Arrecife Cruise Port Guide: Castles, Lagoons & Beaches

Arrecife Cruise Port in Lanzarote dates back to the 15th century, when it began as a small fishing village. Today, it is the vibrant capital of Lanzarote. Arrecife has a captivating mix of old and new! So in this guide, I’ll share the top things to see & do in Arrecife Cruise Port, from ancient castles to sun-drenched beaches, alongside modern architecture and bustlings promenades in Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise, both well known resort towns, if you’d like to venture a little bit away from Arrecife Cruise Port.

This is Part 1 of my Canary Islands Cruise Port Series. If you’re on a cruise around the Canary Islands, then check out my other DIY port guides at:

• Part 2: Fuerteventura Cruise Port Guide: Beaches & Sand Dunes
• Part 3: Las Palmas Gran Canaria Cruise Port: Beach Bliss & Markets
• Part 4: Santa Cruz Tenerife Cruise Port Guide: Castles & Beach Bliss

This blog post may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission for purchases made at no cost to you.

On This Page

Arrecife Cruise Port: Is a DIY Excursion Easy? 😎😎😎😎 Straightforward

Arrecife Cruise Port in Lanzarote is not the most popular cruise port in the Canary Islands but if your ship does dock here, then a DIY shore excursion at Arrecife Cruise Port is relatively straightforward 😎😎😎😎. Here’s why:

• Easy Walk to Arrecife: While there’s two cruise ports (see below), most ships now dock at the one that’s walkable distance to Arrecife town centre, making it easy to explore on your own.
• Castles, Lagoons & Beaches: There’s quite a variety of things of see at Arrecife! From centuries-old castles turned modern art museums, a lagoon often dubbed “Little Venice” as well as lovely beaches. So you can easily split your port day into sightseeing and beach time!
• Good Bus Network: There’s frequent bus routes to many parts of Lanzarote island, especially to Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise – the two most popular purpose built resorts with lovely beaches and promenades to walk through. Both are just a short bus ride away.

Note (and caveat): There’s actually a lot to see on Lanzarote island, particularly if you are a keen hiker or walker. In this guide, I’ve tried to cover the popular attractions in Arrecife and the nearby towns, where it’s easy to do some DIY sightseeing. Readers who’s been to Lanzarote before will undoubtedly say, “where’s all the volcano stuff?”. Parque Nacional de Timanfaya is probably the biggest attraction on the island. Only guided tours allowed, so while it’s not technically a DIY excursion, I’ll write another blog post about it because I think it’s worth seeing if you’re visiting Lanzarote.

Arrecife Cruise Port Essentials: All You Need To Know

Arrecife Cruise Port Addresses: Note that there are two cruise ports (or one big cruise port with two cruise piers if you like) in Arrecife. I call them separate cruise ports as they are far enough apart such that you can’t walk from one to the other – see these both marked on my Arrecife Cruise Port Map below 🗺️📍👇:

• La Boca de Puerto Naos Arrecife Cruise Port: This is the closer of the two cruise ports to the city centre. Most cruise ships now dock here and it’s possible to walk into Arrecife’s city centre, if you choose. It’s about a 15 minute walk.
• Mille de Los Mármoles Arrecife Cruise Port: This is the farther of the two cruise ports to the city centre. If your ship docks here, there’s usually a port shuttle to the town centre. I would make use the shuttle, as it’s quite a walk to town otherwise. If not, then there’s a bus stop at “Los Marmoles Ida“, also marked on my Arrecife Cruise Port map below. All the buses there will run through to Arrecife town centre.

For more information on navigating around Arrecife and the rest of Lanzarote, refer to section below on “Your Transport Options“.

