The city of Arrecife in Lanzarote

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Presentation

General presentation

The city of Arrecife in Lanzarote. Crest of the city (author Heralder). Click to enlarge the image.

Arrecife is a port of the island of Lanzarote, in the middle of the east coast of the island. Until 1852 Arrecife was only the outlet port of the historic capital of the island, Teguise; that date Arrecife became the capital of the island, administrative and economic capital, but relatively little affected by the predominant activity of the island of the tourism industry. The city has only few historical monuments, if not two forts to protect the port against the incursions of pirates and privateers.

The population of the city is just under 60,000 inhabitants, nearly half the population of Lanzarote. Much of this population are civil servants working in the administration of the island, of which nearly 2,000 are employed in the only modern buildings Chapter Islander (Cabildo Insular de Lanzarote). Another part of the population works in the major tourist resorts near Arrecife, Costa Teguise, northeast, and Puerto del Carmen, to the southwest.

Arrecife is also one of the seven municipalities of the island of Lanzarote, but the smallest of the seven by the area (less than 23 sq km).

Etymology and toponymy

The city of Arrecife in Lanzarote. Ship aground. Click to enlarge the image.

In Spanish the place name “arrecife” means “reef” because the coast of Arrecife is dotted with small islands and reefs of volcanic origin, as the island St. Gabriel (Islote de San Gabriel) which was built the fort St. Gabriel.

The population of Lanzarote continues to appoint the city of Puerto de Arrecifes “El Puerto” because it was not long as the port of the capital, Teguise.

Since 2010 Arrecife is twinned with the Brazilian city of Recife, and etymology.

Situation

The city of Arrecife in Lanzarote. Village location (author Jerbez). Click to enlarge the image.

The city of Arrecife in Lanzarote. Arrecife Guanapay view from the volcano in Teguise. Click to enlarge the image.

The town of Arrecife borders the towns of San Bartolomé and Teguise. Most tourists arriving in Lanzarote pass near Arrecife, they arrive by sea or by air. The port of Arrecife provides ferry links with the other four major Canary Islands and the port of Cadiz, and the airport of Lanzarote is distant only about 7 km from the center of Arrecife though he in the territory of the municipality of San Bartolomé.

From the north-east of the island, since Teguise (14 km) or Haría (31 km) we arrive at Arrecife by the LZ-1 road and you can borrow, by the left, the ring road (Rambla Medular) to join - by Calle Juan de Quesada - the large parking lot located in the east of the city, near the Lagoon Saint-Genes (Charco de San Ginés).

From the south-west of the island from Yaiza (23 km), Tías (11 km) or from the airport (7 km), we arrive at Arrecife by road to four lanes that LZ-2 extends to the city center by the wide track of the Calle José Antonio Primo de Rivera, then lost in the one-way streets. However it is more reasonable to look for parking in the large car park of the West - near the new buildings of the Cabildo Insular - using the Rambla Medular a short distance and then exiting at the first roundabout by the first exit. One can also try to find parking under the skyscrapers of Gran Hotel, but parking is full fairly quickly; turn right to the Fred Olsen Avenue and along the Playa del Reducto to its end where the location Gran Hotel. We can then take the bus to downtown.

LZ-20 road leads to Arrecife from Tinajo (20 km) or San Bartolomé (10km). LZ-18 road leads to Costa Teguise 9 km northeast.

All these routes, LZ-1 LZ-2 and LZ-20, LZ-3 cross the road which serves to bypass the city of Arrecife.

Visits

The town of Arrecife

The city of Arrecife in Lanzarote. City map (author Frank Vincentz). Click to enlarge the image.

Since its founding at the beginning of the fifteenth century, and until the mid-nineteenth century Arrecife was a fishing port and trade, without prestige buildings usually related to political and economic power of capital. The town planning has kept track: since the end of the eighteenth century the city has grown as a popular neighborhoods agglomeration where there is little leafy squares except the square Plaza de las Palmas, located behind the church San Ginés. Here and there a few patches of substandard dwellings were demolished to build office buildings for administration, or to make parking clay, but others remained in the state of wasteland. To meet the needs of residents of the capital of shops, restaurants and cafés are created, especially in streets León y Castillo and José Antonio Primo de Rivera, which sometimes alternate with decrepit buildings. On the outskirts, shopping centers allow residents and tourists to shop more cheaply than in the resorts of Puerto del Carmen, Playa Blanca and Costa Teguise.

