Arrecife Information - Tourist Information on Arrecife

This page is all about Arrecife, the capital of the Spanish Canary Island of Lanzarote. It contains useful Arrecife tourist information for people intending to visit or holiday in Arrecife.

ARRECIFE TOURIST INFORMATION

In this tourist guide to the tourist resort of Arrecife on the Spanish island of Lanzarote we help visitors who are planning a trip with useful and practical advice on many tourism related subjects such as car hire, accommodation, hotels, hostels, map, sightseeing, weather, where to go, Lanzarote jobs, where to stay, travel information and what to see and do in Arrecife.

To make the best of your visit and holiday we cover everything you need to know about Arrecife. We also have photos, picture galleries, views, videos and webcams of Arrecife.

Arrecife is the capital of Lanzarote and the island's largest town with a population of around 45,000. This port city takes its name from the many small reefs that are found along this part of the coastline (Arrecife is Spanish for 'reef'). Arrecife's main attractions are its traditional restaurants, historic monuments and variety of shops.

SIGHTS OF ARRECIFE

Arrecife has two fortresses, the oldest being Castillo San Gabriel which dates from the late 16th century. It stands on a small islet opposite the town, and can be accessed via a short causeway. Inside the castle is a small archaeological museum where you can learn about the native inhabitants of Lanzarote. On the edge of town overlooking Puerto Marmoles is the larger Castillo San Jose, which houses an interesting Contemporary Art Gallery. The castle also has a smart restaurant designed by the great Lanzarote sculptor and architect, Cesar Manrique.

Arrecife's most dominant landmark is the Gran Hotel. When Cesar Manrique returned to the island from New York in the 1960's, he was appalled to see this modern multi-storey hotel being built on the seafront. Manrique used his influence to stop its construction, and the building was left as an empty concrete shell for several decades. The hotel has now been fully completed, but to prevent the island being swamped with high-rise tower blocks, the local government restricted all new development to a maximum of four storeys. Manrique went on to design many of Lanzarote's best-known attractions.

One of Arrecife's more unusual features is the salt-water lagoon known as Charco San Gines. The lagoon's surroundings have recently been improved, and as a result this is now a pleasant area boasting old fisherman's houses, bars and restaurants. Arrecife's main beach, the Playa del Reducto, is situated next to the Gran Hotel. Alongside the beach is a pleasant promenade lined with palm trees. There are also several bars which are ideal for a relaxing drink.

The town's main shopping street, with a variety of designer boutiques, electrical stores and cafes, is the Calle Leon y Castillo. Haggling is often necessary if you want to find the best bargains. Prices in Arrecife's supermarkets are also often cheaper than in the resorts. Nightlife in the town is generally low-key, and is usually centered on traditional cafes and bars. Arrecife is a good choice if you want to try typical Canarian cuisine.

FIESTAS IN ARRECIFE

The town's biggest celebration, the Feria de San Gines, is held in honour of the town's patron saint. Featuring traditional Canarian wrestling and some colourful processions, the Feria culminates in a huge fireworks display on the seafront on August 25th.

GETTING TO ARRECIFE

Arrecife is located just 3 miles (5km) from the airport. There are regular buses from the airport to Playa del Reducto and Estacion de Guagas in the town centre. The journey time is about 20 minutes, and a single fare costs 1.20 euros. There are bus services from Arrecife to Puerto del Carmen, Tias and Teguise. A taxi from the airport to the city centre costs about 14 euros.

MOVING TO ARRECIFE - LIVING IN ARRECIFE

If you have found this guide on Arrecife because you are thinking moving to the Arrecife area you may also find our moving to Spain section with expat interviews and accounts of how they found their move to Arrecife Spain, useful and informative, as well as our living in Spain section which has more tips and advice.

For more advice and tourist information about Arrecife please see Arrecife Lanzarote.

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Arrecife Tourist Information - Page Summary - This page contains unique content about the beach resort of Arrecife, a popular tourist destination on the Spanish Canary Island of Lanzarote.

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