Mirador del Río

On our way to the next major point of interest we continue on the road from Orzola going southwest passing Las Pardelas on the outskirts, a kind of recreational and ecological park, where traditional crafts are demonstrated – here you can also learn how gofio (ground and roasted cereal) is made. Displays of indigenous flora and animal rides complete the offer, which is mainly directed to children. There is also a small restaurant and a children’s playground. This park can be visited daily between 10.00 and 18.00 hrs.

After about 5 km (3 miles), this spectacular mountain road joins another road leading northwest, where we have to take a right turn and will soon pass a village with the strange name Yé, which dates back to Guanche times and means something like ‘the end of the earth’. Once an important centre for extracting purple dye from lichen, this sleepy village is known today mainly because of its wrestling tradition.

From here, it is only a couple of kilometres more until we finally reach the Mirador del Río, Lanzarote’s most famous viewpoint, located at 497 m (1,630 ft) above sea level and providing breathtaking views over the northern coastline, the straits of El Rio and the islets of Graciosa, and even Montaña Clara and Alegranza.

An old gun emplacement, dating from 1898, when Spain was at war with the United States over Cuba, was converted in 1973 by César Manrique in his typical style into a stunning belvedere, which has been attracting visitor crowds ever since.

If it were not for another striking Manrique sculpture at the entrance to the Mirador, you would not be inspired to think about what could be hiding behind the intimidating façade consisting of a convex stonewall merging into the hillside. The entrance to the Mirador is a mere ‘hole’ in this wall.

As his original idea was to build a restaurant here, Manrique had a large room quarried out of the cliff top. Two cupolas, simply covered with earth and grass, which can be seen from the outside, form the roof of this room.

Inside, a narrow winding white corridor and spiral stairs lead to a white-walled bar-restaurant with a wooden floor, tables and chairs and a stylishly designed bar. Like not wanting to distract the eye from the breathtaking views to be enjoyed beyond the panoramic windows stretching over the whole length of the bar-restaurant, the only decorations of this room – or better ‘rooms’ as the two cupolas make a distinct visual division – are two of Manrique’s huge ceiling sculptures.

The incredible views from the Mirador del Rio – considered one of the best of the whole archipelago – can also be enjoyed in the open air, from a surrounding wind-swept balcony and a terrace, which can be reached by spiral stairs. Down below the steep cliff you can still see the abandoned saltpans of the Salinas del Río with their subtle pink water.

Everything in this stunning place conveys spaciousness, clarity and simplicity in perfect harmony with the surrounding nature… if you miss out on this you haven’t seen Lanzarote!

Opening hours:
Daily from 10.00 to 18.00 hrs (entrance fee)

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See our Lanzarote Map for a closer look
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