The La Geria Wine Route

Between 1730 and 1736, the eruptions of Timanfaya buried a quarter of Lanzarote under lava and ash. In the centre of the island, farmers discovered that the layer of black volcanic gravel left behind — the picón — could be put to work: dig through it to the old soil underneath, plant a vine at the bottom, and the porous ash above traps the night's moisture and keeps it from evaporating. The result, repeated by hand thousands of times, is La Geria: a valley of black hollows, each sheltered by a low semicircular wall of stones, that looks like nowhere else on earth.

La Geria is a protected landscape, and its vineyards produce most of the island's wine, above all the dry, saline whites of the Malvasía Volcánica grape. The LZ-30 road runs straight through the valley, with bodegas open to visitors along the way. This guide explains how the landscape works, which wineries to visit and what a visit costs where the bodegas publish it, and how to taste properly without anyone having to drive. For the rest of the island, see our Lanzarote travel guide.

Which Bodega Should You Visit?

If you only have time for one or two stops, pick by what you want from the visit.

How La Geria Works: Hoyos, Zocos and Picón

Every vine in La Geria grows in its own hoyo, a hollow dug by hand down through the volcanic gravel to reach the fertile soil buried by the eruptions. The hollows are a few metres across and can be up to three metres deep, and each shelters a few vines. On the windward side, a low, half-moon wall of loose volcanic stone — a zoco — protects the plants from the trade winds that blow across the island for most of the year.

The black gravel on top, the picón, does the rest. It is porous, so it soaks up the dew and the moisture of the night, and it acts as a mulch that stops the little rain that falls from evaporating. The vines are grown without irrigation, and the yields are tiny, which is part of what makes the wines so concentrated. Because the phylloxera plague never reached the island, many vines still grow on their own roots rather than on grafted rootstock.

The Grapes

• Malvasía Volcánica — the island's signature white grape and the large majority of its production, made dry, semi-sweet and sweet.
• Diego — a local white variety with fresh, citrus character.
• Listán Negro — the main red grape, used for light, mineral reds and rosés.
• Moscatel — used for sweet, aromatic wines.

The dry Malvasía is the wine to try first: fresh, saline and slightly smoky, it goes perfectly with the island's grilled fish and goat's cheese.

The Route: Five Stops Along the LZ-30

The stops below run from north to south, starting in Mozaga in the middle of the island and ending at Uga, where the road leads on towards Yaiza, Timanfaya and Playa Blanca. You can drive it the other way just as easily. Hours and tastings change with the season, and several bodegas ask you to book, so check before you set off.

I. Monumento al Campesino, Mozaga

The natural starting point. At the crossroads of Mozaga, in the geographical centre of the island, César Manrique's white Fecundidad sculpture rises above a complex of traditional farm buildings — patios, cisterns, threshing floors and a wine press — with craft workshops and a restaurant serving Lanzarote dishes. It is run by the island's tourist centres and is a good introduction to the farming life that created La Geria.

II. El Grifo

El Grifo is the oldest winery in the Canary Islands, and its wine museum, among old presses and barrels, is the best place to understand how Lanzarote's viticulture developed after the eruptions. Its griffin logo was designed by César Manrique. The audio-guided visit is the easy option; for wine lovers, the two-hour guided tour with six wines is the one to book, and the "Wine Lovers & Gastronomy" version adds lunch at the El Grifo restaurant in Mozaga. Tours run in Spanish and English, and booking online in advance is recommended. Note that it's closed at weekends.

III. Bodegas Rubicón

Near Masdache, Bodegas Rubicón is a historic estate whose colonial-style house, with a wooden balcony and a courtyard shaded by old eucalyptus trees, looks across the valley to Timanfaya. It combines tastings with a restaurant, which makes it a natural lunch stop in the middle of the route. Check its website for current hours and tasting options before you go.

IV. Bodega La Geria

The bodega that shares its name with the valley sits right on the LZ-30 between Masdache and Uga, and it is the most visited — partly because of its position, with views across the hollows towards the volcanoes. You can look around and buy wine without booking; guided visits with a tasting need an appointment. It is the easiest stop if you only have half an hour, and its shop is a convenient place to buy bottles to take home.

V. Stratvs

At the southern end of the valley, next to Timanfaya National Park, Stratvs is the most modern winery on the route. Its daily guided tours take in the vines, the cellar and the winemaking process and end with three wines and artisan cheeses from the nearby Finca de Uga. On Saturday afternoons it runs a "sensory experience" with live music, wine and snacks, and its gourmet shop occupies a traditional Canarian house dating from 1730.

The Stops Compared

Hours and prices from the bodegas' own websites in October 2026 where published. They change with the season, so always check before you go.

A Day on the Wine Route

A relaxed weekday plan, driving north to south. If you'd rather taste than drive, see the tours below.

Taste Without Driving: Tours That Include La Geria

Spain's drink-driving limits are strict, and the LZ-30 is a winding country road. If everyone wants to taste, a tour with transport is the simplest answer. These all include a stop in La Geria.

Full day · Lunch included

South Tour: Timanfaya, El Golfo & La Geria

Timanfaya, El Golfo, Los Hervideros, the Janubio salt pans and La Geria, with lunch.

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Full day · Lunch included

Volcanoes of Timanfaya & Caves

Timanfaya, El Golfo, La Geria and Manrique's Jameos del Agua, with lunch.

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Wine tastings on tours are sometimes paid separately at the bodega, so check what's included when you book. For the park itself, see our Timanfaya National Park guide.

Where to Stay Near La Geria

La Geria is in the municipalities of Tías, San Bartolomé and Yaiza, so Puerto del Carmen and the villages above it are the closest bases — 15 to 20 minutes from the vineyards. For every area on the island, see our where to stay in Lanzarote guide.

Best value · Families

Hotel Floresta, Los Pocillos

A family aparthotel two minutes from Playa de los Pocillos: 242 apartments with kitchenettes, two pools, a kids' club and an 8.6/10 guest rating.

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Adults only · 5★

La Isla y el Mar Hotel Boutique

81 suites in volcanic stone above Puerto del Carmen, with a wine tasting room showcasing Lanzarote wines.

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Beachfront · 5★

Hotel Fariones

Puerto del Carmen's classic beachfront hotel, about 20 minutes from the start of the wine route.

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When to Visit

The route works all year. The vines are bare in winter and green from spring; late summer brings the harvest, picked by hand from the hollows and among the earliest in Europe, when the valley is at its busiest. Mornings are the best time for photographs and are cooler in summer. Remember that several bodegas, including El Grifo, close at weekends or on Sundays, so a weekday is the safest choice. Our best time to visit Lanzarote guide covers the weather month by month.

Practical Tips

Frequently Asked Questions

Our Honest Verdict

La Geria is worth seeing even if you don't drink wine: the black valley of hollows and stone walls is one of the most extraordinary farmed landscapes in Europe. For a short visit, stop at Bodega La Geria for the views and El Grifo for the history; for a full day, add the Monumento al Campesino, lunch at Rubicón and a booked tasting at Stratvs. Go on a weekday, book ahead, and leave the driving to someone who isn't tasting — or to a tour.

For more of the island, our Lanzarote island guide and Timanfaya guide cover the volcanoes next door.