A trip to La Graciosa

Most visitors to Lanzarote enjoy the easy going lifestyle and the fact that the island still conserves its purity so different to some other holiday destinations. But taking the 15 min ferry ride over to the little island of La Graciosa is almost like traveling back in time. Even for us living here on Lanzarote a trip to La Graciosa always feels like taking a break and change gears back.

La mayoría de los visitantes de Lanzarote aprecia el estilo de vida relajado en la isla y el hecho de que todavía conserva un aire de pureza, a diferencia de otros muchos destinos turísticos. Pero quien hace el corto viaje de travesía a la pequeña isla de La Graciosa, desde su llegada va a sentirse como si hubiera viajado atrás en el tiempo. Incluso para nosotros, que vivimos aquí en Lanzarote, una escapada a La Graciosa es como un viaje a un mundo ya casi olvidado.

Die meisten Besucher auf Lanzarote schätzen die besonnene Lebensweise und die Tatsache, dass Lanzarote, im Gegensatz zu vielen anderen Urlaubszielen, es geschafft hat sich trotz der touristischen Erschliessung sich seine Ursprünglichkeit zu wahren. Wer dennoch die etwa 15 minütliche Überfahrt zur kleinen Nachbarinsel La Graciosa macht wird sich nach seiner Ankunft in diesem kleinen Idyll unweigerlich in der Zeit zurückversetzt fühlen. Selbst für uns die wir hier auf Lanzarote leben ist ein Ausflug auf La Graciosa immer wie ein kleine Erfrischung für die Seele, einen Gang zurückschalten, relaxen.

The ferry to La Graciosa does leave from the fishing village of Orzola, the most northern village in Lanzarote. It is already a joy to watch the people embark and the crew charging goods that have to be brought to the island. As soon as the boat approaches the habour of Caleta de Sebo, the only village on La Graciosa, one will comprehend how this little gem of an island came to its name. La Graciosa means gracefully. The little fishing boats mooring, local women wearing their typical hats waiting at the pier, the men sitting in the shadow observing the arrival of the ferry, children playing on the beach, the little white houses and all this covered with the beautiful light which honestly is the real reason why all pictures and photography from Lanzarote always looks so nice.

The village is beautiful with the typical architecture one is already familiar with from Lanzarote but you wont find any tamarack roads and only a handful of cars, all 4 wheel drives from the locals, some of them offering to drive you around and to some remote beaches on the island. Should you make use of this service be sure to ask the price first as I think to remember they are not cheap. There are few little supermarkets and some nice restaurants where you can get some fresh local fish as fishing is the main occupation for most of the locals there.

While the keen walker could almost circle the island in one day there exists also the possibility to rent a bike or even a water taxi in order to go to the more remote beaches on La Graciosa’s east coast like the beautiful Playa de las Conchas or Playa del Ambar. Since two years there is also a dive base where they organise some amazing dives in the marine reserve. If you can make it I do recommend you to stay at least one night as the moment the last boat leaves the habour in the evening La Graciosa unfolds its real charm. The setting sun paints the island with a golden orange light, the silence, the peace, the tranquility while you sitting on a terrace with a nice glass of wine thinking “whoa”.

Ferrys to and from La Graciosa

• Biosfera Express
• Lineas Romero

Dive base on La Graciosa

• Centro de Buceo Archipelago Chinijo

Where to stay on La Graciosa

• Apartments La Graciosa
• Pensión & Restaurante Enriqueta, Tel: +34 928 842 051
• Pensión Girasol, Tel: +34 928 842 118 (probably open again from mid-May 2011)

La Graciosa general information

• Leisure Lanzarote
• Lanzarote Information

Oh, and don’t miss my Lanzarote photography gallery to see some more pictures of Lanzarote and La Graciosa or read some other posts on this blog you might be interested in:

• The most beautiful beach in Lanzarote
• Lanzarote travel photography: La Graciosa