El Golfo - Lanzarote
El Golfo is a quintessentially Canarian village which is locked away on the eastern side of Lanzarote, near the towns of Yaiza and Playa Blanca. There is only one road in and out, which you pick up from the main LZ2 road just south of Yaiza itself. From this point, it is an easy 10 minute drive to El Golfo itself.
But what a drive! The entire El Golfo area offers stunning scenery against the backdrop of the wild Atlantic, and the village itself has some of the best seafood restaurants on the island - get there in the morning, and you are likely to see the kitchen staff gutting fish from the latest catch on the rocky beach that sits in front of the houses, restaurants and shops of the village. It is very pleasant just to walk along the main street of the town, browse the restaurants, and perhaps greet some of the local residents who often sit on the green benches about half way along the street.
Some of the Best Views on
Lanzarote
The road in to El Golfo offers fantastic views of the ocean to the left, and the mountain ranges of Timanfaya to the right. The first point of interest when leaving the road from Yaiza is the Salinas de Janubio (or salt flats). Here, sea salt is harvested via large square pans that trap the sea water, the pans stretching out from the inlet or bay to the water's edge in a patchwork quilt of different colours. Once the pans dry, the salt itself is then drawn up into the iconic cone shapes that you will see featured on many photographs of the Salinas area. These shapes enable the salt to dry completely prior to harvesting.
Further on towards El Golfo, is the famous Los Hervideros (which means 'boiling pots'). Here you will see the Atlantic rolling in between one large, narrowing to two smaller, cave openings. As the water rolls in and crashes through the openings, it seems to literally boil with sea foam before hitting the cliff walls with enough force to shoot upwards - a dramatic spectacle! The best time to see Los Hervidoros is on the rising tide, about an hour before high tide. On a windy day, stand well back!
The Green Lagoon
As you start to enter El Golfo, there is a further spectacular sight called Charco de los Clicos, or the Green Lagoon, which sits at the back of an equally spectacular beach. The lagoon is green from the effects of the algae that live in it, and not (as many think) because of the green crystal Olivine stones that are also to be found in the area.
There are two entrances to Charco de Los Clicos. To get to beach level, take the signpost to the left of the main road from Yaiza, park, and then walk down to the beach along the designated pathway. Alternatively, if you just want to view the lagoon and beach from above, you can do this by walking along the pathway from the large car park just as you enter the village. At the start of the pathway, you will see an 'honesty stall' with pieces of olivine for sale for one or two euros. It makes a very low cost ornament - our friends Maggie and Bob took a piece home several years ago, and have had it on their bathroom window sill ever since!
El Golfo Restaurants
The town of El Golfo consists of one road, with most houses and restaurants on the right side, and the sea on the left side. The restaurants offer some of the best fish and seafood on the island - many Lanzaroteans travel here for Sunday lunch from all over the island.
Placido
Address: Avenida Maritima 39, 35570 El Golfo, LanzaroteTel: 928 173 302
