Vol.7
Quick Facts
Fun meter: Pretty darn fun
Location: Guatiza, Lanzarote
Adventure: Food & Activity
Type: Botanical Gardens
Time: 30 minutes – 3 hours
Level of difficulty: Medium
Good for what ages: All ages for the bottom. 6+ for the upper levels.
Cost: Adults 6,50 euros / Children (7-11): 3,25 euros, Free 6 & under. Discounts for residents
Access: Plenty of parking
Hint: The upper levels are built for mountain goats not people, which makes it awesome for kids like me. Oh and dad says try the cactus burger..
More Info: Website
An Overview
This is another place designed by that famous guy everyone talks about wherever we went on Lanzarote. And he sure designs pretty places. This is a stadium full of cactuses… or is it cacti? You get the idea. A ship load of them. Big ones. Tiny ones. Weird ones. Furry ones. Pink ones. Pokey ones. Climbing ones. There was even a drooling cactus monster statue. The cafe served a cactus buffet.. Cactus burgers, cactus smoothies, cactus ice cream, cactus chilli… The windmill on top gave the whole place character.
How to Get There
The cactus garden sits in the middle of a giant plantation of nopales. Which are the cactus you eat at the cafe. Getting there is really simple. Just take highway 1 and follow the signs. Look for the giant cactus statue once you get to the town of Guatiza. There is a large parking lot at the gardens, which was nice as we had such a hard time parking that morning at the mercadillo de Teguise.
Sooooo Many Cactuses
When you get there, make sure your mom and dad pay. You don’t have to ‘cuz you are a kid. Sometimes, being a kid has its advantages. Everything is cactus themed. There is a cactus door, after the giant cactus statue at the entrance. When you go inside, there are lots of steps and you can see the whole garden. You’ll see oodles of cactuses, going up rows like in a stadium. There are pink ones, furry ones, tall ones, bushy cactuses, cactuses that look like trees. They don’t all have spikes, but I wouldn’t pet them unless you feel brave.
At the center, is a cute pond with multiple bridges. Mom and I liked sitting with our feet dangling over the edge. Hundreds of tiny orange goldfish swam over to us. Follow the stream to find THE DROOLING CACTUS MONSTER which has a small waterfall coming out the its mouth. Sadly we did not get a picture of it.
Surrounding the park there are giant stairs. They are filled with tiny cactuses and you have to walk really close to the cactuses. It is a big drop if you fall, so little kids should only go with parents and be careful. You need to be as stable as a mountain goat up there.
Cactuses are Yummy!!!
Near the top, there is a restaurant that sells cactus everything! Cactus burger, cactus smoothie, cactus chili, cactus salad, cactus ice cream, and a lot more. My favorite was the chili. Dad loved the burger. Mom doesn’t think cactus ice cream is ever going to be very popular. It tastes like sweet green bell pepper. But dad and I thought it was fab. Heads up that the cactus taco… is a cactus salad. Not sure why. I thinks it worth coming for the cafe alone.
Traveling With Serenity 