From the late 1990s the city has made some efforts to improve the tourist attraction of the city by rehabilitating the area Charco de San Ginés and the waterfront; new pretty elegant buildings - of neo-colonial style - were built to the west of the city, to house the Cabildo Insular. Despite these efforts the visit Arrecife does not leave an unforgettable memory.

Arrecife is a massive city - wide Lanzarote - but the few monuments to see are located near the city center, with the exception of Fort St. Joseph. The city tour can of course start from the historic city center, the Saint-Genès church and St. Genesius lagoon. Leaving the city center, you can reach the seafront via the street León y Castillo; near the mouth of the street, you can see the Casa de los Arroyos, then take the Puente de las Bolas (Bridge of Bullets) to visit the Fort St. Gabriel built on an islet. Returning to the waterfront and heading to the left, to the south, we find the Park Marina, and after the Nautical Club, the Canary Islands Park to skyscrapers of Gran Hotel. The waterfront is then continued by Avenida Fred Olsen along the beach Redoubt (Playa del Reducto); the middle of the beach you can turn right to the street José Antonio to return to the city center.

The St. Genesius Church (Iglesia de San Ginés)

The city of Arrecife in Lanzarote. The St. Genesius Church (author Przemysław Jahr). Click to enlarge the image.

The first fishermen settled in La Puntilla (The Little Cape) on the lagoon of San Ginés in the sixteenth century, where the dock today ends. In the second half of the sixteenth century, around 1574, a first chapel - made of simple materials and a single nave - was built by French sailors, who dedicated the chapel to St. Genesius of Arles (martyred in 308 during the reign Emperor Diocletian). This chapel would have sheltered the holy effigies of Genoa and St. Peter, patron saint of fishermen. Thus the Saint-Genès church is the oldest church on the island of Lanzarote since the first church of the island Saint-Martial of Rubicon, was destroyed by English pirates in 1593.

After the attacks of pirates and flooding, which severely damaged the chapel in 1665, the bishop of Lanzarote, Don Manuel Verdugo y Alviturria, rebuilt the church, which was completed two years later. The church is dedicated to St. Genesius, Bishop of Clermont in Auvergne, and not to St. Genesius of Arles. The church underwent new enlargements in 1747. It is this time that the Mudejar ceiling.

On 25 June 1798 the church San Ginés is elevated to parish church to mark the inauguration of the new port of Arrecife. A notable, Ginés de Castro y Álvarez, is then responsible for bringing Cuba to Lanzarote an effigy of the saint dedicatee of the church, San Ginés Obispo.

In 1800, it was necessary enlarge the nave; in 1804, was built the nave of the Gospel (left aisle); 1811 ends the construction of the pulpit; in 1826, was built the nave of the Epistle (right aisle). But it was not until 1842 that is erected the bell tower to the right of the nave of the Epistle; it is a square tower topped with a dome shaped roof, whose architecture is inspired by the bell tower of the church of Concepción in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

By the mid-nineteenth century, the parish church of St. Genesius then the aspect that we know today.

The Iglesia de San Ginés is as a harmonious set of dark volcanic stone and whitewashed walls; each of the three naves has its own portal topped by a round arch.

Inside, the three naves separated by Tuscan columns and each of the nave is covered with a Mudejar wooden ceilings. The church houses statues - Late Baroque - the patron saints of the city, San Ginés and the Virgen del Rosario.

San Ginés is celebrated in Arrecife on August 25 (the date of St. Genesius of Arles ...) the “Dia de San Ginés ," the statue of the saint is paraded in procession through the streets of the old town, regattas are held on the lagoon as well as naval battles and other festivities; all followed by a fireworks display.