• Currency: Euros
• Language: Spanish
• Official Tourism Website: Turismo Lanzarote is the official tourism website
• Recommended Transport App: Use Google Maps for general walking directions. For buses to other parts of Lanzorote, Google Maps will also give you bus routes and accurate bus timetables.
• eSIM for roaming in Spain: For a great data connection without the huge roaming fees, use an eSim data pack from Airalo. I always recommend having a smartphone with a valid plan when you’re at port touring independently. Get US$3 off your first eSIM data pack from Airalo when you use ROXANN1666 when you sign up or apply it at checkout

Arrecife Cruise Port Map

• On Desktop | Laptop? Use buttons on bottom left to zoom in/out. Click on the upper right hand corner to see a bigger version.
• On Tablet | Mobile? Pinch your screen to zoom in/out and use two fingers to move map around. If you have Google Maps installed on your tablet/mobile, my map will open in your Google Maps app if you click on the upper right hand corner.
• If map is not loading correctly, click here to see it directly on Google Maps

Arrecife Cruise Port: Your Transport Options

To see most of Arrecife, it’s easiest to walk if your ship is docked at La Boca de Puerto Naos Arrecife Cruise Port. To see other parts of Lanzarote island, Arrecife has a good bus network, run by Arrecife Bus.

However, the bus station, Estación de Guaguas – marked on my map 🗺️📍👇, is not in a particularly central place. As with many old cities, buses don’t drive through the town itself but drives around the city centre. The other good bus stop to use is close to Playa Reducto, called “Intercambiador De Guaguas“. Bus route #3 is the most helpful bus route for cruisers, as it runs along the coast for much of the route, from Puerto del Carmen to Costa de Teguise. I’ll give you more details below.

Arrecife Cruise Port: Top Things to See & Do

The following “Top Things to Do” in the order that you’ll find them, as you walk from La Boca de Puerto Naos Arrecife Cruise Port towards the city centre of Arrecife, except for Volcano House, which is a short bus ride away. So if the attraction doesn’t interest you, just walk past it and skip to the next one. Every Saturday morning, there’s also a tourist craft market at Plaza de Las Palmas but get there early, as it normally wraps up by noon!

1. Charco de San Ginés

Charco de San Ginés is a charming lagoon located in the heart of Arrecife. Often referred to as the “Venice of Lanzarote”, the colourful fishing boats lining the lagoon create a postcard-perfect scene for some nice photos, especially from the bridge, Puente Charco de San Ginés. There’s cafes and restaurants with outdoor seating, so this is also a good place for a break, after sightseeing, on your way back to port.

Find Callejón “El Aguaresío” as an example of the narrow, cobbled alleyways lined with traditional whitewashed houses typical of this area on Lanzorote. It reminded me very much of the backstreets of Mykonos, Greece, which incidentally also has an area called “Little Venice”. The name “El Aguaresío” translates to “the place where water is scarce,” reflecting the challenges faced by early residents in accessing fresh water.

2. Museo Arqueologico Lanzarote

As of September 2024, it is temporarily closed.

The Museo Arqueológico Lanzarote (Archaeological Museum of Lanzarote), focuses on Lanzarote’s rich history and pre-Hispanic culture, specifically about the Majos, the indigenous people of Lanzarote before the Spanish conquest in the 15th century.

3. Castillo de San Gabriel

The Castillo de San Gabriel stands on a small islet connected to Arrecife by the Puente de las Bolas (Bridge of Balls). You’ll no doubt see it with its distinctive drawbridge! The Castillo was originally built in the late 16th century to protect Lanzarote from pirate attacks. It now houses the “Museo de Historia de Arrecife” showcasing the history and culture of Arrecife and Lanzarote island.

From the castle’s ramparts and rooftop, you’ll enjoy panoramic views of Arrecife, the harbour and the Atlantic Ocean. There’s also two old cannons. Note that the museum is in Spanish only. But it’s possible to walk all the way to the castle and enjoy the views, without visiting the museum.

• Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 2pm, Sundays closed except when cruise ships are docked 10am to 2pm
• Tickets: €3

4. Islote de Fermina

After visiting Castillo de San Gabriel, continue along the waterfront through Parque Jose Ramirez Cerda and you’ll the entrance to a long bridge towards the next islet, Islote de Fermina. Once known as the “island of love” due to its secluded nature, renowned local artist César Manrique was commissioned to design the space. Manrique’s signature style is very evident, with whitewashed structures, abstract-shaped pools and integration with the natural landscape. (Manrique’s old house is available to view as part of The Fundación César Manrique.)

The views are similarly outstanding and there’s a good cafe, open for breakfast, lunch, snacks, coffee and cocktails, if you fancy taking a break here.

