Top Things to do in Arrecife

You might not think of Arrecife as a tourist hotspot on the island, but in recent years the capital of Lanzarote has been building its image as a bit of a must visit destination on the island. Read ourlatest blog post to find out some of the top things to do in Arrecife.

For years the real main attraction of Arrecife has been the Gran Hotel, but in more recent times we’ve seen the construction and introduction of more areas designed to target tourism and commercial activity.

Arrecife itself is actually quite a pleasant place to create a base during your time on the island. A number of sea front, boutique hotels around Playa del Reducto are a popular choice for Arrecife go-ers, although you won’t find your typical kind of Brit holiday here. Arrecife is much more Canarian when it comes to cafes, bars and restaurants. There are no live music bars playing all the usual holiday hits, Karaoke is harder to find and is usually only setup for Spanish popular music and speaking Spanish will generally be required at most places.

However, that been said, areas like the new ´Love Island´ in the bay behind the Gran Hotel, the new Open Mall shopping Centre and the 17th Floor of the Gran Hotel are still great places to visit and worth travelling to Arrecife for.

The Top things to do in Arrecife, Lanzarote

El Islote de Fermina, Arrecife

Opened to the public in January 2023, this area of Arrecife is build on a small island out behind the Gran Hotel. It’s free to enter and you’ll find a cafeteria on site. As you’ll be able to tell from its distinct appearance, the island was originally designed by the late Cesar Manrique, but remained closed for over 20 years. During this time of neglect, it was vandalised and damaged. It inherited the nickname of ´the love island´ as young locals would go here for a bit of privacy.

The area has been largely dedicated to sporting events but the recent renovations have certainly improved the appearance of the once run down area of the city.

Open Mail Shopping Centre

The Open Mall Shopping Centre recently opened in Arrecife, bringing a whole new shopping experience to the island. The largely uncovered shopping complex hosts some of the best names in retail and attracts locals and tourists from all over the island. From clothing stores to electronics, and pet shops to familiar high street chains you’ll find everything you need here.

The food mall offers a great selection of dining choices and you can easily spend half a day exploring the retail options that Open Mall in Arrecife has to offer.

The Gran Hotel 17th Floor in Arrecife

What was once, probably the only reason to visit Arrecife, is still a great hit with locals and tourists. The 17th Floor of the only high rise building in Lanzarote offers great views over Arrecife and out towards Playa Honda. Its the perfect place to watch a sunset with a meal at the restaurant or coffee and cake in the snack bar.

If you’ve never stayed at the Gran Hotel, it’s an experience we would highly recommend.

The Arrecife Marina

The Arrecife Marina has been around for a while now, although it possibly hasn’t yet done itself justice in terms of commercial opportunities to attract many visitors. You’ll find some stunning yachts and boats moored here, along with some commercial outlets and cafes.

UD Lanzarote Football

The UD Lanzarote Football club is based in Lanzarote. The team, currently in the Tercera División RFEF has been regurlay pushing for promotion over the last few seasons and attracts good crowds at the 6,000 seater sports city stadium.

There is a good following that consist of locals and expats from all around Europe. You can pay on the day and the prices at the time of writing this post are €8 Adults, 65+ Years €6 and Under 16s are free. Resident discounts apply.

Castillo de San Gabriel

Originally built from wood, the Castillo de Scan Gabriel was destroyed by pirates in a fire and was rebuilt as a stone castle. To access the Castillo you’ll pass over a beautifully constructed stone bridge and be rewarded with some amazing views of the stunning turquoise waters and view of the Atlantic Ocean.

For the historians amongst you, the Castle is home to the museum of history.

Castillo de San Jose

If Art is your thing, then a visit to the Castillo de San Jose should definitely be high on your agenda. The Gallery was created as a joint venture between Cesar Manrique and the Lanzarote Cabildo and will take around 1 hour to browse.

Charco San Gines

For a spot of people watching, whilst enjoying a cold beer, coffee or traditional Canarian food then you have to head to Charco San Gines. This picturesque saltwater lagoon is the perfect spot to spend an afternoon looking out over the small boats and sparkling waters.

Playa del Reducto. The main beach in Arrecife

Playa del Reductio is the main beach in Arrecife and perfect for swimming around the natural reefs of the calm waters in the bay. The beach is also a meeting place of the locals so you’ll often find plenty going on here in the early evenings.

How to get to Arrecife

Arrecife is located in the South East of the island of Lanzarote, and is easy to get to by car, bus and taxi. It’s also possible to walk the coastal path from Playa Honda, although the main things to see and do in Arrecife are quite spread out so it might be a better option to get a ride into the capital, and then opt to explore on foot.

The Lanzarote bus service is excellent. It's prompt and clean, and you can get to Arrecife from Puerto del Carmen via the Number 2 bus, from Costa Teguise using the Number 1 bus, or from Playa Blanca on the Number 60 bus.

Parking in Arrecife

If you're travelling by car, there are plenty of places to park your car. If you're looking for free parking, then you'll find a large car park just opposite the cabildo building on the edge of the city. You can also park underneath the Gran Hotel, and whilst its more central, it's not cheap.

Taxis are plentiful around the resorts, and you can just ask your driver to head to Arrecife. If you need a more meaningful landmark to head towards, why not ask for the Gran Hotel or Playa del Reducto and start your exploring there?

The above places of interest are just some of the amazing list of things to do in Arrecife. Here at TravelON.world we highly recommend a day out in the Lanzarote´s capital, soaking up the Canarian culture and way of life. It's also important to remember that the city effectively shuts down on Saturday afternoon, until Monday morning, although you will still find bars and restaurants open and the new shopping mall is always busy. If you fancy exploring further afield then check out some of the best things to do in Lanzarote.