Visit the Saint-Genès church

Address: Calle San Ginés. From the large pedestrian shopping street, Calle León y Castillo, one can access the Plaza de las Palmas by the two streets that frame the building of the former Cabildo Insular, the Calle Ginés de Castro y Álvarez or Calle Otilla Díaz; these two streets lead to the square shaded by palm trees and oleander, where one can take a break on one of the few benches that furnish. The church is located on the other side of Place des Palmiers.

Visiting hours: before and after Masses.

St. Genesius lagoon (Charco de San Ginés)

The city of Arrecife in Lanzarote. the lagoon of Saint-Genes (author Balou46). Click to enlarge the image.

The Charco de San Ginés (“pond Saint-Genes”) is a natural port shallow, a tidal port, where ships can enter at high tide. Fishermen settled there since the sixteenth century, and even today, many small ships and fishing boats are anchored or beached at low tide. At low tide, wading birds wade in the mud and the rocks, while at high tide, fishing vessels colorful swinging on the water between the reflections of the buildings surrounding the harbor.

The port is naturally protected by islands; on the St. Gabriel island a fort was built in the late sixteenth century to defend the port against pirate attacks.

Once a meeting place for fringe of the city, the neighborhood Charco de San Ginés has been rehabilitated; the pedestrian street lined with palm trees, which goes around the lagoon, the Calle Ribera del Charco, fame Avenida César Manrique, cafés and restaurants have settled among the fishermen’s houses with blue shutters; there is also a huge complex of four theaters. There are still some decrepit buildings. The port, which served as a dumping ground for old ships rusting has also been cleaned.

The neighborhood atmosphere is particularly warm at sunset, when, from the terrace of a café, you can see the picturesque spectacle of colored boats swaying on the lagoon waters overflown by seagulls and fishermen mending their nets ; Later in the night, by the light of street lamps, the area comes alive with customers of restaurants and cinemas. Early in the morning, it is the fishing boats returning to port with fishing night.

One can easily visit the old quarter of Charco de San Ginés when parking in the public car park in Calle Juan de Quesada; the return you can taste the specialties of the restaurant Casa Ginory located across the parking lot. Early in the round of the lagoon, it first passes a kind of institution of Arrecife, the strangely named “Casa del Miedo” (House of Fear, probably the fear of pirate), a “social club” where people just play cards or dominoes while having a coffee or a drink; foreign tourists are tolerated there. Further it is a café-restaurant famous “La Miñoca” then you pass the cinema complex, the Multicines, leaning against the shopping center Atlántida. Arriving behind the Saint-Genès church, do not miss to find the most typical street of Arrecife, the Callejón Luis Fernández Fuentes, known as “El Aguaresío” near the Calle San Juan; the alley is lined with houses decorated with tiles and flowering bougainvillea. After visiting the church San Ginés and the Plaza de las Palmas, we will return to the Calle Ribera del Charco by continuing to La Puntilla. It remains only to take the bridge over the entrance to the Charco to return to the parking lot, or to continue the tour of the city heading towards the Fort St. Gabriel or to the waterfront.

The street José Antonio Primo de Rivera

The Calle José Antonio Primo de Rivera (commonly just called Calle José Antonio) is an extension of the road to four lanes LZ-2 from the south of the island and, in particular, from the airport. It is tempting to rush them to head for the city center, but this is not recommended because the street gets pretty quickly banned sense. One can borrow and then turn right towards the Fred Olsen Avenue and the waterfront At the beginning of the street. José Antonio - facing the new Cabildo Insular - is a large public car park, the mall Buganvillas and the field Canarian balls (bolas canarias) to Arrecife.

The founder of the Spanish Falange moderately appreciate that the street that bears his name has become the street nightlife wildest of the capital of Lanzarote: it’s in the street José Antonio is home to the largest number of cafes , bars, clubs, pool halls and so on. The street really comes alive only from midnight until dawn. All genres can meet there and you only have to strain to make the choice of an institution: pop, rock, jazz, hip-hop, rap, trance, techno and even the Canarian folklore. The best-known nightclubs are El Convento and La Fábrica. The street also has a few restaurants and a French pastry deemed the Pastelería Lamontagne. In 2013, the street José Antonio Primo de Rivera was renamed by the new municipality conarienne independence, Calle Manolo Millares.

