Cinema and literature in Lanzarote

There are many ways to explore Lanzarote, and here we propose a rather original one: seeing the island through films and books. With more than a century of cinema shot on the island and around fifty films made over the past fifty years, Lanzarote offers a very special route that blends literature and the seventh art. The genres are also quite varied, catering to all tastes—from more intimate films and highly realistic books to works of science fiction. Yet the genre that stands out the most is fantasy and adventure: journeys through inhospitable landscapes, escapades of villains and heroines, or exploits on other planets that are set against the backdrop of the island’s unique scenery.
A route as unusual as this also requires original settings, and that is precisely what we propose in this itinerary. We will visit some of Lanzarote’s most iconic spots, but also others that are lesser known and truly distinctive. The route takes us through the central and southern parts of the island and can be completed in about 3 hours without much delay, or extended to 4 or 5 hours if one prefers a more leisurely pace. Each visitor can choose their preferred option.

The route begins in Tenésara, a tiny village reached by a narrow road from Tinajo, a nearby agricultural town of greater size and character. Tenésara is the last human settlement before the coastal lava fields of Timanfaya, and from this point one can admire a vast stretch of wild shoreline, devoid of habitation and constantly battered by waves. This dramatic landscape has served as the setting for several films inspired by works of fantasy literature, such as Cold Skin (2017), a movie adapted from the bestselling and critically acclaimed Spanish novel of the early 21st century. The story follows a lighthouse keeper’s desperate struggle to survive against strange nocturnal creatures on a remote island.
The nearby beaches of Tenésara and Tinajo were also used in the filming of The Mysterious Island (1972), based on Jules Verne’s famous novel and directed by Spanish filmmaker Juan Antonio Bardem, with Omar Sharif starring as Captain Nemo. From the brilliant French master of adventure fiction, another adaptation was shot in Lanzarote: Journey to the Center of the Earth (1976). Verne, however, is not the only giant of mystery and fantasy whose stories have been brought to life on the island. In 2020, several episodes of the series Foundation, based on Isaac Asimov’s seminal work, were filmed here. The production returned to Lanzarote for its second season in 2022.

From this rugged northwestern coast, the route loops back through Tinajo, whose historic town center is well worth a visit, before heading into the La Geria wine-growing region. Just 15 minutes’ drive away lies El Cuervo Volcano, an impressive crater that provided the backdrop for Marvel’s Eternals (2019), a Hollywood blockbuster starring Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek, based on the comic book created by Jack Kirby in the 1970s.

El Cuervo Volcano stands at the gateway to La Geria, Lanzarote’s emblematic wine-growing region. Our recommendation is to stop at one of the several wineries with beautiful roadside views to enjoy a glass of the island’s renowned Malvasía wine, while admiring the surrounding landscape shaped by the island’s unique technique of cultivating vines in volcanic ash. La Geria has also hosted the filming of several highly literary productions with strong Lanzarotean roots, such as Mararía (1998), the great Lanzarote novel of the 20th century written by Rafael Arozarena.

From the wineries of La Geria, one can also spot, in the distance, the Fire Mountains—a collection of volcanoes and craters that form the Timanfaya National Park. This is Lanzarote’s great cinematic stage, where many productions have been filmed, including a version of Zorro, the legendary tale by Johnston McCulley. Only a few scenes were shot here, but they featured none other than Alain Delon, seen galloping across volcanic landscapes.

After La Geria, the next suggested stop is Tías, a town just a few minutes’ drive away and home for nearly twenty years to Nobel Prize-winning author José Saramago. The Portuguese writer settled in this Lanzarote village, which now houses A Casa, a small museum dedicated to his life and work. His legacy is also closely linked to cinema: several of his novels were adapted for the big screen, and documentaries were made about his career, including José and Pilar (2010), directed by Miguel Gonçalves, which portrays the daily life of José Saramago and his partner, Spanish journalist Pilar del Río, featuring many scenes filmed in Lanzarote.

The town of Tías was also home for many years to writer Alberto Vázquez-Figueroa, who was behind three productions in which he either wrote the screenplay or directed the film himself: Oro rojo (1978), Iguana (1988), and Océano (1989).
The route concludes further south at Papagayo Beach, a paradisiacal cove where scenes from several films have been shot. Of particular note is The Possibility of an Island (2008), directed by Michel Houellebecq, the renowned and controversial French writer, who adapted his own novel of the same name. Interestingly, Houellebecq—winner of the prestigious Prix Goncourt, among others—also authored a novel entitled Lanzarote in 2000.

We cannot leave out a few more references, particularly maritime ones, for the more adventurous travelers who wish to extend their journey, since, as mentioned before, Lanzarote boasts a rich cinematic and literary heritage. In Arrecife, which has its own dedicated “Cinema and the Sea” route, stands a sculpture honoring The Old Man and the Sea (1958), Ernest Hemingway’s legendary novel, adapted to film with Spencer Tracy (and later into a 1990 television version starring Anthony Quinn). The monument pays tribute to Gregorio Fuentes, a native of Arrecife who emigrated to Cuba, where he became captain of Hemingway’s fishing boat and whose stories inspired the American writer.
In the north of Lanzarote lies the Chinijo Archipelago, a cluster of small islands and islets. On Alegranza, several scenes of In the Heart of the Sea—a Hollywood epic exploring the real-life events behind Moby-Dick—were filmed. And on La Graciosa, the largest island of the Chinijo Archipelago, the great literary reference is Ignacio Aldecoa, one of the finest Spanish short story writers of the 20th century.