On the journey towards the tiny village of Femés, you will pass through a fertile high plateau where tomatoes, potatoes, onions, pumpkins and vines are cultivated. This quaint and traditionally Canarian hamlet is perched on the slopes of the volcanic peak of Atalaya de Femés, between Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca.
It is a great place to visit because of the amazing views it offers, some of the best in Lanzarote. Look out for a viewpoint or mirador called Balcón de Femés, which is located at the far end of the village square. From here, you will enjoy superb panoramic views towards the south, across the El Rubicón plain and the Los Ajaches massif.
Femés once boasted one of the first cathedrals on the archipelago, today’s Ermita San Marcial del Rubicón, dedicated to the patron saint of the island. English privateers destroyed the cathedral in the late 16th century and some years later a replacement was built on the same site. The interior features white walls decorated with models of sailing ships, which pay tribute to the seafaring heritage of the Canary Islands.
From the church, stairs lead up to the graveyard and a path continues to the top of the Atalaya peak, where you can see magnificent panoramic vistas over the Montañas del Fuego in the northwest – and when the sky is clear the north of the neighbouring island Fuerteventura can be enjoyed.
