Arrecife

Arrecife is the capital city of Lanzarote, with the island's airport and sea port, and a population in 2022 of 63,750. It's a workaday commercial and administrative hub with limited tourist sights, and most visitors are bussed straight from the airport to their beach resorts further along the coast.

Understand
"Arrecife" means reef, the line of coastal volcanic rock that acts a breakwater, a barrier to larger ships but one that small craft could shelter behind when pirates hove into view. Those pirates would loot or burn whatever they could and take prisoners to be sold as slaves. There was a small fishing settlement here from the 15th century, and the Castillo de San Gabriel was built on an islet at the end of the 16th century. There was always trade with mainland Spain but more lucrative were the routes to Spanish colonies in the Americas. The church of San Ginés was built around 1630 and the fortress of San José was built around 1770. Arrecife gained the status of a city in 1812, and in 1852 it became the island's capital, replacing Teguise.

To town

 * A taxi ride into town costs €18 in 2023.
 * A taxi ride into town costs €18 in 2023.

By boat
Naviera Armas sail to Arrecife from Cádiz once a week (31 hr 30 min) and from Huelva once a week (26 hr 30 min). They also sail from these ports to other Canary Islands.

They sail daily to Arrecife from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, taking 6-7 hours. From Santa Cruz on Tenerife a daily ferry takes 10 hours.

From Fuertaventura a frequent ferry plies from Corralejo to Playa Blanca, taking 30 min. There are no ferries from Morocco, you have to back-track via mainland Spain.

is east edge of the city. There is car hire but no bus: you have to walk 1 km north to the main highway, which has frequent buses between town and Costa Teguise.

Cruise ships often call at Arrecife, docking at the harbour south side of the channel of Puerto Naos.

Small craft should use the marina near the cruiser harbour. Arrecife is a Port of Entry into Spain so you can clear immigration and customs here. Expect this to take some time if you've sailed here from Morocco.

By foot
Walking will get you most places.

By bus
There isn't a separate city bus system. For the art museum in Castillo de San José, take any bus towards Costa Teguise along C Los Marmoles. In 2023, a single ride within Arrecife costs €1.40.

By taxi
Taxis are plentiful, and greet the cruise ships in hungry swarms, but there's no e-hailing system on Lanzarote.

By e-scooter
Arrecife, Puerto del Carmen, Playa Honda and Costa Teguise are covered by Superpedestrian Link Scooters, which can be used with their app. You can take and leave an e-scooter at any point shown on the app. In 2023, one ride costs €1 to unlock and €0.30 per minute.

See



 * , often called Calle Real, was the historic highway from town to Teguise the former capital. Its lower section is pedestrianised and has a few remnants of 19th-century architecture. Edificio Segarra at 23 / 25 is the facade of an old tobacco factory, messed about by part-conversion to a shoe shop. Further out the narrow street is one-way northbound for traffic and lined by unremarkable low-rise breeze-block and concrete.
 * or Bahía de Arrecife is a seawater lagoon in the heart of the city. Cafes line its west and north shores, and you can make a circuit via two bridges.
 * - "fisherman with marlin" - is the statue at the west end of Puerto Naos. He's a wizened figure out of Hemingway's The Old Man and The Sea who the marlin will reckon is below minimum catch size and should be thrown back. This is probably the best view of Puerto Naos, the town's eastern harbour - north shore access and views are blocked by buildings. Av Olaf Palme crosses to the long breakwater island created by fusing Isla del Frances and Isla de Cruces. This has restaurants and a sports centre, but is industrial as you approach the cruise terminal, and there's no access to the walkway along the high sea wall.
 * - "fisherman with marlin" - is the statue at the west end of Puerto Naos. He's a wizened figure out of Hemingway's The Old Man and The Sea who the marlin will reckon is below minimum catch size and should be thrown back. This is probably the best view of Puerto Naos, the town's eastern harbour - north shore access and views are blocked by buildings. Av Olaf Palme crosses to the long breakwater island created by fusing Isla del Frances and Isla de Cruces. This has restaurants and a sports centre, but is industrial as you approach the cruise terminal, and there's no access to the walkway along the high sea wall.


 * is reached at the end of those causeways. It's just a harbour light on a metal tower, but you get a good view of town from the breakwater.
 * is another islet reached by causeway. There's a cafe and a pool which is too elegant for any grubby mortal to use.
 * is another islet reached by causeway. There's a cafe and a pool which is too elegant for any grubby mortal to use.

Football
Two clubs play soccer away down in the minor leagues:

Golf
The nearest golf courses are Costa Teguise GC and Lanzarote Golf in Puerto del Carmen.

Buy

 * Calle León y Castillo or Calle Real is the main retail strip. Duty-paid items here such as cosmetics may undercut the so-called "duty-free" price at the airport, but that's nothing unusual.
 * Supermarkets include Aldi near the Interchange, a group of four towards the bus station, Eurospar and Los Vecinos near Playa del Reducto (with Las Buganvillas an empty shell), Spar on C Canaljos, and SuperDino Atlántida by the lagoon.
 * Saturday morning market is held in the square outside San Ginés.
 * Playa Honda market is on the third Saturday of the month on C Mayor in that resort.


 * Mercadillo on Plaza de Las Palmas is closed and the building is demolished. Neither are greatly missed.

Budget

 * The V Factor is a vegan cafe 50 m north of Superguay on C la Porra, open M-Sa 12:00-15:30.
 * The V Factor is a vegan cafe 50 m north of Superguay on C la Porra, open M-Sa 12:00-15:30.

Mid-range

 * Bar Strava and Bar Andalucia 1960 are next to Barbacana.
 * Tandoori Palace next to La Puntilla serves Indian cuisine M-Sa 12:00-16:00, 19:00-22:30.
 * Papá Miguel and MAWI Grill are next to Naia.
 * Others almost next door on El Charco north bank are Restaurant Chapo, Tasca La Raspa, La Casa del Miedo (meaning "House of Fear"), La Chalana Del Charco and Salitre, Cervecería y Tapas Bar.
 * Asiático Marina serves Chinese food on the quay 100 m south of Lilium (below). It's open W-M 11:00-23:00.
 * Papá Miguel and MAWI Grill are next to Naia.
 * Others almost next door on El Charco north bank are Restaurant Chapo, Tasca La Raspa, La Casa del Miedo (meaning "House of Fear"), La Chalana Del Charco and Salitre, Cervecería y Tapas Bar.
 * Asiático Marina serves Chinese food on the quay 100 m south of Lilium (below). It's open W-M 11:00-23:00.
 * Others almost next door on El Charco north bank are Restaurant Chapo, Tasca La Raspa, La Casa del Miedo (meaning "House of Fear"), La Chalana Del Charco and Salitre, Cervecería y Tapas Bar.
 * Asiático Marina serves Chinese food on the quay 100 m south of Lilium (below). It's open W-M 11:00-23:00.

Drink

 * Playa del Reducto has a strip including:


 * Wine: There's a string of vineyards to the west on the volcanic slopes.

Connect
As of Oct 2023, Arrecife and its approach roads have 5G from all Spanish carriers.

Go next

 * Teguise – the former capital has lots of old Spanish architecture and a Sunday market.
 * Timanfaya National Park – has the best of the island's volcanic scenery, created by multiple eruptions in the 1730s.
 * Haría – in the north is a contrast, the only green fertile corner of Lanzarote.
 * Costa Teguise – resort town to the east on the LZ-14 road