Beyond the volcanic craters lies a world where dramatic art meets the sparkling Atlantic coast. This next Lanzarote adventure journeys from the sunken terraces of César Manrique’s breath-taking cactus oasis down the winding coastal roads of the south-east. Along the way, the route navigates past bustling tourist hubs to uncover hidden seaside gems and spectacular mountain vistas. It was a day filled with striking contrasts, honest truths, and unexpected treasures, proving that even the most commercial stretches of the island hold incredible surprises when exploring by car.

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In this guide:

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Introduction:

For our second full day on Lanzarote, we headed straight to the famous Jardín de Cactus, beautifully designed by the local artist César Manrique. This stunning spot was number two on my island bucket list, right after Timanfaya National Park. After exploring the gardens, we continued our road trip southward, driving from Costa Teguise down to Playa Blanca. To be completely honest, this is the most tourist-heavy stretch of Lanzarote, and it ended up being my least favourite part of the island. However, the charming marina of Puerto Calero and the spectacular viewpoints above Femés were absolute highlights that made the drive worthwhile.

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Exploring Lanzarote South East Coast and Jardín de Cactus:

Visiting the Jardín de Cactus:

To start our morning, we drove from Playa Blanca straight to the Jardín de Cactus in the northern village of Guatiza. Navigating across the island took about an hour, following a seamless route along the main LZ-702, LZ-2, LZ-3, and LZ-1 roads. Arriving early was the best decision we made; the garden was peaceful and mostly empty. By the time we wrapped up our visit, a wave of tour buses had just pulled into the car park, completely filling the entrance.

The moment I stepped inside, the sheer beauty of the space took my breath away. The amphitheatre-style garden is built inside a former rofera (an old volcanic sand quarry). In the late 19th century, this area was the heart of the island’s cochineal industry, where local farmers harvested tiny insects from prickly pear cacti to produce a valuable deep red dye. In the 1970s, legendary local artist César Manrique saw the potential to transform this disused pit into a living masterpiece. It ultimately opened in 1990, becoming the very last major project Manrique completed on the island before his passing. Today, the quarry features multi-level rock terraces holding thousands of cacti of every shape, texture, and size imaginable.

Marcus immediately wanted to treat the stone walls and terraces like his personal balancing beams! PS: If you are visiting with young children, do keep a close eye on them; the paths and stairs can be quite uneven, and you definitely don’t want anyone tumbling into a patch of sharp spikes.

I won’t pretend I can remember the names of the species we saw. First of all, there are over 4,500 specimens from around the world. Secondly, trying to read botanical plaques while chasing an active toddler is an impossible task! Instead, I focused on taking photos, while Matt did the chasing. I took so many beautiful shots that narrowing down the best ones for this post was a real challenge.

After roaming through the terraces, we climbed up toward the on-site restaurant and the beautiful white windmill that crowns the hillside. This 19th-century structure is one of the last traditional corn mills (molinos de gofio) standing on Lanzarote. Climbing up to it rewarded us with a spectacular panoramic view looking down across the entire layout. We finished our tour on the lowest level of the garden, home to the largest specimens and massive, towering cactus trees. It is a truly stunning, artistically designed oasis that absolutely deserves to be visited.

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Beach break in Costa Teguise:

During our time at the cactus garden, we had promised Marcus that we would head to the beach next for a picnic and some play in the sand. To keep our promise, we drove south toward Costa Teguise, entering the town through the beautiful white gate near Montaña Corona. The surrounding scenery leading up to the town was fascinating as for kilometres, there was nothing to see but sweeping sand.

Once inside Costa Teguise, it was immediately clear that the area is a busy tourist hub. To avoid the worst of the crowds, we decided to park slightly on the outskirts and walk over to Playa de las Cucharas. It was quite a windy day, which kicked up some nice little waves that kept Marcus thoroughly entertained. After two hours of nonstop playing in the sand and splashing in the water, Marcus was completely exhausted. We walked back to the car to see if he would settle down for a nap. He fell asleep almost instantly, which fit perfectly with our plan to drive along the coast down to Playa Blanca while he rested.

