Eye-catching: the white-framed pool surrounded by lava stone walls. (Photo: © Susanne Freitag)
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March 2026
Lanzarote: The artist, architect and visionary César Manrique shaped the Canary Island and made it a model for sustainable tourism.
Who visites Lanzarote visited, arrives César Manrique not over: The most famous son of the island is namesake of the airport, in Arrecife, a reminder Statues to him, many roundabouts are with his Sculptures and wind chimes decorated.
Manrique was artist and architect – but for the approximately 200.000 Lanzaroteños, above all, he is the one who made their island a role model for sustainable tourism has done since the 1960s He advocated for a construction and tourism policy that would protect Lanzarote from the mistakes of mass tourism. should protect.
According to his philosophy "Art-Nature/Nature-Art"He created works that harmoniously into Landscape insert. Among the best known are the Jameos del Agua was designed in 1977: Lava caves with an underground lake, a café and an auditorium. The centerpiece is the sparkling white pool with turquoise water, framed by black lava rock and palm trees and cacti in lush green – the colors of Lanzarote, which recur throughout Manrique's work. Visitors can learn more about this at the "La Casa de los Volcanes" museum. volcanic originVR glasses allow them to immerse themselves in the cave system.
You get even closer to the artist in his former residential building in Taro de Tahiche. A fig tree rising from the lava flow inspired him to build there in 1970. Today, stairs lead down to five underground levels. lava bubbles, which he shaped into living spaces; Above this is an exhibition area. A window through which the lava stone wall seems to flow into the room is particularly impressive. In the garden, a turquoise pool, and design lovers discover furniture icons like the Pastil and Bubble Chairs of the Finnish designer Eero Aarnio.
The [unclear text] is also spectacular. Timanfaya National Park, the "Fire Mountains" in the southwest. The dramatic volcanoes and lava fields are reminiscent of a Martian landscape. protected area It can only be explored by bus or on camel tours. The starting point is the building designed by Manrique. Restaurant El Diablo, which rises over the hill like a spaceship. Through the fully glazed walls, the view sweeps across craters and cooled streams. Directly in front of it, park employees demonstrate the volcanic heatBushes ignite within seconds and water shoots out of the ground as a fountain of steam. Beneath the surface, around 300 degrees Celsius – Heat, which made the restaurant feel like natural grill uses.
They are also committed to greater sustainability Paula Gomes and Carlos Armas with their consulting agency Taboire“We develop solutions that conserve resources, reduce environmental impact, and initiate real change,” says Gomes. Currently, they are renaturalizing the Playa de Pocillos, where natural dunes are to be created. Another project allows Prison inmates turn paper and glass waste into souvenirs to process.
Lanzarote is heading towards a new low in 2025. Record year to: From January to December came 4,4 million tourists – around 100.000 more than in 2024 – including more than 265.000 tourists from Germany. At the same time, the Discontent among the locals about rising living costs and lack of housing.
The new "+30 World Charter Sustainable Tourism" is intended to be implemented here. counteract thisShe relies on regulated visitor flows, data-driven planning and the Protection of the local community – entirely in keeping with Manrique's vision. The designation of Lanzarote as UNESCO Biosphere Reserve However, the visionary did not live to see 1992: He died in a car accident near his home in 1991.
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