TIMANFAYA NATIONAL PARK

The land of fire and volcanoes

In Lanzarote, the most easterly of the Canary Islands, Timanfaya National Park dazzles its visitors. Its landscape seems as though it belongs on the moon; the result of volcanic eruptions from as recently as 300 years ago. Lava and magma have created a scene straight out of science fiction where, despite its severity, life continues to bloom. Strange rock and land formations tinged with red, yellow and orange await, making this a place you'll never forget.

• What you will find

  Timanfaya is the only one of Spain's 15 national parks with a geological nature. Its rarity lies in the fact that the lava casts have created an ecosystem dominated by the most varied land formations you could imagine. Tiny craters, hollows and tubes burst everywhere, creating landscapes that seem to be part of another planet. In contrast to other national parks on the Canary Islands, the vegetation in Timanfaya is not known for its exuberance. However, there are many lichens, representing the triumph of nature even over environments as hostile as this.Lastly, make sure that you tour the underground galleries formed by erosion, deep in the belly of Timanfaya. One of the best examples is the Cueva de los Naturalistas. More than one and a half kilometres long, and formed by the direction of lava flow, it offers visitors a really impressive insight.