The street León y Castillo (Calle León y Castillo)

The pedestrian street León y Castillo - and adjacent streets - as the most commercial district Arrecife. The old Calle Real (Royal Street) begins across the bridge leading to the Fort St. Gabriel; we soon encounter on the right the former building Cabildo Insular, with a beautiful tiled with tiles façade; the street is lined with branches of major banks, bars and restaurants, and all kinds of shops selling the big international brands at rather lower prices than in the resorts of the island. These shops are usually open between 9 am and 13 pm and between 16 pm and 21 pm. Near the end of the street is the tall building of Centro Comercial Atlántida.

The home of the Arroyo (Casa de los Arroyo)

The home of the Arroyo is a mansion, finely restored, with belonging to the family Armas and family Arroyo, built in 1749. The Casa de los Arroyo is a beautiful example of colonial style mansion; it has windows with traditional braces, a patio with a central well, surrounded by a wooden balcony. The Casa de los Arroyo became the seat of the Scientific Centre of Culture (Centro Científico Cultural Blas Cabrera); it houses a permanent exhibition devoted to the physicist Blas Cabrera Felipe (1878-1945), born in Arrecife, whose bronze statue stands in the square near the Paseo Marítimo. La Casa de los Arroyo is on the waterfront, at the beginning of Avenida Coll extending eastward the Avenida Generalísimo Franco (“Avenida de la Marina”).

The castle St. Gabriel (Castillo de San Gabriel)

The city of Arrecife in Lanzarote. Fort St. Gabriel. Click to enlarge the image.

The Château St. Gabriel is a fortification located on islands scattered off the coast of Arrecife, the island whose name was then Islote de los Ingleses (Englishmen Island) which is only 200 m from the coast. The fort was built to defend the old town and the first port of Arrecife against the incursions of the Barbary pirates.

After the discovery of America in 1492, Arrecife became, from the late fifteenth century, a stopover for trade with the new world he had built warehouses and Arrecife became a prime target for hackers. In 1571, the Turkish-Algerian pirate Dogali “El Turquillo” attacked Arrecife with 400 Barbary, then went towards the capital Teguise which had been looted and burned. A first fort was built from 1572 to 1574; the first fort, built in haste, was a wooden fort, square plan, designed by Captain Gaspar de Salcedo; it proved insufficient to withstand attacks and was burned in 1586 during an attack from another pirate Algiers Morato Arráez; the defenders of the city, particularly women, killed themselves rather than be led into slavery. The St. Gabriel island is still sometimes called “Islote del Quemado” (Burnt Island of).

The fort destroyed was replaced from 1586 by a stone fortification, decided by Don Agustín de Herrera y Rojas, appointed in 1584 first Marquis of Lanzarote by King Felipe II.

In 1588, the king Felipe II commissioned a Genoese military engineer deemed Leonardo Torriani, inspect the fortifications of the archipelago of the Canary Islands. He strengthened the walls of the Castillo de San Gabriel in 1590. But finally, in 1592, it was deemed preferable to completely rebuild the fortification to the designs of Leonardo Torriani. The Italian engineer also built a fort on the edge of a volcano overlooking Teguise, the Castillo Guanapay or Castillo de Santa Bárbara. Leonardo Torriani was not only an engineer, but was also an observer in his book, "The Canary Islands and their original inhabitants" (1590), he gave wonderful descriptions and illustrations of the Guanches and their way of life. He also wrote a compelling story of the eruption Tegueso on the island of La Palma.

Construction of the new fort lasted until 1596. Although some changes were still taking place in the eighteenth century, the fort St. Gabriel took its current form at that time: a small fort rather massive bell tower with a nice warning that crowns the building; the tour of the inside can admire the thick walls. Torriani also built the access causeway linking the fort to the coast.