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Road trip along Lanzarote south east coast:

With Marcus fast asleep in the back, we left Costa Teguise and headed toward Arrecife, bypassing the city center by using the LZ-3. I found this particular stretch of the island very busy, and the beaches between Arrecife and the airport weren’t particularly attractive to us.

Once we passed the airport, we turned onto the LZ-40 toward Punta Lima. Using the sat-nav, I navigated Matt through the maze of hotels and holiday accommodations, trying to find roads that ran as close to the sea as possible. This coastal route allowed us to catch glimpses of Playa de los Pocillos and Playa Grande before we entered Puerto del Carmen. The town itself was packed with people, cheap souvenir shops, and lively bars, which wasn’t really our scene. Wanting a calmer atmosphere, we kept driving until we stumbled upon Puerto Calero.

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Cocktail break in Puerto Calero:

We actually discovered Puerto Calero completely by chance just by following the random road signs, and we were so glad we did because the marina is absolutely lovely. By the time we parked, Marcus was awake and asking for an ice cream, which gave Matt and I the perfect excuse to stop for a refreshing drink.

As we walked along the beautiful waterfront, we found the main commercial area filled with restaurants and a distinct two-storey building. Looking up from the street, we spotted people enjoying drinks on an upper balcony. We decided to investigate and found the Upper Deck pub. The waiter there was incredibly welcoming; following his recommendation, I ordered a passion fruit caipirinha, Matt opted for a local beer, and Marcus got a fresh mango juice alongside his ice cream. The atmosphere at the pub and throughout Puerto Calero felt incredibly relaxed and peaceful, offering a stark and welcome contrast to the hectic energy of Puerto del Carmen.

Unfortunately, the afternoon was winding down and it was time to make our way back to our hotel in Playa Blanca. To stretch out the journey just a little longer, I chose a scenic route up the mountain road leading toward the village of Femés. The road is quite narrow, but the surface is well-maintained and the panoramic views from the top are incredible, making the detour entirely worth it.

Looking back, our second day on the island perfectly captured the diverse faces of Lanzarote, enabling us to discover the quiet artistic genius of César Manrique, the bustling coastal holiday towns, and rugged mountain vistas. While the south-eastern coast might be the most commercialised part of the island, stepping off the beaten path to discover hidden gems like Puerto Calero made the journey unforgettable. This was the end of a great day exploring that we finished by a short swim in the hotel pool before going for a well-deserved dinner.

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Travel tips:

To help you plan your own day out, here are all the essential practical details you need to know before you go:

Jardín de Cactus (garden of Cactus)

• Booking: You can book in advance or buy tickets directly at the entrance.
• Official website
• Cost: Approximately €9 for adults; free for children under 6 (as of June 2026).
• Duration: Visit takes around 1h.
• Facilities: There is a restaurant on site, toilets and shop

Costa Teguise

• Beaches: There are several beaches in Costa Teguise. We decided to try Playa de las Cucharas. Plenty of shops and restaurants along the beach front
• Car park: Multiple car parks. We used the one along Avenida de las Islas Canarias, which is free and 5 min walk to playa de las Cucharas.

Puerto Callero

• Car park: We used the one by the marina. It was free of charge and close to the restaurants.
• Drinks: We had delicious cocktails and local beers at the Upper Deck pub. The view is also very nice from the one of the sofa situated on the balcony
• Activities: For the most adventurous it is possible to explore under water in a submarine. We hesitated to do it but we were afraid that Marcus will not like it or be bored and it is expensive.

Add to your visit: If you have time, you can add to visit of Lanzarote Capital: Arrecife or a swim at Playa Quemada or Playa de Papagayo.

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Final Thoughts:

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