Arrecife, capital of Lanzarote

This is the capital of Lanzarote and is situated in the centre of the eastern side of the island with San Bartolomé to its south and Teguise to its west. The history of Arrecife and its port are closely linked as they have both lived for and from the sea. First there was the port then the city. Arrecife has been the capital since 1852 and is the biggest city on the island with over 40,000 inhabitants. The name Arrecife (Reef) has its origin in the banks of corral found on this side of the island.

Arrecife is famous for its two castles, San Gabriel and San Jose. The first one is reached by crossing the Puente de Las Bolas ( Bridge of Balls), a well-known landmark in the city. The second one, San Jose, is situated close to the port of Naos and Los Mármoles and is nowadays the International Museum of Contemporary Art. Another interesting building worth visiting is San Gines Church, named after the patron saint of the city . San Ginés Charco is another attractive part of the city.

In the 19th century, the harvesting of Saltwort (barrilla – a local plant) and cochineal insects was of great economic importance.. Following the economic crisis, the building of the first jetty led to a period of prosperity. For a long time, fishing was the basic economic activity along with the fish salting industry and salt evaporation ponds. Fishing still plays an important role in the economy of the municipality along with the service sector, especially shopping in Arrecife.

More information: arrecife.es