The staff were first rate and ready to help at all times. The room itself was not luxurious but perfectly adequate and what one would expect for a hotel in this location and type. More clothes storage might be an advantage, but the beds were most comfortable, not something one always finds, even in top hotels. The walks are well chosen and accurately described; the landscape is unique and fascinating. Even though our weather was below par, there is plenty to see and do if you are not walking. Driving is easy and the roads are generally excellent.

Good range of walks to choose from.  Also do take the time to see some of the Cesar Manrique places. We particularly liked the Fundacion Cesar Manrique and the Jameos del Agua.

This was an excellent holiday on a fascinating island. The suggested walks and "favourite things to do" kept us busy and interested for the whole 9 days of our holiday. If you are only going for 7 days you will need to get your skates on to make sure that you get the best out of your week. The only thing that we did not manage to do was the Timanfaya guided walk because, having only booked our holiday 4 weeks beforehand, there were no spaces available. I would advise anyone doing this trip to book through the National Parks website as soon as they have confirmed their travel arrangements. The Timanfaya coach trip is really worth doing even though you are stuck inside a bus for the duration. It is best to do this as soon as you can in the morning. We drove straight in but cars were starting to queue when we left at about 11:00. Tickets purchased at the park gate now cost 10 euro and the 4 monument ticket (also bought here) has risen to 28 euro. If buying the latter, you now have to choose between the Cactus Gardens and Mirador del Rio. You will need to make up your minds which you want to do before turning up at the park gates if you are going for a multi entry ticket.

Apart from the walks our unmissables were:

- Timanfaya coach tour - yes you are herded into a bus for 40 mins but it is the only way that you are going to get up close with this fascinating landscape.

- Cesar Manrique foundation - even if you do not like modern art, you are bound to be bowled over by the architecture of this extraordinary building (consider getting a twin ticket that includes admission to his house in Haria).

- Jameos del Agua - get there for opening time and enjoy good coffee in a unique setting.  We were lucky to sit in on 10 mins rehearsal and setting up in the concert hall. Consider trying to get tickets for any events that may take your fancy during your stay.

- La Graciosa - An excellent day out but check weather. Ferries were cancelled because of high winds on one day during our stay. There are lots of bars and restaurants at Caleta de Sebo and a good bakery to pick up a picnic to take with you. Playa del Ambar at the top end of the island is a really beautiful spot and we would have liked to spend more time there. However, it was a long walk back to the ferry and we did not want to miss the last boat. If I were doing this again, I would hire a bike to give more time for exploring.

We also really enjoyed:

- Cueva de los Verdes - Fascinating underground walk; unmissable for volcanology fans but not recommended for claustrophobes. You do get marched through in a crocodile by a guide but it is still well worth doing and is only a few minutes drive from Jameos del Agua.

- Mirador del Rio - This was included on our multi ticket, so we had to do it and were not disappointed. A great place for morning coffee or lunch - really it's just a restaurant with stunning views.

The walks were varied and interesting. I think that we managed to do most in the book by combining some and working them into our excursions to the various attractions that Lanzarote has to offer.

Eating out in Yaiza in the evening takes a little planning during the week as all restaurants seem to have at least one evening off. We tried the following (all within walking distance and open in January):

- Casona de Yaiza - Definite first choice and way out in front in terms of quality of food and service, warmth of atmosphere and value.

- Bodega de Santiago - Handy as it was next to Hilario where we were staying. A restaurant with not a lot of atmosphere that takes itself too seriously. Prices reflect this. Service was polite and efficient.

- La Era - Strangely dark hotel restaurant, slightly formal but friendly service and good food.

- Los Remedios - In spite of its barn-like dining room and dull decor, you get a really warm welcome here.  An informal and varied menu which includes tapas, something and chips etc. A good option for your nights off Casona or if you want something light after a big lunch.

- Cafe next to supermarket - OK for a drink and snack, cheap and cheerful. Shuts at 20:00.