Midway of the dike is a drawbridge, the Puente de las Bolas (Bridge of Cannonballs), which could protect the fort from an attack from land. The name of the bridge comes from two balls of stone cannons that overcome the two pillars of the bridge. Nowadays young people from Arrecife use these balls as a platform to dive into the sea. The Puente de las Bolas is typical of the architectural style of the sixteenth century Spanish, said style Juan de Herrera or style herreriano, who won throughout Spain. The Castillo de San Gabriel and the Puente de las Bolas form an architectural ensemble of great value, which was declared a Cultural Interest (Bien de Interés Cultural, BIC).

Over time the castle of St. Gabriel lost its military purpose and was put out of service in 1896, but resumed service after only two years, in 1898, during the Spanish-American War, receiving the guns adorn the entrance.

Since 1972, the Castillo de San Gabriel is home to a small archaeological and ethnographic museum, renamed the Museum of History in 2011. You can see various archaeological remains of the aboriginal time, including a large monolith of aboriginal Royal Palace Zonzamas, pottery, fossils, coins, primitive jewelry and some skeletons and skulls dating from the time of the Guanches. The museum also contains the statue of El Brujo (The Wizard) who inspired César Manrique for the logo of the National Park Timanfaya.

Visit the Castillo de San Gabriel :

The St. Gabriel island (Islote de San Gabriel) is connected to the shore by two causeways built on two dams, each crossing a bridge: a roadway, the Puente Nuevo de Piedra, located opposite the Calle Real (Calle León y Castillo), at the east end of Avenida Generalísimo Franco, and the historic pedestrian walkway of the Puente de las Bolas, located 50 m to the east.

After restoration work, the History Museum reopened in 2015.

Museum Hours: Tuesday to Friday, 10 am to 13 pm and from 16 am to 19 pm; Saturday from 10 am to 13 pm. Make schedules with the Tourist Office, in the kiosk located in the Parc de la Marina, close.

Entrance: € 3.

The outdoor tour of Fort St. Gabriel is worthwhile, even without visiting the museum, because you can enjoy the view of the city and the sea, but the view is better from the platform artillery fort.

The Marina Park (Parque de la Marina)

After visiting the Castello de San Gabriel you can cross the Parque de la Marina to the Nautical Club (Real Club Náutico). The park is bordered by the Avenida de la Marina, which until 2000 was named Avenida Generalísimo Franco; General Francisco Franco was appointed military governor of the Canary Islands in 1936, the government of the Frente popular to move it away from the peninsula. After the end of the Franco regime began Canarian less precipitation than the continental Spaniards renaming channels dedicated to the “Caudillo”.

The avenue was renamed Avenida de la Marina, but there’s no real marina: pleasure craft are simply anchored in the harbor in front of the Nautical Club; there is a small marina in the port of Naos; Avenue de la Marina is surrounded by some beautiful facades of colonial buildings from different eras; at number 7 of the avenue, the Casa Agustín de la Hoz deserves a little more attention: it is a XIXth century with an elegant interior staircase; the Casa Agustín de la Hoz was restored in 2005 and transformed into House of Culture; it is open to the public.

The Marina Park is planted with tropical trees and embellished with gardens and fountains; there are two cafés. About the first third of the park is a bandstand (Kiosco de la Música); The ground floor houses a kiosk the office Tourist Office. On the roof of the kiosk can often observe egrets who use it as altar.

Before the Nautical Club - members only - we meet an Italian glacier, cheap but good quality, Heladería Isla Italiana; on the other side of the avenue begins Calle José Betancort.

The city of Arrecife in Lanzarote. Arrecife Grand Hotel and Islote de Fermina seen from the marina park. Click to enlarge the image.

The city of Arrecife in Lanzarote. Arrecife Bay view from the Marina Park. Click to enlarge the image.

The city of Arrecife in Lanzarote. The old harbor seen from the Fort Saint-Gabriel. Click to enlarge the image.

The culture center island El Almacén (Centro Insular de Cultura El Almacén)

Contemporary art lovers and fanatics César Manrique can leave the front the sea to make a foray into the Calle José Betancort, a street perpendicular to the Avenida de la Marina, at its western end.

