There are many fascinating holiday destinations around the world. But few can match the varied cultural delights of little Lanzarote, the small Spanish owned Canary Island that is located off the coast of Africa. Whose development into a modern tourist destination has been largely shaped by the influence of a local artist called César Manrique.

As a popular holiday destination for the beach crowd Lanzarote has an often missed rich cultural background as well for anyone wishing to explore it,and with an excellent choice of Lanzarote holiday villas there’s always plenty of places to stay

Anyone who visits Lanzarote soon encounters the name of César Manrique as his influence is everywhere. Starting right from the airport, where one of his best known giant wind toy sculptures is located, through to their accommodation. As it is thanks to him that all of the apartments and villas in Lanzarote are painted a uniform white colour. Whilst there are no high rise buildings or ad billboards blotting the landscape.

Manrique was born in 1919 in the capital city of Arrecife and developed a life long love affair with Lanzarote from a very young age. His family owned a summer house in the beach resort of Famara, which is located in then north of the island and which is noted for its natural beauty. And here the young Manrique would gaze at the reflection of the huge Famara massif cliff range in the ebbing surf and rock pools.

The young Manrique went on to study art in Madrid, against his parent’s wishes, before becoming involved with the Spanish surrealist movement in the 1950´s. A brave move in Franco´s Spain at the time. Before heading off to New York under the patronage of the Rockefellers to study and exhibit there. Where he rubbed shoulders with contemporaries such as Andy Warhol.

Manrique returned home as a seasoned traveller with a passion for both art and architecture and was well aware of the devastion that modern building could bring so he championed the fusion of art, architecture and tourism which is appreciated by visitors and locals alike even though he is no longer with us.

Additional information about available apartments in Lanzarote can be found on the Lanzarote1.com website.

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