Spanish cinema filmed in Lanzarote

The nationality with the greatest number of films shot in Lanzarote is Spanish, which means the island has served to tell many chapters in the history of Spanish cinema. Renowned filmmakers, multi-award-winning actresses, prominent producers, emerging female directors and many other great names of the national film industry have passed through the island. The list of Spanish films shot here is therefore diverse in genre and rich in anecdotes.

This route proposes a journey through a selection of films and outstanding figures from Spanish cinema, while also offering an itinerary to discover some of Lanzarote’s most remarkable spots and its unique identity. The proposal runs from the south to the north, with several stops that can be shortened or extended, making its duration very flexible so each person or group can adapt it as they wish.

We begin with the first Spanish feature film shot on the island: Más bonita que ninguna (1965). In previous decades, some NO-DO crews had already visited Lanzarote to film sections of the well-known Francoist newsreels and documentaries. Más bonita que ninguna was fictional cinema, although it was also linked to a phenomenon common during the dictatorship: films starring “child prodigies”. In this case, a young Rocío Durcal stars in a film that includes several scenes shot at Charco de los Clicos, a spectacular location in the south of the island. It is a lagoon of unusual greenish tones, bordered by the blue ocean to the north and the brown and ochre shades of the great crater surrounding this natural pool to the south. Geology and colour combine to create a truly unique place, and it is almost a must-see visit in Lanzarote.

A great admirer of El Golfo is Pedro Almodóvar, winner of two Oscars among many other awards, who has filmed two movies in Lanzarote and is a frequent visitor to the island. A casual photo he took of an anonymous couple embracing in El Golfo inspired Los abrazos rotos (Broken Embraces, 2009), starring Penélope Cruz, and in 2025 he returned to film Amarga Navidad in this area and other nearby southern locations.

Very close to this area are the Janubio Salt Flats, the largest salt production complex in the Canary Islands, which flourished during the first half of the 20th century. Today, parts of this magnificent architectural ensemble can still be visited and high-quality sea salt can be purchased. Alongside its great scenic and cultural value, Janubio also has significant ecological importance, as it is designated a Special Protection Area for Birds (SPA). More than half a dozen films have been shot here, including the Spanish film Rostros (1978), featuring several stars of the time such as Carmen Sevilla, Juan Pardo, and Bárbara Rey.

The island’s main wine-producing area lies slightly further north, known as La Geria, whose unique agricultural landscape is one of the key reasons Lanzarote has been designated by the UN as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS). Both La Geria and Timanfaya National Park, which are practically connected, are so spectacular and striking that each has its own dedicated film route. We recommend reading those itineraries carefully, but we cannot leave La Geria without two suggestions:

1. Sit in one of the local wineries to enjoy some traditional cuisine accompanied by a glass of Lanzarote’s renowned Malvasía white wine; and
2. Watch the film Mararía (1998), starring Goya Toledo, Lanzarote’s most internationally recognised actress. The film is based on a novel of the same name, a true cultural symbol for local residents. Directed by Canarian filmmaker Antonio Betancor, it was nominated for five Goya Awards, including Best Cinematography, largely thanks to the prominence of the island’s volcanic landscapes.

To change scenery slightly, the next suggestion is to head towards the tourist area of Puerto del Carmen. With its large beaches, this town was a pioneer in the transition from fishing to tourism. Today it has a very diverse population and an enormous range of leisure and outdoor activities. Several scenes of Cómo ser mujer y no morir en el intento (1991), the directorial debut of singer Ana Belén, were filmed here.

The next stop is also urban and has a strong female presence: Arrecife, the island’s capital, where many films have been shot. One to highlight is Salir del ropero (2019), the debut feature by Ángeles Reiné, notable for its outstanding cast of Spanish actresses, including the highly acclaimed Rosa María Sardá, Verónica Forqué, and Candela Peña, alongside rising star Ingrid García-Jonsson and Canarian actress Mónica López, winner of a Goya Award in 2023.

Arrecife was also the setting for Invasor (2011), directed by Daniel Calparsoro, and earlier for Oro Rojo (1978), directed by Alberto Vázquez-Figueroa, better known as a writer but who also ventured into filmmaking, with José Sacristán starring in several scenes shot in the capital. Arrecife has its own film route, which we recommend exploring to fully enjoy everything it offers.

This itinerary concludes by returning to the volcanic world, specifically to Cueva de los Verdes. Located in the north of Lanzarote, about 40 minutes by car from Arrecife, this vast underground space is one of the island’s cultural epicentres and forms part of the network of Centres of Art, Culture and Tourism. Cueva de los Verdes is a small accessible section of the enormous volcanic tunnel that runs underground from the Corona Volcano to the sea. Several films have been shot here, and it also serves to remember pioneering Spanish director Juan Antonio Bardem (1922–2002), winner of awards at festivals such as Cannes and Venice, and director of the first Spanish film ever nominated for an Oscar. Bardem filmed La isla misteriosa (1972), starring Omar Sharif, in Lanzarote, capturing several scenes inside Cueva de los Verdes.