4. Playa Reducto

Playa Reducto is the closest beach to La Boca de Puerto Naos Arrecife Cruise Port. At the turnoff for the bridge to Islote de Fermina, you would already have seen a glimpse of the beach. Playa Reducto stretches for approximately 500m (~1600 feet) in length. The bay is protected by a breakwater, so the waters are calm and lifeguards at typically on duty during summer months. Usual amenities are available and this is a Blue Flag beach.

• How to Get There: It’s about a 1.6 km walk (about 1 mile) along the waterfront from La Boca de Puerto Naos Arrecife Cruise Port

5. Castillo de San José

Castillo de San José was built in 1776 under the reign of King Carlos III to fortify Arrecife’s harbour against the pirate attacks. But it’s now the Museo Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo (MIAC), with renovations also designed by César Manrique.

• How to Get There: About 20 minutes walk from La Boca de Puerto Naos Arrecife Cruise Port, towards Costa Teguise
• Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 6pm. Check current exhibitions here.
• Tickets: €5 adults, €2.5 kids aged 7-12

6. Volcano House

Casa del Volcán, or the Volcano House, is one of two parts of the Fundación César Manrique. Situated in Tahíche, a short bus ride from Arrecife, the Volcano House is so named because it’s built within a series of natural volcanic bubbles, or jameos, formed by lava flows. It was Manrique’s former home and studio.

For architecture & interior design fans, this is a wondrous house to walk through. The house features several levels, following the natural contours of the lava bubbles, blending seamlessly into the volcanic terrain. Manrique incorporated lava rock, volcanic ash and native plants into the design, blurring the lines between indoors and outdoors.

• How To Get There: At least 10 bus routes stop at the roundabout a few minutes walk from the entrance as this is very popular! From Arrecife, the more frequent bus route leaving the bus station is Bus #26. Search directions on Google Maps for the next available bus. It’s 10 minutes bus ride from the bus station.
• Opening Hours: Daily 10am to 6pm
• Tickets: €10 adults, €3 kids aged 7-12. Combined ticket to Palm Grove House (aka César Manrique House Museum) for €17 adults, €4 kids

Arrecife Cruise Port to Costa Teguise

Costa Teguise is a purpose-built resort town on the eastern coast of Lanzarote. It’s most famous for the lovely beach at Playa de las Cucharas and the aqua park, complete with mini-golf and kids’ playgrounds. There’s not much sightseeing to do here, so only trek here if you’d like to spend the day at the beach or at the aqua park.

Note: Don’t confuse Costa Teguise with Teguise; they are different towns in Lanzarote Island, especially when you’re boarding the bus! Teguise is Lanzarote’s original capital and is inland, not along the coast of Lanzarote island.

• How To Get There: Bus route #3 runs from Puerto del Carmen via Arrecife Bus Station to Costa Teguise. (If you’ve finished your Arrecife sightseeing, this bus also stops at “Intercambiador De Guaguas” stop, close to Playa Reducto. Costa Teguise is just a few miles away from Arrecife. During day-time, this bus runs every 20 minutes. Click here for timetables.

Arrecife Cruise Port to Puerto del Carmen

Puerto del Carmen is the largest and most popular resort town on Lanzarote. Puerto del Carmen boasts a long stretch of sandy coastline and the two most popular beaches are:

• Playa Grande: This is the main beach, with a lively promenade lined with shops, restaurants and bars
• Playa de los Pocillos: A bit further south, known for its excellent windsurfing and kitesurfing conditions

There’s also an animal and water park called Rancho Texas Lanzarote Park, for a day out with kids if you prefer. (It’s not along the coast and it’s easiest to catch a cab from Arrecife cruise port if you’d like to visit this park.)

• How to Get There: Bus route #3 runs to Puerto del Carmen via Arrecife Bus Station from Costa Teguise as above (ie. you’ll be taking the bus in the opposite direction, down towards the southern coast of Lanzarote). Click here for timetables.

Featured Photo by Michael Schreiber on Unsplash

If you’re visiting Arrecife in Lanzarote Island, then I hope that this DIY guide has given you some ideas on how you can spend your port day there! As I mentioned above, there’s actually lots to see on Lanzarote Island, so I hope to add a second blog post soon about others things to see! In the meantime, happy cruising and safe travels!