A wonderful terrace overlooking the sea.
The “Mirador del Rio”, located in one of the northernmost points of the island, is a wonderful terrace overlooking the sea , from which, on clear days, it is possible to contemplate one of the most beautiful views of the island with a 180 degree view of La Graciosa and the Chinijo archipelago.
The “Rio” (river in English) is actually the stretch of sea that runs between the island of La Graciosa and Lanzarote and which, narrowing in the stretch between the two islands, looks like a river.
The view was already famous in the nineteenth century and a must-see for the rare travelers who arrived in Lanzarote, but it is only with the visionary intervention of Cesar Manrique in the 60s of the twentieth century, to create a new and modern tourist image of the island, where nature and human intervention come together in perfect harmony, which this panoramic point turns into a work of art.
In addition to Manrique, the Mirador project also involved his closest collaborators, Luis Morales and Jesús Soto and the architect Eduardo Cáceres.
How to arrive.
Located in the municipality of Haría, the Mirador del Rio can be reached via the LZ-10 passing through the city of a thousand palm trees and continuing along the LZ-202 until you reach the Mirador car park, or following the LZ-1 to Arrieta and then continuing on the LZ-201.
Staying in the Seaside Luxury Villa in Costa Teguise or El Patio de Franky in Teguise you can easily reach the Mirador in about twenty minutes by car.
If you dedicate a day to excursions to the north of the island, you can also add a visit to El Jardin de Cactus, El Jameos de Agua and the Cueva de los Verdes.
How to Visit.
Leaving the car in the large free parking area, we enter the Mirador through a sinuous passage decorated with works of the lanzaroteño craftsman Juan Brito. We then arrive at the heart of the Mirador: two large rooms decorated with huge windows, the eyes of the Mirador del Rio, which allow us to admire the breathtaking panorama that opens up in front of us. The windows, slightly oblique and concave, amplify and multiply the effect of the panoramic view, making it an integral part of the structure.
From the upper floor, which is accessed via a spiral staircase and passing through the gift shop and local crafts, we reach the outdoor terrace, almost 500 meters above sea level, with a 180 degree view of the island of La Graciosa and the ‘Chinijo Archipelago.
Where to eat.
There is a cafeteria, with panoramic windows overlooking the Rio, inside the Mirador. For something more substantial, we recommend:
Restaurante Puerto Atlantico, in Orzola tlf +34 696278969 and Restaurante La Puerta Verde, in Haria tlf +34 928835350