- Bar Stop - Does drinks and tapas. We were going to try it after a late lunch one night but it was too busy.

Finally, the weather in January was fine. We had a few hours of drizzle one evening, a couple of rain sqaulls one morning and one very windy but sunny day (when the ferries to La Graciosa were cancelled). Apart from this it was a mixture of light cloud and sunshine, good walking weather. Shorts every day but fleece and windproof top at the ready at all times. Warm clothes were required every night.

Enjoyed the varied walking and the spectacular views. The trip to La Graciosa was great, it was a real treat to see how under developed this island remains. We visited all the main tourist attractions and bought the multiple visit ticket at the gates of Timanfaya National Park. The island is quite small with excellent roads and everywhere was immaculately kept. Arrecife itself was quite disappointing, not worth the trip when the cruise liners are in port! A very enjoyable holiday in the winter sun.

Plenty of good places to eat, but the best within 10 minutes drive for lunch was Restaurante Playa Quemada - right by the sea, great tapas and mix of locals and tourists eating there.

The holiday ticked all our boxes. It is amazing how 'off the beaten track' you can get on Lanzarote once you turn your back on the busy tourist resorts. Within 15 mins drive from the airport you are in a different world. The scenery on Lanzarote is amazing, simply driving on the LZ-67 through the National Park is an experience in itself. Yaiza itself is a charming little village with was ideally located for all our explorations.

Caisona de Yaiza is a wonderful little gem of a hotel and we couldn't have been happier with its location, our room, the views, the pool and the staff. We did a good number of the walks you offered and found your routes well researched and thought through. Highlights were the Playa del Paso walk, the Uga Circuit/La Geria vineyards and the Yaiza to Femes circuit, the latter being especially great not needing the car at all and great views throughout. We did the Caldera Blanca volcano circuit that was not included in your walking notes - which was the absolute highlight of the trip. Perhaps you should consider including it.

To sum up, it was the perfect holiday for us and we'll be sure to look into the other walking trips to the Canaries/Spanish Islands you offer.

Did seven of the walks. Missed the ridges due to wind getting up for final five days. Loved Manchablanca. Also really worth a visit to Cesar Manrique's house in Haria.

HIGHLIGHTS: Modern Art Museum MIAC (at Castillo de San Jose in the port of Arrecife); 3 good restaurants in walking distance

An island of discovery and excellent walking with well marked paths. One tip for walking is to walk early before it's too hot in the middle of the day and remember to use mosiquito repellent.

The walk through the National Park with a warden seemed tailored just for us and we felt privileged to be on it.

I had never previously wanted to set foot in the Canary Islands, with their reputation for being prime stag/hen do locations filled with lobster-red Brits staggering around drunk and "British food" restaurants putting me off. After this trip to Lanzarote however, I can say I have totally fallen in love with the island and plan to visit all the others eventually.

The Casona de Yaiza hotel is only a 20 minute drive from the airport and is very easy to find. It's also very well located for visiting the rest of the island, with the longest drive being an hour to the very northern tip. It's a lovely, characterful hotel with very nice food and friendly, helpful staff. The staff will always try their best to fulfil requests as well - if you need an item of clothing laundered they will carry that off with their main load to be washed off-site, and they would be happy to pack a lunch for us to take for a walk (we didn't need either of these services in the end, but it was good to know!). The main problem that we had with the hotel was the noise, as since it is a converted country house there is no soundproofing at all. In fact sounds outside appear to be amplified and carried into your room. Take earplugs if you're a light sleeper! Having said that, I'm a light sleeper and apart from insensitive guests getting up very early to leave one day I was only really woken up by the en masse chirping of the birds in the morning. 

Walking in Lanzarote was more varied than we expected, ranging from stark, jagged lava fields and black sand beaches to surprisingly green mountains and pure white sand dunes. We loved the magnificent views from the top of Atalaya, the second highest mountain on Lanzarote. La Geria, with its grapevines tucked into their protective inverted cones, was also delightful to walk through. Wine enthusiasts will love exploring the many bodegas of the region, including the El Grifo Wine Museum. The lovely island of La Graciosa is also a must-see.