In 1973, César Manrique had acquired two buildings of the nineteenth century in the street José Betancort, including a warehouse (almacén) and had gathered to make what he called the pompous name of Multidimensional Centre (Centro Polidimensional) El Almacén which was be a place of meeting and discovery for artists of all nationalities, but rather avant-garde. After work to put the buildings in the style of Manrique, the center was inaugurated in 1974.

In the building next to the warehouse, the center had a restaurant and bar - called the name of the friend of Manrique, Pablo Ruiz Picasso - a library and later a movie theater named Luis Buñuel.

In 1989, after many years of operating losses, Manrique sold the cultural center at the Cabildo Insular de Lanzarote. After years of work the center was reopened under the name Centro Insular de Cultura (CIC) El Almacén. The CIC includes two exhibition halls, a cafeteria bar, a movie theater in the basement bar and different cultural services. It includes documents (books, brochures, music recordings, and so on) on Lanzarote and the Canary Islands in general, as well as information on cultural events on the island.

Centro Insular de Cultura El Almacén :

Calle José Betancort, 33; 200 m on the left, from the Avenida de la Marina.

Phone: 00 34 928 815 298 / 00 34 928 810 121

Opening hours: Monday to Friday morning, 8 am to 15 pm.

The Canary Islands Park (Parque de las Islas Canarias)

The city of Arrecife in Lanzarote. The Monument to the Thing (Monumento al Cacharro) (author Frank Vincentz). Click to enlarge the image.

Royal Nautical Club until Gran Hotel extends Canary Islands Park. Formerly hotbed of drug trafficking but also the Carnival of Arrecife, the Park has been completely renovated, furnished with wooden sidewalks and modernist urban furniture and decorated with palm trees, eucalyptus, hibiscus and bougainvillea. Amid flowerbeds stand several sculptures more or less rusty and somewhat disrespectful tagged by graffiti artists of contemporary art. One of these sculptures, near the Grand Hotel, Untitled and an anonymous author, was nicknamed by the population - in equally disrespectful - “Monumento al Cacharro” (Monument to the Thing).

Off the Parque de las Islas Canarias is the Islote de Fermina which can be accessed by a walkway behind the Grand Hotel.

The city of Arrecife in Lanzarote. The Islote de Fermina and its gateway. Click to enlarge the image.

The city of Arrecife in Lanzarote. The old port. Click to enlarge the image.

The city of Arrecife in Lanzarote. Gran Hotel. Click to enlarge the image.

The Grand Hotel (Gran Hotel)

The Arrecife Gran Hotel is housed in the tallest building in Arrecife and the island of Lanzarote, a 17-story tower. This is the most controversial construction Lanzarote, but this tower was built before the adoption of strict rules of construction advocated by César Manrique (limited to four levels ...).

This tower was built in 1970 to accommodate a 4-star hotel. But for reasons of mismanagement, the first hotel closed in 1991. Although barricaded with boards and no water or electricity, the building was squatted by drug addicts who dealt drugs in the nearby park, and was destroyed by fire - possibly criminal - in 1994. There were long discussions to decide what to do from the rubble; of environmentalists tried to raze the ruins, but greed prevailed and it was decided to create a luxury 5-star hotel. Reconstruction work began in 2001 and the new hotel, the Gran Hotel, opened in 2004.

Whatever one thinks of its architecture, the Grand Hotel in Arrecife offers an impressive spectacle from the beachfront, and offers an impressive view from the 17th floor.

The clientele of the Gran Hotel is rather composed of businessmen, but without being a hotel guest - that is not so expensive for a 5 star - the casual visitor can enjoy the view upwards, by ’glass elevator to the top floor of the hotel for a drink in the piano bar, the Star City, or dinner at the restaurant Altamar. The bar offers views of the roofs of the city of Arrecife and the interior of the island, while the windows of the restaurant overlooking the sea, the beach Playa del Reducto and the waterfront. You can dine at the restaurant for about 42 € (menu). The hotel, with 160 rooms and suites, a swimming pool and a spa on the 2nd floor.

