This guide to exploring Yaiza covers the best places to visit in the municipality that surrounds Playa Blanca. From pretty whitewashed villages and volcanic wine country to dramatic coastlines and one of Europe’s most famous national parks, there’s a lot to see within a short drive of the resort.
Yaiza is one of five municipalities on Lanzarote. It covers the entire southern end of the island, including Playa Blanca itself. While the big northern attractions like Jameos del Agua and the César Manrique Foundation are around 40 minutes away, you’ll find plenty of exploring Yaiza has to offer right on your doorstep.
The village of Yaiza is the administrative capital of the municipality. It’s small, quiet and absolutely beautiful. In fact, it has been voted Spain’s Prettiest Village on two separate occasions. Whitewashed houses line the streets, interspersed with colourful bursts of bougainvillea and well-kept gardens. It feels a world away from the resort — even though it’s just a 10-minute drive.
Yaiza is known locally as “The Miracle Village”. This is the spot where the lava flows from the devastating eruptions at Timanfaya in the 1730s finally came to a halt — after burying 13 other hamlets in their path. The village survived, and its history is still visible in the architecture today.
Don’t miss the parish church of Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios, one of the oldest buildings on the island. Nearby, the La Era restaurant occupies a 17th-century farmhouse that was converted by César Manrique into a showcase of traditional Canarian cuisine. The La Bodega de Santiago is another popular choice for authentic local dishes. For a coffee stop, try Café Antigua Escuela, a charming café set around a quiet courtyard.
The Centro de Artesanía, close to the church, hosts regular exhibitions of work by local artists and is worth a quick visit.
Lanzarote’s most famous attraction sits within the Yaiza municipality, just a 30-minute drive from Playa Blanca. Timanfaya National Park — also known as the Fire Mountains — is a vast volcanic landscape of craters, lava fields and geothermal hotspots. The guided bus tour through the park is the main experience. You’ll also see geothermal demonstrations and can eat at the El Diablo restaurant, where food is grilled using heat from the volcanic earth below.
It gets very busy, so arrive early or book an organised tour that includes skip-the-queue access. For more options, see our Playa Blanca excursions guide.
Wine lovers will adore the La Geria region. Here, local farmers have been producing wine since the 1700s, despite Lanzarote’s arid conditions and almost zero rainfall. The vines grow in hollows dug into the volcanic ash (picón), each one protected by a semicircular stone wall called a zoco. The result is one of the most photographed landscapes in the Canary Islands.
A single road runs through the region, dotted with bodegas (wineries) offering tastings and sales. The sweet white Malvasía grape is the star, but increasingly good reds and rosés are being produced too. Bodegas Rubicón is the oldest winery in the area and well worth a stop. If you’re hungry, El Chupadero serves excellent tapas with views over the vineyards.
Just 10 minutes from Yaiza village, the tiny hilltop hamlet of Femés is known locally as El Balcón. It sits a few hundred metres above Playa Blanca, offering spectacular views down over the resort, the southern coastline and across to Fuerteventura. On a clear day, the panorama is stunning.
There isn’t a lot to do in Femés beyond soaking up the views. However, it’s worth stopping for lunch at Casa Emiliano, a popular local restaurant. The village church is also an impressive example of traditional Canarian architecture.
No guide to exploring Yaiza would be complete without El Golfo. If fresh fish is your thing, this small coastal village is a must. A string of seafood restaurants lines the rugged volcanic shoreline, serving up some of the freshest catches on the island. The views are dramatic, the food is excellent and the atmosphere is wonderfully authentic.
After your meal, take a short walk along the coast to see Lanzarote’s famous Green Lagoon (Charco de los Clicos). This striking emerald-green pool sits inside a volcanic crater on a black sand beach. The green colour comes from algae and mineral deposits. It’s a remarkable natural sight and has featured in several films, including Pedro Almodóvar’s Broken Embraces and the cult classic One Million Years BC.
The name translates as “boiling pots” — and you’ll quickly see why. At Los Hervideros, the Atlantic crashes into a stretch of volcanic coastline, sending spray shooting through blowholes and caves carved into the lava rock. César Manrique designed a low-impact walkway through the area, giving visitors safe vantage points over the churning sea below. It’s free to visit and makes a great stop on a coastal drive.
Local honesty stalls nearby sell volcanic olivine, a green semi-precious stone found on the island.
Salt production was once one of Lanzarote’s most important industries. The Salinas de Janubio, close to Los Hervideros, are the island’s largest remaining salt flats. Dating back to 1895, they cover 44 hectares and are still in operation. The brightly coloured evaporation pools — ranging from white to pink to deep orange — make for stunning photographs.
Guided tours are now available (around €22 per person) and include a history of the salt pans. You can also buy locally produced salt at the site. Note that salt workers are typically present between January and October.
All of these attractions can be combined into a fantastic half-day or full-day drive from Playa Blanca. Here’s a suggested route:
Playa Blanca → Yaiza village → La Geria (wine tasting) → Timanfaya National Park → El Golfo (lunch + Green Lagoon) → Los Hervideros → Salinas de Janubio → Playa Blanca
The full loop is around 70km and takes 4–6 hours depending on how long you stop at each place. If you don’t have a hire car, organised coach tours covering the southern highlights are available with pick-up from Playa Blanca. See our excursions page for details.
For more ideas on exploring Yaiza and the rest of the island, browse our Lanzarote Travel Guide or visit our FAQs page.