Timanfaya: land that beats, belly of fire

Volcanic land, lava tubes, and red craters are part of the legacy of the eruptions that shaped the formation of Lanzarote, which, along with its white sands and transparent waters, make up a wide variety of textures, geological phenomena, and incredible colours that can transport us to any remote place in an unknown world.

 We head to Timanfaya: a National Park located in the central-western part of the island, created by volcanic eruptions between the 18th and 19th centuries. Here, one of the greatest volcanic activities in the world can be witnessed, not only due to the immense amount of materials ejected by the fire but also because of its spectacular duration: six years, from 1730 to 1736, during which the earth’s roaring and uncontrollable lava flows created a volcanic expanse of up to 200 kilometres, giving rise to the astonishing landscape known as the Fire Mountains.

 I approach Timanfaya from the village of Yaiza, driving along the LZ-67 road on a path that forces me to remain silent and focus my attention on what I see. The landscape has been changing as I move deeper into the volcanic rock, and even though I’ve known this land since childhood, I am still amazed by the feeling of never having seen anything like it anywhere else on the planet.

On my way to the Echadero de Camellos, I encounter the first wonderful scene of the day: a procession of dromedaries marching through the mountains, graceful and elegant in a fascinating dance, moving to the same rhythm and with the same stride.

Once in the park, I get out of the car and gaze at the vast expanse of malpaís from above. In the distance, the immense blue of the sea. An allegory that contrasts desert and water, reminding us that the fire of Lanzarote has emerged from the same ocean 25 million years ago.

The Volcanoes Route 

We join the Volcanoes Route, a journey in a specially adapted bus that takes us through the narrowest corners of this unique lunar landscape.

A soft, local voice accompanies us throughout the trip, narrating the details of the eruptions and illustrating what the inhabitants of Lanzarote must have felt when they heard the earth roar. Her words are translated into English and German, interspersed with brief periods of abrupt and dramatic music, inviting the traveller into a form of introspection where the concepts of time and space seem to cease to exist.

The Volcanoes Route ends with the story of Hilario and his fig tree, which, as they say, never bore fruit, as the fire made life impossible for any flower. However, I would love to tell Hilario that, years later, life has found its way in the form of 800 species of animals and plants that have adapted to the environment, beautifying it and dotting it with miraculous nature.

When the ground — truly — is lava

As we finish the tour, a man dressed to match the surroundings shows us the depths of a hole in the red surface, and with great skill, demonstrates the heat still dwelling deep within the earth by bringing a gorse branch close to the volcanic wall. Just moments later, the unfortunate plant catches fire.

Then his colleague takes over and pours water into a hole in the ground, which, upon making contact with the earth, reaches over 100 degrees and erupts in the form of a thermal fountain. This phenomenon, known as a geyser, elicits several sighs from the audience, wavering between surprise, fear, and admiration.

El Diablo: cooking with fire

Finally, we are guided to a grill that harnesses the earth’s heat to cook food ten meters below what could well be hell: volcanic rock burning at nearly 300 degrees Celsius.

We are in the kitchen of El Diablo, a restaurant where César Manrique unleashed his creativity, integrating a gastronomic space that blends harmoniously with its surroundings, further enhancing its tourist, artistic, and cultural appeal.

Its interior reaffirms itself as a place of reverence. Circular in design and overlooking the malpaís, visitors can once again admire Manrique’s talent for blurring the fine line between human craftsmanship and nature. They will also encounter some of the creative touches that so distinctly defined him, such as filling the ceiling and various corners with frying pans.

A land that lives, beats, and vibrates 

César used to say that Lanzarote was a place for meditation and contemplation. Without a doubt, the Fire Mountains inspire reflection on the sheer force of nature, capable of terrifying an entire population and erasing all traces of life, only to later become a magnet for travellers from around the world, captivated by its raw and powerful beauty.

The Fire Mountains are home to an explosive energy, where the silence invites you to sense the roar of the volcanoes, now softened by the influence of the wind and the tide. This is an essential journey to undertake in Lanzarote and arguably the most iconic place to understand the island’s identity. A paradise for geology and a Pandora’s box for history.

This landscape embodies the terrifying past of a wild nature that, over time and through César’s vision, has transformed into a stunning place where the earth feels alive, fiery, and vibrant. Even the smallest and most delicate forms of life have found a way to thrive here.

Photographies by Alejandro Acuña and Mercedes Parrilla. 

Author: Mercedes Parrilla