The Gran Hotel has a large underground car park where passing visitors can park; However, this car park is full pretty quickly.

Address: Parque Islas Canarias s/n; hotel entrance on Avenida Mancomunidad.

Phone: 00 34 928 800 000

Site on the Web: www.aghotelspa.com

The range of the Redoute (Playa del Reducto)

The main beach in Arrecife is located in the southwest of the city, after the Gran Hotel; it is the Playa del Reducto (Beach Redoubt). It is an artificial beach made of white sand reported, nestled in a small cove almost enclosed and shallow; the beach is quite well protected from waves and winds, and it is a safe and clean beach; the quality of its waters has enabled it to achieve the distinction of the Blue Flag (Bandera Azul). The beach of Reducto has a length of about 500 m with an average width of 45 m.

Despite the importance of the population of the city, Playa del Reducto is rarely crowded, frequented mainly by locals who come to take a nap. The beach is bordered by the Avenida Fred Olsen, combined with a planted pedestrian promenade of palms; behind its southwestern end is the mall Buganvillas.

A kilometer and a half southeast of Playa del Reducto is the Playa del Cable, a natural beach of gray volcanic sand. Another 1.5 km to the south-west, we find the Playa Honda is no longer in Arrecife, but in the municipality of San Bartolomé. It is possible to continue on foot to Puerto del Carmen along the coast but sometimes using the road; the route is 12 km (3 hours walk).

Fishing Harbour

Heading towards the northeast from the city center of Arrecife, we find the fishing port of Naos (Puerto Naos). In all its different ports, Arrecife has the largest fishing fleet of the Canary Islands and the seventh largest in Spain, which is explained by the proximity of rich fishing grounds that lie between the island of Lanzarote and North Africa. The port of Naos is protected from the ocean by the Muelle de las Cebollas (Mole Onions), built in 1792. Puerto Naos also has a small marina.

The commercial port

The commercial port of Arrecife is the third largest of the Canary Islands: the Puerto de los Mármoles (Port of Marbles) is in front of Fort St. Joseph. The commercial port was developed in the late eighteenth century and the nineteenth century through the transport of wine, soda and cochineal. Today it hosts mainly cargo ships containers and cruise ships.

The desalination plant

Trade port near is sea water desalination plant of the public water utility (Insular de Aguas de Lanzarote SA, INALSA) which supplies fresh water to the entire island. The plant was commissioned in 1965; it was Europe’s first desalination plant and one of the first in the world. In 2002 production was approximately 35 million liters per day.

St. Joseph Castle (Castillo de San José)

North of Puerto de Naos is the second fort, Fort St. Joseph, which was designed to protect the new port of Arrecife.

Go to Saint Joseph Castle.

The city of Arrecife in Lanzarote. Fort St. Joseph. Click to enlarge the image.

The city of Arrecife in Lanzarote. Platform of Fort St. Josep (Castillo San Jose). Click to enlarge the image in Adobe Stock (new tab).

The city of Arrecife in Lanzarote. Échauguette of Fort St. Joseph (Castillo San Jose). Click to enlarge the image in Adobe Stock (new tab).

Practical information

Tourism office

The Patronato de Turismo is Calle Triana, 38.

Hours: Monday to Friday, from July to September from 8 am to 14 pm; from October to June from 8 am to 15 pm.

Phone: 00 34 928 811 762

An office of the Tourist Office is under the bandstand located in the Parque Municipal José Ramírez Cerdá, s/n, in the middle of Park Marina; one can obtain a tourist map of the city, but not much more.

Phone: 00 34 928 813 174

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 am to 17 pm 30; Saturday, 10 am to 13 pm.

Site on the Web: www.turismolanzarote.com

Weather and forecasts

Air transport

The airport of Lanzarote is located 5 km southeast of Arrecife, close to Playa Honda, in the municipality of San Bartolomé.

