What to Do on a Rainy Day in Lanzarote

How Much Rain Lanzarote Really Gets

Lanzarote gets about 17 rainy days per year, mostly between November and February. When it does rain, it's usually short-lived, a few hours at most, and then the sun comes back out. Here are our suggestions for the wait, from people who actually live here.

When it rains in Lanzarote, it can be quite dramatic. The volcanic ground has almost no drainage, so streets can flood quickly. It passes fast, so stay off the roads for an hour or so and watch the show from somewhere warm.

The question we get most from visitors is whether the whole day is a write-off. Almost never. Check the forecast the evening before, keep your plans loose, and have one indoor option in your back pocket. Everything below works for that.

Wine Tasting at Brunchi.shop

Our shop in Marina Rubicon is a good place to sit out a shower. You can settle in for a wine tasting (4 glasses of Lanzarote volcanic wines for €14) and Florin will talk you through the different grapes and bodegas. He enjoys this far more than he lets on, so ask questions and you'll get a proper answer.

If you'd rather share something, we do two tasting boards. The Yaiza Board is the Rosado, Seco, Semi-Dulce and Afrutado, which is a good way to find out which style you actually like. The Red Board is Yaiza Tinto, Volcano, Ribera and Rioja, which puts a Lanzarote red next to two mainland classics so you can compare them side by side.

Whisky and craft beer

Not everyone wants wine at 11am, and fair enough. We have over 800 spirits to browse, and you can try a whisky flight (3 measures for €29). Take your time with it. A few drops of water in the glass opens most whiskies up, and it's worth trying one neat first.

We stock beers from the two Lanzarote breweries, Malpeis from Tinajo and NAO from Arrecife, so a flight is a quick way to taste the island's beer scene without driving to either brewery. If you like what you try, the NAO Cactus 44cl cans are €6.50 to take home.

Browsing the shop

The shop is worth a look even if you don't drink. We stock local food products, artisan chocolates, Canary Islands salts, honey, mojo sauces and some nice bits for gifts. People often leave with a jar of mojo and a bag of salt for the suitcase.

If the rain clears while you're with us, just move out to the terrace. By the glass we pour Yaiza, Volcano, Vinosol, Cava, Prosecco, Ribera and Rioja, and we do Sangria and Aperol Spritz too. Whatever the sky does next, you're already sitting there with a drink.

Browse the Marina Shops

Marina Rubicon has covered walkways and a mix of boutiques selling fashion, jewellery, leather goods and local crafts. You can wander a fair stretch without getting wet, which is handy when the showers come and go.

Fund Grube is good for designer handbags and sunglasses at reasonable prices. The arts and crafts shops have some genuinely nice Lanzarote ceramics and lava stone pieces, which make better souvenirs than anything with a magnet on it. Most shops are open until 10pm, so an evening browse works if the rain has ruined your afternoon plans.

Visit Timanfaya National Park

Timanfaya is actually more dramatic in the rain. Dark clouds over the red and black lava fields make photos you won't get on a sunny day, and the colours of the rock look deeper when it's wet. If you've been before in full sun, it's worth another visit in this kind of weather.

The visitor centre and bus tour operate rain or shine, and you stay in the bus for most of it anyway. The geyser demonstrations and the lava-grilled food at the Islote de Hilario restaurant run regardless of weather. A hot lunch cooked over volcanic heat is a good thing to have while it pours outside.

The camel rides at Echadero de los Camellos might be paused in very heavy rain, but light rain is fine. Worth checking on the day before you drive over.

Museum Hopping and César Manrique's Legacy

This is honestly the best use of a rainy day in Lanzarote. César Manrique was the artist and architect who shaped the island's look: no high-rise buildings, art integrated into the landscape, and volcanic lava used as an architectural material. His sites are mostly underground or covered:

• Jameos del Agua — Underground volcanic caves converted into a concert hall, restaurant and gardens. The albino crabs in the underground lake are bizarre and brilliant.
• Cueva de los Verdes — A guided walk through a 6km volcanic lava tube. Cool, dry, and completely sheltered from any weather.
• Manrique Foundation (Tahíche) — His former home, built into five volcanic bubbles. Incredible architecture and art collection.
• Mirador del Río — A clifftop viewpoint with an indoor café. On a rainy day the views across to La Graciosa island are moody and beautiful.

You can buy a combined ticket for 3 or 4 of these sites at a discount. They're spread around the island, so you'll need a car, and the north is a good drive from Playa Blanca. Don't try to squeeze in all four. Two sites with a proper lunch in between makes a better day than a race round the island in wet shoes.

On wet roads, leave plenty of room and take your time. Lava dust and rain make the tarmac slicker than you'd expect, and the heaviest bursts pass quickly if you pull over somewhere safe and wait.

Spa Day

Several hotels in Playa Blanca offer day spa access, including Princesa Yaiza and H10 Rubicon Palace. Prices vary but expect €40-80 for a half-day pass with pool, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi. It's a good rainy afternoon if you want to properly switch off.

Call ahead before you go. Day passes can be limited depending on how busy the hotel is, and a wet day tends to fill them up quickly.

Shopping at Deiland Plaza

The Deiland shopping centre in Playa Blanca has a supermarket, clothes shops, electronics and a few cafés. Not the most exciting option, but useful if you need to kill an hour and want to pick up supplies for the villa. Think of it as the practical choice for a day when everything else feels like too much effort.

Cook Something Good at the Villa

If you're self-catering, a rainy day is a good excuse to cook a proper meal. Pop into Brunchi for a bottle of Lanzarote wine, pick up some local cheese and mojo sauce, and make an evening of it. Our Yaiza blue bottles are €21.50 and the Yaiza Tinto is €25, which is fair for a wine made on the island you're staying on.

We can recommend wine pairings for whatever you're cooking, so just ask. Tell us what's going in the pan and we'll point you to a bottle. As a rough guide, a dry white suits fish and salads, a red suits cheese and anything with a bit of char, and a semi-sweet wine copes better than most with the heat in a spicy mojo.

Finding Us at Marina Rubicon

You'll find Brunchi.shop at Calle El Burrugo 44B, Marina Rubicon, Playa Blanca. We're open Monday to Saturday, 10am-3pm and 6pm-10pm, and closed all day Sunday. If it's pouring at lunchtime, the morning slot is your best bet. Questions before you come? Send us an email at consultas@brunchi.shop.