Cueva de los Verdes

Cueva de los Verdes is a section of a lava tube in the north of Lanzarote, in the municipality of Haría, and it is one of the island’s most memorable underground experiences. The tube was formed when lava from the La Corona volcano flowed towards the sea. The outer surface of the stream cooled and hardened while the molten rock inside kept running, leaving a long hollow channel. The whole tunnel system reaches the coast and runs on beneath the seabed, with a total length of around seven kilometres, and the same system includes the Jameos del Agua, which is the other part of the volcanic tunnel that you can visit. The two sites have separate entrances and tickets.

The name is generally linked to a local family surname rather than to any green colour, and the caves have long been part of local memory. Islanders used them as a refuge during pirate raids in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, hiding inside while attackers searched the surface. In the 1960s the tunnel was prepared for visitors under the direction of the artist and designer Jesús Soto, working in the spirit of César Manrique, whose approach to the island’s landscape shaped many of Lanzarote’s sights. Soto’s lighting highlights the rock’s natural forms and colours: reds, ochres and blacks, with the textures of solidified lava.

The guided route covers about a kilometre on foot across several levels. The guides explain how the tube was formed, point out features such as lava stalactites and the layers left by successive flows, and lead visitors through low passages and into larger galleries. One of the large chambers has been adapted as an auditorium, and its acoustics have made it a venue for occasional concerts. A visual trick involving an apparent hole in the floor, which a guide demonstrates, has become a well-known surprise on the tour.

The route involves uneven ground, steps and some stooping, so it is not suitable for people with reduced mobility, and anyone who dislikes enclosed spaces should think carefully. Non-slip shoes are recommended, and the interior stays cool, so a light layer is useful. Entry is by timed ticket, and the official operator, which manages several of the island’s Centros de Arte, Cultura y Turismo (CACT), recommends arriving well before the booked time.

The cave is easily combined with Jameos del Agua, the Jardín de Cactus and the Fundación César Manrique on a day driving round the north of the island. The scenery along the road, with dark lava fields and white villages, is part of the appeal.