Lanzarote Tourism Guide - San Bartolome

San Bartolome Lanzarote

If you're based here in San Bartolome you can expect a traditional Canarian town, with attractive narrow streets and pretty white washed houses (with the distinctive green framed windows - another preference and legacy of Cesary Manrique). A central focal point is the 18th century Church of San Bartolome situated in the central square. The town hall and municipal theatre is here too. In fact San Bartolome is a strong administrative centre in Lanzarote. A taste of traditional Canarian architecture is certainly on show in San Bartolome.

A big attraction nearby is the big Eurokart go-karting track (situated just to the south of San Bartolome). It's a good two track ko-karting course with other facilities on-site including a children's playground and a cafŽ bar. Open from 10am daily.

You're centrally placed in San Bartolome for easy access to the Cesar Manrique Foundation in nearby Tachiche, and the volcano route within Lanzarote's Timanfaya National Park.

Go Karting San Bartolome. Ctra. Arrecife - San BartolomŽ Km 5, 35550 San Bartolome, Lanzarote. Telephone: +34 928 520 022.

Ethnographic Museum San Bartolome

If you're interested in digging deeper into Lanzarote's history, from the perspective of Canarian residents over the last 200 years then the Ethnographic Museum is a must visit in San Bartolome. A tad romanticised and twee in parts maybe, with more of a focus on religion, traditional dancing and displays of tools without comment and devoid of the comments and voice of the workers themselves (for these stories in more depth head to the Santa Barbara Emigration Museum at Teguise) - the museum is well worth a visit for insights into Lanzarote's agricultural history, and just how hard it's been to eek a living out of the soil on this island.

Onsite are various agricultural tools on display, gardens, an art galler, a chapel shop, a cafeteria and a dance floor for the traditional dancers.

For more Lanzarote agricultural history visit also the Museo Agricola El Patio in Tiagua just to the north of the Monumento al Campesino.

Ethnographic Museum Tanit, Calle Constitucion, 1, 35550 San Bartolome, Lanzarote, Telephone: +34 928 522 334.

Casa Museo Del Campesino and the Peasant's Monument

Falling in with Lanzarote's general excellent trend of focusing on the stories of 'little' people and their history on the island, the Casa Monumento al Campesino in the San Bartolome region is a reminder of the hardships and difficult labour conditions experienced by farmers and Lanzarote's rural community over the years. Lanzarote is one of the most arid of all the Canary Islands, and to extract a living by farming on this island has always been tough!

The monument is, you've guessed it, designed by Manrique again - a little difficult to comprehend perhaps? It's dedicated to fertility and he used an old fishing boat to construct it - all cubic and elevated on a bed of rocks. Actually, it's one of his most interesting sculptures on the island.

The Casa Museum is set within an old farm house, and was restored by Manrique. Inside you'll view a collection of various farming utensils and equpment as well as craft workshops where you can see ceramics, embroidery and weaving. There's also a very good Monument Restaurant on-site - Lanzarote cooking is on the menu with fresh fish, sancocho/a fish stew and desserts.

Opening hours daily are from 10am to 18.00pm. The restaurant is open from 12noon to 16.30pm, and the bar/with tapas from 10am to 17.45pm. Typical Canarian food is served and a souvenir shop and parking are on-site. Events can also be organised here. Tel: 928 52 01 36.