The Termesana guided walk in the Timanfaya National Park was brilliant and provided a lot of information about the island. We felt that having done the guided walk the subsequent trip we took to Montanas del Fuego wasn't really necessary, although there are some great views during the bus tour, as the sheer number of tourists made it feel extremely commercial and not like the natural wonder that it is.

For those after a nice sunset, El Golfo is the place to go if you fancy a tasty seafood supper with it. Otherwise we stumbled across an interesting little "island", La Isleta, just north-east of La Santa, that has uninterrupted views out to sea - quite peaceful and perfect for a spot of time-lapse photography. The Montana Roja, a relatively easily walked mountain near Playa Blanca, would make for a stunning sunset view also.

 Lanzarote won me over with its raw, natural beauty and the sheer warmth of its people. I enjoyed the holiday so much that I've been trying to cook Canarian cuisine since we got back in an attempt to recapture the atmosphere, but of course it's not the same as being there! We don't often return to places we've visited before, but we would very much like to go back one day.

Excellent holiday in a great location & hotel. Fantastic service from start to finish. Will certainly recommend to friends.

We were fascinated by the very fresh looking volcanic devastation, 300 years on. We particularly enjoyed the walk through the reserve with an incredibly knowledgable guide, the visitor centre itself, the short Montana Cuervo walk and, although more touristy, the bus ride through the park was also well worth it. This set the scene for the many walks through the volcanic landscape. We concentrated on the south of the island, leaving the north and La Graciosa for another time, yet still had plenty to do. Meals at Casona de Yaiza were superb. La Era was also good and may have had more traditional dishes including goat and rabbit.

Hotel in lovely interesting setting and very convenient for various trips round island.  We couldn't get on guided tour of Timanfaya park but went on the coach tour which was one of the highlights of our visit. Another highlight was our visit to Cesar Manrique's house.

Unfortunately unable to do any walking due to sciatica.

Walking tour in national park was outstanding and only sorry we couldn't get on to it on our 1st full day.

Your recommendations on eating out were very good.

Interesting and attractive walking with lovely architecture thanks to Cesar Manrique whose homes we visited. Very good guided walk in National Park with informative and friendly guide (Christina). The week before our holiday there had been a little rain which meant a profusion of wild flowers in the lava fields - a real bonus and treat. A piece of advice for future visitors - take your own books on flowers and birdlife in Lanzarote as we could find no bookshops since we did not wish to travel to Arricefe where there is a good bookshop apparently.

Highlights were Farmara Cliffs and walking from Yaiza to Femes.

Best part of the holiday was a concert we attended in Teguise.  urcell's opera "The Fairy Queen". Look at posters outside the supermarket in Yaiza to see what is on locally. Not a tourist event. Local folk came.  

This was one of our best holidays; we enjoyed it from start to finish. We were very pleased with the hotel and our choice of room, as we were too with the range of walks recommended, including the fascinating guided walk in the National Park. We were also very impressed by the whole Cesar Manrique 'story' and his influence on the successful development of Lanzarote as a resort island and biosphere. Our week there surpassed our expectations and was made all the more memorable by the friendliness of the local people we met and the good quality food and wine to be found in restaurants all over the island.  (we would recommend to you one seriously good slow food restaurant we came across in Haria called La Puerto Verde)

We hired a bike in Playa Del Carmen and cycles 30k along the front with only 100m on the road. Lovely way to explore with no traffic and stop for regular refreshment. The shop advised where the less touristy parts of the island were to explore by bike. Cesare Manrique's home in Haria was lovely as was the trip to La Gracisosa-reminded us of Sark and wished we could have spent an evening or two here as well.

Visiting Lanzarote was a delight, no obvious commercialisation in the areas we visited, no intrusive advertising hoardings, many roads with speed limits, at 60kph, fabulous scenery and much of interest both geologically and historically. The Termesana guided walk and the guide were excellent.