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Attractions and Amenities
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Attractions and AmenitiesBeing the capital of Lanzarote, and in recognition of the importance of tourism to the island's economy, the Central Department of Tourism have their offices based at nearby Arrecife and they can be contacted at:Tourism Board de Lanzarote Blas Cabrera Felipe, s/n 35500 Arrecife Lanzarote Telephone: +34 928 811 762 Fax: +34 928 800 080 Email: info@turismolanzarote.com
Which are then supported by local offices at It goes without saying that the staff in both of these offices are always very knowledgeable, and provide a very useful contact point for the latest information about events and activities in the area.
As we have already briefly mentioned as part of our General Introduction Pages, this part of the island around
Playa Honda is becoming one of the main areas of commerce on Lanzarote and with the development of the El Megacentro
and Deiland shopping centre, it has become a favorite shopping and leisure area for the local population.
Centro Commercial Deiland is built over 3 floors and covers an area of 28,000m2 with additional free car parking
for 800 cars. Once inside you'll find shops, restaurants, cafés, along with a multiplex cinema and bowling alley.
For more information their contact details are: Possibly one of the main reasons that people chose to holiday in Playa Honda is due to its close proximity to some of the more cultural atttractions in nearby Arrecife. Although car parking in Arrecife can be a bit of a problem at the best of times, and if you don't fancy the walk, the Transporte Interurbano de Lanzarote do operate a very reliable bus service throughout the island, with their Linea 4 service passing through the resort on the way to the capital approximately every 30 minutes. However, if you have hired a car and are determined to use it there is a municipal car park in the City, and this can be found just opposite the Castillo de San Gabriel.
It would be extremely difficult for visitors to Arrecife to miss the fact that the town is protected by no less than
two ancient castles, both of which were originally built to protect the island from attacks by invading pirates.
The older of the two castles is the Castillo de San Gabriel. This was originally built in 1574 on a small island
at the entrance to Arrecife harbour, which was then connected to the mainland via a causeway and drawbridge.
However, less than 12 years after its construction the original Castillo de San Gabriel was completed destroyed
during a raid by the Algerian pirate Morato Arraez. The castle was subsequently rebuilt in 1599, and was then
continuously used for military purposes well into the late 1950's. The castle today is the home to the Lanzarote
Museum Archaeological and Ethnographic and is open to the general public most days. Contact details are:
The second castle, the Castillo de San Jose, is substantially bigger than the Castillo de San Gabriel, and
proudly stands overlooking the harbour at Arrecife. Construction of the castle began in 1776
during the rule of King Carlos III, and it is widely believed that the only purpose of this project was to create
work for the impoverished local population of Lanzarote.
The Castillo de San Jose has since 1974, housed The Museum of Contemporary Art which features
a collection of works by many of the 20th Century's greatest artists including Picasso, Bacon, Miro
and, of course, Lanzarote's own Cesar Manrique. Contact details are: One of the most photographed features of Arrecife is undoubtedly the local Parish Church, known locally as the Iglesia de San Gines. Originally this fine building was built as a hermitage by the local merchant Francisco Garcia Santellas in 1630, however it was subsequently converted into the Parish Church in honour of Sant Gines, the patron saint of Arrecife in 1778.
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