Maritime transport

Since the commercial port of Los Mármoles, the shipping company Naviera Armas offers ferry connections to the islands of Gran Canaria (Las Palmas) and Tenerife (Santa Cruz de Tenerife). The connections with Fuerteventura are from the port of Playa Blanca.

Site on the Web: www.navieraarmas.com

Bus lines

The bus station for intercity buses (Estación de Guaguas) is located on the ring road (Rambla Medular or Vía Medular) north of the city.

A transfer station (Intercambiador) is in the southwest of the city, at the end of Avenida Fred Olsen, near the new buildings of the Insular Chapter (Cabildo Insular); buses to the airport depart and arrive there (line No. 22); many intercity lines stop, including lines to the south of the island.

The trunk lines will get you, from Arrecife, in the most important localities of the island and the airport.

Details of lines and schedules at: www.arrecifebus.com

Phone: 00 34 928 811 522

Arrecife also has four city bus lines.

Market

The old municipal market of La Recova was renovated and reopened in 2007; the word “recova” means “poultry market”, but today we find it especially handicrafts and some local products. A small café allows you to relax in the shade of large fig trees.

Address: Market La Recova is behind the courtyard of the town hall; the main entrance of the market is Calle Liebre; there are two other inputs.

Hours: Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 13 pm.

Hotels

Tourists visiting Lanzarote staying mostly in the resorts of the island. The few hotels in Arrecife are mostly frequented by visitors on business travel. Apart from the 5-star Arrecife Gran Hotel, the other hotels are business hotels 3 stars.

hotel Miramar

Hotel Miramar is a 3 star hotel with a sea view - as the name suggests - against the Fort St. Gabriel. This hotel was renovated in 1999 in a style of the late twentieth century. The 85 rooms have a small balcony; the rooms have sea views also have the noise of traffic on the avenue Coll. The hotel has a restaurant with terrace on the 8th floor where breakfast can be taken admiring the sea.

Price: double room for 60 €.

Address: Avenida Coll, 2

Phone: 00 34 928 812 600

Site on the Web: www.hmiramar.com

hotel Lancelot

The Lancelot Hotel is a 3 star hotel, opened in 1994 on the back of the Playa del Reducto, but this is not a tourist hotel: customers are business customers. The 110 rooms are spacious, modern style, with large beds and large balconies; the hotel has conference rooms, a rooftop swimming pool with a small gym, a bar with jazz music on the spot on Saturday night. The restaurant is popular with the locals.

Price: 70 € for a double room with breakfast.

Address: Avenida Mancomunidad, 9

Phone: 00 34 928 805 099

Site on the Web: www.hotellancelot.com

hotel Diamar

The hotel Diamar is a small 3-star hotel with 90 rooms, located behind the Playa del Reducto. Large rooms, modern décor, with a balcony overlooking the beach.

Price: 60 €.

Address: Avenida Fred Olsen, 8

Phone: 00 34 928 072 481

Site on the Web: www.hoteldiamarlanzarote.com

Restaurant

Restaurant Lilium

The leader Orlando restaurant Lilium offers a refined and creative Canarian cuisine and fine wines for reasonable prices. Tasting menu at € 38.5.

The restaurant Lilium has obtained 2 stars in Michelin Red Guide 2016.

Address: Restaurant Lilium, formerly located in Calle José Antonio, moved into a new ultramodern premises in the Centro Comercial Marina, Avenida Olof Palme s/n.

Hours: Monday to Saturday, 13 am to 16 pm and 30 pm to 19 pm 30-23. Close on Sunday.

Phone: 00 34 928 524 978

Site on the Web: www.restaurantelilium.com

Casa Ginory

The bar-restaurant Casa Ginory offers traditional Canarian meat and fish - including grilled meats and seafood Main courses between 7 and 10 €.. The bar is famous for its bocadillos fish.

Address: Calle Juan de Quesada, 7; near Charco de San Ginés. At number 9 of the street, the bar is part of the Casa Ginory.

Hours: Monday to Saturday, 7 am 30-16 pm.

Phone: 00 34 928 811 910

Site on the Web: www.ginorylanzarote.com